Digital rights management system and method

• US 20020080969A1
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Proxense, LLC
• Original Assignee: Proxense, LLC
• Inventors: Giobbi, John J.
• Application Number:
  US09/750,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06

Abstract

A method of managing digital rights comprises the following steps. First, a physical electronic key containing a key code is provided to a requesting user. Second, locked digital content is provided to the requesting user. The digital content is marked with an unlock code associated with the key code. Third, the locked digital content is received in a playing device that reads the key code and determines whether the key code is associated with the unlock code. Fourth, the playing device is enabled to unlock and play the digital content if the key code is associated with the unlock code. A digital right management system for implementing the foregoing method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring and playing digital content comprising:

acquiring a physical electronic key containing a key code from a key provider;

acquiring locked digital content from a content provider, the digital content being marked with an unlock code associated with the key code; and

entering the locked digital content into a playing device that reads the key code and determines whether the key code is associated with the unlock code, the device being enabled to unlock and play the digital content if the key code is associated with the unlock code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the physical electronic key includes providing the key provider with user identification information for use by the key provider in establishing a user account, the user account including the user identification information and the key code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the locked digital content includes providing the content provider with the key code for use by the content provider in validating the key code prior to providing the locked digital content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the locked digital content is locked by encryption and unlocked by decryption.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the physical electronic key includes accessing a first web site of the key provider and requesting the physical electronic key via the first web site, and wherein the step of acquiring the locked digital content includes accessing a second web site of the content provider and requesting the digital content via the second web site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical electronic key is acquired at no charge, and wherein the digital content is purchased.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the physical electronic key and the playing device include respective wireless transceivers for communicating the key code from the key to the playing device.

7. A method of managing digital rights comprising:

providing a physical electronic key containing a key code to a requesting user;

providing locked digital content to the requesting user, the digital content being marked with an unlock code associated with the key code;

receiving the locked digital content in a playing device that reads the key code and determines whether the key code is associated with the unlock code; and

enabling the playing device to unlock and play the digital content if the key code is associated with the unlock code.

8. The method of claim 7, further including establishing a user account including user identification information and the key code for the requesting user prior to the step of providing the physical electronic key.

9. The method of claim 7, further including obtaining and validating the key code for the requesting user prior to the step of providing the locked digital content.

10. The method of claim 7, further including administering a first web site for receiving a request for the physical electronic key from the requesting user, and administering a second web site for receiving a request for the locked digital content from the requesting user.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the locked digital content is locked by encryption and unlocked by decryption.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the physical electronic key and the playing device include respective wireless transceivers for communicating the key code from the key to the playing device.

14. The method of claim 13, further including establishing a user account including user identification information and the key code for the requesting user prior to the step of providing the physical electronic key.

15. The method of claim 13, further including obtaining and validating the key code for the requesting user prior to the step of applying the unlock code to the locked digital content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the physical electronic key and the playing device include means for communicating the key code to the playing device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for providing the locked digital content to the requesting user includes a web site on the Internet.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for providing the locked digital content secures validation of the key code prior to providing the locked digital content.

21. The system of claim 17, further including means for providing the physical electronic key, and establishing a user account including user identification information and the key code for the requesting user prior to providing the key.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for providing the physical electronic key includes a web site on the Internet.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the digital content is locked by encryption and unlocked by decryption.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the physical electronic key and the playing device include means for communicating the key code to the playing device.

13. A method of managing digital rights, comprising:

providing a physical electronic key containing a key code to a requesting user;

applying an unlock code to locked digital content acquired by the user; and

enabling a playing device receiving the digital content to unlock and play the digital content if the device reads the key code from the physical electronic key and determines that the key code is associated with the unlock code.

17. A digital rights management system, comprising:

a physical electronic key containing a key code and provided to a requesting user;

means for providing locked digital content to the requesting user, the digital content being marked with an unlock code associated with the key code; and

a playing device for receiving the locked digital content, receiving the key code, and determining whether the key code is associated with the unlock code, the playing device being enabled to unlock and play the digital content if the key code is associated with the unlock code.

23. A digital rights management system, comprising:

a physical electronic key containing a key code;

locked digital content marked with an unlock code associated with the key code; and

a playing device for receiving the locked digital content, receiving the key code, and determining whether the key code is associated with the unlock code, the playing device being enabled to unlock and play the digital content if the key code is associated with the unlock code.