Controlling and managing digital assets

• US 20020077986A1
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atabok Japan Inc.
• Original Assignee: Atabok Japan Inc.
• Inventors: Kobata, Hiroshi, Gagne, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/904,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1078 Logging; Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1086 Superdistribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for controlling and managing digital assets. These systems and techniques are particularly useful when digital assets are transmitted electronically using, for example, the Internet, as these techniques serve to make the Internet secure for communication and control of digital assets. In addition, they permit dynamic control and management of digital assets, regardless of where the assets reside. Use of these systems and techniques promises to enable new, Internet-based distribution models, and to provide superior insight with respect to the use and status of digital assets. Particular implementations of the systems and techniques permit features such as lifetime control of digital content, multi-level control of digital content (including session encryption, asset encryption, and remote management), and try-before-you buy marketing approaches. They also support functions such as digital rights transfer, tracking, segmentation, archiving, and improved handling of upgrades and updates.

Claims

1. A method for controlling and managing a digital asset transmitted from a sending computer to a receiving computer, the method comprising:

establishing a first secure communication pathway between the sending computer and an intermediate server;

transmitting the digital asset from the sending computer to the intermediate server using the first secure communication pathway;

establishing a second secure communication pathway between the receiving computer and the intermediate server;

transmitting the digital asset from the intermediate server to the receiving computer using the second secure communication pathway;

transmitting to the receiving computer rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated; and

storing the digital asset at the receiving computer in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the transmitted rights.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the digital asset at the receiving computer in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the transmitted rights comprises storing the digital asset in a way that only permits the digital asset to be manipulated using an associated viewer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated are defined in a rights document that is transmitted to the receiving computer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document comprises an XML document.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document includes information identifying a viewer to be used in accessing the digital asset.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document includes information about a party who originated the digital asset.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document includes information about the authority of the sending computer to transmit the digital asset.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document includes information about how to purchase rights to use the digital asset.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document includes information about how to purchase the digital asset.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document includes information about who is authorized to modify the rights defined in the rights document.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the rights document includes a description of aspects of use of the digital asset to be tracked, the method further comprising tracking the aspects of use of the digital asset described in the rights document.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein the rights document is transferred to the receiving computer using the second secure communication pathway.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising loading the rights into a secure database at the receiving computer.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

storing the digital asset at the receiving computer in a way that permits only controlled access to the digital asset comprises storing the digital asset in a way that only permits the digital asset to be manipulated using an associated viewer; and

the associated viewer interacts with the secure database when accessing the digital asset to ensure that the digital asset is manipulated consistently with the rights granted for manipulating the digital asset.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the rights transmitted to the receiving computer control the ability of a user of the receiving computer to copy, view, print, execute, and modify the digital asset.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated comprises transmitting to the receiving computer a replacement set of rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated comprises transmitting to the receiving computer only changes to the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting to the sending computer a notification that the rights have been modified.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein:

storing the digital asset at the receiving computer in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the transmitted rights comprises storing the digital asset in a way that only permits the digital asset to be manipulated using an associated viewer,

the transmitted rights include information identifying a viewer to be used in manipulating the digital asset, and

modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated comprises modifying the information identifying the viewer to be used in manipulating the digital asset to change the viewer to be used in manipulating the digital asset.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising implementing an asset recall function by modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated to prevent a user of the receiving computer from manipulating the digital asset in any way.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein implementing the asset recall function further comprises deleting the digital asset from the receiving computer.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a digital asset database at the intermediate server, the digital asset database including information identifying the digital asset and the rights transmitted to the receiving computer.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

providing feedback from the receiving computer to the intermediate server about use of the digital asset; and

updating the digital asset database in response to the feedback.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated indicate how feedback to the intermediate server is to be provided.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the rights permit manipulation of the digital asset only when there is a live connection with the intermediate server.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the rights permit manipulation of the digital asset only when the time since the last connection with the intermediate server is less than a predetermined value.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising permitting the sending computer to access information in the digital asset database about the receiving computer'"'"'s use of the digital asset.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the sending computer uses the information in the digital asset database about the receiving computer'"'"'s use of the digital asset in determining when to offer a modification of the digital asset.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the sending computer uses the information in the digital asset database about the receiving computer'"'"'s use of the digital asset in collecting demographic information about use and pricing of the digital asset.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein the receiving computer initiates feedback to the intermediate server in response to a particular manipulation of the digital asset.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the particular manipulation that initiates feedback is identified by the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

33. The method of claim 24 wherein providing feedback from the receiving computer to the intermediate server about use of the digital asset comprises tracking consumption of the digital rights.

