Intermediate Entitlement Specification for Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital content/service access systems lack fine-grained control of entitlements, leading to fragmented regimes and limited business models due to proprietary data models and lack of common entitlements data models, which complicates multi-governance operational models and user-based service access.
Innovation Solution
The system generates an intermediate entitlement specification that specifies access rights for services or content, using stored entitlement policies to determine and manage access rights, enabling a two-stage programmable entitlements framework for granular and contextual access control, independent of business and content platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary data models are used by each digital platform, then each platform can maintain its own entitlement capabilities, but this results in fragmented entitlement regimes and increased system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the entitlement specification system with common data model) that sits between multiple proprietary digital platforms and the entitlement management infrastructure. This intermediary translates between different proprietary data models and a standardized entitlement representation, enabling unified entitlement control without requiring each platform to directly integrate with every other system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal entitlement data model and specification format that can work across multiple different digital platforms and services. This single standardized interface replaces the need for multiple proprietary integrations, allowing one system to manage entitlements for diverse services including TV channels, content, applications, and digital services through a common framework.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated entitlement solutions are built for each service, then specific service needs are met, but architectural fragmentation and operational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the entitlement management into distinct modular components: service-specific entitlement policies, platform-agnostic intermediate specifications, and runtime entitlement decisions. This segmentation allows each service to define its own entitlement requirements while using a common processing framework, reducing architectural fragmentation by providing clear separation between service logic and entitlement enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic entitlement specifications that can be generated and evaluated at runtime based on service context, user context, and policy rules. This dynamic approach allows the same infrastructure to adapt to different service requirements without requiring separate dedicated solutions, as entitlements are computed on-demand rather than pre-configured for each service.
3Ease of operation
If multiple systems manage entitlements without a common data model, then each system can operate independently, but implementation of multi-governance operational model becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enforces homogeneity in the entitlement data representation by requiring all entitlement specifications to conform to a common data model and specification format. This standardized representation enables different systems to exchange and process entitlement information uniformly, making multi-governance operational models practical by allowing independent systems to collaborate through a shared language for entitlement management.
4Reliability
If entitlement determination is done at point of consumption for MVPDs, then content distribution rights can be enforced, but fulfillment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by generating intermediate entitlement specifications in advance of runtime consumption, based on service provisioning and entitlement policies. This pre-computation of entitlement frameworks allows the system to prepare entitlement decisions before actual content access occurs, reducing fulfillment complexity at the point of consumption while maintaining reliable rights enforcement through pre-established policy rules.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, computer program, and method are provided for generating an intermediate entitlement specification that specifies one or more access rights in connection with a service or content. A plurality of entitlement policies is stored that are configured for being used to determine one or more entitlements to be sent to a device. In operation, an offer specification is received, and at least one of the plurality of entitlement policies is identified based on the offer specification. An intermediate entitlement specification is generated that specifies one or more access rights in connection with a service or content, based on at least one entitlement policy. In use, a run-time entitlement specification may be generated, in response to a request for the service or content during a run-time. Further, in one embodiment, the run-time entitlement specification may be generated utilizing at least one intermediate entitlement specification.