Apparatus and methods for content delivery and message exchange across multiple content delivery networks
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 programmer website, and requests content. The programmer 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 programmer may be federated, thus a given user will have MSO-specific information regarding its identity (such as login information, GUID, etc.) and/or information regarding subscription level and service details, stored at the programmer. Messages received from the MSO representing permission for the user to access content may also be stored at the programmer site for later reference.
1. A computerized method for determining at a computerized network entity permission of a subscriber of a content distribution network to access protected digital content from a third party service provider via an Internet, said computerized method comprising:
receiving, at said computerized network entity, a first communication relating to a request for said protected digital content, the request originating from a computerized user device of a user, said first communication being sent to said computerized network entity from an entity associated with said third party service provider;
based at least on information identifying said user as a subscriber of said content distribution network, determining said computerized user device is associated to said subscriber of said content distribution network;
based at least on said computerized user device being associated to said subscriber, determining whether said protected digital content is within an approved level of service of said subscriber;
based at least on said protected digital content being within said approved level of service of said subscriber, transmitting a second communication to said entity associated with said third party service provider, said second communication causing said third party service provider to deliver said protected digital content to said computerized user device; and
pre-positioning data configured to implement one or more rules at an entity of said third party service provider for use with one or more requests subsequent to said request for said protected digital content, the one or more requests originating from said computerized user device, said one or more rules relating to said approved level of service of said subscriber.
2. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein said content distribution network comprises a hybrid fiber/non-fiber network having at least one interface to communicate with said third party service provider via said Internet, and said third party service provider comprises at least one Internet-based programmer.
3. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein: said information identifying said user as said subscriber of said content distribution network comprises login information; and
said one or more rules comprise at least one rule indicative that: (i) based on said approved level of service of said subscriber being of a first tier, one or more trick mode functionalities are enabled with respect to serving said one or more requests subsequent to said request for said protected digital content; and (ii) based on said approved level of service of said subscriber being of a second tier lower than that of said first tier, said one or more trick mode functionalities are disabled with respect to serving said one or more requests subsequent to said request for said protected digital content.
4. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein said first communication relating to said request for said protected digital content from said computerized user device comprises an obfuscated communication comprising at least one of: (i) an encrypted communication; and (ii) a cryptographically hashed communication.
5. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein said second communication comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID) that identifies said third party service provider.
6. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein said second communication comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID) that identifies said computerized user device or said subscriber.
7. The computerized method of claim 6 , wherein said causing said delivery of said protected digital content to said computerized user device comprises delivering said protected digital content with a less than complete set of use rights.
8. The computerized method of claim 7 , wherein said less than complete set of use rights is determined at least in part based on said determining whether said protected digital content is within a level of service of said subscriber.
9. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein said protected digital content comprises first-run content not generally available on said Internet.
10. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein said one or more rules: (i) are particular to said third party service provider, and (ii) are configured to implement a preference of said third party service provider with respect to one or more other service providers, the preference based at least on an entity of said content distribution network receiving consideration from said third party service provider.
11. A computerized apparatus for delivery management of a plurality of protected digital content from a content server of a third-party network to at least one of a plurality of entitled users associated with a managed network, said computerized apparatus managed by an entity of said managed network and comprising:
processor apparatus;
at least one first interface configured to receive a plurality of data, said plurality of data originated from a computerized user device, said plurality of data comprising:
first data that identifies a user of said computerized user device; and
second data that identifies a particular one of said plurality of protected digital content requested by said user;
storage apparatus in data communication with said processor apparatus, said storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said processor apparatus:
utilize said first data to determine whether said user is among said plurality of entitled users; and
utilize said first data that identifies said user and said second data to determine whether said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content is within an authorized service class for said user; and
at least one second interface configured to transmit at least one message to said content server for storage thereat, said at least one message configured to cause said content server to: (i) provide said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content to said user device, or (ii) to deny said computerized user device said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content;
wherein said at least one message comprises third data indicative of: (i) whether said user is among said plurality of entitled users, and (ii) whether said individual ones of said plurality of protected digital content are within said authorized service class for said user, said individual ones of said plurality of protected digital content comprising said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content; and
wherein said storage of said at least one message is configured to enable said content server of said third-party network to utilize said third data, and transmit a response to a subsequent request from at least said computerized user device based on said utilization of said third data, said storage of said at least one message thereby obviating one or more communications between said content server of said third-party network and said computerized apparatus.
12. The computerized apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one first interface comprises a website, and said first data comprises login information and a password established by said user.
