# US 12,010,365 B2 · Methods and systems for content management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,365 B2 - Document ID: US12010365B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/710,363 - Filed: 2022-03-31 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-31 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Stuart Kurkowski; Gregg Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010365B2 ## 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)} - H04N 21/25816: {involving client authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)} - H04N 21/266: Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel - H04N 21/44236: {Monitoring of piracy processes or activities (protecting computer platforms against harmful, malicious or unexpected behaviour or activities using intrusion detection and counter measures G06F21/566; computer virus detection and handling G06F21/56)} - H04N 21/6543: for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording {(remote booting in general G06F9/4416)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Methods and systems for content management are described. If programming content is distributed to viewers, markers are transmitted with the programming content. If a user device receives the marker, the user device may send an output indication to a rights management device. The rights management device may determine whether or not the user device outputting the content violates or adheres to a content policy and may take an action based on that determination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining content comprising a marker, wherein the marker causes a user device to send a content output indication associated with the content; receiving, based on the marker, the content output indication, wherein the content output indication indicates the content has been output on the user device; determining, based on one or more rules, that the user device is not authorized to output the content; and causing, based on determining that that the user device is not authorized to output the content, the user device to cease output of the content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the marker comprises one or more of: a SCTE-35 marker or a SCTE-224 marker. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rules comprise one or more of: a content blackout policy, an advertising policy, an age restriction policy, a supplemental feature policy, or a video quality policy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the content output indication comprises one or more content identifiers configured to indicate one or more of: a channel, a title, a content source identifier, a user device identifier, a geographic location, or timing data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where determining the user device is not authorized to output the content comprises comparing a user device identifier associated with the user device with a list of one or more user device identifiers associated with the one or more rules. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based on the content output indication, a network error. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising sending, based on the network error, alternative content. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: determining content comprising a marker, wherein the marker causes a user device to send a content output indication associated with the content; causing the content to be output; based on the content being output, sending the content output indication, wherein the content output indication indicates the content has been output; determining, based on the content output indication, one or more rule violations; and causing, based on the one or more rule violations, termination of output of the content. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where in the marker comprises a SCTE-35 marker and wherein the user device comprises a set-top-box. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more rule violations is determined based on a user device identifier associated with the user device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the content output indication comprises one or more content identifiers configured to indicate one or more of: a channel, a title, a content source identifier, a user device identifier, a geographic location, or timing data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising requesting, based on the one or more rule violations, alternative content. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting, based on the one or more rule violations, alternative content. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting, based on the one or more rule violations, an error message. ### Claim 15 A method comprising: inserting, into content, one or more markers that cause one or more user devices to send one or more content output indications associated with the content; sending, to the one or more user devices, the content and the one or more markers, wherein the content is associated with one or more policies; receiving, from the one or more user devices, the one or more content output indications, wherein the one or more content output indications indicate the one or more user devices have output the content; determining, based on the one or more content output indications, one or more device identifiers associated with the one or more user devices; determining, based on the one or more device identifiers, first access rights associated with a first user device of the one or more user devices and second access rights associated with a second user device of the one or more user devices; determining, based on the second access rights and the one or more policies, that the second user device is not authorized to output the content; and causing, based on the second user device not being authorized to output the content, termination of output of the content on the second user device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more markers comprise one or more SCTE-35 markers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first user device comprises a set-top-box and wherein the second user device comprises a mobile device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining, based on the one or more device identifiers, a user account associated with the first user device and the second user device; and sending, to the second user device, a selectable option. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving, from the second user device, an option selection indication configured to output, on the second user device, the content. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising causing output of alternative content on the second user device.