Methods and systems for verifying protectable content

• US 20060116966A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Inventors: Pedersen, Palle M., Levin, Douglas A.
• Application Number:
  US11/326,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• 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 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures

Abstract

A license for a first component of a protectable content is verified and a license for a second component of the protectable content is verified. A license for the protectable content is then verified based at least in part on the verification of the license for the first component and the verification of the license for the second component.

Claims

1. A method for verifying protectable content, the method comprising:

verifying a license for a first component of the protectable content;

verifying a license for a second component of the protectable content; and

verifying a license for the protectable content based at least in part on the verification of the license for the first component and the verification of the license for the second component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification of the license for the first component comprises determining the identity of the first component, determining stated information for the first component, and comparing the stated information against a stored profile associated with the identity of the first component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stated information comprises a stated origin of the first component, and the stored profile identifies an origin of the first component.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the stated information comprises license terms for the first component, and the stored profile comprises license terms for the first component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the profile comprises a list of the elements of the protectable content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the list is hierarchical.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the list includes the elements of the first component and the second component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification of the license for the second component comprises determining the identity of the second component, determining stated information for the second component, and comparing the stated information against a stored profile associated with the identity of the second component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the stated information comprises an origin of the second component, and the stored profile comprises an origin of the second component.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the stated information comprises license terms for the second component, and the stored profile comprises license terms for the second component.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising decomposing the protectable content into the first and second components.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising digitally signing the protectable content after the license for the first component is verified to be valid and the license for the second component is verified to be valid.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising digitally signing the protectable content after the license for the first component is verified to be valid, the license for the second component is verified to be valid, and the license for the protectable content is verified to be valid.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the license for the protectable content comprises the license for the first component and the license for the second component.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the license for the protectable content comprises the union of the most restrictive aspects of the license for the first component and the most restrictive aspects of the license for the second component.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the protectable content comprises one or more of a source code file, an object code file, a multimedia presentation, a video segment, an audio segment, a textual representation, a work of art, a visual representation, a technological know-how, a business know-how, and a contract right.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the profile comprises references to profiles for the components of the protectable content.

32. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the stated information comprises license terms for the component.

17. A method for verifying protectable content, the method comprising:

receiving a profile for the protectable content, the profile comprising a list of the components of the protectable content;

verifying a license for a first of the components of the protectable content using information in the profile;

verifying a license for a second of the components of the protectable content using information in the profile; and

verifying a license for the protectable content based at least in part on the verification of the license for the first component and the verification of the license for the second component.

19. A method for verifying protectable content, the method comprising:

verifying a first component of the protectable content;

verifying a second component of the protectable content; and

verifying the protectable content based at least in part on the verification of the first component and the second component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the verification of the components comprises determining the identity of each component, determining stated information for each component, and comparing the stated information against a stored profile associated with the identity of each component.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the stated information for each of the components comprises a stated origin of such component, and the stored profile identifies an origin of such component.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the stated information comprises license terms for the component, and the stored profile comprises license terms for the component.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the stored profile comprises a list of the elements of the protectable content.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the list is hierarchical.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the list comprises elements of the first component and the second component.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the components each comprise computer source code.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising digitally signing the first component after the first component is verified and digitally signing the second component after the second component is verified.

28. The method of claim 19 further comprising digitally signing the entire protectable content after the first component is verified, the second component is verified, and the protectable content is verified.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising verifying the digital signature of the protectable content after the first component is verified and the second component is verified.

30. The method of claim 19 further comprising verifying the digital signature of the protectable content by verifying a digital signature on a first component and verifying a digital signature on second component of the protectable content.

31. A computer readable medium comprising a data structure for use in verifying protectable content, the protectable content comprising computer source code, the data structure comprising a hierarchical list of elements of protectable content, the list comprising for each component of the protectable content an identification of such component of the protectable content, a list of the elements of such component of protectable content, stated information for such component of protectable content, and a digital signature of the component of the protectable content.