Prior art — US Patent 8566461

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 8566461

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 8566461, we will examine the patents cited by the examiner during the prosecution of US8566461. A definitive 35 U.S.C. § 102 anticipation analysis requires a full review of each cited patent's specification and claims, alongside expert legal interpretation, which is beyond the scope of this AI analysis. The following assessment of "potential anticipation" is based on the titles and available abstracts of the cited patents, identifying high-level areas of overlap with the independent claims of US8566461.

The independent claims of US8566461 generally cover:

Claim 1 (Method): Validating a token (generated from a validated voucher with publisher's terms of service), denying access to network content if the token doesn't comply with terms, specifically a maximum number of simultaneous streams associated with a unique transaction ID.
Claim 9 (Apparatus): An apparatus with a token validator and a checker for compliance with publisher's terms of service, including a maximum number of streams associated with a voucher, reporting non-compliance, and denying access.

Below are the patents cited by the examiner, with their details and a high-level assessment of potential anticipation:

Examiner-Cited Patents

1. US6484197B1

Full Citation: US6484197B1 (International Business Machines Corporation) - Filtering incoming e-mail
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-11-19 (Priority: 1998-11-07)
Brief Description: This patent describes a system for filtering incoming e-mail based on various criteria. While it deals with network communication, its specific focus on e-mail filtering is distinct from managed media access.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Unlikely to directly anticipate the core elements of US8566461. Its focus on e-mail filtering does not appear to involve token-based access to media services or enforcement of stream limits.

2. US6505300B2

Full Citation: US6505300B2 (Microsoft Corporation) - Method and system for secure running of untrusted content
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2003-01-07 (Priority: 1998-06-12)
Brief Description: This patent generally relates to securely running untrusted content by isolating it within a protected environment.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While dealing with "secure content," the method of "securely running untrusted content" by isolation differs significantly from the token/voucher system and stream-count enforcement of US8566461. It may broadly cover "secure access" but not the specific mechanics.

3. US20030037070A1

Full Citation: US20030037070A1 (Firstlook.Com.) - Streaming media security system
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2003-02-20 (Priority: 2001-07-31)
Brief Description: This application describes a streaming media security system.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The title "Streaming media security system" suggests a high degree of relevance. It potentially anticipates aspects of managing access to network content, especially for streaming media. A detailed review would be needed to determine if it discloses a token/voucher system with terms of service enforcement, particularly regarding simultaneous streams.

4. US6718328B1

Full Citation: US6718328B1 (Akamai Technologies, Inc.) - System and method for providing controlled and secured access to network resources
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2004-04-06 (Priority: 2000-02-28)
Brief Description: This patent describes providing controlled and secured access to network resources, which can include content.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent's focus on "controlled and secured access to network resources" is broadly relevant. It could potentially anticipate aspects of token-based authentication for access. Specifics on vouchers, explicit publisher terms of service, and concurrent stream limits would require a detailed comparison to US8566461's claims.

5. US6779115B1

Full Citation: US6779115B1 (Digital5, Inc.) - Portable device using a smart card to receive and decrypt digital data
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2004-08-17 (Priority: 2000-02-18)
Brief Description: This patent describes a portable device using a smart card for receiving and decrypting digital data.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While related to secure digital data, its reliance on a smart card and decryption for a portable device differs from the network-based voucher/token system of US8566461 for managing multiple streams across potentially multiple devices.

6. US6868403B1

Full Citation: US6868403B1 (Microsoft Corporation) - Secure online music distribution system
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-03-15 (Priority: 1998-02-06)
Brief Description: This patent describes a secure online music distribution system.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): "Secure online music distribution system" is highly relevant, as music is a type of media. This patent could potentially anticipate methods of managing access to media, especially the secure delivery aspect. A detailed analysis would be needed to check for the token/voucher mechanism, enforcement of terms like maximum simultaneous streams, and account-based access.

7. US20050060389A1

Full Citation: US20050060389A1 (Ludmila Cherkasova) - System and method for evaluating a capacity of a streaming media server for supporting a workload
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-03-17 (Priority: 2003-09-12)
Brief Description: This application describes a system and method for evaluating the capacity of a streaming media server.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent focuses on server capacity evaluation rather than access management based on user authorization and terms of service. It does not appear to anticipate the core claims of US8566461.

8. US6948061B1

Full Citation: US6948061B1 (Certicom Corp.) - Method and device for performing secure transactions
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-09-20 (Priority: 2000-09-20)
Brief Description: This patent describes methods and devices for performing secure transactions.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): "Secure transactions" are fundamental to the voucher acquisition in US8566461. This patent might broadly anticipate the transaction aspect but likely not the specific downstream token validation and enforcement of media access terms of service.

9. US20060059346A1

Full Citation: US20060059346A1 (Andrew Sherman) - Authentication with expiring binding digital certificates
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2006-03-16 (Priority: 2004-09-14)
Brief Description: This application describes authentication using digital certificates that have an expiring binding.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The concept of "expiring binding digital certificates" is highly relevant to the time-window aspect of vouchers/tokens in US8566461, particularly claims 5 and 10 which relate to voucher end times and stream termination. It potentially anticipates the use of time-limited authorization mechanisms.

10. US20060085862A1

Full Citation: US20060085862A1 (Daniel Witt) - Method and system for authorizing multimedia multicasting
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2006-04-20 (Priority: 2004-10-05)
Brief Description: This application describes a method and system for authorizing multimedia multicasting.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The "authorizing multimedia multicasting" aspect is directly related to providing access to media. This patent could potentially anticipate methods of authorizing access, but it would need to disclose a token/voucher system and terms of service enforcement for simultaneous streams to directly anticipate US8566461's core claims.

