Content Protection Arrangements
First Claim
1. In a content protection method in which a consumer electronic device governs its operation in accordance with usage control data associated with particular electronic content, the method including receiving a request to perform an operation, and determining—
- with reference to said usage control data—
whether to perform said operation, an improvement wherein the device is equipped with one or more outputs of respective types, and wherein said determining depends, in part, on the type of output with which said device is equipped.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Content protection arrangements govern use of particular electronic content in a consumer electronic device. An exemplary arrangement authorizes use based not just on usage control data corresponding to the content, but also based on the type of output with which the device is equipped. Thus, for example, playback of a song (or video) with particular usage control data may be authorized on a device that includes only analog output, but not be authorized on a device that is capable of outputting the content in an unencrypted digital format. A variety of other technologies and arrangements are also detailed.
215 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a content protection method in which a consumer electronic device governs its operation in accordance with usage control data associated with particular electronic content, the method including receiving a request to perform an operation, and determining—
- with reference to said usage control data—
whether to perform said operation, an improvement wherein the device is equipped with one or more outputs of respective types, and wherein said determining depends, in part, on the type of output with which said device is equipped. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- with reference to said usage control data—
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11. In a content protection method in which a consumer electronic device governs its operation in accordance with usage control data associated with particular electronic content, the method including receiving a request to perform an operation, and applying said usage control data to determine whether to perform said operation, an improvement wherein the device is equipped with one or more outputs of respective types, and wherein said applying comprises applying said usage control data in conjunction with the type of output with which said device is equipped, to determine whether to perform said operation.
- 12. Computer readable storage medium having stored thereon electronic media content, said medium also conveying usage control data corresponding to said content, wherein said usage control data is operative to cause a compliant consumer electronic device to refuse a certain use of said electronic media content if said consumer electronic device is equipped with an output of a predetermined type.
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15. A consumer electronic device having a content protection arrangement that governs authorized operation of said device in connection with particular electronic content, in accordance with usage control data corresponding to said particular electronic content, the device being equipped with one or more outputs of respective types, wherein said content protection arrangement governs operation of the device based not just on said usage control data, but also on the type of output with which said device is equipped, so that an operation with respect to particular electronic content and usage control data may be authorized on said device, but be unauthorized on a different device, due to difference in the types of outputs with which said devices are equipped.
- 16. A consumer electronic device having a content protection arrangement that governs authorized operation of said device in connection with particular electronic content, in accordance with usage control data corresponding to said particular electronic content, the device being equipped with one or more outputs of respective types, wherein said content protection arrangement governs operation of the device based not just on said usage control data, but also on the type of output with which said device is equipped, so that an operation with respect to particular electronic content and usage control data may be unauthorized on said device, but be authorized on a different device, due to difference in the types of outputs with which said devices are equipped.
Specification