Remote access to local content using transcryption of digital rights management schemes

• US 20060156416A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huotari, Allen J., Baugher, Mark John
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213

Abstract

Methods and devices allowing distribution of content that resides in a source device on a local area network (LAN) are described. A gateway between the LAN and a wide area network (WAN) receives from a sink device a request for an instance of content. The request is sent over the WAN. Distribution of the item of content within the LAN uses a first digital rights management (DRM) protocol that prevents the item of content from being distributed outside the LAN. For the item of content, the gateway converts from the first DRM protocol to a second DRM protocol that can be used for transmitting content over the WAN. The item of content can then be forwarded to the sink device according to the second DRM protocol.

Claims

1. In an intermediate device between a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN), a method for managing the distribution of content that resides in a source device on a local area network (LAN), said method comprising:

receiving from a sink device a request for an instance of content, wherein said request is sent over said WAN, wherein associated with said item of content is a first digital rights management (DRM) protocol that prevents said item of content from being distributed outside said LAN; and

for said item of content, converting from said first DRM protocol to a second DRM protocol that is used for transmitting content over said WAN.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first DRM protocol is DTCP/IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sink device authenticates itself to said gateway.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising authenticating and authorizing said sink device using a credential that indicates said sink device is enrolled with said LAN, wherein said credential binds said sink device to said LAN and prevents said sink device from accessing another LAN.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a DRM protocol suitable for transmitting said item of content to said sink device.

6. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing an intermediate device that couples a wide area network (WAN) and a local area network (LAN) to execute a method for managing the distribution of content residing on said LAN, said method comprising:

receiving from a sink device a request for an instance of content, wherein said request is sent over said WAN, wherein associated with said item of content is a first digital rights management (DRM) protocol that prevents said item of content from being distributed outside said LAN; and

for said item of content, converting from said first DRM protocol to a second DRM protocol that is used for transmitting content over said WAN.

7. The computer-usable medium of claim 6 wherein said first DRM protocol is DTCP/IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol).

8. The computer-usable medium of claim 6 wherein said sink device authenticates itself to said gateway.

9. The computer-usable medium of claim 6 wherein said method further comprises authenticating and authorizing said sink device using a credential that indicates said sink device is enrolled with said LAN, wherein said credential binds said sink device to said LAN and prevents said sink device from accessing another LAN.

10. The computer-usable medium of claim 6 wherein said method further comprises identifying a DRM protocol suitable for transmitting said item of content to said sink device.

11. A system that couples a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN), said system managing the distribution of content that resides in a source device on said LAN, said system comprising:

means for receiving from a sink device a request for an instance of content, wherein said request is sent over said WAN, wherein associated with said item of content is a first digital rights management (DRM) protocol that prevents said item of content from being distributed outside said LAN; and

means for converting from said first DRM protocol to a second DRM protocol that is used for transmitting content over said WAN.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said first DRM protocol is DTCP/IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol).

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said sink device authenticates itself to said gateway.

14. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit coupled to said processor, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed implement a computer-implemented method for managing the distribution of content that resides in a source device on a local area network (LAN), said method comprising;

receiving from a sink device a request for an instance of content, wherein said request is sent over said a wide area network (WAN) coupled to said LAN via said device, wherein associated with said item of content is a first digital rights management (DRM) protocol that prevents said item of content from being distributed outside said LAN; and

for said item of content, converting from said first DRM protocol to a second DRM protocol that is used for transmitting content over said WAN.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said first DRM protocol is DTCP/IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol).

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said sink device authenticates itself to said device.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein said device authenticates and authorizes said sink device using a credential that indicates said sink device is enrolled with said LAN, wherein said credential binds said sink device to said LAN and prevents said sink device from accessing another LAN.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein said device identifies a DRM protocol suitable for transmitting said item of content to said sink device.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein said device receives said item of content from said source device according to said first DRM protocol, and forwards said item of content to said sink device according to said second DRM protocol.

20. The device of claim 14 wherein said device is a residential gateway that couples said LAN and WAN.