System for uniquely identifying assets and subscribers in a multi-media communication network

摘要

The present system for uniquely identifying assets and subscribers in a multi-media communication network assigns a unique and substantially self-identifying signature to every asset managed by the multi-media communication network as well as the subscribers who access the multi-media communication network. The signature ID system operates as an overlay on the multi-media communication networks to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected multi-media asset and deliver that asset as desired to the requesting subscriber. This service is facilitated by the use of the signature ID system which is used to assign each subscriber and asset a unique identification, that contains both immutable and dynamically assignable segments. The registration system component functions to authorize the registration of subscribers and/or assets and assign their respective unique identification. In addition, the content authority component uses the subscriber identifier and asset identifier to determine whether a subscriber is authorized to access assets, and to initiate the delivery of that asset to the subscriber via a communication medium.