Consumer product distribution in the embedded system market

• US 20040132479A1
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QST Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: QST Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Murray, Eric, Rubin, Owen Robert, Uhrig, Nalini Praba
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• 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 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/76 in application-specific integrated circuits [ASIC] or field-programmable devices, e.g. field-programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

Aspects for consumer product distribution in the embedded system market are described. The aspects include forming a secure network for distributing product digitation files capable of configuring operations of an adaptive computing engine (ACE), and providing an agent server within the secure network for controlling licenses of the product digitation files, wherein a separation of responsibility and control of the distributing and licensing exists.

Claims

1. A method for consumer product distribution in the embedded system market, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a secure network for distributing product digitation files capable of configuring operations of an adaptive computing engine (ACE); and

(b) providing an agent server within the secure network for controlling licenses of the product digitation files, wherein a separation of responsibility and control of the distributing and licensing exists.

2. The method of claim 1 which further comprises the step of:

(c) utilizing a secure connection for passing a product digitation file from a digitation file provider to the agent server for verification and signing.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

(d) returning the verified and signed product digitation file to the digitation file provider across the secure connection.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

(e) encrypting the returned product digitation file and assigning a code identifier to the encrypted digitation file.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

(f) securely sending the encrypted digitation file to the agent server and making the product digitation file available for acquisition.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(c) requesting acquisition of a product digitation file and transferring the product digitation file across the secure network to the ACE.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

(d) utilizing a security manager within the ACE to verify the product digitation file and request a license from a license server.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

(e) utilizing a certificate in the ACE and in the license server to authenticate each to the other.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

(f) utilizing the security manager to save the license received and determine terms of the license for tracking use of the product digitation file.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

(g) utilizing a clearinghouse for reporting the sending of the license.

11. A distribution network for consumer product distribution in the embedded system market, the network comprising:

a device having an adaptive computing engine (ACE);

a source of one or more product digitation files;

a secure distribution system for transferring, from the source to the device, the product digitation files capable of configuring operations of the ACE; and

an agent server coupled to the source and the device for controlling licenses of the product digitation files, wherein a separation of responsibility and control of the distributing and licensing exists.

12. The distribution network of claim 11 wherein the secure distribution system further comprises a secure connection for passing a product digitation file from the source to the agent server for verification and signing.

13. The distribution network of claim 12 wherein the agent server returns the verified and signed product digitation file to the source across the secure connection.

14. The distribution network of claim 13 wherein the source further encrypts the returned product digitation file and assigns a code identifier to the encrypted digitation file.

15. The distribution network of claim 14 wherein the source sends the encrypted digitation stream to the agent server to be made available for acquisition.

16. The distribution network of claim 11 wherein the device utilizes a security manager to verify the product digitation file.

17. The distribution network of claim 16 further comprising a license server for receiving requests for a license from the device.

18. The distribution network of claim 17 wherein the device and the license server utilize certificates to authenticate each to the other.

19. The distribution network of claim 18 wherein the security manager saves the license received and determines terms of the license for tracking use of the product digitation file.

20. The distribution network of claim 19 wherein the agent server utilizes a clearinghouse for reporting the sending of the license.

21. A method for consumer product distribution in the embedded system market, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an agent server in a network for distributing product digitation files capable of configuring operations of an adaptive computing engine (ACE); and

(b) utilizing distribution tools within the agent server to ensure security, licensing and billing during the distributing in the network.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the utilizing distribution tools step (b) further comprises the step of:

(b1) utilizing a verification service tool.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the utilizing distribution tools step (b) further comprises:

(b1) utilizing a signing service tool.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the utilizing distribution tools step (b) further comprises:

(b1) utilizing an encryption service tool.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the utilizing distribution tools step (b) further comprises:

(b1) utilizing a distribution service tool.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the utilizing distribution tools step (b) further comprises:

(b1) utilizing a clearinghouse service tool.

27. A method for securely distributing and downloading product digitation files, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) utilizing a product digitation file to configure operations of an adaptive computing engine (ACE); and

(b) securely distributing the product digitation file from a digitation file provider to a device having an ACE with protection against modification while ensuring authentication of the product digitation file.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of:

(b1) utilizing a secure connection for passing a product digitation file from the digitation file provider to an agent server for verification and signing with a cryptographic signature.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

(b2) returning the verified and signed product digitation file to the digitation file provider across the secure connection.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of:

(b3) encrypting the returned product digitation file and assigning a code identifier to the encrypted digitation file.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

(b4) securely sending the encrypted digitation file to the agent server and making the product digitation file available for acquisition.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of:

(b5) requesting acquisition of the product digitation file and transferring the product digitation file across the secure network to the ACE.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of:

(b6) utilizing a security manager within the ACE to verify the product digitation file by verifying the cryptographic signature.

34. A system for securely distributing and downloading product digitation files, the system comprising:

a device having an adaptive computing engine (ACE);

a source of one or more product digitation files that are capable of configuring the operations of the ACE; and

a secure distribution system for transferring, from the source to the device, a desired product digitation file with protection against modification while ensuring authentication of the desired product digitation file.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the secure distribution system further comprises a secure connection for passing a product digitation file from the source to an agent server for verification and signing with a cryptographic signature.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the agent server returns the verified and signed product digitation file to the source across the secure connection.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the source further encrypts the returned product digitation file and assigns a code identifier to the encrypted digitation file.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the source sends the encrypted digitation file to the agent server to be made available for acquisition.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the device utilizes a security manager to verify an acquired product digitation file by verifying the cryptographic signature.

40. A method for securely distributing and downloading product digitation files, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting distribution of product digitation files capable of configuring operations of an adaptive computing engine (ACE) across a computer-based network; and

(b) utilizing cryptographic signatures during the distribution to protect against modification and ensure authentication of each product digitation file.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the utilizing cryptographic signatures step (b) further comprises the step of:

(b1) passing a product digitation file from a digitation file provider to an agent server for verification and signing.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the utilizing cryptographic signatures step (b) further comprises:

(b2) returning the verified and signed product digitation file to the digitation file provider across the secure connection.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the utilizing cryptographic signatures step (b) further comprises:

(b3) encrypting the returned product digitation file and assigning a code identifier to the encrypted digitation file.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the utilizing cryptographic signatures step (b) further comprises:

(b4) utilizing a security manager within the ACE to verify an acquired product digitation file by verifying its cryptographic signature.