Age-Restricted Content Control in 3-Box Communication Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In communication systems configured from 3Box of DMS, DMC, and DMR, existing technologies fail to properly enforce age restrictions for content viewing, leading to potential unauthorized access to restricted content on DMR devices, especially when the DMC and DMR are not in the same location.
Innovation Solution
The system introduces a scheme where the DMS provides meta-information about age restrictions, the DMC acquires and verifies this information, and compares it with the DMR's capabilities to determine if content can be reproduced, using UPnP's CDS and Device Description mechanisms to ensure compliance with age restrictions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the DMC and DMR are separated into different locations in a 3-Box system, then the system's flexibility and ease of operation are improved, but the reliability of age restriction enforcement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The DMR pre-acquires and stores its own Device Description information including age restriction capabilities before the actual content reproduction request. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the DMC needs to verify age restrictions, the DMR can immediately provide its capability information without requiring real-time interaction or user presence at the DMC location, thus maintaining reliability despite spatial separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces Device Description information as an intermediary data structure that carries age restriction capability information. This intermediary allows the DMC to indirectly verify the DMR's capabilities without direct user interaction, bridging the gap created by spatial separation while maintaining enforcement reliability.
2Productivity
If automatic reproduction is enabled when DMC controls content transmission from DMS to DMR, then productivity and ease of operation are improved, but the risk of unauthorized content output increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification of the DMR's age restriction capabilities by examining its Device Description information before initiating automatic content reproduction. This advance check ensures that only compliant DMR devices receive and reproduce restricted content, enabling automatic operation while preventing unauthorized output.
Solution Approach 2:
The DMR provides feedback about its age restriction capabilities through its Device Description information to the DMC. The DMC uses this feedback to make informed decisions about whether to permit automatic reproduction, creating a feedback loop that maintains control while enabling automation.
Data Source
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AI summary
To suitably perform a delivery service of content to which information of ages, viewing by which is restricted, is added. In a DMS, information of whether age restriction for viewing has been imposed on the content is provided using meta-information. In response, a DMC acquires the meta-information of content, reproduction of which is intended to request to a DMR, and confirms whether the content has the age restriction for viewing. In addition, the DMC acquires information related to the device type from the DMR to which the reproduction of content is requested, and confirm whether the device is capable of controlling reproduction of the content according to the age restriction for viewing.