Server-Side Blackout Enforcement for OTT Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for enforcing blackout rules in over-the-top (OTT) Internet-based content distribution are cumbersome, relying on specialized client players that complicate configurations and are vulnerable to unauthorized access, lacking automation, and limiting broadcasters' control over blackout zones.
Innovation Solution
Implementing server-side blackout enforcement, where the content distributor's server dynamically alters the content stream based on user identifiers and geographic location, allowing for automated and customizable blackout rule enforcement without requiring specialized client players, using in-stream messaging and metadata to trigger rule application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If client player-based blackout enforcement is used, then blackout rules can be enforced at the user device, but the system becomes vulnerable to unauthorized access and requires specialized client players that complicate configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by moving blackout enforcement from the client player to the server side. Instead of relying on client players to enforce blackout rules, the server dynamically modifies the content stream to embed blackout zone information and rules, which are then executed by the client player. This inversion eliminates the need for specialized client players while maintaining secure enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the server embeds blackout control data within the content stream itself. This intermediary approach allows the server to communicate blackout rules and zone information to the client player without requiring pre-configured specialized client software, thus simplifying the system while maintaining enforcement reliability.
2Reliability
If specialized client players are used for blackout enforcement, then blackout rules can be enforced, but operational overhead increases and client player reusability across different content distributors is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the client player universal by designing it to automatically extract and execute blackout rules from the content stream without requiring distribution-specific configurations. The server embeds standardized blackout control data that any compliant client player can process, enabling reusability across different content distributors and eliminating the need for specialized client players for each distributor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the client player to automatically extract, parse, and execute blackout rules from the embedded control data in the content stream. This eliminates the need for manual configuration and reduces operational overhead, as the system automatically manages blackout enforcement without human intervention.
3Reliability
If blackout zone information is embedded in control data passed to client player, then blackout rules can be enforced, but per client customizations are limited and configuration becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic customization by allowing the server to embed different blackout control data for different clients within the same content stream. The server can dynamically modify the embedded control data based on client identifiers, enabling per-client customizations such as different blackout zones or rules for different subscribers while maintaining a universal client player architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide server-side implementation and enforcement of blackout rules for streaming content. A server receives a request from an end user device and extracts a first identifier identifying the end user device and a second identifier identifying the requested stream from the request. The server determines if blackout rules identified for the requested streaming content using the second identifier apply to the end user device based on the first identifier. The blackout rules may restrict IP addresses, IP address subnets, or geographic regions defined using zip codes or DMAs. The first identifier can be an IP address that directly or indirectly maps to the blackout rules. If the first identifier is restricted by a blackout rule, the server identifies the restrictions of the rule, when they apply, and how they are to be applied before dynamically altering the content that is streamed to the end user device.