System and method to authorize a device to receive a content work based on device capabilities and content-work permissions

• US 20060075220A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baugher, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US10/956,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075220A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• 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: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

Access to content works, or other information, may be granted based upon device capabilities. A content approving network device, or other device, may make a comparison of a device'"'"'s components with permissions and then determine if access to a content work is allowed based on the comparison. Methods may include asserting capabilities of a device, comparing the capabilities to permissions, and approving access to content based on the capabilities and permissions comparison.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

components; and

an input coupled with at least one of the components, the input to receive a content work if the components match permissions for the content work.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a digital certificate, signed by an authority, attests to the capabilities of the components.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising circuitry to determine which components the device comprises.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the components include storage, processing, and input/output components.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the permissions are encoded in a signed digital certificate.

6. A method comprising:

asserting capabilities of a device;

comparing the capabilities to content-work permissions; and

approving access to content based on the capabilities and permissions comparison.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining capabilities of a device.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining the permissions of a content work.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising delivering content based on the capabilities and permissions comparison.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the capabilities are hardware capabilities.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising delivering the permissions in a certificate.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising delivering the capabilities in a certificate

13. The method of claim 6, wherein capabilities include storage, processing, software and input/output capabilities of the device.

14. A device, comprising:

means for at least one of processing, storing, receiving or sending data; and

means for comparing the at least one of processing, storing, receiving or sending data means with permissions and then determining if access to a content work is allowed based on the comparison.

15. An article of machine-readable media containing instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to:

assert capabilities of a device;

compare the capabilities to permissions; and

approve delivery of content based on the capabilities and permissions comparison.

16. The article of claim 15, the instructions, when executed, further causing the device to determine capabilities of a device.

17. The article of claim 15, the instructions, when executed, further causing the device to deliver content based on the capabilities and permissions comparison.

18. The article of claim 15, wherein the capabilities are hardware capabilities.

19. The article of claim 15, the instructions further causing the machine to deliver the permissions in a certificate.

20. The article of claim 15, wherein capabilities include storage, processing, software and input/output capabilities of the device.

21. A network device comprising:

a link to send a content work;

circuitry to;

assert capabilities of a remote device;

compare the capabilities to permissions; and

approve delivery of content over the link to a remote device based on the capabilities and permissions comparison.