Rendering rights delegation system and method

• US 20050138357A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Motohiko, Chavanne, Pierre, Swenson, Eric John, Ishiguro, Ryuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/155
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling the distribution of digital content are provided. A license holder acquires protected content and an original digital license to the protected content from a content provider system. The license holder in turn delegates all or part of the grants in that original license to other qualified devices or clients. The content remains in its original, protected or encrypted form while it is delivered from the license holder to the client along with a digital sublicense that the client receives from the original license holder, whereupon the content can then be rendered. The original digital license defines or governs the conditions under which such delegation occurs, and includes terms under which such delegation is permitted to continue in order to enforce the intent of the content provider.

Claims

1. A method of distributing content provided by a content provider system, the method comprising:

storing the content and a first digital license on a first device, said first digital license being adapted to govern the use of the content by the first device and having a first expiration time period;

transmitting a first digital request from a secondary device to the first device, said first digital request corresponding to a first request for use of the content;

transmitting a second digital license from the first device to the secondary device after receipt by the first device of the first digital request, said second digital license governing the use of the content by the secondary device and having a second expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period;

providing at least a first portion of the content from the first device to the secondary device, said at least first portion of the content being encrypted; and

decrypting the at least first portion of the content at the secondary device during at least a portion of the second expiration time period.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a second digital request from the secondary device to the first device, said second digital request corresponding to a second request for use of the content;

transmitting a third digital license from the first device to the secondary device, said third digital license being adapted to govern the use of the content by the secondary device and having a third expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period;

providing at least a second portion of the content from the first device to the secondary device, said at least the second portion of the content being encrypted; and

decrypting the at least second portion of the content at the secondary device during at least a portion of the third expiration time period.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

storing a first digital certificate on the first device, said first digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a first set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

storing a second digital certificate on the secondary device, said second digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a second set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

transmitting the second digital certificate from the secondary device to the first device; and

comparing the first set of data with the second set of data;

wherein the step of transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device includes transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device when the first and second sets of data correspond to the same content provider system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing a first digital certificate on the first device, said first digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a first set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

storing a second digital certificate on the secondary device, said second digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a second set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

transmitting the second digital certificate from the secondary device to the first device; and

comparing the first set of data with the second set of data;

wherein the step of transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device includes transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device when the first and second sets of data correspond to the same content provider system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second expiration time period is less than 60 minutes.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the second and third expiration time periods are each less than 60 minutes.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the first device and the secondary device are located on a premises and wherein the content provider system is located other than on the premises.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the premises is one of a residence and a dormitory.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the premises is one of a resort, a motel, and a hotel.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the premises is one of a ship and an aircraft.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of receiving the content and the first digital license from the content provider system via the Internet.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the secondary device and the first device are adapted for digital communication via a local area network.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein the content is comprised of one of audio data, video data and image data.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein the secondary device is one of an audio device and a video device, and wherein the secondary device is adapted to render the content.

15. The method of claim 2 wherein the secondary device is a set-top box coupled to a television.

16. The method of claim 2 wherein the secondary device is one of a desk top, general purpose computer and a portable, general purpose computer.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a plurality of additional digital requests from a plurality of additional secondary devices to the first device, each of said plurality of additional digital requests corresponding to an additional request for use of the content;

transmitting a plurality of additional digital licenses from the first device to the plurality of additional secondary devices after receipt by the first device of the plurality of additional digital requests, the plurality of additional digital licenses governing the use of the content by the plurality of additional secondary devices and having a plurality of additional expiration time periods each of which is less than the first expiration time period;

providing a plurality of additional portions of the content from the first device to the plurality of additional secondary devices, the plurality of additional portions of the content being encrypted;

decrypting the plurality of additional portions of the content wherein each one of the plurality of additional secondary devices decrypts one of the plurality of additional portions of the content during one of the plurality of additional expiration time periods; and

simultaneously rendering the plurality of additional portions of the content.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first digital license includes a maximum permitted license count, the method further comprising:

