# US 10,771,830 B2 · Systems and methods for managing content distribution to an in-transit media system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,830 B2 - Document ID: US10771830B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/405,841 - Filed: 2019-05-07 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-29 - Assignees: ViaSat, Inc. - Applicants: Viasat, Inc. - Inventors: Nirmalkumar Velayudhan; Brian T. Sleight - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771830B2 ## CPC - 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)} - H04L 63/107: {wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals} - H04L 65/612: for unicast - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04N 21/2146: {located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus (flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005)} - H04N 21/25841: {involving the geographical location of the client (retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00)} - H04N 21/41422: {located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle (arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62)} - 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)} - H04N 21/835: Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates {(protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Embodiments relate to methods and systems for managing media content distribution rights to a media client on a craft to ensure that the distribution of media content items is consistent with media content distribution rights. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for managing media content distribution rights to a media client located on a transport craft, the method comprising: receiving, at a rights location manager, a media content distribution region definition for a media content item from a content server in response to a request for the media content item from the media client located on the transport craft, wherein the media content distribution region definition indicates one or more media content distribution regions for the media content item; comparing a current location of the transport craft to the one or more media content distribution regions to determine a current region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes the current location of the transport craft; and sending, from the rights location manager, data indicating the current region to the content server for determining whether distribution of the media content item to the media client located on the transport craft is authorized, wherein the data is based on the comparison. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the current location of the transport craft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein determining the current location of the transport craft further comprises: receiving an indication of the current location from the transport craft or a satellite communication system in communication with the transport craft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein determining the current location of the transport craft further comprises: determining a current speed and expected travel route of the transport craft; and deducing the current location of the transport craft from the current speed and the expected travel route. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein determining the current location of the transport craft further comprises: receiving an indication of the current location from a flight tracking radar service. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein determining the current location of the transport craft further comprises: determining the current location based on a coverage area of a spot beam used by the transport craft for communicating with a satellite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicating the current region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes the current location of the transport craft is a Boolean value indicating whether the current location of the transport craft is within the one or more media content distribution regions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an updated location of the transport craft; comparing the updated location of the transport craft to the one or more media content distribution regions to determine an updated region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes the updated location of the transport craft; and sending, from the rights location manager, data indicating the updated region to the content server, wherein the data is based on the comparison of the updated location to the one or more media content distribution regions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving, from the content server, a request to update the current region of the transport craft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: periodically sending data indicating an updated region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes an updated location of the transport craft to the content server. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining movement of the transport craft from the current region of the one or more media content distribution regions to a different region; sending, from the rights location manager, data indicating an updated region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes an updated location of the transport craft to the content server. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the movement of the transport craft is from within the current region to outside the current region. ### Claim 13 A system for managing media content distribution rights to a media client located on a transport craft, the system comprising: at least one processor a memory in data communication with the at least one processor and comprising computer-executable code which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to: receive, at a rights location manager, a media content distribution region definition for a media content item from a content server in response to a request for the media content item from the media client located on the transport craft, wherein the media content distribution region definition indicates one or more media content distribution regions for the media content item; compare a current location of the transport craft to the one or more media content distribution regions to determine a current region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes the current location of the transport craft; and send, from the rights location manager, data indicating the current region to the content server for determining whether distribution of the media content item to the media client located on the transport craft is authorized, wherein the data is based on the comparison. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the system to: determine the current location of the transport craft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the system to: receive an indication of the current location from the transport craft or a satellite communication system in communication with the transport craft; determine the current location from a current speed and expected travel route or heading of the transport craft; receive an indication of the current location from a flight tracking radar service; or determine the current location based on a coverage area of a spot beam used by the transport craft for communicating with a satellite. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the data indicating the current region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes the current location of the transport craft is a Boolean value indicating whether the current location of the transport craft is within the one or more media content distribution regions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the system to: determine an updated location of the transport craft; compare the updated location of the transport craft to the one or more media content distribution regions; and send, from the rights location manager, data indicating an updated region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes the updated location of the transport craft to the content server, wherein the data is based on the comparison of the updated location to the one or more media content distribution regions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the system to: receive, from the content server, a request for updating the current region of the transport craft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the system to: periodically send data indicating an updated region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes an updated location of the transport craft to the content server. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the system to: determine movement of the transport craft from the current region of the one or more media content distribution regions to a different region; send, from the rights location manager, data indicating an updated region of the one or more media content distribution regions that includes an updated location of the transport craft to the content server.