# US 2014/0196128 A1 · Systems and methods for distributed authentication of video services > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196128 A1 - Document ID: US20140196128A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/224,630 - Filed: 2014-03-25 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-08 - Assignees: Ericsson Television Inc. - Applicants: Ericsson Television Inc. - Inventors: Paul Finster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196128A1 ## CPC - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - 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]} - G06Q 50/10: Services - H04L 63/0884: {by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity} - H04L 63/105: {Multiple levels of security} - H04N 21/222: Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end {(provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56)} - H04N 21/2393: {involving handling client requests (scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60)} - H04N 21/25435: {involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising} - H04N 21/25875: {involving end-user authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)} - H04N 21/25891: {being end-user preferences (retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/4782: Web browsing {, e.g. WebTV} - G06F 2221/2143: Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen - H04L 63/166: {at the transport layer} - H04L 63/168: {above the transport layer} - H04L 65/612: for unicast - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing distributed authentication of subscribers of a content operator to a content provider. In particular instances, a subscriber of the content operator may visit a website of the content provider and various embodiments of the systems and methods facilitate providing the subscriber with a customized website based on the subscription of the subscriber with the content operator and/or content provider. Further, various embodiments of the systems and methods facilitate streaming high quality content to the subscriber while the subscriber is visiting the website. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A server for authenticating a subscriber of a content distribution operator requesting a website of a content provider, the server comprising: at least one microprocessor; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the at least one microprocessor, further including computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, are further configured to receive a request from the subscriber, wherein the request is associated with a website, determine whether the website is a partner website, identify the subscriber associated with the request, responsive to determining the website is a partner website, retrieve subscription information for the subscriber, determine, from the subscription information, if the subscriber is a premium subscriber, modify, by the server, the request by inserting a token into the request, wherein the token identifies the subscriber as a premium subscriber, route the modified request to an appropriate web server for the website. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to: route the request to an appropriate website, responsive to determining the website is not a partner website. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein the subscriber is identified using identification information included in a TCP packet in which the request was sent over an unmanaged network to the server. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein computer-readable instructions for inserting a token into the request further comprises inserting one or more fields into a header of the request, wherein the one or more fields include operator name, operator region, operator locale, duration, expiration, uniform resource locator (URL), service level, subscriber information, and sequence. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein the token is a cookie that can be downloaded to a computing device of the subscriber. ### Claim 6 A method for authenticating a subscriber of a content distribution operator requesting a website of a content provider, the method comprising: receiving a request from the subscriber, wherein the request is associated with a website; determining whether the website is a partner website; identifying the subscriber associated with the request, responsive to determining the website is a partner website; retrieving subscription information for the subscriber; determining, from the subscription information, if the subscriber is a premium subscriber; modifying, by the server, the request by inserting a token into the request, wherein the token identifies the subscriber as a premium subscriber; and routing the modified request to an appropriate web server for the website. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: routing the request to an appropriate website, responsive to determining the website is not a partner website. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the subscriber is identified using identification information included in a TCP packet in which the request was sent over an unmanaged network to the server. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the inserting a token into the request further comprises inserting one or more fields into a header of the request, wherein the one or more fields include operator name, operator region, operator locale, duration, expiration, uniform resource locator (URL), service level, subscriber information, and sequence. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the token is a cookie that can be downloaded to a computing device of the subscriber. ### Claim 11 A server for providing a website to a subscriber, the server comprising: at least one microprocessor; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the at least one microprocessor, further including computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, are configured to receive a request via an authentication server, the request further including a token, inserted by the authentication server into the request, identifying a subscriber as a premium subscriber, wherein the request originates from the subscriber, provide a premium version of the website to the subscriber, responsive to determining the subscriber is a premium subscriber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The server of claim 11, wherein the subscriber is identified using the token included in a TCP packet in which the request was sent over an unmanaged network to the server. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The server of claim 11, wherein the token is one or more fields in a header of the request, wherein the one or more fields include operator name, operator region, operator locale, duration, expiration, uniform resource locator (URL), service level, subscriber information, and sequence. ### Claim 14 A method of providing a website to a subscriber, the method comprising: receiving a request via an authentication server, the request further including a token, inserted by the authentication server into the request, identifying a subscriber as a premium subscriber, wherein the request originates from the subscriber, provide a premium version of the website to the subscriber, responsive to determining the subscriber is a premium subscriber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the subscriber is identified using the token included in a TCP packet in which the request was sent over an unmanaged network to the server. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the token is one or more fields in a header of the request, wherein the one or more fields include operator name, operator region, operator locale, duration, expiration, uniform resource locator (URL), service level, subscriber information, and sequence.