Preventing unauthorized modification or skipping of viewing of advertisements within content

• US 8,868,464 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhuk, Oscar V., Morten, Glenn A., Hiar, Edward Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US12/027,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,448 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/21, 705/51, 705/59, 705/71, 380/44, 380/262, 380/278, 380/279
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 method, apparatus, and system are directed towards employing a chain of permission keys obtained during playing of advertisements within content to enable continued playing of the content. A sequence of encoded permission keys are generated with each encoded permission key, except a last permission key, incorporating a scrambling key useable to decode a next encoded permission key within the sequence of encoded permission keys that enables playing of a next portion of the content. If playing of any advertisement within the content is avoided, then access to an associated scrambling key useable to decode a next permission key is prevented, which in turn inhibits playing of a next portion of the content. In another embodiment, a heartbeat analysis may also be performed to monitor if skipping of an advertisement is being attempted, and if so, playing of the content is prevented.

Claims

1. A system configured to manage viewing of advertisements within content, comprising:

processor; and

a non-transitory memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

employing a different scrambling key that scrambles each of at least two permission keys;

generating at least two encoded permission keys by combining each scrambled permission key with a next scrambling key;

marking different portions of at least two advertisements based on different ones of the at least two encoded permission keys;

partitioning the content into portions of content separated by at least one of the marked advertisements;

providing the partitioned content to a client device with the marked advertisements; and

providing a downloadable client component to the client device, the client component containing instructions that when executed by a processor on the client device cause the processor on the client device to perform steps comprising;

receiving the partitioned content with the marked advertisements;

obtaining a first encoded permission key during playing of a first marked advertisement;

extracting the next scrambling key from the first encoded permission key;

obtaining, during the playing of a second marked advertisement, a second encoded permission key;

unscrambling a permission key associated with the second encoded permission key using the next scrambling key; and

playing a subsequent portion of the content using the unscrambled permission key.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the downloadable client component further comprises instructions that when executed cause the processor on the client device to perform steps comprising:

performing a heartbeat analysis while the content or advertisements is playing, the heartbeat analysis comprising;

determining a start time and end time for each advertisement;

determining a content play time (CT) and a real-time (RT);

determining whether the CT is greater than about the RT, and the CT is greater than about the start time of an advertisement;

based on the determination that the CT is greater than about the RT, and the CT is greater than about the start time of the advertisement, detecting an attempt to avoid playing of the advertisement and inhibiting playing of the content;

determining whether the CT is greater than about the RT, and the RT is between about the start time and end time for the advertisement; and

based on the determination that the CT is greater than about the RT, and the RT is between about the start time and end time for the advertisement, detecting an attempt to avoid playing of the advertisement and inhibiting playing of the content.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for marking different portions comprise instructions stored in the non-transitory memory that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

partitioning each permission key into a plurality of partitions;

associating each partition within the plurality of partitions for a given encoded permission key to a marker; and

inserting the markers for the given encoded permission key at randomly selected locations throughout an advertisement.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for scrambling a permission key comprise instructions stored in the non-transitory memory that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

partitioning a respective permission key into a plurality of digits; and

employing the scrambling key to re-locate the plurality of digits within the permission key;

wherein combining the scrambled permission key with the next scrambling key further comprises combining the scrambled plurality of digits with the next scrambling key using a reversible process allowing the next scrambling key to be obtained from the encoded permission key.

5. The system of claim 1, the non-transitory memory further storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

selecting each scrambling key such that each bit within a given scrambling key identifies a location within a given permission key in which to re-locate bits from a first location to the location, the first location being identified by a location of each bit within the given scrambling key.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for playing a subsequent portion of the content using the unscrambled permission key comprise instructions in the client component that when executed by a processor on the client device cause the processor on the client device to perform steps comprising:

determining whether the unscrambled permission key and an original copy of the respective permission key are equal;

based on a determination that the unscrambled permission key and the original copy of the respective permission key are equal, enabling the subsequent portion of the content to play; and

based on a determination that the unscrambled permission key and the original copy of the respective permission key are not equal, inhibiting playing of the subsequent portion of the content.

7. A method for managing viewing of advertisements within content by a client device, comprising:

employing, by a processor, a different scrambling key that scrambles each of at least two permission keys;

generating, by the processor, at least two encoded permission keys by combining each scrambled permission key with a next scrambling key;

marking, by the processor, different portions of at least two advertisements based on different ones of the at least two encoded permission keys;

partitioning, by the processor, the content into portions of content is separated by at least one of the marked advertisements; and

providing, by the processor, a downloadable client component to the client device, the client component containing instructions that when executed by a processor on the client device cause the processor on the client device to perform steps comprising;

receiving, by the client device, the partitioned content with the marked advertisements;

obtaining, by the client device, a first encoded permission key during playing of a first marked advertisement;

extracting, by the client device, the next scrambling key from the first encoded permission key;

obtaining, by the client device, during the playing of a second marked advertisement, a second encoded permission key;

unscrambling, by the client device, a permission key associated with the second encoded permission key using the next scrambling key; and

