Media distribution system with manifest-based entitlement enforcement
AssigneeEricsson Inc.
InventorsMikhail Mikhailov, Raj Nair
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for enforcing entitlements includes configuring a wide variety of entitlements at a server; determining applicable combination of entitlements for a given client request; sending entitlements to the requesting client securely; handling entitlement information securely on a plurality of client devices at run time; storing entitlement information securely on a plurality of client devices for offline use; and enforcing entitlements on a plurality of client devices. The method employs manipulation of manifest files by a proxy that may be included in the client device or located in the network.
Claims24
A proxy server configured to enforce entitlements for a playback of a media item by a streaming media player at a client device, the proxy server comprising:
- a processor;
- and,
- a memory that stores processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute the processor-executable instructions, whereby the proxy server is operable to:
- receive, from a rights server, entitlement information describing permissions and restrictions for the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- securely store the entitlement information to prevent unauthorized alteration of the stored entitlement information;
- provide, to the client device, a manifest file retrieval path which enables the streaming media player to retrieve unaltered manifest files from a remote media server for use in the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- apply the stored entitlement information to identify both an enforcement condition and a corresponding enforcement result related to the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- and,
- upon occurrence of the enforcement condition, provide an altered manifest file to the client device to induce the enforcement result in an operation of the streaming media player.
A method implemented by a proxy server to enforce entitlements for a playback of a media item by a streaming media player at a client device, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the proxy server from a rights server, entitlement information describing permissions and restrictions for the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- securely storing, at the proxy server, the entitlement information to prevent unauthorized alteration of the stored entitlement information;
- providing, by the proxy server to the client device, a manifest file retrieval path which enables the streaming media player to retrieve unaltered manifest files from a remote media server for use in the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- applying, by the proxy server, the stored entitlement information to identify both an enforcement condition and a corresponding enforcement result related to the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- and,
- upon occurrence of the enforcement condition, providing by the proxy server an altered manifest file to the client device to induce the enforcement result in an operation of the streaming media player.
A client device configured to interact with a remote proxy server and a remote media server, the client device comprising:
- a streaming media player;
- a facility to playback a media item;
- a processor;
- and,
- a memory that stores processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute the processor-executable instructions, whereby the client device is operable to:
- receive, from the remote proxy server, a manifest file retrieval path which enables the streaming media player to retrieve unaltered manifest files from the remote media server for use in a playback of a media item by the streaming media player;
- and,
- receive, from the remote proxy server, an altered manifest file which is based on at least an operating context of the client device and modifies a manner of the playback of the media item by the streaming media player.
A method implemented by a client device which interacts with a remote proxy server and a remote media server, the client device comprising a streaming media player and a facility to playback a media item, the method comprising:
- receiving, from the remote proxy server, a manifest file retrieval path which enables the streaming media player to retrieve unaltered manifest files from the remote media server for use in the playback of the media item by the streaming media player;
- and,
- receive, from the remote proxy server, an altered manifest file which is based on at least an operating context of the client device and modifies a manner of the playback of the media item by the streaming media player.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.