Redistribution of rights-managed content

• US 20030018582A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yaacovi, Yoram
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1086 Superdistribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A technique for content redistribution. Digital content is packaged, and the package is associated with a first license that permits usage of the content on a first device. The first license also specifies the conditions upon which the content may be redistributed and licensed for use on a second device. When a content package is sent to the second device, the second device engages in a re-licensing transaction to obtain a second license that permits use of the content on the second device. Creation of the second license takes place according to conditions specified in the first license. For example, these conditions may specify a price for the second license, and/or a requirement that a portion of the purchase price be paid back to the owner of the first license, and/or a requirement that the first license be revoked upon creation of the second license.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to a first content package on a first computing device, the first content package being usable only in accordance with a license, the first content package having a first license associated therewith that permits access to the first content package on a second computing device but not on the first computing device, the method comprising:

receiving first data indicative of the first license, wherein the first license specifies one or more terms governing the relicensing of the first content package; and

licensing the first content package for use on the first computing device in accordance with said one or more terms.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that licensure of the first content package for use on the first computing device is consistent with a first of said one or more terms.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing at least one action in compliance with a first one of said one or more terms.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first term requires collection of a payment as a condition of licensing the first content package for use on the first computing device, and wherein said action comprises collecting said payment.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said first term specifies that a payment is to be provided to a party associated with the second computing device, and wherein said action comprises providing said payment to said party.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said first term requires revocation of the first license, and wherein said first action comprises sending an instruction to the second computing device which causes the second computing device to make the first license unusable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content package comprises a content portion and the first license, and wherein said licensing act comprises:

creating a second content package which comprises;

said content portion; and

a second license which permits access to said second content package on the first computing device; and

transmitting said second content package to the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said licensing act comprises:

creating a second license which permits access to the first content package on the first computing device; and

transmitting, to the first computing device, said second license wherein said first computing device associates said second license with the first content package.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said licensing act comprises:

transmitting, to the first computing device, an instruction to associate a second license with the first content package, wherein said second license permits access to the first content package on the first computing device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said licensing act includes licensing the first content package for use on the first computing device in a manner that prohibits resale of the first content package.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving act comprises receiving the first content package.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving act comprises receiving the first license.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving act comprises receiving data which represents said one or more terms.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first license further contains:

a second term permitting the digital content item to be rendered on said first computing device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said first license further contains:

a second term specifying an action to be taken in connection with said licensure of the digital content item for use on said second computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said action comprises providing payment to an entity associated with said first computing device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said action comprises revoking said first digital license.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions executable on a first computing device, the computer-executable instructions instructing the first computing device to perform a method of providing access to a content package on a second computing device, the content package being usable only in accordance with a license, the content package having a first license associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving data representative a term in the first license which specifies one or more conditions governing licensure of the content package on the second computing device;

determining that said licensure of the content package on the second computing device is consistent with said one or more conditions; and

issuing a license that permits the use of the content package on said first computing device.

15. A method of participating in electronic distribution of a digital content item comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device, a first digital content package that comprises;

the digital content item; and

a first license that governs use of the digital content item on said first computing device and that contains;

a first term permitting licensure of the digital content item for use on a second computing device different from said first computing device; and

transmitting said first digital content package to said second computing device.

20. A method of distributing a digital content item comprising:

creating a digital content package which comprises the digital content item;

creating a first digital license which contains terms comprising;

a first term which permits the use of said digital content item on a first computing device; and

a second term which permits, under one or more conditions, the creation of a second digital license that permits use of said digital content item on a second computing device different from said first computing device;

associating said digital content package with said first digital license; and

transmitting said digital content package and said first digital license to said first computing device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said associating act comprises including said first digital license in said digital content package.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a first one of said one or more conditions includes a requirement to collect a payment upon creation of said second digital license.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said first one of said one or more conditions further includes a requirement to provide a portion of said payment to an owner of said first computing device.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein a first one of said one or more conditions includes a requirement to revoke said first digital license upon creation of said second digital license.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

engaging in a commercial transaction prior to said transmitting act.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said act of engaging in a commercial transaction comprises collecting a payment for the use of said digital content item.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein said act of creating said digital content package comprises including at least one of the following types of content in said digital content package:

text, audio, or video.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a network interface adapted to transmit said digital content package to said first computing device over a wide area network.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said first computing device comprises an open platform computer.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein said first computing device comprises a dedicated rendering device.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein a first of said one or more conditions includes a requirement to collect payment upon creation of said second digital license.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein a first of said one or more conditions includes a requirement to revoke said first digital license upon creation of said second digital license.

34. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a retail module which engages in a transaction to sell the digital content item.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

a first computing device which includes said license creation module and said packaging module; and

a second computing device which includes said retail module, said second computing device being remote from said first computing device.

36. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a relicensing module which receives information indicative of at least said second term and which creates said second digital license in accordance with said second term.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein said second digital license does not permit licensure of the digital content item for usage on a third computing device different from said first and second computing devices.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the data structure further comprises said first digital content item.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein said digital content item is encrypted.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the data structure further comprises a cryptographic key which decrypts said digital content item.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein said license, said digital content item, and said cryptographic key are cryptographically sealed.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein said first digital content item comprises at least one of:

text, audio, video.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein said second term includes:

a first of said one or more conditions which requires the collection of a payment as a condition of creating said second license.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein said second term further includes:

a second of said one or more conditions which requires that at least a portion of said payment be provided to an owner of said first computing device.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein said second term includes:

a first of said one or more conditions which requires the revocation of said first license as a condition of creating said second license.

28. A system for distributing a digital content item comprising:

a content source which stores the digital content item;

a license creation module which creates a first digital license that comprises;

a first term permitting the usage of the digital content item on a first computing device; and

a second term permitting the creation of a second digital license which permits the usage of the digital content item on a second computing device different from said first computing device, and which specifies one or more conditions governing the creation of said second digital license; and

a packaging module which creates a digital content package comprising said digital content item and said first digital license.

38. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a data structure which comprises:

a first license having a plurality of terms, wherein the plurality of terms includes;

a first term which permits rendering of a digital content item on a first computing device; and

a second term which permits the creation of a second license according to one or more conditions, said second license permitting rendering of said digital content item on a second computing device.