playing, by the client device, a subsequent portion of the content using the unscrambled permission key.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the client processor on the client device further performs steps comprising:

performing a heartbeat analysis while the content or advertisements is playing, the heartbeat analysis comprising;

determining a start time and an end time for each advertisement;

determining a content play time (CT) and

a real-time (RT);

determining whether the CT is greater than about the RT, and the CT is greater than about the start time of an advertisement;

based on the determination that the CT is greater than about the RT, and the CT is greater than about the start time of the advertisement, detecting an attempt to avoid playing of the advertisement and inhibiting playing of the content;

determining whether the CT is greater than about the RT, and the RT is between about the start time and end time for the advertisement; and

based on the determination that the CT is greater than about the RT, and the RT is between about the start time and end time for the advertisement, detecting an attempt to avoid playing of the advertisement and inhibiting playing of the content.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein marking different portions comprises:

partitioning each permission key into a plurality of partitions;

associating each partition within the plurality of partitions for a given encoded permission key to a marker; and

inserting the markers for the given encoded permission key at randomly selected locations throughout an advertisement.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein scrambling a permission key comprises:

partitioning a respective permission key into a plurality of digits; and

employing the scrambling key to re-locate the plurality of digits within the permission key;

wherein combining the scrambled permission key with the next scrambling key further comprises combining the scrambled plurality of digits with the next scrambling key using a reversible process allowing the next scrambling key to be obtained from the encoded permission key.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting each scrambling key such that each bit within a given scrambling key identifies a location within a given permission key in which to re-locate bits from a first location to the location, the first location being identified by a location of each bit within the given scrambling key.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein playing of a subsequent portion of the content using the unscrambled permission key comprises:

determining whether the unscrambled permission key and an original copy of the respective permission key are equal;

based on a determination that the unscrambled permission key and the original copy of the respective permission key are equal, enabling the subsequent portion of the content to play; and

based on a determination that the unscrambled permission key and the original copy of the respective permission key are not equal, inhibiting playing of the subsequent portion of the content.

9. A client device for use in managing viewing of advertisements within content, the client device comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

receiving a downloadable client component from a server, the server performing steps comprising;

employing a different scrambling key to scramble each of at least two permission keys;

generating at least two encoded permission keys by combining each scrambled permission key with a next scrambling key;

marking different portions of at least two advertisements based on different ones of the at least two encoded permission keys;

partitioning the content into portions of content separated by at least one of the marked advertisements;

providing the partitioned content to the client device with the marked advertisements; and

providing the downloadable client component to the client device; and

executing the downloadable client component on the client device to perform steps comprising;

receiving the partitioned content with the marked advertisements;

obtaining a first encoded permission key during playing of a first marked advertisement;

extracting the next scrambling key from the first encoded permission key;

obtaining, during the playing of a second marked advertisement, a second encoded permission key;

unscrambling a permission key associated with the second encoded permission key using the next scrambling key; and

playing a subsequent portion of the content using the unscrambled permission key.

14. The client device of claim 9, the non-transitory memory further storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

performing a heartbeat analysis while the content or advertisements is playing, the heartbeat analysis comprising;

determining a start time and end time for each advertisement;

determining a content play time (CT) and a real-time (RT);

determining whether the CT is greater than about the RT, and the CT is greater than about the start time of an advertisement;

based on the determination that the CT is greater than about the RT, and the CT is greater than about the start time of the advertisement, detecting an attempt to avoid playing of the advertisement and inhibiting playing of the content;

determining whether the CT is greater than about the RT, and the RT is between about the start time and end time for the advertisement; and

based on the determination that the CT is greater than about the RT, and the RT is between about the start time and end time for the advertisement, detecting an attempt to avoid playing of the advertisement and inhibiting playing of the content.

15. The client device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for marking different portions comprise instructions stored in the non-transitory memory that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

partitioning each permission key into a plurality of partitions;

associating each partition within the plurality of partitions for a given encoded permission key to a marker; and

inserting the markers for the given encoded permission key at randomly selected locations throughout an advertisement.

16. The client device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for scrambling a permission key comprise instructions stored in the non-transitory memory that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

partitioning a respective permission key into a plurality of digits; and

employing the scrambling key to re-locate the plurality of digits within the permission key;

wherein combining the scrambled permission key with the next scrambling key further comprises combining the scrambled plurality of digits with the next scrambling key using a reversible process allowing the next scrambling key to be obtained from the encoded permission key.

17. The client device of claim 9, the non-transitory memory further storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

selecting each scrambling key such that each bit within a given scrambling key identifies a location within a given permission key in which to re-locate bits from a first location to the location, the first location being identified by a location of each bit within the given scrambling key.

18. The client device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for playing a subsequent portion of the content using the unscrambled permission key comprise instructions stored in the non-transitory memory that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

determining whether the unscrambled permission key and an original copy of the respective permission key are equal;

based on a determination that the unscrambled permission key and the original copy of the respective permission key are equal, enabling the subsequent portion of the content to play; and

based on a determination that the unscrambled permission key and the original copy of the respective permission key are not equal, inhibiting playing of the subsequent portion of the content.