Secure server plug-in architecture for digital rights management systems

• US 20040003139A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yarmolenko, Vladimir, Cottrille, Scott C., Krishnaswamy, Vinay, Kostal, Gregory, Waxman, Peter David, Venkatesh, Chandramouli, Malik, Prashant, Lindeman, Thomas K., Byrum, Frank, Narin, Attilla
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution using key encryption key H04L9/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing digital rights management services are disclosed. Such a system includes a service program that provides a processing framework for performing a digital rights management service, such as publishing or licensing rights managed digital content. A plurality of plug-in components are provided, each of which performs a respective task associated with the digital rights management service. The plug-in components are integrated into the processing framework according to predefined sets of interface rules.

Claims

1. A system for providing digital rights management services, the system comprising:

a service program that provides a processing framework for performing a digital rights management service; and

a plurality of plug-in components, each of which performs a respective task associated with the digital rights management service,

wherein each of the plurality of plug-in components is integrated into the processing framework according to a respective predefined set of interface rules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management service includes processing a publication request to publish rights managed digital content.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for storing a rights label that includes a rights description, an encrypted content key, and a digital signature over both the rights description and the encrypted content key.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for protecting a private key that is used in connection with encrypting and decrypting the rights managed digital content.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for generating a certificate.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for authenticating an entity submitting the publication request.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for determining whether an entity submitting the publication request is authorized to publish the rights managed digital content digital content in accordance with the request.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management service includes processing a license request to license rights managed digital content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a group expansion plug-in component for retrieving a user list based on a group identifier provided in the license request.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for retrieving a rights label that includes a rights description, an encrypted content key, and a digital signature over both the rights description and the encrypted content key.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for retrieving a certificate.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for authenticating an entity submitting the license request.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes a plug-in component for determining whether an entity submitting the license request is authorized to use the rights managed digital content digital content in accordance with the request.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes at least one extension plug-in component that performs its respective task based on the occurrence of a prescribed event.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the extension plug-in component is adapted to halt processing of the service program.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plug-in components includes at least one asynchronous component.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management service includes an enrollment service.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management service includes an activation service.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management service includes a certification service.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management service includes a federation service.

21. A method for providing digital rights management services, the method comprising:

providing a service program that provides a processing framework for performing a digital rights management service;

providing a plurality of digital rights management plug-in options, wherein each of the plug-in options is associated with a respective plug-in component that performs a respective task associated with the digital rights management service; and

integrating a selected plug-in component into the processing framework, wherein the selected plug-in component corresponds to a selected plug-in option selected from the plurality of plug-in options.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a plug-in selection that corresponds to the selected plug-in component.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the desired plug-in component is integrated into the processing framework according to a predefined set of interface rules.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the service program provides a processing framework for performing a licensing service.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the service program provides a processing framework for performing a publishing service.

26. A digital rights management system, comprising:

a digital rights management server that includes a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a plurality of digital rights management services, wherein each of the plurality of digital rights management services is performed in a respective pipeline, wherein the respective pipelines are independent of one another.

27. The digital rights management system of claim 26, wherein each of the pipelines comprises:

a service program that provides a processing framework for performing the associated digital rights management service; and

a plurality of plug-in components, each of which performs a respective task associated with the digital rights management service.

28. The digital rights management system of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of plug-in components is integrated into the processing framework according to a respective predefined set of interface rules.