System and method for managing entitlements to data over a network

• US 8,341,242 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dillon, Michael, Stern, Peter, Putsch, Jon, Mayers, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): BATES, KEVIN T
• Application Number:
  US12/536,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 725/25, 725/27, 725/120
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4508 Management of client data or end-user data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A system and method for determining entitlement to content residing on a server. A subscriber computing device operated by a subscriber generates a request for access to a requested content residing on a content access provider server. The subscriber has an account with a multi-channel video program distributor (MVPD) and the account comprises subscription information indicative of the services provided by the MVPD to the subscriber. The content request is received by the content access provider and forwarded to an entitlements server. The entitlement determines whether the subscriber is entitled to receive the requested content based on the subscription information and sends an access granted message to the content access provider server when the subscriber is entitled to receive the requested content.

Claims

1. A method for determining entitlement to content residing on a server comprising:

associating a subscriber identifier with an account of a subscriber with a content access provider, wherein the subscriber identifier is associated with an account of the subscriber with a multi-channel video program distributor (MVPD) and wherein the account with the MVPD comprises a subscription level indicative of services provided by the MVPD to the subscriber;

receiving a request from a subscriber computing device operated by the subscriber for access to a requested content provided by a content provider residing on a content access provider server;

authenticating the subscriber at the content access provider server using credentials accepted by the content access provider to obtain the subscriber identifier;

forwarding the content request and the subscriber identifier from the content access provider server to an entitlements server;

determining by the entitlements server using the subscriber identifier the subscription level of the subscriber associated with the subscriber'"'"'s account with the MVPD;

determining by the entitlement server from the subscription level whether the subscriber is entitled to receive qualifying services of the content provider from the MVPD; and

authorizing by the entitlements server access to the requested content on the content access provider server when the subscriber is entitled to receive qualifying services of the content provider from the MVPD.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is selected from the group consisting of video content, audio content, photographic content, text content, game content, and multi-media content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile device, a PDA, and a cell phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content access server and the subscriber computing device communicate via a network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a wired network, a wireless network, a public switched network, a packet switched network, a hybrid-fiber coax network, a fiber network, and a satellite network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining by the entitlement server from the subscription level whether the subscriber is entitled to receive qualifying services of the content provider from the MVPD comprises:

identifying from the subscription level one or more channels that the subscriber is entitled to receive from the MVPD; and

determining whether the entitlement to receive the one or more channels is a qualifying service that entitles the subscriber to access the requested content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription level is selected from the group consisting of a list of subscribed channels, a service package descriptor indicative of a subscribed level of service, and a list of subscribed premium services.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the services provided by the MVPD are broadcasted over a shared network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared network is selected from the group consisting of a shared cable network, a shared hybrid-fiber-coax network, a shared fiber network, a shared satellite network, and a shared IP network.

10. A system for determining entitlement to content residing on a server comprising:

a content access provider server comprising a first processor;

an entitlements server comprising a second processor, wherein;

the first processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the content access provider server to perform operations comprising;

associating a subscriber identifier with an account of a subscriber with a content access provider, wherein the subscriber identifier is associated with an account of the subscriber with a multi-channel video program distributor (MVPD) and wherein the account with the MVPD comprises a subscription level indicative of services provided by the MVPD to the subscriber;

receiving a request from a subscriber computing device operated by a subscriber for access to a requested content provided by a content provider and residing on the content access provider server;

authenticating the subscriber at the content access provider server using credentials accepted by the content access provider to obtain the subscriber identifier;

forwarding the content request and the subscriber identifier from the content access provider server to the entitlements server, and

the second processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the entitlements server to perform operations comprising;

determining using the subscriber identifier the subscription level of the subscriber associated with the subscriber'"'"'s account with the MVPD;

determining from the subscription level whether the subscriber is entitled to receive qualifying services of the content provider from the MVPD; and

authorizing access to the requested content on the content access provider server when the subscriber is entitled to receive qualifying services of the content provider from the MVPD.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the content is selected from the group consisting of video content, audio content, photographic content, text content, game content, and multi-media content.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the subscriber computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile device, a PDA, and a cell phone.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the subscriber computing device and the content access provider server communicate via a network selected from the group consisting of a wired network, a wireless network, a public switched network, a packet switched network, a hybrid-fiber coax network, a fiber network, and a satellite network.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instruction for determining from the subscription level whether the subscriber is entitled to receive qualifying services of the content provider from the MVPD comprises:

identifying from the subscription level one or more channels that the subscriber is entitled to receive from the MVPD; and

determining whether the entitlement to receive the one or more channels is a qualifying service that entitles the subscriber to access the requested content.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the subscription level is selected from the group consisting of a list of subscribed channels, a service package descriptor indicative of a subscribed level of service, and a list of subscribed premium services.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the services provided by the MVPD are broadcasted over a shared network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the shared network is selected from the group consisting of a shared cable network, a shared hybrid-fiber-coax network, a shared fiber network, a shared satellite network, and a shared IP network.