# US 2021/0243501 A1 · Apparatus and methods for content management and account linking across multiple content delivery networks

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- Number: US 2021/0243501 A1
- Document ID: US20210243501A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/170,514
- Filed: 2021-02-08
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2010-07-12
- Assignees: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
- Applicants: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
- Inventors: Gary Cronk; Jonathan Putsch; James Boutilier; Paul L. Miller; Michael Dillon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243501A1

## CPC

- H04N 21/47202: {for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand}
- 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]}
- H04L 9/30: Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
- H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles}
- 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 21/6581: {Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing protected content to subscribers of a managed (e.g., MSO) network via a content source accessible via an internetwork such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a user accesses a service provider portal (e.g., website), and requests content. The service provider determines whether the requesting user is permitted to access the content, and what rights or restrictions are associated with the user. This includes authenticating the user as a subscriber of the MSO, and determining the subscriber's subscription level. In another embodiment, a user's account with the MSO and service provider may be federated, thus a given user will have MSO-specific information regarding its identity (such as login information, GUID, etc.) and is able to perform a single sign on to request and receive content.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-21. (canceled)

### Claim 22

A computerized method for providing access to digitally rendered content via a first network to a computerized client device associated with a second network, the computerized method comprising:
based at least on data relating to a first request originating from a computerized client device for digitally rendered content, receiving second data from a computerized entity of the second network, the second data (i) indicating that the computerized client device is authorized to access, via the first network, the digitally rendered content, and (ii) comprising a unique identifier generated for the computerized client device by the computerized entity of the second network; and
storing the unique identifier in a computerized storage apparatus of the first network.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The computerized method of claim 22, wherein the storing of the unique identifier in the computerized storage apparatus of the first network enables the computerized client device to access, via the first network only, the digitally rendered content requested based on data relating to a subsequent request made after the first request.

### Claim at position 4

-25. (canceled)

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The computerized method of claim 22, wherein the receiving of the second data from the computerized entity of the second network comprises receiving the unique identifier associated with encryption data pre-positioned at least one entity of the first network; and the computerized method further comprises utilizing the pre-positioned encryption data for encryption based on one or more subsequent requests originating from the computerized client device for the digitally rendered content or different content, the encryption being specific to at least one of the computerized client device or user associated therewith, the pre-positioned encryption data enabling the computerized entity of the second network to maintain integrity of one or more content delivery services outside of the second network and within the first network.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The computerized method of claim 22, further comprising:
receiving, from the computerized client device, third data representative of a second request to de-federate an account associated therewith;
based on the second request, transmitting at least a portion of the data indicating the second request to the computerized entity of the second network;
based at least on the transmitted at least portion of the data indicating the request, receiving data representative of a verification code from the computerized entity of the second network, the verification code verifying the de-federation of the account with respect to the computerized entity of the second network; and
based on the verification code, causing removal of the unique identifier from the computerized storage apparatus of the first network.

### Claim 28

Computerized network apparatus configured to enable provision of access to digitally rendered content via a first network to a computerized client device associated with a second network, the computerized network apparatus comprising:
server apparatus comprising:
digital processor apparatus;
network interface apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus; and
storage apparatus in data communication with the digital processor apparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on the digital processor apparatus:
receive, from a computerized client device, data representative of a first request for digitally rendered content;
based at least on the received data representative of the first request, transmit data representative of a second request to a computerized entity of the second network for authorization of the computerized client device to access, via the first network, the digitally rendered content;
receive data from the computerized entity of the second network, the data received from the computerized entity (i) indicating that the computerized client device is authorized to access, via the first network, the digitally rendered content, and (ii) comprising a unique identifier generated for the computerized client device by the computerized entity of the second network; and
store the unique identifier in a computerized storage apparatus of the first network.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The computerized network apparatus of claim 26, wherein the storage of the unique identifier in the computerized storage apparatus of the first network enables the computerized client device to access, via the first network, the digitally rendered content requested after the first request without having to redirect subsequent requests to the computerized entity of the second network for authentication.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The computerized network apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on the digital processor apparatus:
receive, from the computerized entity of the second network, data representative of a request to remove the unique identifier from the computerized storage apparatus of the first network; and
based at least on the data representative of a request to remove, cause removal of the unique identifier from the computerized storage apparatus of the first network.

### Claim 31 (depends on 26)

The computerized network apparatus of claim 26, wherein:
the unique identifier comprises a user-specific global unique identifier (GUID);
the first network comprises a third party service provider in communication with the computerized client device via an Internet; and
the second network comprises a managed content delivery network.

### Claim 32 (depends on 26)

The computerized network apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on the digital processor apparatus:
associate cryptographic data to the unique identifier for use in one or more subsequent requests for either the digitally rendered content or other content from a user of the computerized client device, the cryptographic data pre-positioned by the computerized entity of the second network at the computerized network apparatus in order for the computerized entity of the second network to maintain integrity of the digitally rendered content or other content outside of the first network and within the second network.

### Claim 33

Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a digital processing apparatus, cause a computerized apparatus of a first network to:
receive data representative of a request for digitally rendered content from a computerized client device;
query a data structure maintained at a computerized storage apparatus of the first network to identify a unique identifier associated with the computerized client device, the unique identifier being previously provided to the computerized apparatus of the first network by a computerized entity of a second network; and
cause delivery of the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device based at least in part on the identification of the unique identifier.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the delivery of the digitally rendered content comprises delivery of digital content in a source-agnostic fashion via use of network infrastructure of the second network and protection by the computerized entity of the second network, the computerized apparatus of the first network comprising a source of the digital content.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the unique identifier being previously provided to the computerized apparatus of the first network by the computerized entity of the second network is based at least on one or more valid user credentials input by a user of the computerized client device.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the delivery of the digitally rendered content is further based on content protection data pre-positioned at the first network by the computerized entity of the second network to maintain integrity of the protected digitally rendered content outside of the second network and within the first network.

### Claim 37 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus of the first network to:
receive and store data relating to one or more configuration parameters associated with the computerized client device; and
pre-configure, based at least on the one or more configuration parameters, the digitally rendered content according to one or more capabilities of the computerized client device.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 37, wherein the one or more capabilities are determined based on use of data relating to a subscription level, the data relating to the subscription level configured to enable the computerized entity of the first network to determine at least one of an encoding or a bitrate for the digitally rendered content during the pre-configuration.

### Claim 39 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus of the first network to:
receive and store data relating to a prescribed quality of service (QoS) level; and
wherein:
the delivery of the digitally rendered content comprising delivery of the digitally rendered content in accordance with the QoS level;
the first network comprises an unmanaged packet network; and
the second network comprises a managed content distribution network specifying the QoS level.

### Claim 40 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus of the first network to:
receive data relating to one or more user actions with respect to digital content previously delivered to the computerized client device; and
wherein the delivery of the digitally rendered content comprises delivery of digitally rendered content recommended to the computerized client device based at least in part on an algorithmic analysis of the data relating to the one or more user actions.

### Claim 41 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus of the first network to:
query the data structure maintained at the computerized storage apparatus of the first network to identify one or more use or access restrictions; and
wherein the delivery of the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device comprises enforcement of the one or more use or access restrictions.

### Claim 42 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein the enforcement of the one or more use or access restrictions comprises restriction on one or more trick mode or start over functions.

### Claim 43 (depends on 33)

The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein:
the receipt of the data representative of the request for the digitally rendered content from the computerized client device comprises receipt of the data representative of the request via a web computer application program that is not maintained by the computerized entity of the second network; and
the delivery of the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device comprises access of the digitally rendered content via the web computer application program.