US 11,924,524 B2
Metadata distribution and management via transactional blockchain technology
Robert Barr Thompson, Broomall, PA (US)
Assigned to Rovi Guides, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Rovi Guides, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/228,198.
Prior Publication US 2020/0204876 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. H04L 9/00 (2022.01); G06F 16/48 (2019.01); H04L 9/08 (2006.01); H04N 21/235 (2011.01); H04N 21/84 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/84 (2013.01) [G06F 16/48 (2019.01); H04L 9/0822 (2013.01); H04L 9/50 (2022.05); H04N 21/2351 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for securely distributing metadata using a blockchain, the method comprising:
generating, by a content creator computing device, a block for a distributed blockchain ledger, the block comprising an encrypted metadata item of a media asset;
transmitting, at a first time, by the content creator device, the block for storage in the distributed blockchain ledger, wherein a copy of the distributed blockchain ledger is stored by the device and a content distribution device;
generating, by the content creator device, a smart contract comprising: a decryption key for the encrypted metadata item and an identifier of the content distribution device; and
transmitting, by the content creator device, the smart contract for storage in the distributed blockchain ledger, wherein the smart contract is configured to be automatically executed at an execution time, to provide the content distribution device with the decryption key for the encrypted metadata item, and wherein the execution time is selected to be later than the first time and before a time when the content distribution device that is configured to stream the media asset to end user devices is scheduled to update an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) or Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming website with the metadata of the media asset.