13. The computerized apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one first interface receives said plurality of data from said content server.
14. The computerized apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said determination of whether said user is among said plurality of entitled users comprises a query of at least one database comprising a plurality of records, said plurality of records configured to correlate a plurality of identification data to respective ones of said plurality of entitled users.
15. The computerized apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said determination of whether said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content is within said authorized service class for said user comprises using said first data to query at least one database comprising a plurality of service detail records for each of said plurality of entitled users.
16. A computerized method for automatically managing delivery of a plurality of protected digital content from a computerized content server of a third-party network to at least one of a plurality of entitled users associated with a managed network, said computerized method comprising:
receiving, at a computerized network device of said managed network, a plurality of data from a computerized user device, said plurality of data comprising:
first data that identifies a user of said computerized user device; and
second data that identifies a particular one of said plurality of protected digital content requested by said user;
utilizing said first data to determine whether said user is among said plurality of entitled users;
utilizing at least said first data and said second data to determine whether said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content is within an authorized service class for said user;
generating at least one message to be transmitted to said computerized content server, said at least one message comprising third data configured to cause said computerized content server to: (i) provide said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content to said computerized user device, or (ii) to deny said computerized user device said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content;
causing transmission of said at least one message to said computerized content server; and
causing storage of fourth data indicative of one or more rules relating to said authorized class at said computerized content server for use by said computerized content server in serving at least one second request, said at least one second request comprising a request for second protected content different than said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content;
wherein said third data is based at least in part on both (i) said determination of whether said user is among said plurality of entitled users, and (ii) said determination of whether said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content is within said authorized service class for said user.
17. The computerized method of claim 16 , wherein said plurality of data received from said computerized user device comprises at least one of: (i) an encrypted communication; and (ii) a cryptographically hashed communication.
18. The computerized method of claim 16 , wherein
each of (i) said utilizing said first data to determine whether said user is among said plurality of entitled users, and (ii) said utilizing at least said first data and said second data to determine whether said particular one of said plurality of protected digital content is within an authorized service class for said user comprises accessing a subscriber database of said managed network.
19. The computerized method of claim 16 , wherein:
said storage of fourth data relating to said authorized class is configured to enable said entity of said content source to determine at least one of an encoding for said different second protected content; and
said one or more rules comprise at least one rule indicative of a remaining number of times that said user can playback at least said second protected content.
20. A computerized apparatus for a determination to permit a subscriber of a content delivery network to access protected digital content from a content source via an Internet, said computerized apparatus comprising:
processor apparatus;
a first data interface configured to receive a first data communication relating to a request for said protected digital content initiated from a computerized user device, said first data communication being sent from a computerized process associated with said content source and comprising data indicative of information provided by a user of said computerized user device, said user comprising said subscriber;
storage apparatus in data communication with said processor apparatus, said storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said processor apparatus:
utilize said first data communication to determine whether said computerized user device is associated to said subscriber of said content distribution network; and
determine whether said protected digital content is within an approved level of service of said subscriber; and
a second interface configured to transmit, when said protected digital content is within said approved level of service of said subscriber, a second data communication to said computerized process associated with said content source, said second data communication configured to: (i) cause said content source to deliver said protected digital content to said computerized user device, and (ii) enable said content source to provide said computerized user device with an entitlement cookie, said entitlement cookie specific to said content source and comprising at least one message having data indicative of one or more rules relating to approval level of service of said subscriber.
21. The computerized apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said information provided by said user of said computerized user device comprises login and password information.
22. The computerized apparatus of claim 20 , wherein:
said at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on said processor apparatus: determine that said computerized user device is not associated to said subscriber; and
said second interface is further configured to, based at least on said determination that said computerized user device is not associated to said subscriber is made, transmit a message to said computerized process associated with said content source, said message comprising data configured to cause said computerized process to deny service to said computerized user device.
23. The computerized apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said at least one second interface is further configured to, when it has been determined that said protected digital content is not within said approved level of service of said subscriber, transmit a message to said computerized process associated with said content source, said message comprising data configured to cause said computerized process to deny service to said computerized user device.
24. The computerized apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said protected digital content comprises first-run copyrighted content not available on said Internet.
25. The computerized apparatus of claim 20 , wherein:
said one or more rules enable said computerized user device to access said protected digital content for a certain period of time; and
said second data communication configured to cause storage of, at said content source, a globally unique identifier (GUID) that identifies said computerized user device or said sub scriber.