Adaptive Streaming Authorization for Skipping Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
MPEG-DASH client systems, operating in open environments, can be modified to skip advertisements, disrupting the ad-sponsored business model by omitting parts of the HTTP media content, leading to challenges in controlling client behavior during adaptive streaming.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive media streaming system that employs an authorization process, where a content server and an authorization server work together to establish dependency relationships between media content segments, requiring clients to receive, process, and present specified content before accessing subsequent segments, using evidence submission and access tokens to enforce compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If MPEG-DASH client systems operate in open environments with flexible modification capabilities, then adaptability and ease of operation are improved, but client behavior control and content delivery reliability deteriorate due to ability to skip advertisements
Solution Approach 1:
The server system performs preliminary actions by establishing dependency relationships between content segments before the client requests them. The authorization server pre-configures the authorization framework that will validate content access, and the content server pre-establishes the sequence of segments that must be delivered. This preliminary setup ensures that even though clients can modify their behavior, the system maintains control over the delivery sequence and prevents skipping of required content like advertisements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the client must provide evidence of having received and processed previous content segments before being authorized to access subsequent segments. The authorization server receives and validates this evidence, creating a feedback loop that ensures compliance. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to client requests while maintaining reliability by verifying that content has been properly consumed before allowing further access.
2Reliability
If the server system implements comprehensive authorization control mechanisms, then content delivery reliability is improved, but device complexity and server overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The server system segments the authorization control into distinct functional components: the content server handles content delivery and dependency relationship establishment, while the authorization server handles validation and evidence verification. This segmentation allows each component to focus on specific tasks, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive control. The MPD file also segments content into manageable segments with defined dependencies, making the authorization process more systematic and less complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The authorization server acts as an intermediary between the content server and the client. Instead of the content server directly managing complex authorization logic, it delegates this function to the authorization server. This intermediary approach simplifies the content server's responsibilities while maintaining strong authorization control. The authorization server mediates the validation process, checking evidence and managing the authorization state without requiring the content server to implement complex verification mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method for controlling adaptive streaming media access includes requesting a first portion of media content from a content server and requesting authorization corresponding to a second portion of media content from an authorization server. The method further includes submitting evidence to the authorization server that the first portion of media content has been received by a client device and receiving a representation of authorization to access the second portion of media content in response to the evidence complying with a requirement. The method also includes requesting the second portion of media content from the content server, presenting the representation of authorization to the content server, and receiving the second portion of media content in response to the representation of authorization being accepted by the content server. The method can effectively control client behavior to prevent the client from skipping past required media content, such as a commercial advertisement.