34. The method of claim 24 wherein providing feedback from the receiving computer to the intermediate server about use of the digital asset comprises tracking individual manipulations of the digital asset.

35. The method of claim 24 wherein providing feedback from the receiving computer to the intermediate server about use of the digital asset comprises tracking characteristics of individual portions of the digital asset.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the digital asset at the receiving computer in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the transmitted rights comprises storing the digital asset in an encrypted format.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising manipulating the digital asset, the manipulating comprising decrypting the digital asset.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein decrypting the digital asset comprises retrieving a key from the intermediate server and using the key in decrypting the digital asset.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein decrypting the digital asset comprises retrieving a key from the receiving computer and using the key in decrypting the digital asset.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting rights to the receiving computer comprises transmitting the rights before transmitting the digital asset.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting rights to the receiving computer comprises transmitting the rights after transmitting the digital asset.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the first secure communication pathway between the sending computer and the intermediate server comprises using public key encryption to generate a session key that then is used to encrypt communications between the sending computer and the intermediate server.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second secure communication pathway between the receiving computer and the intermediate server comprises using public key encryption to generate a second session key that then is used to encrypt communications between the receiving computer and the intermediate server.

44. The method of claim 1 wherein:

establishing the first secure communication pathway comprises using an encryption technique appropriate for a physical location of the sending computer; and

establishing the second secure communication pathway comprises using an encryption technique appropriate for a physical location of the receiving computer.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein storing the digital asset in a way that permits only controlled access to the digital asset comprises storing the digital asset in a way that only permits the digital asset to be manipulated using an associated viewer.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein:

storing the digital asset at the receiving computer in a way that permits only controlled access to the digital asset comprises storing the digital asset in a way that only permits the digital asset to be manipulated using an associated viewer; and

the associated viewer interacts with the secure database when accessing the digital asset to ensure that the digital asset is manipulated consistently with the rights granted for manipulating the digital asset.

48. The method of claim 45 further comprising modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated comprises transmitting to the computer a replacement set of rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein modifying the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated comprises transmitting to the computer only changes to the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

51. The method of claim 48 further comprising maintaining a digital asset database at a remote server, the digital asset database including information identifying the digital asset and the rights installed at the computer.

52. The method of claim 51 further comprising:

providing feedback from the computer to the remote server about use of the digital asset; and

updating the digital asset database in response to the feedback.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated indicate how feedback to the remote server is to be provided.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the rights permit manipulation of the digital asset only when there is a live connection with the remote server.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein the rights permit manipulation of the digital asset only when the time since the last connection with the remote server is less than a predetermined value.

56. The method of claim 51 wherein the receiving computer initiates feedback to the remote server in response to a particular manipulation of the digital asset.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the particular manipulation that initiates feedback is identified by the rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated.

58. The method of claim 51 wherein providing feedback from the computer to the remote server about use of the digital asset comprises tracking consumption of the digital rights.

59. The method of claim 51 wherein providing feedback from the computer to the remote server about use of the digital asset comprises tracking individual manipulations of the digital asset.

45. A method for controlling and managing a digital asset installed on a computer, the method comprising:

installing on the computer rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated, the installing comprising loading the rights into a secure database at the computer; and

storing the digital asset in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the installed rights.

60. A method for controlling and managing a digital asset transmitted from a sender to multiple recipients, the method comprising:

transmitting the digital asset from the sender to the recipients;

transmitting to the recipients rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated;

storing the digital asset in storage locations associated with the recipients in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the transmitted rights; and

permitting certain ones of the recipients to modify the rights defining how the certain ones of the recipients may manipulate the digital asset.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the transmitted rights permit each recipient to manipulate the digital asset in the same way.

62. The method of claim 60 wherein the transmitted rights indicate which recipients may modify the rights.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the transmitted rights indicate one or more classes of recipients that may modify the rights.

64. The method of claim 60 further comprising permitting the certain ones of the recipients to transmit the digital asset to other recipients and to control the rights transmitted to the other recipients.

65. A method for controlling and managing a digital asset transmitted from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising:

transmitting the digital asset from the sender to the recipient;

transmitting to the recipient a first set of rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated;

storing the digital asset in a storage location associated with the recipient in a way that permits manipulation of the digital asset only in ways that are consistent with the transmitted rights; and

permitting the recipient to transmit the digital asset to another recipient along with a second set of rights defining how the digital asset may be manipulated by the other recipient.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the second set of rights is more restrictive than the first set of rights.

