Framework for specifying access to protected content

• US 8,478,693 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weigle, Eric H., Scott, Maricia S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/371,715
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 705 51- 59
• US Class Current: 705/51
• 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 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date

Abstract

A determination is made regarding whether a user is allowed to access a content item. The content item is associated with a website. An offer associated with the website is identified. The offer includes a set of use-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be used to access content. A use-time rule is associated with a user class. A class of the user with respect to the offer is determined. The user'"'"'s class indicates whether the user has accepted the offer or whether the user has registered with the website. A determination is made regarding whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and a current timestamp.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining whether a user is allowed to access a content item, the method comprising:

executing, using a processor;

receiving a query regarding whether the user is allowed to access the content item;

determining, based on the query, a website associated with the content item;

determining a set of offers associated with the website;

determining, from the set of offers, a subset of offers that apply to the content item;

identifying, from the subset of offers, an offer that includes a set of use-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be used to access content and includes a set of view count rules specifying how many times a user may view the content item, wherein the use-time rules and the view count rules are associated with user classes;

determining a class of the user with respect to the offer, wherein the user'"'"'s class indicates whether the user has accepted the offer or whether the user has registered with the website;

determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and a current timestamp, comprising determining how many times the user has viewed the content item; and

sending a query response that indicates whether the user is allowed to access the content item.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and the current timestamp comprises identifying a use-time rule included in the offer that is associated with a user class that matches the user'"'"'s class.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and the current timestamp comprises determining whether the current timestamp falls within a time period specified by a use-time rule included in the offer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and the current timestamp comprises determining whether the user has accepted the offer.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4,

wherein determining whether the user has accepted the offer comprises querying a payment processing system regarding whether the user purchased the offer, and

further comprising responsive to the user having purchased the offer, determining that the user is allowed to access the content item.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the offer further includes a regular expression that specifies whether the offer applies to the content item.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6,

wherein the content item is associated with a uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), and

wherein the offer applies to the content item if the regular expression matches the URL.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the offer further includes a set of sales-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be sold, and

wherein a sales-time rule is associated with a user class, and

further comprising determining whether the user is allowed to accept the offer granting access to the content item based on the set of sales-time rules, the user'"'"'s class, and a current timestamp.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the offer further includes a geographic location that specifies from where the offer can be accepted, and

further comprising determining whether the user is allowed to accept the offer granting access to the content item based on the geographic location and a location of the user.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for determining whether a user is allowed to access a content item, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving a query regarding whether the user is allowed to access the content item;

determining, based on the query, a website associated with the content item;

determining a set of offers associated with the website;

determining, from the set of offers, a subset of offers that apply to the content item;

identifying, from the subset of offers, an offer that includes a set of use-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be used to access content and includes a set of view count rules specifying how many times a user may view the content item, wherein the use-time rules and the view count rules are associated with user classes;

determining a class of the user with respect to the offer, wherein the user'"'"'s class indicates whether the user has accepted the offer or whether the user has registered with the website;

determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and a current timestamp, comprising determining how many times the user has viewed the content item; and

sending a query response that indicates whether the user is allowed to access the content item.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and the current timestamp comprises identifying a use-time rule included in the offer that is associated with a user class that matches the user'"'"'s class.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and the current timestamp comprises determining whether the current timestamp falls within a time period specified by a use-time rule included in the offer.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and the current timestamp comprises determining whether the user has accepted the offer.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the offer further includes a regular expression that specifies whether the offer applies to the content item.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14,

wherein the content item is associated with a uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), and

wherein the offer applies to the content item if the regular expression matches the URL.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10,

wherein the offer further includes a set of sales-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be sold, and

wherein a sales-time rule is associated with a user class, and

wherein the steps further comprise:

determining whether the user is allowed to accept the offer granting access to the content item based on the set of sales-time rules, the user'"'"'s class, and a current timestamp.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10,

wherein the offer further includes a geographic location that specifies from where the offer can be accepted, and

wherein the steps further comprise:

determining whether the user is allowed to accept the offer granting access to the content item based on the geographic location and a location of the user.

18. An authorization system for determining whether a user is allowed to access a content item, the authorization system comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions comprising instructions for;

receiving a query regarding whether the user is allowed to access the content item;

determining, based on the query, a website associated with the content item;

determining a set of offers associated with the website;

determining, from the set of offers, a subset of offers that apply to the content item;

identifying, from the subset of offers, an offer that includes a set of use-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be used to access content and includes a set of view count rules specifying how many times a user may view the content item, wherein the use-time rules and the view count rules are associated with user classes;

determining a class of the user with respect to the offer, wherein the user'"'"'s class indicates whether the user has accepted the offer or whether the user has registered with the website;

determining whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user'"'"'s class, and a current timestamp, comprising determining how many times the user has viewed the content item;

sending a query response that indicates whether the user is allowed to access the content item; and

a processor for executing the computer program instructions.