# US 12,192,343 B2 · Scalable content restriction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,343 B2 - Document ID: US12192343B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/491,918 - Filed: 2023-10-23 - Published: 2024-05-16 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-27 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Kyong Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192343B2 ## CPC - H04L 9/085: {Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes} - H04L 9/0819: {Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) (network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062)} - H04L 9/0872: {using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities} - H04L 63/062: {for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819)} - 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} - H04W 12/041: Key generation or derivation - H04W 12/0431: Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Groups of devices may be prevented from accessing content by encrypting the content. A plurality of secrets associated with a decryption key may be generated using a secret sharing algorithm. The plurality of secrets may be sent to one or more groups of devices to derive the decryption key. A non-restricted subset of the groups of devices may receive one or more secrets. Devices within the non-restricted subset of the groups may be able to use one or more secrets to determine the decryption key for the content. Groups that do not receive one or more secrets may be unable to determine the decryption key for the content. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: based on a determination that a first group of devices, of a plurality of devices, are authorized to receive first restricted content, sending, by a computing device to the first group of devices and for derivation of a key, a portion of a plurality of portions of the key, wherein the portion and one or more previously received portions of the key are configured to be used to obtain access to the first restricted content; sending, to the first group of devices, the first restricted content; and based on a determination that a second group of devices, of the plurality of devices, are not authorized to receive the first restricted content, sending, to the second group of devices, an indication of second content different from the first restricted content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating the plurality of portions of the key based on an indication of a quantity of portions required to derive the key. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that the first group of devices are authorized to receive first restricted content based on the first group of devices being associated with at least one of: a geographic location; a type of device; or a time zone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of portions corresponds to a plurality of hyperplanes; and the key corresponds to an intersection of the plurality of hyperplanes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of portions is associated with a point of a polynomial; and the key corresponds to a term of the polynomial. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending the indication of second content different from the first restricted content based on at least one of: a geographic restriction; a device restriction; or a time restriction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of second content different from the first restricted content comprises a resource locator associated with the second content, and the method further comprises: receiving, from at least one of the second group of devices and based on the resource locator, a request to access the second content. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first restricted content comprises at least one of: a sporting event, a play, a political debate, or an election result. ### Claim 9 A computing device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: based on a determination that a first group of devices, of a plurality of devices, are authorized to receive first restricted content, send, to the first group of devices and for derivation of a key, a portion of a plurality of portions of the key, wherein the portion and one or more previously received portions of the key are configured to be used to obtain access to the first restricted content; send, to the first group of devices, the first restricted content; and based on a determination that a second group of devices, of the plurality of devices, are not authorized to receive the first restricted content, send, to the second group of devices, an indication of second content different from the first restricted content. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: generate the plurality of portions of the key based on an indication of a quantity of portions required to derive the key. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to determine that the first group of devices are authorized to receive first restricted content based on the first group of devices being associated with at least one of: a geographic location; a type of device; or a time zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein: the plurality of portions corresponds to a plurality of hyperplanes; and the key corresponds to an intersection of the plurality of hyperplanes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein: each of the plurality of portions is associated with a point of a polynomial; and the key corresponds to a term of the polynomial. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to send the indication of second content different from the first restricted content based on at least one of: a geographic restriction; a device restriction; or a time restriction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein the indication of second content different from the first restricted content comprises a resource locator associated with the second content, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to receive, from at least one of the second group of devices and based on the resource locator, a request to access the second content. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first restricted content comprises at least one of: a sporting event, a play, a political debate, or an election result. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, configure a computing device to: based on a determination that a first group of devices, of a plurality of devices, are authorized to receive first restricted content, send, to the first group of devices and for derivation of a key, a portion of a plurality of portions of the key, wherein the portion and one or more previously received portions of the key are configured to be used to obtain access to the first restricted content; send, to the first group of devices, the first restricted content; and based on a determination that a second group of devices, of the plurality of devices, are not authorized to receive the first restricted content, send, to the second group of devices, an indication of second content different from the first restricted content. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the computing device to: generate the plurality of portions of the key based on an indication of a quantity of portions required to derive the key. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the computing device to determine that the first group of devices are authorized to receive first restricted content based on the first group of devices being associated with at least one of: a geographic location; a type of device; or a time zone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein: the plurality of portions corresponds to a plurality of hyperplanes; and the key corresponds to an intersection of the plurality of hyperplanes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein: each of the plurality of portions is associated with a point of a polynomial; and the key corresponds to a term of the polynomial. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the computing device to send the indication of second content different from the first restricted content based on at least one of: a geographic restriction; a device restriction; or a time restriction. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the indication of second content different from the first restricted content comprises a resource locator associated with the second content, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the computing device to receive, from at least one of the second group of devices and based on the resource locator, a request to access the second content. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first restricted content comprises at least one of: a sporting event, a play, a political debate, or an election result.