US 11,809,527 B2
Systems and methods for video content restriction categorization and evaluation
Christopher Webster, Redwood City, CA (US); Davinder Singh, Cupertino, CA (US); Samarpit Bhatia, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Shannon Barnes, Gilbert, AZ (US)
Assigned to Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ (US)
Filed by Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/637,632.
Prior Publication US 2019/0005203 A1, Jan. 3, 2019
Int. Cl. G06F 21/10 (2013.01); G06F 21/62 (2013.01); G06F 21/33 (2013.01); H04N 21/2387 (2011.01); G06F 16/735 (2019.01); H04N 21/254 (2011.01)
CPC G06F 21/10 (2013.01) [G06F 16/735 (2019.01); G06F 21/33 (2013.01); G06F 21/629 (2013.01); H04N 21/2387 (2013.01); H04N 21/2541 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of optimizing discovery and playback of online media content, the method comprising:
receiving, by a server processor, a query for one or more online media content items from a search client device, the query including (i) one or more user subscriber group identifiers, (ii) one or more search criteria elements, (iii) one or more group constraints identifying one or more of a device type, an application version, or a user location, and (iv) one or more content specific group constraints identifying one or more of whether an online media content item is accessible by an anonymous user or a registered user, a date or date range during which an online media content item is accessible, whether a purchase or other action to add an online media content item to a user account is required in order to access the online media content item, or whether an online media content item is browsable or playable;
encoding, by the server processor, the one or more user subscriber group identifiers as a user access token;
filtering, by the server processor, the one or more online media content items by evaluating the one or more group constraints, the one or more content specific group constraints, and the one or more search criteria elements, received as part of the query for the one or more online media content items from the search client device, to generate a list of one or more matching online media content items;
sending, by the server processor, the list of one or more matching online media content items to the search client device;
generating, by the server processor, a cacheable playback token for each of the one or more matching online media content items, based on the encoded user access token and based on the generated list of one or more matching online media content items, each playback token to be used when requesting playback decryption keys, and each playback token not including user-embedded data and including a timestamp, an identifier of the online media content, associated subscriber groups, group constraints for the associated subscriber groups, and indicators of other playback conditions including whether ads are required and geographic restrictions;
receiving, by the server processor, a selection token from the search client with a content-item-to-subscriber-group mapping, the content-item-to-subscriber-group mapping providing a mapping of required subscriber groups for one or more selected online media content items, of the generated list of one or more matching online media content items;
based on receiving the selection token from the search client device, providing, by the server processor, the selection token to a user rights manager;
receiving, by the server processor, a signature authentication from the user rights manager based on confirmation that (a) the one or more user subscriber group identifiers intersect with the associated subscriber groups of the playback token, and (b) none of the group constraints of the associated subscriber groups of the playback token are violated; and
based on the signature authentication and the confirmation that (a) there is intersection between the one or more subscriber group identifiers and the associated subscriber groups of the playback token and (b) none of the group constraints of the associated subscriber groups of the playback token are being violated, sending, by the server processor, a playback key and the generated playback token for the one or more selected online media content items to the search client device.