System and method for accessing protected content in a rights-management architecture

• US 20050188228A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DeMello, Marco A., Krishnaswamy, Vinay, Manferdelli, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• 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 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data

Abstract

A digital rights management system for the distribution, protection and use of electronic content. The system includes a client architecture which receives content, where the content is preferably protected by encryption and may include a license and individualization features. Content is protected at several levels, including: no protection; source-sealed; individually-sealed (or “inscribed”); source-signed; and fully-individualized (or “owner exclusive”). The client also includes and/or receives components which permit the access and protection of the encrypted content, as well as components that allow content to be provided to the client in a form that is individualized for the client. In some cases, access to the content will be governed by a rights construct defined in the license bound to the content. The client components include an object which accesses encrypted content, an object that parses the license and enforces the rights in the license, an object which obtains protection software and data that is individualized for the client and/or the persona operating the client, and a script of instructions that provides individualization information to a distributor of content so that the content may be individualized for the client and/or its operating persona. Content is generally protected by encrypting it with a key and then sealing the key into the content in a way that binds it to the meta-data associated with the content. In some instances, the key may also be encrypted in such a way as to be accessible only by the use of individualized protection software installed on the client, thereby binding use of the content to a particular client or set of clients.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to perform acts comprising:

authenticating software; and

providing at least one cryptographic service for said software;

wherein said computer-executable instructions to perform said at least one cryptographic service are separate from said software and invocable by a call from said software, wherein said at least one cryptographic service comprises unsealing sealed data, wherein said sealed data comprises information associated with the user to whom content is licensed, and wherein said information is selected from the group consisting of;

a name, a credit card number, and a receipt number.

15-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method of supporting a content distribution system, said method comprising the acts of:

providing, to a first entity, an interface for requesting at least one service, said interface being usable by first software;

providing, to a second entity a set of computer-executable instructions that provide one or more services;

wherein said computer-executable instructions are invocable by way of said interface, and wherein said one or more services include enabling the use of information stored in an encrypted format,

wherein said set of computer-executable instructions includes instructions to;

issue a call to a secure repository if said information has associated therewith a first level of protection; and

enable the use of said information without using said secure repository if said information has associated therewith a second level of protection different from said first level of protection.

28. (cancelled)

29. A method of using first information stored in an encrypted format, said method comprising the acts of:

issuing a first request to provide first data which enables the use of said first information, and

if said first information is sealed with second information pertaining to an authorized user of said first information, issuing a second request to provide second data which includes said second information, wherein said second information is selected from the group consisting of;

a name, a credit card number, and a receipt number.

30-33. -33. (canceled)