Method for processing rights object in digital rights management system and method and system for processing rights object using the same

• US 20060031164A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jea-Un
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1075 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A message, method and system for processing rights object (RO) in a DRM system are disclosed. A message for requesting submission or return of an unused/partially consumed rights object (RO) is newly defined. When an authenticated device generates such a request message and transmits it to a right issuer (RI), the RI checks whether there exists an ID of a receiving device in the request message. If an ID of a receiving device exists in the request message, the RI performs a procedure for submitting the RO to the ID of the receiving device. If, however, the ID of the receiving device does not exist, the RI performs a procedure of returning of the RO or issuing of a different RO. Accordingly, the unused RO or partially consumed RO can be returned or submitted to a different device by using the request message.

Claims

1. A system for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the system comprising:

a first device adapted to generate and transmit a request message, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing the digital contents;

a server adapted to receive the request message, determine the transaction, process the transaction and provide the digital contents to at least one of the first device and a second device,

wherein the transaction comprises the transfer of the at least one RO to the second device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transaction further comprises the return of the at least one RO.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises:

a rights issuer (RI) adapted to receive the request message, determine the transaction and process the transaction.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the server further comprises:

a presentation server (PS) adapted to provide the digital contents to at least one of the first device and the second device according to the RI.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the request message is an RO submit request message.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a contents issuer (CI) for supplying the digital contents.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the request message comprises:

an identifier of the first device transmitting the request message;

an identifier of the RI to which the request message is transmitted; and

an identifier of the at least one RO.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the identifier of the at least one RO is a protected RO.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the request message further comprises:

an arbitrary value generated by the first device;

an indicator of an authentication procedure; and

a digital signature.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the arbitrary value is a device nonce, the indicator of the authentication procedure is an authentication chain between the RI and PS and the digital signature comprises a PKI method.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the RI is further adapted to generate and transmit a response message to the first device, the response message indicating one of the success and the failure of the transaction.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first device deletes the RO upon receiving a response message indicating a successful transaction.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the RI is further adapted to determine that the transaction is the transfer of the at least one RO to the second device if the request message comprises an identifier of the second device and to determine that the transaction is the return of the at least one RO if the request message does not comprise an identifier of the second device.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein the RI transfers the at least one RO to the second device upon determining that the transaction is the transfer of the at least one RO to the second device.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein the RI performs a procedure for returning the at least one RO upon determining that the transaction is the return of the at least one RO, the procedure performed in association with the PS.

16. The system of claim 15, the RI is further adapted to inform the PS regarding the transaction and the PS further adapted to generate and transmit a preparation message to the RI and, wherein the RI transmits a connection message to the first device upon receiving the preparation message from the PS, the connection message instructing the first device to connect to the PS in order to return the at least one RO.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the preparation message is a return service preparation completion report and the connection message is an ROAP (Right Object Acquisition Protocol) trigger.

18. The system of claim 16, the PS further adapted to provide at least one return option to the first device upon the first device connecting to the PS and to perform a process in association with the RI, the process related to an option selected by the first device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one return option comprises a cyber cash refund and issuance of at least one different RO.

20. A method for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management), the method comprising:

a first device transmitting a request message to a server, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing the digital contents and the transaction comprising the transfer of the at least one RO to a second device;

the server analyzing the request message to determine the transaction; and

the server performing a procedure for transferring the at least one RO to the second device, the procedure performed according to the determined transaction.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the server comprises a rights server (RI).

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the transaction further comprises the return of the at least one RO.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the request message is determined to be the transfer of the at least one RO to the second device if the response message comprises an identifier of the second device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the procedure for transferring the at least one RO to the second device comprises:

the RI transmitting a response message to the first device;

the first device deleting the at least one RO upon receiving the response message; and

the RI transmitting the at least one RO to the second device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

the RI determining that the RO cannot be successfully transferred to the second device;

the RI transmitting a status message to the first device, the status message indicating that the transfer failed;

the first device connecting to a presentation server (PS) using connection information included in the status message; and

the PS providing at least one return option to the first device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the RI determines that the RO cannot be successfully transferred if one of the second device is in an OFF state, there is no response from the second device, and a response from the second device indicates that reception is not available.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the connection information in the status message comprises a URL address of the PS.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one return option comprises at least two of a refund by cyber cash, re-trying the transfer, obtaining another RO, and withdrawal of the RO.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the PS performing a process in association with the RI, the process related to an option selected by the first device.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

the RI determining that the second device does not have the digital contents corresponding to the at least one RO;

the RI transmitting a registration message to the second device, the registration message instructing the second device to perform a registration procedure; and

the second device performing the registration procedure and receiving the at least one RO via a presentation server (PS).

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the procedure for transferring the at least one RO to the second device comprises:

the RI successfully transferring the at least one RO to the second device;

the RI transmitting a status message to the first device, the status message indicating that the transfer was successful; and

the first device deleting the at least one RO.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein transmission of the request message from the first device to the RI, transfer of the at least one RO from the RI to the second device, and transmission of the status message from the RI to the first device are processed as a single transaction.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the request message is determined to be the return of the at least one RO if the response message does not comprise an identifier of the second device.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the procedure for returning the at least one RO comprises:

the RI informing a presentation server (PS) about the transaction;

the PS generating and transmitting a preparation message to the RI, the preparation message indicating the PO is ready for return of the at least one RO; and

the RI transmitting a connection message to the first device, the connection message instructing the first device to connect to the PS in order to return the at least one RO.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the connection message is an ROAP trigger.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the procedure for returning the at least one RO further comprises:

the first device connecting to the PS;

the PS providing at least one return option to the first device; and

the PS performing a process in association with the RI, the process related to an option selected by the first device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one return option comprises a refund by cyber cash and issuance of at least one different RO.

