Controlling read and write operations for digital media

• US 20050102515A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pan Asset Acquisition LLC
• Original Assignee: Pan Asset Acquisition LLC
• Inventors: Pou, Robin, Edmonson, Brad, Jaworski, Dave
• Application Number:
  US10/870,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1066 Hiding content

Abstract

Techniques and systems for managing digital rights involve monitoring an interface of a user device for attempts to transfer files and detecting an attempt to transfer a file through the interface. When a file is identified as a copy of a protected file, a determination is made as to whether a license for the file exists. The attempted transfer of the file through the interface is selectivity allowed based on a result of the determination.

Claims

1. A method for managing digital rights, the method comprising:

monitoring an interface of a user device for attempts to transfer files;

detecting an attempt to transfer a file through the interface;

identifying the file as a copy of one of a plurality of protected files;

determining whether a license for the file exists; and

selectivity allowing the attempted transfer of the file through the interface based on a result of determining whether a license exists.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the file as a copy of one of a plurality of protected files comprises using a file recognition algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the file as a copy of one of a plurality of protected files comprises:

calculating a hash for the file; and

comparing the calculated hash for the file with a predetermined hash for at least one of the plurality of protected files.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising preventing the attempted transfer if the calculated hash does not match the predetermined hash.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising offering a license for the file for purchase.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising allowing a transfer of the file only after receiving an acceptance of the offered license.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of protected files comprise media files.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein identifying the file as a copy is based on an order of the media files on a storage medium.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether a license for the file exists comprises searching for the file in a license database.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the license database is associated with at least one of a user or the user device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring an interface of a user device comprises monitoring a driver of the interface.

12. A method for managing digital rights, the method comprising:

detecting an attempt to transfer a file through a user interface;

determining that the file comprises a particular one of a plurality of protected files;

determining that the file comprises a copy of the particular one of the plurality of protected files; and

preventing a transfer of the file without a license for the file.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining that the file comprises a copy of the particular one of the plurality of protected files is based on an order of files on a storage medium.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein determining that the file comprises a copy of the particular one of the plurality of protected files is based on a comparison of a hash for the file and a hash for the particular one of the plurality of protected files.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

offering a license to the file; and

permitting transfer upon acceptance of a license to the file.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein determining that the file comprises a particular one of a plurality of protected files comprises identifying the file using a file recognition algorithm.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein determining that the file comprises a copy of the particular one of the plurality of protected files comprises determining that the attempt to transfer the file through a user interface includes converting the file from a compressed format and writing the converted file to a removable storage medium.

18. A system for managing digital rights, the system comprising:

a user device including an interface for transferring data;

one or more databases storing data identifying licenses for protected files and storing data relating to protected files; and

one or more machine-readable media storing instructions for causing at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

identifying a file to be transferred through the interface using the data using a file recognition algorithm;

determining that the file is a copy of a protected file using the data relating to protected files;

determining that a license for the file is not stored in the one or more databases; and

disabling a transfer of the file based on the determination that a license for the file is not stored in the one or more databases.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the interface comprises at least one of a compact disc reader, a compact disc writer, a DVD reader, or a DVD writer.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein determining that the file is a copy of a protected file comprises determining that a hash of the copied file differs from a hash of the protected file.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more machine-readable media store instructions for causing at least one processor to perform further operations comprising:

offering a license to the file; and

allowing the transfer of the file after receiving an acceptance of the offered license.

22. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

detecting a media file;

determining that the media file corresponds to a protected file; and

determining that the media file comprises a copy of the protected file by comparing a hash of the media file to a hash of the protected file.

23. The article of claim 22 wherein the machine-readable medium stores instructions for causing one or more processors to perform further operations comprising preventing access to the media file absent a license to the media file.

24. The article of claim 23 wherein the media file comprises a media track and preventing access to the media file comprises preventing at least one of reading the media track from a storage medium, copying the media track from a storage medium, or writing the media track to a storage medium.

25. The article of claim 23 wherein the machine-readable medium stores instructions for causing one or more processors to perform further operations comprising offering a license to the media file.

26. The article of claim 23 wherein determining that the media file corresponds to a protected file comprises using a file recognition algorithm to identify the media file.