calculating an active license count at the first device, said active license count corresponding to a first sum of the second digital license and the plurality of additional digital licenses that have been transmitted from the first device reduced by a second sum of the second digital license and the plurality of additional digital licenses that correspond to expiration time periods that have expired;

transmitting a supplemental digital request from a supplemental secondary device to the first device, said supplemental digital request corresponding to a supplemental request for use of the content; and

transmitting a supplemental digital license from the first device to the supplemental secondary device when the active license count does not exceed the maximum permitted license count, said supplemental digital license governing the use of the content by the supplemental secondary device and having a supplemental expiration time period less than the first expiration time period.

19. A method of distributing a plurality of items of content provided by a content provider system, the method comprising:

storing the plurality of items of content and a first digital license on a first device, said first digital license being adapted to govern the use of the plurality of items of content by the first device, said first digital license having a first expiration time period and having a maximum permitted license count;

transmitting a plurality of secondary digital licenses from the first device to a plurality of secondary devices, said plurality of secondary digital licenses governing the use of the plurality of items of content by the plurality of secondary devices and having a plurality of second expiration time periods, each of which is less than the first expiration time period;

calculating an active license count at the first device, said active license count corresponding to a first sum of the number of the plurality of secondary digital licenses that have been transmitted from the first device reduced by a second sum of the number of the plurality of secondary digital licenses having second expiration time periods that have expired;

transmitting a digital request from another secondary device to the first device, said digital request corresponding to a request for use of one of the plurality of items of content;

transmitting another secondary digital license from the first device to the other secondary device when the active license count does not exceed the maximum permitted license count, said other secondary digital license governing the use of the one of the plurality of items of content by the other secondary device and having another expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first device and the plurality of secondary devices are located on a premises and wherein the content provider system is located other than on the premises.

21. A method of permitting the use of content, comprising:

transmitting a first digital request from a second device to a first device, said first digital request corresponding to a first request for use of the content;

transmitting a first set of metadata from the second device to the first device, said first set of metadata corresponding to the identity of the second device;

transmitting a second set of metadata from the first device to the second device, said second set of metadata corresponding to the identity of the first device and to the trusted time of the first device;

modifying the trusted time of the second device to create a second device modified trusted time that corresponds to the trusted time of the first device;

transmitting a third set of metadata from the second device to the first device, said third set of metadata corresponding to the identity of the second device and to the second device modified trusted time;

measuring the difference between the second device modified trusted time and the first device trusted time to create a first value;

transmitting access data from the first device to the second device when the first value is less than a second value corresponding to a maximum allowed trusted time difference, said access data being adapted to permit use of the content by the second device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the content is provided by a content provider system, wherein the first device is adapted to receive the content from the content provider system and to store the content and wherein the second device is adapted to communicate with the first device and to render the content.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first device and the second device are located on a premises and wherein the content provider system is located other than on the premises.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the premises is one of a residence and a dormitory.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the premises is one of a resort, a motel and a hotel.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the premises is one of a ship and an aircraft.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the first device is adapted to receive the content from the content provider system via transmission of the content by the content provider system over the Internet.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the second device and the first device are adapted for digital communication via a local area network.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the first device is a content provider system and wherein the second device is adapted to communicate with the content provider system and to communicate with a plurality of rendering devices.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the second device and the plurality of rendering devices are located on a premises and wherein the content provider system is located other than on the premises.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the premises is one of a residence, a dormitory, a resort, a motel, a hotel, a ship and an aircraft.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the second device is adapted to receive the content from the content provider system via a transmission of the content by the content provider system over the Internet.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein each of the plurality of rendering devices are adapted for digital communication with the second device via a local area network.

