SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDISTRIBUTING AND LICENSING ACCESS TO PROTECTED INFORMATION AMONG A PLURALITY OF DEVICES

• US 20070179893A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schull, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration

Abstract

A method and apparatus of encouraging distribution, registration, and purchase of free copyable software and other digital information which is accessed on a User'"'"'s System via a Programmer'"'"'s Program. Software tools which can be incorporated into a Programmer'"'"'s Program allow the User to access Advanced Features of the Programmer'"'"'s Program only in the presence of a valid Password which is unique to a particular Target ID generated on an ID-Target such as the User'"'"'s System. Advanced features will thus re-lock if the Password is copied to another ID-target. If a valid Password is not present, the User is invited to obtain one, and provided with the means of doing so, and of installing that Password in a place accessible to the User'"'"'s System on subsequent occasions. The present invention also provides Programmers with means to invoke business operations as well as computational operations with their programs, and thus to automatically obtain payment from Users who elect to obtain passwords.

Claims

1. A method of licensing access to an item of protected information over a first communications network to a first device and a second device, wherein each device must receive license data specific to such device before accessing the protected information, the method comprising:

a first program located on the first device generating first identifier data based at least in part on a characteristic of the first device, and transmitting the first identifier data to a licensing server;

the licensing server receiving the first identifier data, generating first license data using the first identifier data but not using any other information unique to the first device, and providing the first license data to a location accessible to the first program;

distributing the item of protected information from the first device to the second device;

for a second program located on the second device, generating second identifier data based at least in part on a characteristic of the second device which is different from the characteristic of the first device on which the first identifier data is based, and transmitting the second identifier data to the licensing server; and

the licensing server receiving the second identifier data, generating second license data using the second identifier data but not using any other information unique to the second device, and providing the second license data to a location accessible to the second program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the item of protected information comprises utilizing a physical transport medium to distribute the item of protected information.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising at least one of the first identifier data or the second identifier data not including any information unique to the physical transport medium.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising at least one of the first identifier data or the second identifier data including information unique to the physical transport medium.

5. The method of claim 2, comprising the licensing server generating at least one of first license data or second license data without using any information unique to the physical transport medium.

6. The method of claim 2, comprising the licensing server generating at least one of first license data or second license data using information unique to the physical transport medium.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the item of protected information comprises utilizing a second communications network to distribute the item of protected information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first communications network is distinct from the second communications network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first communications network is the same as the second communications network.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising allowing or blocking access to the item of protected information at the first device based on the first license data.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising allowing or blocking access to the item of protected information at the second device based on the second license data.

12. A method of licensing access to an item of protected information over a communications network to two or more devices, wherein the item of protected information is stored on a physical transport medium, the method comprising:

a first device receiving an item of protected information by way of the physical transport medium;

a first program accessible to the first device generating identifier data associated with the first device based only on a characteristic of the physical transport medium, and transmitting the identifier data to a licensing server;

the licensing server receiving the identifier data, generating license data using the identifier data, and providing the license data to a location accessible to the first program; and

transferring the physical transport medium to a second device, the protected information being accessible by a second program accessible to the second device.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising storing the license data on the physical transport medium.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising storing the license data on the first device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled to the second device.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising storing the license data on a third device that is communicatively coupled to the first device and the second device.

16. A method of licensing access to an item of protected information over a communications network to a first device, wherein the item of protected information is distributed from the first device to a second device over a communications path distinct from the communications network and each device must receive license data before accessing the protected information, the method comprising:

a first program accessible to the first device generating identifier data based on a characteristic of the first device, and transmitting the identifier data to a licensing server over the communications network;

the licensing server receiving the identifier data, generating license data using the identifier data, and providing the license data to a location accessible to the first program; and

for a second program accessible to a second device that obtains a copy of the item of protected information, providing the second program with access to the license data.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

the second device accessing the license data from the communications path to the first device.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising:

the second device accessing the license data from a portable transport medium.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising:

the second program generating a second identifier data based at least in part on a characteristic of the second device, and transmitting the second identifier data to the first device; and

the first device providing the second program with access to the license data upon generating a second license data using the second identifier data.

20. A method of licensing access to an item of protected information over a communications network to two or more devices, the method comprising:

assessing a first context for accessing the item of protected information on a first device;

generating first license data based at least in part on the first context;

detecting a change in the first context subsequent to the item of protected information being transferred to a second device; and

generating second license data based at least in part on the change in context.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first context comprises one or more characteristics of the first device, different such characteristics being usable to provide access to different ones of a plurality of items of protected information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first context comprises at least one of a characteristic of the first device, a unique identifier for the protected information, and a unique identifier the item of protected information.

23. A method of licensing access to an item of protected information over a first communications network to a first device, wherein the first device must receive license data specific to such device before accessing the protected information, the method comprising:

a first program located on a first device generating first identifier data based at least in part on a characteristic of the first device, and transmitting the first identifier data to a licensing server;

the licensing server receiving the first identifier data, generating first license data using the first identifier data but not using any other information unique to the first device, and providing the first license data to a location accessible to the first program;

distributing the item of protected information from the first device to a second device;

a second program located on the second device generating second identifier data based at least in part on a characteristic of the second device which is different from the characteristic of the first device on which the first identifier data is based; and

the first device receiving the second identifier, generating second license data using the second identifier data but not using any other information unique to the second device, and providing the second license data to a location accessible to the second program.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first communications network comprises the Internet.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said distributing comprises distributing the item of protected information over a wired or wireless transport medium to the second device.