System and method for relicensing content

• US 20060259436A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hug, Joshua D.
• Application Number:
  US11/322,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259436A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1077 Recurrent authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method, computer program product and system for indicating the occurrence of a relicensing trigger event on a client electronic device includes generating a license request for the client electronic device. An expiration indicator is received for a subscription associated with the client electronic device. A device license is created for the client electronic device that includes the license request and the expiration indicator. A secure device license is created by digitally-securing the device license.

Claims

1. A content relicensing method comprising:

indicating the occurrence of a relicensing trigger event in a client electronic device;

generating a license request for the client electronic device;

receiving an expiration indicator for a subscription associated with the client electronic device;

creating a device license for the client electronic device that includes the license request and the expiration indicator; and

creating a secure device license by digitally-securing the device license.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the license request to a media distribution system; and

providing the device license to the client electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the license request includes at least one of:

a user ID that identifies the subscription;

a challenge; and

a device digital certificate for the client electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

digitally-signing the license request to form a signed license request.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

verifying the integrity of the signed license request.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the device license includes at least one of:

a licensing service digital certificate;

a system time indicator; and

a user encryption key.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying the integrity of the secure device license.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the relicensing trigger event includes at least one of:

a docking event;

an expiration of a predetermined period of time; and

an entry into a relicensing interval of time.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the secure device license to render media data stored on the client electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

verifying that the secure device license is valid before rendering the media data.

11. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

indicating the occurrence of a relicensing trigger event on a client electronic device;

generating a license request for the client electronic device;

receiving an expiration indicator for a subscription associated with the client electronic device;

creating a device license for the client electronic device that includes the license request and the expiration indicator; and

creating a secure device license by digitally-securing the device license.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

providing the license request to a media distribution system; and

providing the device license to the client electronic device.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

digitally-signing the license request to form a signed license request.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

verifying the integrity of the signed license request.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the device license includes at least one of:

a licensing service digital certificate;

a system time indicator; and

a user encryption key.

17. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

verifying the integrity of the secure device license.

18. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the relicensing trigger event includes at least one of:

a docking event;

an expiration of a predetermined period of time; and

an entry into a relicensing interval of time.

19. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

using the secure device license to render media data stored on the client electronic device.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

verifying that the secure device license is valid before rendering the media data.

13. The computer program product of 11 wherein the license request includes at least one of:

a user ID that identifies the subscription;

a challenge; and

a device digital certificate for the client electronic device.

21. A system comprising:

a client electronic device configured to perform operations comprising;

indicating the occurrence of a relicensing trigger event on a client electronic device; and

generating a license request for the client electronic device; and

a server computer configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving an expiration indicator for a subscription associated with the client electronic device,

creating a device license for the client electronic device that includes the license request and the expiration indicator, and

creating a secure device license by digitally-securing the device license.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein:

the client electronic device is further configured to perform operations comprising;

providing the license request to a media distribution system; and

the server computer is further configured to perform operations comprising;

providing the device license to the client electronic device.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the license request includes at least one of:

a user ID that identifies the subscription;

a challenge; and

a device digital certificate for the client electronic device.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the client electronic device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

digitally-signing the license request to form a signed license request.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the server computer is further configured to perform operations comprising:

validating the integrity of the signed license request.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the device license includes at least one of:

a licensing service digital certificate;

a system time indicator; and

a user encryption key.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the client electronic device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

validating the integrity of the secure device license.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the relicensing trigger event includes at least one of:

a docking event;

an expiration of a predetermined period of time; and

an entry into a relicensing interval of time.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the client electronic device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

using the secure device license to render media data stored on the client electronic device.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the client electronic device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

verifying that the secure device license is valid before rendering the media data.