Digital rights management using a triangulating geographic locating device

• US 20050124319A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motion Picture Association of America
• Original Assignee: Motion Picture Association of America
• Inventors: Park Russell, John Christopher, Williams, Jim C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,450,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements involving time stamps H04L9/3297
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A method and system for controlling distribution of content within a personal domain that makes use of a determination of the relative proximity to a source device or the geographic locations of the receiving devices. The location information may be determined using a Global Positioning System (GPS) or wireless triangulation systems. Usage rights for devices in the network are determined using the location or proximity determination.

Claims

1. A method for preventing unauthorized use of digital content, the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to content from a remote receiving device;

determining a geographic location of the receiving device by communicating with a triangulating geographic locating device in proximity to the receiving device;

controlling use of the content by the receiving device, based at least in part on the geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises determining the geographic location using a triangulating GPS geographic locating device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises determining the geographic location using a triangulating geographic locating device configured to triangulate wireless communication signals.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising decrypting the geographic location at a source device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving and determining steps are performed by a source device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining a second geographic location of the source device, the second geographic location determined using a triangulating geographic locating device in proximity to the source device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling step further comprises developing usage rules for the content, the usage rules specifying at least one condition under which the receiving device is not permitted to use the content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling step further comprises developing the usage rules wherein the at least one condition is defined at least in part by a geographic region.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling step further comprises developing the usage rules wherein the at least one condition is defined at least in part by a distance between the source device and the receiving device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling step further comprises providing the usage rules together with the content to the receiving device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the controlling step further comprises binding the usage rules to the content prior to providing the content to the receiving device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling step further comprises encrypting the usage rules.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating a location signal from the geographic locating device, the authenticating step operative to detect a location signal containing falsified geographic information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the authenticating step further comprises comparing a time associated with the location signal with an independently-determined time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location is provided with a precision of at least about one mile.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location is provided with a precision of at least about 200 feet.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location is provided with a precision of at least about 20 feet.

7. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a distance between the source device and the receiving device, based on the first and second geographic locations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the controlling step further comprises controlling based at least in part on the determined distance between the source and receiving devices.

20. A system for preventing the unauthorized use of copyrighted digital content comprising:

a processor operable to execute program instructions; and

a memory operably associated with the processor, the memory holding the program instructions comprising;

receiving a request for access to content from a remote receiving device;

determining a geographic location of the receiving device by communicating with a triangulating geographic locating device in proximity to the receiving device; and

controlling use of the digital content by the receiving device, based at least in part on the geographic location.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a triangulating GPS geographic locating device operably associated with the processor and configured to provide the geographic location to the processor.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising a triangulating geographic locating device configured to triangulate wireless communication signals operably associated with the processor and configured to provide the geographic location to the processor.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the program instructions further comprise an instruction for decrypting the geographic location at a source device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the program instructions further comprise an instruction for determining a second geographic location of a source device, the second geographic location determined using a triangulating geographic locating device in proximity to the source device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the program instructions further comprise an instruction for determining a distance between the source device and the receiving device, based on the first and second geographic locations.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for controlling based at least in part on the determined distance between the source and receiving devices.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for developing usage rules for the content, the usage rules specifying at least one condition under which the receiving device is not permitted to use the content.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for developing the usage rules wherein the at least one condition is defined at least in part by a geographic region.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for developing the usage rules wherein the at least one condition is defined at least in part by a distance between the source device and the receiving device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for providing the usage rules together with the content to the receiving device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for binding the usage rules to the content prior to providing the content to the receiving device.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the program instructions further comprise an instruction for authenticating a location signal from the geographic locating device, the authenticating step operative to detect a location signal containing falsified geographic information.

32. The system of claim 32, wherein the controlling instruction further comprises an instruction for encrypting the usage rules.

34. A method for preventing unauthorized use of previously delivered content comprising:

receiving a request for a decryption key from a content-playing device;

determining a geographic location of the content-playing device by communicating with a triangulating geographic locating device in proximity to the content-playing device; and

providing a decryption key if the playback device is within an authorized geographic area for the content.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining step further comprises determining the geographic location using a triangulating GPS geographic locating device.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining step further comprises determining the geographic location using a triangulating geographic locating device configured to triangulate wireless communication signals.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising decrypting the geographic location.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising authenticating a location signal from the geographic locating device, the authenticating step operative to detect a location signal containing falsified geographic information.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the authenticating step further comprises comparing a time associated with the location signal with an independently-determined time.

40. A system for preventing the unauthorized use of previously delivered content comprising:

a processor operable to execute program instructions; and

a memory operably associated with the processor, the memory holding the program instructions comprising;

receiving a request for a decryption key from a content-playing device;

determining a geographic location of the content-playing device by communicating with a triangulating geographic locating device in proximity to the content-playing device; and

providing a decryption key if the playback device is within an authorized geographic area for the content.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising a triangulating GPS geographic locating device operably associated with the processor and configured to provide the geographic location to the processor.

42. The system of claim 40, further comprising a triangulating geographic locating device configured to triangulate wireless communication signals operably associated with the processor and configured to provide the geographic location to the processor.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the program instructions further comprise an instruction for decrypting the geographic location.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the program instructions further comprise an instruction for authenticating a location signal from the geographic locating device, the authenticating step operative to detect a location signal containing falsified geographic information.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the authenticating instruction further comprises an instruction for comparing a time associated with the location signal with an independently-determined time.