APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RIGHTS-MANAGED CONTENT AND DATA DELIVERY

• US 20110219229A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marsh, Christopher, Patel, Vipul, Cholas, Chris, Markley, Jeffrey P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• 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: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing access to content across a plurality of devices and environments. In one embodiment, a downloadable rights profile is utilized in order for a user device to determine whether to provide content to a subscriber. The user device is first registered to content delivery the network; the device then requests a rights profile indicating the rights of the subscriber associated with the device to access content. The rights profile is transmitted to the device. The rights profile may be configured to be valid only for a pre-determined time, thus enabling a subscriber'"'"'s rights to be updated (including revoked). Security mechanisms may also be utilized to ensure access to content is limited only to authorized subscribers. In another embodiment, a user-based authentication procedure is utilized, thereby making the rights determination and content provision process completely agnostic to the underlying hardware.

Claims

1. Computer readable apparatus having a storage medium containing at least one computer program, the program which, when executed on a host device:

accesses a rights profile associated with a user;

determines, based on the accessing, the use rights that the user has with respect to a first content element; and

accesses, based at least in part on the use rights, the first content element for playback to the user of the host device;

wherein the user may access the first content element irrespective of the host device on which said computer program is executed.

2. The computer readable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a mass storage device of said host device.

3. The computer readable apparatus of claim 2, wherein said mass storage device of said host device comprises a program memory.

4. The computer readable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said access of a rights profile comprises:

generating a request for said profile;

transmitting said request to a network entity; and

receiving from said network entity or its proxy, said profile.

5. The computer readable apparatus of claim 4, wherein said received rights profile is encrypted using a public/private key pair, and said host device possesses a private key of said pair that enables said program to decrypt said rights profile.

6. The computer readable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said access of said first content element comprises decoding said first content element using decoding data provided in said rights profile.

7. The computer readable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rights profile is generated by a network operator based at least in part on a subscription of said user to a service provided by said operator.

8. The computer readable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said program further comprises a module for generating a user interface, said user interface allowing a user of a content delivery network to log into a network server so that said rights profile can be provided to said host device.

9. Consumer premises equipment (CPE) for use in a content delivery network, comprising:

a network interface adapted to;

transmit a request for information regarding a subscriber'"'"'s rights to content;

receive said requested information;

transmit a request for content; and

receive said requested content;

a storage apparatus adapted to store said information; and

a digital processor adapted to determine, based at least in part on said information, whether said subscriber has a right to access said requested content, and if so providing said requested content to said user;

wherein said requested content is received irrespective of whether said subscriber has a right to access said requested content or not.

10. The CPE of claim 9, wherein said subscriber receives said requested content at a display device remote from said CPE, said display device and said CPE being in communication with one another.

11. The CPE of claim 10, wherein said communication comprises wireless communication.

12. The CPE of claim 9, wherein if it is determined that said subscriber does not have said right to access said requested content, providing a notification to said user, said notification informing said user that access to said requested content is not authorized.

13. The CPE of claim 12, wherein said notification further informs said user of one or more methods obtaining said right to access said requested content.

14. The CPE of claim 9, wherein said storage apparatus comprises a removable storage apparatus, said storage apparatus configured to provide access to said stored information to a plurality of devices by placing said storage apparatus in communication therewith.

15. A method for determining a set of rights for a subscriber to content in a content delivery network, said method comprising:

receiving a request for said set of rights from said subscriber at a client device;

associating said client device to said subscriber'"'"'s account;

determining said set of rights for said subscriber based at least in part on information obtained from said subscriber'"'"'s account; and

transmitting said set of rights to said subscriber at said client device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said request comprises information identifying said client device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said information identifying said client device comprises at least one of a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said act of associating said client device to said subscriber'"'"'s account comprises:

identifying a subscriber account listing said MAC address or said IP address as a device therein; and

verifying said identified subscriber account comprises said subscriber account based at least in part on information identifying said subscriber in said request.

