Method and system for user content view protection

Number: 12314348
Published: 2025-05-27
Filed: 2014-01-07
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: Makofsky; Steven et al.
CPC: G06F21/10
Verdict: Set aside content view protection, DRM/business
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

Abstract

A user content protection system and method that may include a content-sharing application associated with a user device and/or an access monitor configured to monitor access limitations placed on content shared by the content sharing application. The content-sharing application may be configured to share content from the user device to one or more other user devices. The access monitor may provide conditional access to the content depending on whether or not certain access limitations have been exceeded.

Background

TECHNICAL FIELD (1) Aspects of the present disclosure relate to conditional access content protection systems and methods. BACKGROUND (2) Videos, sound recordings, or other media content that are shared over computer networks such as the Internet have the potential of “going viral.” In the case of a “viral video,” the video content can become extremely popular over a short period of time through sharing of a link to the video among a number of computer users. In some cases, the content can reach certain users to whom an originator or owner of the content does not wish access to be granted. Additionally, increased demand for the content can create high volumes of network traffic and threaten to overwhelm the servers on which the content is stored. Thus, there is a need to place certain limits on access to videos, sound recordings, or other media that can be accessed by potentially large numbers of people. SUMMARY (3) The present disclosure is generally directed to a user content protection system and method that may include a content-sharing application associated with a user device and/or an access monitor configured to monitor access limitations placed on content shared by the content sharing application. The content-sharing application is configured to share content from the user device to one or more other user devices. The content-sharing application may be provided in association with a server or other computing device or component, which facilitates sharing of content b

