IP Library Granted Patent US 12,348,819
Granted Patent B2
US 12,348,819 · App. 18/419,310 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Providing media content to content consumers for playback and consumption

Inventors: Nicolas Paul Webb (McDonough, GA); Nishith Kumar Sinha (Mableton, GA)
Assignee: Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
H04N21/4627G06F16/1824G06F21/105G06F21/64H04L9/0643H04L9/0825H04L9/0861H04L9/3236H04L9/3247H04L63/126H04L67/10H04L69/24H04N21/2347H04N21/44222H04N21/44226H04N21/4622H04N21/47202H04N21/8352H04L2209/603H04L2463/101
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,348,819
App. No.
18/419,310
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system is provided that includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of instances of a distributed media rights transaction ledger associated with the plurality of the nodes. The plurality of nodes includes a first node associated with a first participant and a second node associated with a second participant. The first node interacts with the second node based on a defined protocol in a communication network. The first node receives a request for playback of a media content from a content consumer associated with a consumer device. The second node provides media content rights associated with media content to at least one of the first participant or the content consumer. Each instance of the distributed media rights transaction ledger includes a plurality of media content rights transactions corresponding to at least an acquisition of the media content rights by the first participant or the content consumer.

Claims (32)

1. A system, comprising a memory to store instructions and one or more processors that, with the instructions, cause the system to:

receive, from a consumer device, a request for playback of a media content;

receive, from a first node of a plurality of nodes, approval to grant media content rights associated with the media content to a content consumer associated with the consumer device;

grant, based on the approval and to the consumer device, access to media content metadata associated with the media content; and

store, in a distributed media rights transaction ledger associated with the plurality of nodes, a media content rights transaction corresponding to an acquisition of the media content rights by the content consumer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media content is selected from a plurality of media content items by the content consumer for consumption at the consumer device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media content rights are acquired by a first participant associated with the first node for redistribution to the content consumer based on a negotiation with a second participant associated with a second node of the plurality of nodes.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second participant has redistribution media content rights in an absence of the media content rights with one of the first participant or the content consumer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media content metadata comprises one or more of (i) one or more constraints associated with consumption of the media content, (ii) a location of a third node of the plurality of nodes that corresponds to a digital rights management (DRM) license system integrated with a second participant associated with a second node, or (iii) metadata required to acquire a DRM-managed media license from the third node.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the consumer device is limited by the one or more constraints comprising one or more of a date range restriction of playback of the media content, a time range restriction of the playback of the media content, a number of times the playback is allowed, a possibility to transfer playback rights to another participant, a downloading restriction, or an offline playback restriction.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the media content metadata comprises one or more of a first distributed ledger identifier that represents the media content, a second distributed ledger identifier of a first participant associated with the first node, and a third distributed ledger identifier that represents the content consumer.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein one or more of the first distributed ledger identifier, the second distributed ledger identifier, or the third distributed ledger identifier are hashed.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein a cryptographic signature is utilized to validate an origin of the request for the playback of the media content based on the hashed first distributed ledger identifier, second distributed ledger identifier, and third distributed ledger identifier.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a consumer device, a request for playback of a media content;

receiving, from a first node of a plurality of nodes, approval to grant media content rights associated with the media content to a content consumer associated with the consumer device;

granting, based on the approval and to the consumer device, access to media content metadata associated with the media content; and

storing, in a distributed media rights transaction ledger associated with the plurality of nodes, a media content rights transaction corresponding to an acquisition of the media content rights by the content consumer.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the media content is selected from a plurality of media content items by the content consumer for consumption at the consumer device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the media content rights are acquired by a first participant associated with the first node for redistribution to the content consumer based on a negotiation with a second participant associated with a second node of the plurality of nodes.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the second participant has redistribution media content rights in an absence of the media content rights with one of the first participant or the content consumer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the media content metadata comprises one or more of (i) one or more constraints associated with consumption of the media content, (ii) a location of a third node of the plurality of nodes that corresponds to a digital rights management (DRM) license system integrated with a second participant associated with a second node, or (iii) metadata required to acquire a DRM-managed media license from the third node.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the consumer device is limited by the one or more constraints comprising one or more of a date range restriction of playback of the media content, a time range restriction of the playback of the media content, a number of times the playback is allowed, a possibility to transfer playback rights to another participant, a downloading restriction, or an offline playback restriction.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the media content metadata comprises one or more of a first distributed ledger identifier that represents the media content, a second distributed ledger identifier of a first participant associated with the first node, and a third distributed ledger identifier that represents the content consumer.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein one or more of the first distributed ledger identifier, the second distributed ledger identifier, or the third distributed ledger identifier are hashed.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein a cryptographic signature is utilized to validate an origin of the request for the playback of the media content based on the hashed first distributed ledger identifier, second distributed ledger identifier, and third distributed ledger identifier.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from a consumer device, a request for playback of a media content;

receive, from a first node of a plurality of nodes, approval to grant media content rights associated with the media content to a content consumer associated with the consumer device;

grant, based on the approval and to the consumer device, access to media content metadata associated with the media content; and

store, in a distributed media rights transaction ledger associated with the plurality of nodes, a media content rights transaction corresponding to an acquisition of the media content rights by the content consumer.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19 , wherein the media content is selected from a plurality of media content items by the content consumer for consumption at the consumer device.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY, INC.; WARNER MEDIA, LLC; TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC.; HOME BOX OFFICE, INC.; DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; WARNERMEDIA DIRECT LLC; DISCOVERY.COM LLC; WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.; CNN INTERACTIVE GROUP, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072995/0858 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNEE'S POSTAL CODE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66501 FRAME: 309. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: WEBB, NICOLAS PAUL; SINHA, NISHITH KUMAR
To: TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC.
Reel/Frame 066839/0210 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: WEBB, NICOLAS PAUL; SINHA, NISHITH KUMAR
To: TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC.
Reel/Frame 066501/0309 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 18149754 · Jan 4, 2023
Continuation 17521216 · Nov 8, 2021
Continuation 16848219 · Apr 14, 2020
Continuation 16246160 · Jan 11, 2019
Provisional Application 62616216 · Jan 11, 2018
Related Publication 20240348880A1 · Oct 17, 2024
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