Digital key distribution mechanism

• US 10,678,880 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greenman Gaming
• Original Assignee: Greenman Gaming
• Inventors: Packham, Lee, Bandurski, Krzysztof, Phillips, James, Smedley, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nano, Sargon N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendaye, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US14/820,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/064 Hierarchical key distribution, e.g. by multi-tier trusted parties

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for distributing digital keys. The method includes the steps of a first database storing a plurality of keys relating to a plurality of products; for each product, transferring keys from the first database to a corresponding cache in a second database; in response to a request for a key for a product, retrieving and distributing a key from the corresponding cache; and refreshing the corresponding cache by transferring further keys from the first database to the corresponding cache. A system for distributing digital keys is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for distributing digital unique product keys using a plurality of caches, including:

a first database storing a plurality of product keys relating to a plurality of products;

a server transferring product keys for each product of the plurality of products from the first database to a corresponding cache of the plurality of caches in a second database, wherein each product corresponds to only one cache of the plurality of caches and each cache stores a plurality of product keys for only the product corresponding to the cache;

in response to a request for a product key for a product, the server retrieving and distributing the product key from the corresponding cache for the product for which the product key is requested; and

after distributing the product key from the corresponding cache for the product for which the product key is requested, deleting the distributed product key from the corresponding cache and refreshing the corresponding cache by the server transferring one or more further product keys from the first database to the corresponding cache,

wherein the product keys stored within the first database are assigned a priority; and

the priority determines the order in which the product keys are transferred to their corresponding cache.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the products are digital products.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein further product keys for the product are transferred from the first database to the corresponding cache when the cache falls below a minimum threshold.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the minimum threshold is predefined.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the cache for the product falls below a minimum threshold, transferring product keys from the first database to the cache up to a maximum threshold for the cache.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein further product keys for the product are transferred from the first database to the corresponding cache periodically.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further including:

revoking a second product key within the first database by marking the second product key as revoked;

wherein revoked product keys are not transferred to their corresponding cache.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of products relate to a plurality of providers.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the product key is distributed from the cache, the product key is popped from the cache.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maximum threshold is predefined.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a separate maximum threshold is predefined for each cache.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the same maximum threshold is predefined for every cache.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when product keys are transferred from the first database to the second database, the product keys are marked within the first database as used.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein product keys are stored within the first database within a group for each product.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein product keys are provided in batches to the first database to be stored.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein product keys are stored within the first database are associated by batch.

17. A system for distributing digital unique product keys, including:

one or more servers;

a first database; and

a second database;

wherein the system is configured to;

store in the first database a plurality of product keys relating to a plurality of products;

transfer product keys for each product of the plurality of products from the first database to a corresponding cache of a plurality of caches in the second database, wherein each product corresponds to only one cache of the plurality of caches and each cache stores a plurality of product keys only for the product corresponding to the cache;

in response to a request for a product key for a product, retrieve and distribute the product key from the corresponding cache for the product for which the product key is requested; and

after distributing the product key from the corresponding cache for the product for which the product key is requested, deleting the distributed product key from the corresponding cache and refreshing the corresponding cache by the server transferring one or more further product keys from the first database to the corresponding cache;

wherein the product keys stored within the first database are assigned a priority; and

the priority determines the order in which the keys are transferred to their corresponding cache.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, further including a plurality of requester apparatuses configured to request a product key for a product and to receive the requested product key from the server.

19. A system for distributing digital unique product keys for a plurality of products, the system comprising a processing system configured to:

store in a first database a plurality of product keys relating to a plurality of products;

transfer product keys for each product of the plurality of products from the first database to a respective cache of a plurality of caches in a second database associated with the respective products, wherein each cache of the plurality of caches is only associated with a different product of the plurality of products and stores a plurality of product keys only for the associated product;

in response to a request from an apparatus for a product key of a product associated with the apparatus, retrieve a product key from the cache associated with the requested product and transmit the retrieved product key to the apparatus making the request; and

after transmitting the retrieved product key to the apparatus, delete the retrieved product key from the cache and transfer, from the first database, one or more further product keys to the cache from which the retrieved product key is deleted;

wherein the product keys stored within the first database are assigned a priority; and

the priority determines the order in which the keys are transferred to their corresponding cache.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more further product keys are transferred to the cache only after a number of product keys stored in the cache falls below a set threshold.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein each cache of the plurality of caches is periodically updated to replace product keys retrieved from the plurality of caches.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein each cache of the plurality of caches stores a predetermined number of keys which is the same for each cache of the plurality of caches.