34. An article of manufacture for use in distributing content originating from a content provider system and for use by a first device having a first device processing unit and for use by a secondary device having a secondary device processing unit, said secondary device being adapted for communication with the first device, said article of manufacture comprising at least one computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein for use by the first and the second devices, the at least one computer program being adapted to cause the first and the second devices to perform:

storing the content and a first digital license on the first device, said first digital license being adapted to govern the use of the content by the first device and having a first expiration time period;

transmitting a first digital request from a secondary device to the first device, said first digital request corresponding to a first request for use of the content;

transmitting a second digital license from the first device to the secondary device after receipt by the first device of the first digital request, said second digital license governing the use of the content by the secondary device and having a second expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period;

providing at least a first portion of the content from the first device to the secondary device, said at least first portion of the content being encrypted; and

decrypting the at least first portion of the content at the secondary device during at least a portion of the second expiration time period.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 34 wherein the at least one computer program is further adapted to cause the first device and the secondary device to perform:

transmitting a second digital request from the secondary device to the first device, said second digital request corresponding to a second request for use of the content;

transmitting a third digital license from the first device to the secondary device, said third digital license being adapted to govern the use of the content by the secondary device and having a third expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period;

providing at least a second portion of the content from the first device to the secondary device, said at least the second portion of the content being encrypted; and

decrypting the at least second portion of the content at the secondary device during at least a portion of the third expiration time period.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein the at least one computer program is further adapted to cause the first device and the secondary device to perform:

storing a first digital certificate on the first device, said first digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a first set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

storing a second digital certificate on the secondary device, said second digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a second set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

transmitting the second digital certificate from the secondary device to the first device; and

comparing the first set of data with the second set of data;

wherein the step of transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device includes transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device when the first and second sets of data correspond to the same content provider system.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein the second and third time periods are each less than 60 minutes.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein the first device and the secondary device are located on a premises and wherein the content provider system is located other than on the premises.

39. A system for distributing content originating from a content provider system, comprising:

a first device having a first device processing unit capable of executing first device software routines;

first device programming logic executed by the first device processing unit,

a secondary device having a secondary device processing unit capable of executing secondary device software routines, said secondary device being adapted for communication with the first device; and

secondary device programming logic executed by the secondary device processing unit,

wherein the first device programming logic comprises;

means for storing the content and a first digital license on the first device, said first digital license being adapted to govern the use of the content by the first device and having a first expiration time period;

wherein the secondary device programming logic comprises;

means for transmitting a first digital request from a secondary device to the first device, said first digital request corresponding to a first request for use of the content;

wherein the first device programming logic further comprises;

means for transmitting a second digital license from the first device to the secondary device after receipt by the first device of the first digital request, said second digital license governing the use of the content by the secondary device and having a second expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period;

means for providing at least a first portion of the content from the first device to the secondary device, said at least first portion of the content being encrypted; and

wherein the secondary device programming logic further comprises;

means for decrypting the at least first portion of the content at the secondary device during at least a portion of the second expiration time period.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the secondary device programming logic further comprises:

means for transmitting a second digital request from the secondary device to the first device, said second digital request corresponding to a second request for use of the content;

wherein the first device programming logic further comprises;

means for transmitting a third digital license from the first device to the secondary device, said third digital license being adapted to govern the use of the content by the secondary device and having a third expiration time period that is less than the first expiration time period;

means for providing at least a second portion of the content from the first device to the secondary device, said at least the second portion of the content being encrypted; and

wherein the secondary device programming logic further comprises;

means for decrypting the at least second portion of the content during at least a portion of the third expiration time period.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the first device programming logic further comprises:

means for storing a first digital certificate on the first device, said first digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a first set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system;

wherein the secondary device programming logic further comprises;

means for storing a second digital certificate on the secondary device, said second digital certificate originating from the content provider system and including a second set of data corresponding to the identity of the content provider system; and

means for transmitting the second digital certificate from the secondary device to the first device;

wherein the first device programming logic further comprises;

means for comparing the first set of data with the second set of data; and

wherein the means for transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device includes means for transmitting the second digital license from the first device to the secondary device when the first and second sets of data correspond to the same content provider system.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein the second and third time periods are each less than 60 minutes.

43. The system of claim 40 wherein the first device and the secondary device are located on a premises and wherein the content provider system is located other than on the premises.