19. The method of claim 18, and wherein said information identifying said subscriber comprises at least one of subscriber account number or a pre-established login identity and associated password.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of determining said set of rights comprises generating a rights profile comprising one or more policies.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said one or more policies comprise at least one of:

a policy for a number of times content may be accessed or outputted to a display device;

a policy for a length of time said subscriber may be granted access to said content;

a policy for a type of content said subscriber may access; and

a policy for one or more content sources from which a subscriber may access content.

22. A method of determining a user'"'"'s rights to access requested content at a client device, comprising:

receiving a request for content;

accessing a profile comprising said user'"'"'s rights to access a plurality of content;

comparing information relating to said requested content to said profile;

if said profile provides said user with a right to access said requested content, providing said requested content to said user; and

if said profile fails to provide said user with said right to access said requested content, not providing said requested content to said user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said request for content comprises a request entered by a user at a user interface.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving said plurality of content, and wherein said act of providing said requested content to said user comprises sending said content to a display device for presentation to said user.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said act of providing said requested content to said user comprises:

requesting said requested content from a content source;

receiving said requested content;

processing said requested content; and

forwarding said processed content to a display device for presentation to said user.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising if said profile fails to provide said user with said right to access said requested content, providing a notification to a display device for presentation to said user, said notification indicating that said user is does not have said right to access said requested content.

27. A client device for use in a content delivery network, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) front end interface;

a plurality of back end interfaces;

a storage apparatus; and

a digital processor, said digital processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said program comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed;

request information regarding a subscriber'"'"'s rights to access a plurality of content via said RF front end interface;

request one of said plurality of content from at least one content;

determine based at least in part on said information whether said subscriber is given a right to access said requested one of said plurality of content; and

if it is determined that said subscriber has said right, provide said subscriber with access to said requested one of said plurality of content.

28. The client device of claim 27, wherein said subscriber is provided access to said requested one of said plurality of content via said computer program directing the display of said requested one of said plurality of content.

29. The client device of claim 27, wherein said storage apparatus is configured to store said information regarding said subscriber'"'"'s rights to access said plurality of content.

30. The client device of claim 27, wherein if it is determined that said subscriber does not have said right, provide said subscriber with one or more options for obtaining said right.

31. The client device of claim 30, wherein said options for obtaining said right comprise at least one of:

purchase of limited access to said requested one of said plurality of content;

purchase of access to a type of content, said type of content including said requested one of said plurality of content; and

purchase of access to a content source, said content source being associated with said requested one of said plurality of content.

32. The client device of claim 27, wherein said information regarding a subscriber'"'"'s rights to access a plurality of content comprises information regarding at least one of:

a number of times said subscriber may have individual ones of said plurality of content outputted to a display device;

a length of time said subscriber may be granted access to individual ones of said plurality of content;

one or more types of content of said plurality of content said subscriber may access; and

one or more content sources of said plurality of content said subscriber may access.

33. A method for providing content to individual ones of a plurality of client devices in a content delivery network, said method comprising:

generating a plurality of profiles, each of said plurality of profiles comprising information regarding rights of one of a plurality of subscribers to access a plurality of content;

sending individual ones of said plurality of profiles to respective ones of said individual ones of said plurality of client devices;

sending said plurality of content to said individual ones of said plurality of client devices; and

enabling said individual ones of said plurality of client devices to utilize said information contained in said individual ones of said plurality of profiles to determine whether to provide for display of individual ones of said plurality of content sent thereto.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said rights of said subscribers are derived at least in part from a subscription level of individual subscribers.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said profiles are unique to individual ones of said subscribers.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising receiving information regarding capabilities of said individual ones of said plurality of client devices, said rights of said subscribers being further derived at least in part from said capabilities information, and said profiles being unique to said individual ones of said plurality of client devices.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of sending said plurality of content to said individual ones of said plurality of client devices occurs irrespective of said rights of said plurality of subscribers to access said plurality of content.