Authorization access controlled content exchange

• US 7,441,037 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Saxena, Parichay
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/277,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/219, 709/225, 709/229, 709/205, 709/212, 709/218, 709/231, 709/232
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17363 at or near the user terminal

Abstract

Authorization access controlled content exchange can be implemented, for example, in a multimedia content distribution environment when individual client devices are capable of storing content. A content index is maintained for each client device that reflects the content stored thereat. Predefined authorization access information for each relevant content item may be included in a content index entry corresponding thereto. A profile is maintained that includes predetermined authorization access information which indicates access rights. A search may be performed by and/or on behalf of a requesting client device for desired content with reference to authorization access information. A content transfer to the requesting client device from a target client device may be enabled if the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information. Searches may be orchestrated or effectuated by the requesting client device or a head end of the multimedia content distribution system.

Claims

1. A client device that is capable of controlling content exchange in a multimedia content distribution system, comprising:

at least one search agent that is capable of causing searches for content to be performed with reference to authorization access information, the authorization access information including predetermined authorization access information that is associated with the client device and predefined authorization access information that is associated with the content;

the at least one search agent capable of determining whether the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information responsive to one or more of the searches; and

a content index having a plurality of index entries, each index entry of the plurality of index entries corresponding to at least one content item;

wherein the at least one search agent is adapted to enable access to the content via the client device if the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information;

wherein the at least one search agent is adapted to enable access to the content via the client device by;

causing a positive match result from a search to be displayed and by providing an opportunity to request a transfer of the content to the client device; and

causing the content to be transferred from a target client device to the client device in response to receiving a request to transfer the content to the client device; and

wherein the determining by the at least one search agent comprises;

comparing a plurality of rights holders from the predetermined authorization access information to a rights holder from the predefined authorization access information; and

comparing subscription date information from the predetermined authorization access information to an original broadcast date of the content from the predefined authorization access information.

2. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the content comprises multimedia content.

3. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the authorization access information comprises at least one of a user profile, a parental rights setting, and data protecting broadcast rights across recorded media.

4. The client device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more network interfaces, the one or more network interfaces capable of at least receiving the content for the client device.

5. The client device as recited in claim 4, wherein the one or more network interfaces comprise at least one wired network interface or at least one wireless network interface.

6. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the client device comprises at least one of a set-top box (STB), a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone (MT), a tablet PC, and a pocket or hand-sized PC.

7. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one search agent is capable of said causing and said determining by directly searching each content index of a plurality of client devices by directly communicating with each client device of the plurality of client devices.

8. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one search agent is capable of said causing and said determining by indirectly searching each content index of a plurality of client devices by communicating with a search server of a head end of the multimedia content distribution system.

9. The client device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a profile that comprises at least a portion of the predetermined authorization access information.

10. A client device that is capable of controlling multimedia content exchange, comprising:

at least one search agent that is capable of causing searches for multimedia content to be performed with reference to authorization access information;

the multimedia content stored at a plurality of other client devices, the authorization access information including predetermined authorization access information that is associated with the client device and predefined authorization access information that is associated with the multimedia content;

the at least one search agent capable of determining whether the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information responsive to one or more of the searches;

wherein the at least one search agent is adapted to enable access to the multimedia content via the client device if the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information; and

wherein the determining by the at least one search agent comprises comparing subscription date information from the predetermined authorization access information to an original broadcast date of the content from the predefined authorization access information.

11. A client device that is capable of authorization access controlled content exchange, comprising:

a profile that is directed to predetermined authorization access information that includes subscription date information that indicates access rights to content;

a content index including a plurality of content index entries, each content index entry of the plurality of content index entries directed to at least one content item and including identification thereof and predefined authorization access information related thereto; and

at least one search agent that is capable of causing searches for content to be performed by searching a plurality of content indexes, each content index of the plurality of content indexes corresponding to a particular client device of a plurality of other client devices, the content being searched stored at the plurality of other client devices;

wherein the client device is permitted to transfer the content that is associated with predefined authorization access information to which the predetermined authorization access information comports and is prevented from transferring the content that is associated with predefined authorization access information to which the predetermined authorization access information does not comport;

wherein the at least one search agent is capable of determining whether the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information; and

wherein the determining by the at least one search agent comprises comparing subscription date information from the predetermined authorization access information to an original broadcast date of the content from the predefined authorization access information.

12. The client device as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of content items stored in a memory.

13. The client device as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one content item of the plurality of content items comprises multimedia content.

14. The client device as recited in claim 12, wherein each content item of the plurality of content items has a corresponding content index entry of the plurality of content index entries.

15. The client device as recited in claim 11, wherein the profile includes a plurality of profile entries, each profile entry of the plurality of profile entries comprising at least one of user information, premium content service provider information, and general access authorization information.

16. The client device as recited in claim 11, wherein the predefined authorization access information for each content index entry of the plurality of content index entries comprises at least one of rights holder information and a premium content service provider identification.

17. The client device as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of content indexes that are searched for the content are located at a head end of a multimedia content distribution system;

and wherein the at least one search agent is further capable of causing the searches for the content to be performed at the head end.

18. The client device as recited in claim 11, wherein each content index of the plurality of content indexes that are searched for the content is located at a respective particular client device of the plurality of other client devices;

and wherein the at least one search agent is further capable of causing the searches for the content to be performed at the plurality of other client devices.