11. US20060095779A9

Full Citation: US20060095779A9 (Shivaram Bhat) - Uniform resource locator access management and control system and method
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2006-05-04 (Priority: 2001-08-06)
Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for uniform resource locator (URL) access management and control.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This title is highly relevant to the general concept of "managed access to media services," particularly controlling access via URLs (publishing points). It potentially anticipates the general mechanism of managing access, and a detailed review would be needed to see if it includes specific features like tokens, vouchers, and stream-count enforcement.

12. US7603469B2

Full Citation: US7603469B2 (International Business Machines Corporation) - Provisioning aggregated services in a distributed computing environment
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2009-10-13 (Priority: 2002-01-15)
Brief Description: This patent describes provisioning aggregated services in a distributed computing environment.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While dealing with "provisioning services" in a distributed environment, the core of US8566461 is about managed access to media based on specific terms. It may broadly relate to service delivery but not specifically the unique token/voucher and stream-limit enforcement.

13. US7962415B2

Full Citation: US7962415B2 (Amazon Technologies, Inc.) - Performing automatically authorized programmatic transactions
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2011-06-14 (Priority: 2004-07-19)
Brief Description: This patent describes performing automatically authorized programmatic transactions.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent's focus on "automatically authorized programmatic transactions" could be relevant to the initial transaction and voucher issuance steps of US8566461. However, it is less likely to anticipate the detailed token validation and ongoing enforcement of media streaming terms.

14. US8051491B1

Full Citation: US8051491B1 (Amazon Technologies, Inc.) - Controlling use of computing-related resources by multiple independent parties
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2011-11-01 (Priority: 2007-12-10)
Brief Description: This patent describes controlling the use of computing-related resources by multiple independent parties.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): "Controlling use of computing-related resources by multiple independent parties" is broadly relevant to managing access. It could potentially anticipate the idea of regulating access for multiple users/devices, but a specific disclosure of a token/voucher system and enforcing stream limits for media would be required for direct anticipation of US8566461's claims.

15. US8095972B1

Full Citation: US8095972B1 (Southern Company Services, Inc.) - Secure authentication for web-based applications
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2012-01-10 (Priority: 2008-10-06)
Brief Description: This patent describes secure authentication for web-based applications.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): "Secure authentication for web-based applications" is relevant to the initial user interaction and voucher submission in US8566461. It likely covers parts of the authentication process but not necessarily the distinct token generation, terms of service enforcement, or concurrent stream management specific to media access.

16. US8281136B2

Full Citation: US8281136B2 (Novell, Inc.) - Techniques for key distribution for use in encrypted communications
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2012-10-02 (Priority: 2005-10-21)
Brief Description: This patent describes techniques for key distribution in encrypted communications.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent's focus is on the secure exchange of cryptographic keys, which is a lower-level security mechanism. It is unlikely to anticipate the higher-level application logic of token/voucher validation and terms of service enforcement for media streaming as claimed in US8566461.

17. US8316091B2

Full Citation: US8316091B2 (At&T Mobility Ii Llc) - Content management for wireless digital media frames
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2012-11-20 (Priority: 2008-12-01)
Brief Description: This patent describes content management for wireless digital media frames.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): "Content management for wireless digital media" is highly relevant to US8566461's domain. It could potentially anticipate aspects of managing media content delivery. A detailed comparison would be required to see if it includes a token/voucher system, unique transaction IDs, and enforcement of terms like maximum concurrent streams.

18. US8333317B2

Full Citation: US8333317B2 (Broadcom Corporation) - System and method for authenticating the proximity of a wireless token to a computing device
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2012-12-18 (Priority: 2003-09-30)
Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for authenticating the proximity of a wireless token to a computing device.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While it uses "token" and "authenticating," its focus on "proximity of a wireless token" is a different mechanism from the network-based, non-proximity token system of US8566461. It is unlikely to anticipate the core claims.

19. US8447858B1

Full Citation: US8447858B1 (Marvell International Ltd.) - System for improving quality of service for wireless LANS
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2013-05-21 (Priority: 2005-11-18)
Brief Description: This patent describes a system for improving quality of service (QoS) in wireless LANs.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent focuses on network performance (QoS) rather than user authorization and access control based on specific terms of service. It does not appear to anticipate the core claims of US8566461.

20. WO2002005061A2

Full Citation: WO2002005061A2 (David Paul Felsher) - Information record infrastructure, system and method
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-01-17 (Priority: 2000-07-06)
Brief Description: This international application describes an information record infrastructure, system, and method.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The broad title "Information record infrastructure" does not immediately suggest direct anticipation of the specific media access management system of US8566461. A deeper review would be needed to find specific overlaps.

21. US8819253B2

Full Citation: US8819253B2 (Oracle America, Inc.) - Network message generation for automated authentication
Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2014-08-26 (Priority: 2001-11-13)
Brief Description: This patent describes network message generation for automated authentication.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): "Automated authentication" is a component of US8566461's system. This patent could potentially anticipate aspects of how tokens are authenticated or how the process is automated. However, it's unlikely to cover the full scope of voucher validation, publisher terms, and simultaneous stream enforcement.

Disclaimer: Performing a definitive 35 U.S.C. § 102 anticipation analysis requires a full review of the patent specification and claims, and expert legal interpretation, which is beyond the scope of this AI analysis. The assessment above is based on the titles and available abstracts and identifies potential areas of overlap with the independent claims of US8566461.