METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SECURELY DISTRIBUTING COMPUTER SOFTWARE PRODUCTS

• US 20070112686A1
• Filed: 01/02/2007
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatani, Masayuki, Mallinson, Dominic
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• 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 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A product distribution and payment system for limited use or otherwise restricted digital software products. Digital content data comprising a software product to be rented is made available to customers through a detachable local storage medium, such as a DVD or CD-ROM disc, or over a network connection. The product digital content is capable of being accessed and played back through a computer or game console at the customer site. The software product may comprise a limited use product that is restricted in the number of plays or duration of use. The customer is allowed to download and purchase the product using his computer or playback console. The product purchase information is encoded and transmitted to the content distributor. When the preset time or number of plays has elapsed the software program is frozen and access to the program is not allowed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a two-way, public key/private key encryption system is implemented to transmit the product and usage information between the server providing the software product and the customer computer system.

Claims

1. A server computer configured and adapted to be coupled to one or more client computers over a communications network, the server computer comprising:

a customer database configured and adapted for storing user information, and a content database storing a plurality of software product titles;

a distribution module configured and adapted for distributing a software product from the plurality of software product titles to a user of a client computer of the one or more client computers upon request of the user;

an encryption module configured and adapted for encrypting the software product using information comprising a user identifier (ID) and a purchase option governing use of the software product by the user; and

a decryption module configured and adapted for receiving decryption information from the user and providing access to the software product upon confirmation of the decryption information.

2. The server computer of claim 1, wherein the purchase option comprises one of:

using the software product for a pre-set period of time, and using the software product for a pre-set number of accesses.

3. The server computer of claim 2 wherein the software product is encrypted using a public key/private key encryption system, and wherein a user public key (User A) is assigned and transmitted to the user and a client console public key (Console A) is assigned and coded in a detachable storage media installable in the client console.

4. The server computer of claim 3, wherein the client computer is an interactive game computer, and the software product comprises an interactive computer game executable by the client console.

5. The server computer of claim 4 wherein the software product and decryption information are transmitted between the server computer and client computer over the communications network.

6. The server computer of claim 4 wherein the software product is distributed to the client computer on a readable disk media accessible by the client computer, and wherein the decryption information is communicated to the server computer by the user over a telephone system.

7. A computer-implemented method for distributing a software product, comprising:

encrypting said software product;

distributing said encrypted software product to a user;

establishing two-way, public key/private key encrypted, secure communication between a product distributor and said user; and

communicating, via said secure communication, data (Title B) enabling decryption of said encrypted software product from said product distributor to said user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

communicating purchase information from said user to said product distributor; and

communicating, responsive to said purchase information and via said secure communication, an electronic token from said product distributor to said user that permits said user to use said decrypted software product in a restricted manner.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said use in a restricted manner constitutes use for a bounded period of time or use for a predetermined number of usages.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said encrypting of said software product is carried out using a public key (Title A) of a first public key/private key pair that is separate from the public key/private key pairs of said secure communication.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said data enabling decryption of said encrypted software product is a private key of said first public key/private key pair.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said establishing of secure communication comprises:

generating, at said product distributor, a second public key/private key pair (User A, User B);

communicating said second public key to said user;

generating, at said user, a third public key/private key pair (Console A, Console B);

encrypting, at said user, said third public key using said second public key; and

communicating said encrypted third public key to said product distributor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said second public key/private key pair is created using user information (ID) provided by said user to said product distributor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said third public key/private key pair is created using hardware identification means, a hardware identification device or a media identifier of a medium on which said encrypted product has been distributed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an execution of said software product on a user'"'"'s computer requires connection of said hardware identification device to said user'"'"'s computer.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein any of said communication or said secure communication from said user to said product distributor is effected via touch-tone signals or voice over a public switched telephone network.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein any of said communication or said secure communication from said product distributor to said user is effected via voice synthesis or voice over a public switched telephone network.