Method of using tokens and policy descriptions for dynamic on demand session management

• US 8,504,715 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Mao, Weidong, Black, Neville A., Compton, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US13/592,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/229, 709/231, 705/59
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• 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 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Tokens and policy descriptors are used for dynamic on demand session management in a distributed and scalable architecture for on demand sessions and resource management. The architecture includes an on demand client, a purchase server, and a session manager. A purchase token is generated at the purchase server and assigned to the on demand client. The purchase token represents at least one requested asset. In response to an on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manager, the purchase token is expanded to generate at least one dynamic policy management descriptor for the on demand session. This provides token-based purchase authorization and policy management for on demand services.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending to a client an indication of a token;

responsive to receiving a first session request identifying the token, determining by at least one computing device a first playlist of a plurality of content assets based on the identified token and causing at least some of the content assets of the first playlist to be transmitted to the client; and

responsive to receiving a second session request, determining by the at least one computing device a different second playlist of a plurality of content assets based on the identified token and causing at least some of the content assets of the second playlist to be transmitted to the client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first transmission control protocol type based on the identified token, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist based on the determined first transmission control protocol type.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a second transmission control protocol type based on the identified token, the second transmission control protocol type being different from the first transmission control protocol type, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist based on the determined second transmission control protocol type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first bandwidth based on the identified token, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist using the determined first bandwidth.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a second bandwidth based on the identified token, the second bandwidth being different from the first bandwidth, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist using the determined second bandwidth.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first codec based on the identified token, wherein said causing the at least some of the contents assets of the first playlist to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist encoded by the determined first codec.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a second codec based on the identified token, the second codec being different from the first codec, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist encoded by the determined second codec.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, responsive to receiving the first session request, a first asset list descriptor based on the identified token, wherein the first asset list descriptor identifies start times of the plurality of content assets of the first playlist.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, responsive to receiving the second session request, a second asset list descriptor based on the identified token, the second asset list descriptor being different from the first asset list descriptor, wherein the asset list descriptor identifies start times of the plurality of content assets of the second playlist, at least some of which are different from the start times of the plurality of content assets of the first playlist.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist to be transmitted comprises causing the at least some of the content assets of the first playlist to be transmitted to a client device of the client, and wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist to be transmitted comprises causing the at least some of the content assets of the second playlist to be transmitted to said client device.

11. A method, comprising:

responsive to a request for a content asset, sending to a client a message identifying a token; and

responsive to receiving a session request identifying the token, determining by at least one computing device a playlist of a plurality of content assets including the requested content asset, as well as start times of the content assets in the playlist, based on the identified token, and causing at least some of the content assets in the playlist to be transmitted to the client in accordance with the determined start times.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a transmission control protocol type based on the identified token, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets based on the determined transmission control protocol type.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a bandwidth based on the identified token, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets using the determined bandwidth.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a codec based on the identified token, wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets to be transmitted comprises transmitting the at least some of the content assets encoded by the determined codec.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said sending the message comprises sending the message to a client device of the client, and wherein said causing the at least some of the content assets to be transmitted comprises causing the at least some of the content assets to be transmitted to said client device.

16. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one computing device is configured to;

send to a client an indication of a token,

responsive to each of a plurality of session requests that identifies the token, process information associated with the token, and

for each of the session requests, determine a different playlist of a plurality of content assets based on the token and set up transmission of at least some of the content assets of the playlist to the client.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is further configured to determine a bandwidth based on the token, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to set up the transmission such that the at least some of the content assets are transmitted using the determined bandwidth.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is further configured to determine a codec based on the token, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to set up the transmission such that the at least some of the content assets are encoded by the determined codec.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising an edge device coupled to the at least one computing device and configured to, for each of the playlists, transmit at least some of the content assets of the respective playlist to the client.

20. The system of claim 16,

wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to determine, for each of the session requests, an asset list descriptor based on the token, wherein each of the asset list descriptors identifies start times of the plurality of content assets of the respective playlist, and

wherein the system further comprises an edge device configured to, for each of the playlists, transmit the content assets of the respective playlist to the client at the start times associated with those content assets.