38. A message for requesting a transaction to be performed on at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the message comprising:

an identifier of a first device requesting the transaction;

an identifier of a server to which the message is transmitted; and

an identifier of the at least one RO.

39. The message of claim 38, wherein the server comprises a rights issuer (RI).

40. The message of claim 38, wherein the identifier of the at least one RO is a protected RO.

41. The message of claim 38, further comprising:

an arbitrary value generated by the first device;

an indicator of an authentication procedure; and

a digital signature.

42. The message of claim 41, wherein the arbitrary value is a device nonce, the indicator of the authentication procedure is an authentication chain between at least the RI and a presentation server (PS) and the digital signature comprising a PKI method.

43. The message of claim 38, the message further comprising an identifier of a second device to which the at least one RO is to be transferred.

44. The message of claim 38, wherein the identifier of the first device comprises one of a phone number, a TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity), an IMSI (International mobile Subscriber Identity) and an IP address.

45. A message for indicating the status of a transaction requested on at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the message comprising:

an identifier of a first device that requested the transaction;

an identifier of a device transmitting the response message;

status information indicating one of the success and the failure of the transaction;

a domain ID;

an arbitrary value, the arbitrary value obtained from a request message received from the first device; and

a digital signature.

46. A terminal for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the terminal adapted to generate and transmit a request message, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing the digital contents, wherein the transaction comprises the transfer of the at least one RO to a second terminal.

47. The terminal of claim 46, wherein the transacting further comprises the return of the at least one RO to a server.

48. The terminal of claim 46, further adapted to generate the request message comprising:

an identifier of the terminal;

an identifier of a server; and

an identifier of the at least one RO.

49. The terminal of claim 48, further adapted to generate the request message comprising:

an arbitrary value;

an indicator of an authentication procedure to be performed by the server; and

a digital signature.

50. The terminal of claim 46, further adapted to generate the request message comprising an identifier of the second terminal if the transaction is the transfer of the at the least one RO to the second terminal.

51. The terminal of claim 46, further adapted to delete the at least one RO upon receiving a response message indicating that the transaction was successfully performed.

52. The terminal of claim 47, further adapted to connect to the server in order to return the at least one RO upon receiving a connection message after transmitting a request message indicating that the transaction is the return of the at least one RO.

53. The terminal of claim 52, further adapted to select a return option from at least one return option provided by the server.

54. The terminal of claim 53, wherein the at least one return option comprises a cyber cash refund and issuance of at least one different RO.

55. The terminal of claim 46, further adapted to connect to a server using connection information included in a received status message indicating that the transfer of the at least one RO to a second terminal was unsuccessful.

56. The terminal of claim 55, further adapted to select a return option from at least one return option provided by the server.

57. The terminal of claim 56, wherein the at least one return option comprises at least two of a refund by cyber cash, re-trying the transfer, obtaining another RO, and withdrawal of the RO.

58. A server for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the server adapted to manage at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing the digital contents and further adapted to:

analyze a request message received from a first terminal, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on the at least one RO; and

transmit the at least one RO to a second terminal according to the indicated transaction.

59. The server of claim 58, further adapted to process the return of the RO according to the indicated transaction.

60. The server of claim 58, further adapted to determine that the transaction is the transfer of the at least one RO to the second terminal if the request message comprises an identifier of the second device.

61. The server of claim 59, further adapted to determine that the transaction is the return of the at least one RO if the request message does not comprise an identifier of the second device.

62. The server of claim 58, further adapted to generate and transmit a response message to the first device, the response message indicating one of the success and the failure of the transaction.

63. The server of claim 59, further adapted to communicate with a presentation server (PS), the PS adapted to provide the digital contents to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal.

64. The server of claim 63, further adapted to perform an authentication procedure in association with the PS according to an indicator in the request message.

65. The server of claim 63, further adapted to inform the PS upon determining that the transaction is the return of the at least one RO and to generate and transmit a connection message to the first terminal upon receiving a preparation message from the PS, the connection message instructing the first terminal to connect to the PS in order to return the at least one RO.

66. The server of claim 63, further adapted to transmit a status message to the first device upon determining that the transaction is the transfer of the at least one RO to the second terminal and that the at least one RO cannot be successfully transferred to the second terminal, the status message indicating that the transfer failed.

67. The server of claim 66, further adapted to determine that the at least one RO cannot be successfully transferred if one of the second device is in an OFF state, there is no response from the second device, and a response from the second device indicates that reception is not available.

68. The server of claim 66, further adapted to include connection information in the status message, the connection information comprising a URL address of a presentation server (PS).

69. The server of claim 58, further adapted to transmit a registration message to the second device upon determining that the transaction is the transfer of the at least one RO to the second terminal and that the second device does not have the digital contents corresponding to the at least one RO, the registration message instructing the second device to perform a registration procedure.

70. The server of claim 58, further adapted to receive the request message from the first terminal, transmit the at least one RO to the second terminal, and transmit a status message to the first terminal as part of a single transaction.