Method and apparatus to manage digital rights

• US 20050138407A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Choudhary, Nitu
• Application Number:
  US10/741,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20050138407A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• 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 21/126 Interacting with the operating system

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for handling a digital rights protected object. In the method a digital rights protected object is received, and thereafter, digital rights information associated with the object is separated from content associated with the object. The digital rights information is stored in a digital rights information repository, whereas the content is stored in a content repository. A digital rights handle is created to link the digital rights information to the content and a digital rights management module is provided, which can be created by an application to determine if a digital rights restriction exists for content that prevents usage of the content.

Claims

1. A method for handling a digital rights protected object, the method comprising:

separating digital rights information associated with the object from content associated with the object; and

providing a mechanism for an application to determine if a digital rights restriction exists for the content based on the digital rights information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting multiple copies of the content to be made.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the mechanism comprises creating a digital rights handle to link the digital rights information to the content.

4. A method for handling a digital rights protected object, the method comprising:

receiving the protected object;

separating digital rights information associated with the object from content associated with the object;

storing the digital rights information in a digital rights information repository;

storing the content in a content repository;

creating a digital rights handle to link the digital rights information to the content; and

providing a digital rights management module that can be queried by an application to determine if a digital rights restriction exists for the content that prevents usage of the content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the content repository is a first content repository, the method further comprising storing the digital rights information within a second digital rights repository, and linking the content in the second content repository to the digital rights information through the digital rights handle.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the digital rights management module updates the digital rights information based on information received from an application that uses the content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein updating the digital rights information comprises updating a usage counter for the content.

8. A method for handling a digital rights protected object, the method comprising:

storing digital rights information associated with the object within a digital rights information repository;

allowing a user to unbundle the object into content components, wherein each content component is stored separately;

linking each content component to the digital rights information through a digital rights handle; and

restricting a use of each content component by an application based on a restriction contained in the digital rights information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein allowing the user to unbundle the object comprises allowing the user to make multiple copies of a content component, wherein each copy of the content component is linked to the digital rights information through the digital rights handle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein restricting the use of each content component comprises providing the restriction to the application in response to a request from the application.

11. A device for handling a digital rights protected object, the device comprising:

a mechanism to separate digital rights information associated with the object from content associated with the object; and

a mechanism to determine if a digital rights restriction exists for content based on the digital rights information.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a mechanism to permit multiple copies of the content to be made.

13. A device for handling a digital rights protected object, the device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which digital rights object when executed by the processor cause the device to perform a method comprising;

receiving the protected object;

separating digital rights information associated with the object from content associated with the object;

storing the digital rights information in a digital rights information repository;

storing the content in a content repository;

creating a digital rights handle to link the digital rights information to the content; and

providing a digital rights management module that can be queried by an application to determine if a digital rights restriction exists for the content that prevents usage of the content.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the content repository is a first content repository, the method further comprising storing the digital rights information within a second digital rights repository, and linking the content in the second content repository to the digital rights information through the digital rights handle.

15. A device for handling a digital rights protected object, the device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform a method comprising;

storing digital rights information associated with the object within a digital rights information repository;

allowing a user to unbundle the object into content components, wherein each content component is stored separately;

linking each content component to the digital rights information through a digital rights handle; and

restricting a use of each content component by an application based on a restriction contained in the digital rights information.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein allowing the user to unbundle the object comprises allowing the user to make multiple copies of a content component, wherein each copy of the content component is linked to the digital rights information through the digital rights handle.

17. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon a sequence of instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for handling a digital rights protected object, the method comprising:

receiving the protected object;

separating digital rights information associated with the object from content associated with the object;

storing the digital rights information in a digital rights information repository;

storing the content in a content repository;

creating a digital rights handle to link the digital rights information to the content; and

providing a digital rights management module that can be queried by an application to determine if a digital rights restriction exists for the content that prevents usage of the content.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the content repository is a first content repository, the method further comprising storing the digital rights information within a second digital rights repository, and linking the content in the second content repository to the digital rights information through the digital rights handle.

19. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for handling a digital rights protected object, the method comprising:

storing digital rights information associated with the object within a digital rights information repository;

allowing a user to unbundle the object into content components, wherein each content component is stored separately;

linking each content component to the digital rights information through a digital rights handle; and

restricting a use of each content component by an application based on a restriction contained in the digital rights information.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein allowing the user to unbundle the object comprises allowing the user to make multiple copies of a content component, wherein each copy of the content component is linked to the digital rights information through the digital rights handle.