Copy protection of data

• US 20030195856A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copy Protection LLC (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Ian Duncan Bramhill, Matthew Robert Charles Sims
• Inventors: Sims, Matthew Robert Charles, Bramhill, Ian Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/57
• 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: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection
• 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 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

A copyright protection scheme is provided in which data is downloaded from a server 1, typically over the World Wide Web 2 to a client 3, for presentation to a user. The downloaded data is cryptographically protected, by encryption and hashing. When displayed by the client, storing and copying functions are selectively disabled in respect of the data, in order to to prevent unauthorised copying.

Claims

1. A method of copy protecting data sent from a server to a client for presentation to a user, comprising:

cryptographically protecting the data;

sending the cryptographically protected data to the client; and

selectively controlling copying functions of the client in respect of the data whilst the data is being held by the client in a form suitable for presentation to the user.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the data is protected by encryption.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the integrity of the data is protected cryptographically.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the integrity of the data is achieved by hashing.

5. A method according to any preceding claim including authenticating that the client is permitted to receive the data.

6. A method according to any preceding claim including identifying the client to the server before the data is sent to the client.

7. A method according to any preceding claim including:

downloading a program object to the client,

running the program object on the client such that a request is uploaded to the server for a file containing the cryptographically protected data,

downloading the file to the client, and

rendering the cryptographically protected data in an unprotected form suitable for presentation to the user,

the program object being operative such that no, or restricted, copy or save functions are offered to the user in respect of the downloaded data in its unprotected form.

8. A method according to claim 7 including downloading a message concerning a webpage wherein the message includes information concerning the program object, and uploading a request for the program object in response to said information in the message.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the message is in HTML code.

10. A method according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the program object comprises a Java, Active X or OLE applet.

11. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the message is presented to the user through a browser.

12. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the data is sent to the client from the server through a network.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the network comprises the World Wide Web.

14. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the program object includes data concerning a cryptographic key, and including using the key to render the downloaded cryptographically protected data into an unprotected form suitable for presentation to the user

15. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the server and the client each hold data corresponding to a cryptographic key and a machine identifier for uniquely identifying the client, the method including:

sending a challenge to the client, such that it generates a signed response as a cryptographic function of the key and the machine identifier held therein,

generating from the cryptographic key and machine identifier held associated with the server, a corresponding signed response as a cryptographic function of the key and the machine identifier,

comparing the signed responses from the client and the server, and if they correspond, performing the encryption with the key,

and performing the decryption at the client with the key.

16. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the data is steganographically marked.

17. A method according to any preceding claim including registering the client with the server.

18. A method according to any preceding claim including;

determining a machine identifier of the client by analysing its hardware and/or its software configuration,

transmitting the machine identifier to the server,

combining the transmitted machine identifier with a cryptographic key to form a unique determinator for the client,

transmitting the unique determinator to the client, to be stored therein for use subsequently in identifying the client to the server, to permit encrypted data to be downloaded thereto from the server.

19. A server configured to perform a method as claimed in any preceding claim.

20. Initiation by the client, of the downloading of copy protected data by a method according to any preceding claim.

21. A copy protected data stored on the client by a method according to any preceding claim.

22. A method of downloading encrypted data from a server to a client, including:

registering the client with the server by

determining a machine identifier of the client by analysing its hardware and/or its software configuration,

transmitting the machine identifier to the server,

combining the transmitted machine identifier with a cryptographic key to to form a unique determinator for the client, and

transmitting the unique determinator to the client, to be stored therein for use subsequently in identifying the client to the server, to permit encrypted data to be downloaded thereto from the server;

subsequently identifying the client to the server on the basis of the unique determinator; and

then

downloading data encrypted by means of the cryptographic key to the identified client, for decryption by the client using the key from the unique determinator.

23. A method according to claim 22 including decrypting the downloaded data at the client using the key from the unique determinator.

24. A method according to claim 22 or 23 wherein the client is identified to the server by again determining the machine identifier for the client, comparing it with the machine identifier included in said unique determinator, and signalling to the server on the basis of the outcome of the comparison.

25. A method according to claim 22, 23 or 24 including authenticating the client to the server prior to downloading of the encrypted data.

26. A method according to claim 25 including generating a challenge, generating a response as a predetermined cryptographic function of the cryptographic key for the client as held by the server, and as a function of the key included in the unique determinator stored in the client, and authenticating the client on the basis of the outcome of the comparison.

27. A client configured to perform a method as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 26.