Method and system for content sharing and authentication between multiple devices

• US 20060074807A1
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• 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: Hofrichter, Klaus, Lau, Clement, Wang, Annie, Gauba, Ravi, Dara-Abrams, Joseph Alexander, Eubanks, Curtis Ray
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42669 the medium being removable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A personal video recorder (PVR) enables delivery of audio-visual content and associated metadata to storage devices. The PVR is configured to access a plurality of services using a plurality of storage modules. Each storage module is dedicated to a single designated content provider. One or more of the storage modules are removably coupled to the PVR. A disconnected storage module can be reconnected to another PVR different from the PVR from which the storage module was disconnected. Where authorization is required to access content stored on the storage module, authentication is performed each time the removable storage module is reconnected to a PVR.

Claims

1. A method of accessing content data, the method comprising:

a. receiving a content data on a first storage module of a first recording base station from a content source, wherein the content is encrypted;

b. storing the content data on the first storage module;

c. transmitting an authorization request to an external authorization service;

d. validating the authorization request; and

e. providing an authorization key to the first recording base station such that the first recording base station accesses the content data on the first storage module using the authorization key, wherein the authorization key associates the content data to the first recording base station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first storage module receives content data from only a select one content source.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization request includes a unique hardware identifier associated with the first recording base station.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein validating the authorization request comprises accessing information associated with the unique hardware identifier.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein validating the authorization request further comprises completing a transaction between the authorization service and the content source.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the authorization key and the unique hardware identifier are stored on the first storage module.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization request includes a unique content identifier associated with the content data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the unique content identifier is provided by the content source.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization request includes a unique user identification associated with a user of the first storage module.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization key includes usage rules to regulate access to the content data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization key is stored on the first recording base station.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

f. removing the first storage module from the first recording base station;

g. connecting the first storage module to a second recording base station;

h. transmitting a second authorization request to the authorization service;

i. validating the second authorization request; and

j. providing a second authorization key to the second recording base station such that the second recording base station accesses the content data on the first storage module using the second authorization key.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second authorization key associates the content data to the second recording base station.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second authorization key is stored on the second recording base station.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the second authorization request includes a second unique hardware identifier associated with the second recording base station.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein validating the second authorization request comprises accessing information associated with the second unique hardware identifier.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the second authorization key and the second unique hardware identifier are stored on the first storage module.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the second authorization request includes the unique content identifier associated with the content data.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the second authorization request includes the unique user identification associated with the user of the first storage module.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the second authorization key includes usage rules to regulate access to the content data.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the content data is multimedia content data.

22. A method of accessing content data, the method comprising:

a. receiving a content data on a first storage module of a first recording base station from a content source, wherein the content data is encrypted;

b. communicating a first authorization transaction between the first recording base station and an external authorization service thereby providing the first recording base station access to the content data on the first storage module;

c. de-coupling the first storage module from the first recording base station and coupling the first storage module to a second recording base station; and

d. communicating a second authorization transaction between the second recording base station and the external authorization service thereby providing the second recording base station access to the content data on the first storage module.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein communicating the first authorization transaction comprises;

a. transmitting a first authorization request from the first recording base station to the authorization service;

b. validating the first authorization request by the authorization service; and

c. providing a first authorization key to the first recording base station.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the first authorization request includes a first unique hardware identifier associated with the first recording base station.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein validating the first authorization request comprises accessing information associated with the first unique hardware identifier.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the first authorization key and the first unique hardware identifier are stored on the first storage module.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the first authorization request includes a unique content identifier associated with the content data.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the unique content identifier is provided by the content source.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the first authorization request includes a unique user identification associated with a user of the first storage module.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein the first authorization key includes usage rules to regulate access to the content data.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein the first authorization key is stored on the first recording base station.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein communicating the second authorization transaction comprises;

a. transmitting a second authorization request from the second recording base station to the authorization service;

b. validating the second authorization request by the authorization service; and

c. providing a second authorization key to the second recording base station.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the second authorization key associates the content data to the second recording base station.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the second authorization key is stored on the second recording base station.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the second authorization request includes a second unique hardware identifier associated with the second recording base station.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein validating the second authorization request comprises accessing information associated with the second unique hardware identifier.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the second authorization key and the second unique hardware identifier are stored on the first storage module.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the second authorization request includes a unique content identifier associated with the content data.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein the second authorization request includes a unique user identification associated with a user of the first storage module.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein the second authorization key includes usage rules to regulate access to the content data.

41. A system to access content data, the system comprising:

a. a first recording base station including a removable storage module;

b. a content source to provide an encrypted content data to the first storage module;

c. an authorization service to provide authorization for the first recording base station to access the content data on the first storage module; and

d. a second recording base station configured to connect to the removable storage module after the removable storage module is detached from the first recording base station, wherein the authorization service provides authorization for the second recording base station to access the content data on the first storage module.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the first recording base station includes a first unique hardware identifier and the second recording base station includes a second unique hardware identifier.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the content data includes a unique content identifier.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein a first authorization key is provided by the authorization service to the first recording base station, the first authorization key associates the content data to the first recording base station.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the first authorization key is stored on the first storage module.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the first authorization key is stored on the first recording base station.

47. The system of claim 43 wherein a second authorization key is provided by the authorization service to the second recording base station, the second authorization key associates the content data to the second recording base station.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the second authorization key is stored on the first storage module.

49. The system of claim 47 wherein the second authorization key is stored on the second recording base station.

50. A personal video recorder comprising:

a. one or more storage modules each configured to receive and store encrypted content data; and

b. a recording base station removably coupled to the one or more storage modules, the recording base station including a controller to send an authorization request and to receive an authorization key used to decrypt the encrypted content data stored on one of the storage modules, each authorization key associates the personal video recorder to the encrypted content data.

51. The personal video recorder of claim 50 further comprising a unique hardware identification associated with the personal video recorder, wherein the authorization request includes the unique hardware identification.

52. The personal video recorder of claim 51 wherein the encrypted content data stored on the one storage module includes a content identification, further wherein the authorization request includes the content identification.

53. The personal video recorder of claim 50 wherein the recording base station further comprising a memory unit coupled to the controller, wherein the memory unit stores the received authorization key.

54. The personal video recorder of claim 50 wherein the one storage device stores the received authorization key.

55. The personal video recorder of claim 50 wherein each storage module is dedicated to receive content data from a single content source.

56. The personal video recorder of claim 50 wherein the controller is configured to send an additional authorization request and receive an additional authorization key for each encrypted content data stored in the one or more storage modules.