68. The system of claim 67 further comprising:

a computer device operable to manipulate the decrypted digital content; and

a global rights unit operable to manage the digital rights database and communicate with the computer device wherein the global rights unit is located remote from the computer device.

69. The system of claim 68 wherein the global rights unit includes a global clock wherein the computer device includes a local clock, and wherein the global rights unit is operable to synchronize the local clock with the global clock when a communication link between the computer device and the global rights unit is available.

70. The system of claim 67 wherein the digital rights manager is operable to decrypt the encrypted data of the digital content only if the digital rights to manipulate the digital content data exist in the digital rights database.

71. The system of claim 67 further comprising a computer device wherein the decrypted digital content includes an executable file that is operable to run on the computer device.

72. The system of claim 67 wherein the digital content package further comprises a viewer module including viewer code operable to facilitate manipulation of the decrypted content.

73. The system of claim 72 further comprising a computer device wherein the viewer code is operable to allow an end-user to manipulate the decrypted digital content on the computer device.

74. The system of claim 68 wherein the digital rights database comprises:

a local digital rights database file stored at a computer device comprising individual digital rights information related to an individual digital content package; and

a global digital rights database located at the global rights unit comprising digital rights information related to a plurality of digital content packages.

75. The system of claim 74 wherein the local digital rights database and the global digital rights database are operable to be harmonized with each other using a communication pathway.

76. The system of claim 74 wherein the local digital rights database is operable to modify data in the global digital rights database using a communication pathway connecting the local digital rights database with the global digital rights database.

77. The system of claim 74 wherein the global digital rights database is operable to modify data in the local digital rights database using a communication pathway connecting the local digital rights database with the global digital rights database.

78. The system of claim 67 wherein the digital rights to manipulate the digital content data are automatically modified each time the digital content data is manipulated.

79. The system of claim 67 wherein the digital rights to manipulate the digital content data are automatically modified according to time-based criteria.

80. The system of claim 68 further comprising a tracking manager module operable to gather tracking information concerning the digital content data from the digital rights database.

81. The system of claim 80 wherein the tracking manager module is further operable to manipulate the tracking information concerning the digital content data.

82. The system of claim 80 wherein each of a plurality of copies of the digital content data comprises a unique identifier operable to distinguish the plurality of copies of the digital content data from each other, and wherein the tracking information concerning the digital content data includes routing information of individual copies of the digital content data, identities of computer devices at which the individual copies of the digital content data reside, and the number of copies of the digital content data in existence.

67. A system for dynamically managing digital rights of digital content, comprising:

a digital content package comprising digital content data and a digital rights manager wherein the digital content data includes encrypted data; and

a digital rights database operable to store digital rights relating to the digital content data,

wherein the digital rights manager includes code that is operable to;

determine whether digital rights to manipulate the digital content data exist in the digital rights database; and

decrypt the encrypted data of the digital content data to generate decrypted digital content that can be manipulated.

83. A method of providing secure collaboration among several collaborators, the method comprising:

providing a digital asset to a collaborator in an encrypted format;

permitting the collaborator to edit the digital asset using an authorized viewer program; and

saving changes made by the collaborator in an encrypted format by creating a collaboration file by encrypting a change document representing the changes made by the collaborator and the original encrypted digital asset.

84. The method of claim 83 further comprising:

providing the collaboration file to another collaborator;

permitting the other collaborator to edit the digital asset using an authorized viewer program and the collaboration file; and

saving changes made by the other collaborator in an encrypted format by creating a second collaboration file by encrypting a second change document representing the changes made by the other collaborator and the collaboration file such that a second encryption layer is added by the other collaborator.

85. The method of claim 84 further comprising presenting to the other collaborator the digital asset and the changes made by the first collaborator in a way that distinguishes the original digital asset from the changes made by the first collaborator.

86. The method of claim 85 wherein the digital asset is presented using a font different from a font used to present the changes made by the first collaborator.

87. The method of claim 85 wherein the digital asset is presented using a color different from a color used to present the changes made by the first collaborator.

88. The method of claim 84 further comprising giving different collaborators different rights with respect to editing the digital asset.

89. The method of claim 84 further comprising giving different collaborators different rights with respect to viewing changes made by other collaborators.

90. The method of claim 83 further comprising feeding the changes of the change document to an entity that provided the digital asset to the collaborator.