Claims

1. A method of protecting a server from traffic overload due to content-sharing of user-generated content comprising: receiving user-generated content from a content-providing mobile user device executing a content-sharing application; storing a resource containing the user-generated content on a memory component on the server, wherein the memory component is separate from the content-providing mobile user device; receiving a plurality of requests to access the user-generated content stored on the server, wherein the plurality of requests originate from one or more content-consuming devices; analyzing a traffic load to the server, wherein the traffic load includes the plurality of requests; identifying geographical locations of the plurality of requests based on respective network addresses associated with the respective requests; setting an access limit on the user-generated content based on the traffic load, available resources of the server, and user instructions received from the content-providing mobile user device, wherein: the user instructions specify a numerical limit on a number of users allowed to access the user-generated content and a geographical limit on locations from which users are allowed to access the user-generated content, the access limit is received from the content-providing mobile user device, and the access limit is modifiable in response to the traffic load, the geographical location of at least one of the plurality of requests, a determination whether the geographical location of the at least one of the plurality of requests is outside the locations from which the users are allowed to access the user-generated content, and a determination to expand the geographical limit; setting an access list of one or more users having permission to access the resource, wherein one or more users are removed from the access list if the resource has not been accessed within a predetermined time; generating a shareable link including a uniform resource identifier (URI) identifying a location of the resource on the server containing the user-generated content on the memory component; transmitting the shareable link from the server to the one or more content-consuming devices via a network; monitoring the access limit on the user-generated content, wherein monitoring comprises: receiving a request at a server from across the network from a content-consuming device to access the resource having the user-generated content via the shareable link, wherein the content-consuming device is separate from the content-providing mobile user device, and wherein the traffic load to the server includes the request, and analyzing the request by a monitor executing on the server to determine if the request for access exceeds the access limit; granting access to the content-consuming device for the user-generated content responsive to determining that the access limit is not exceeded; denying access to the content-consuming device for the user-generated content responsive to determining that the access limit is exceeded; receiving a message by the content-sharing application indicating that requests for access to the user-generated content have exceeded the access limit; and in response to receiving the message by the content-sharing application: sending a request to the content-providing mobile user device, retrieving an updated access limit from the content-providing mobile user device, and executing an operation of the application to modify the access limit to the user-generated content, based on the updated access limit, the available server resources, and the traffic load. || 9. A content-sharing method for preserving server resources, the method comprising: receiving user-generated content from a mobile user device executing a content-sharing application; storing the user-generated content on a server; providing access to the user-generated content over a network through a shareable link, the shareable link including a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) pointing to a location of the user-generated content on the server; transmitting the shareable link from the server to the mobile user device; transmitting the shareable link from an application executing on the mobile user device to at least a second user device; receiving a plurality of requests to access resources stored on the server, wherein the plurality of requests originate from one or more content-consuming devices; analyzing a traffic load to the server, wherein the traffic load includes the plurality of requests; identifying geographical locations of the plurality of requests based on respective network addresses associated with the respective requests; setting an access limit on the user-generated content based on the traffic load, available server resources, and user instructions received from the mobile user device, wherein the user instructions specify a numerical limit on a number of users allowed to access the user-generated content and a geographical limit on locations from which users are allowed to access the user-generated content; setting an access list of one or more users having permission to access the resource having the user-generated content, wherein one or more users are removed from the access list if the resource has not been accessed within a predetermined time; monitoring the access limit and traffic load to the server including a plurality of requests to access resources stored on the server, wherein the monitoring comprises: receiving a request of the plurality of requests at the server from across the network from one of the one or more content-consuming devices to access the resource having the user-generated content via the shareable link, wherein the one of the one or more content-consuming devices is separate from the mobile user device; analyzing the request by a monitor executing on the server to determine if the request for access exceeds the access limit; denying access to the user-generated content responsive to determining that the received request exceeds the access limit on the user-generated content; modifying the access limit in response to the traffic load, the geographical location of at least one of the plurality of requests, wherein modifying the access limit comprises determining whether the geographical location of the at least one of the plurality of requests is outside the locations from which the users are allowed to access the user-generated content, and determining to expand the geographical limit; receiving a message by the application indicating that requests for access to the user-generated content have exceeded the access limit to the user-generated content; and in response to receiving the message by the application: sending a request to the mobile user device executing the content-sharing application, retrieving an updated access limit from the content-providing mobile user device, and executing an operation of the application to modify the access limit to the user-generated content, based on the updated access limit, the available server resources, and the traffic load. || 11. A content-sharing platform, comprising: a mobile user device comprising a first processor that executes an application that publishes user-generated content and transmits an electronically shareable link through which the user-generated content is accessible, the shareable link including a uniform resource identifier (URI) identifying the user-generated content; and a server comprising a second processor configured to: receive the user-generated content from the application and to store the user-generated content such that the user-generated content may be accessed via the electronically shareable link; receive a plurality of requests to access the user-generated content stored on the server, wherein the plurality of requests originate from one or more content-consuming devices; analyze a traffic load to the server, wherein the traffic load includes the plurality of requests; identify geographical locations of the plurality of requests based on respective network addresses associated with the respective requests; set an access limit on the user-generated content based on the traffic load, available server resources, and user instructions received from the mobile user device, wherein: the user instructions specify a numerical limit on a number of users allowed to access the user-generated content and a geographical limit on locations from which users are allowed to access the user-generated content, and the access limit is modifiable in response to the traffic load, the geographical location of at least one of the plurality of requests, a determination whether the geographical location of the at least one of the plurality of requests is outside the locations from which the users are allowed to access the user-generated content, and a determination to expand the geographical limit; set an access list of one or more users having permission to access a resource having the user-generated content, wherein one or more users are removed from the access list if the resource has not been accessed within a predetermined time; receive a request of the plurality of requests over a network from a content-consuming device to access the resource having the user-generated content via the shareable link, wherein the content-consuming device is separate from the mobile user device; analyze the request by a monitor to determine if the request exceeds the access limit; and deny the request for access to the user-generated content in an event where the request exceeds the access limit; responsive to the event that the request exceeds the access limit, send a message to the application indicating that requests for access to the user-generated content have exceeded the access limit; and in response to sending the message to the application: send a request to the content-providing mobile user device, retrieve an updated access limit from the content-providing mobile user device, and execute an operation of the application to modify the access limit to the user-generated content, based on the updated access limit, the available server resources, and the traffic load.