Digital License Sharing System and Method
First Claim
1. In a digital rights management system in which a digital license confers predetermined usage rights in relation to a digital content, a method of transferring the usage rights from a first content player application to a second content player application, including the steps of:
- a) associating with the first content player application a first status indication with respect to the digital license for indicating whether the first player application is entitled to exercise the usage rights conferred by the license;
b) associating with the second content player application a second status indication with respect to the digital license for indicating whether the second player application is entitled to exercise the usage rights conferred by the license;
c) transmitting a request for transfer of the usage rights from the second player application to the first player application;
d) setting the first status indication to indicate that the first player application is no longer entitled to exercise the usage rights;
e) transmitting a response transferring the usage rights from the first player application to the second player application; and
f) setting the second status indication to indicate that the second application is henceforth entitled to exercise the usage rights, wherein the steps (c) to (f) are carried out in the stated order.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital license sharing method, system and apparatus is provided for use in a digital rights management system. Usage rights in respect of digital content are transferred between content player devices or applications by associating with each player a status indication. Transfer is carried out by transmitting a request to obtain the usage rights from a player requiring usage rights to a player currently holding the rights. The transferring player sets a first status indication to indicate that it is no longer entitled to exercise the rights, and transmits a response to the requesting player to transfer the usage rights. The requesting player then sets a second status indication to indicate that it is henceforth entitled to exercise the rights. Methods and apparatus for creating transferable licenses are also provided that employ a sharable license format including a validated portion and an unvalidated portion. The validated portion, which may be, for example, digitally signed by a license issuing authority, includes characteristic information of a digital content decryption key required to access the digital content controlled by the license. The unvalidated portion includes the digital content key itself, encrypted using an encryption key associated with a player entitled to use the license.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1. In a digital rights management system in which a digital license confers predetermined usage rights in relation to a digital content, a method of transferring the usage rights from a first content player application to a second content player application, including the steps of:
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a) associating with the first content player application a first status indication with respect to the digital license for indicating whether the first player application is entitled to exercise the usage rights conferred by the license;
b) associating with the second content player application a second status indication with respect to the digital license for indicating whether the second player application is entitled to exercise the usage rights conferred by the license;
c) transmitting a request for transfer of the usage rights from the second player application to the first player application;
d) setting the first status indication to indicate that the first player application is no longer entitled to exercise the usage rights;
e) transmitting a response transferring the usage rights from the first player application to the second player application; and
f) setting the second status indication to indicate that the second application is henceforth entitled to exercise the usage rights, wherein the steps (c) to (f) are carried out in the stated order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 70)
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15. In a digital rights management system in which a digital license confers predetermined usage rights in relation to a digital content, a system for transferring the usage rights from a first content player application to a second content player application, including:
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request transmitting means adapted to transmit a request for transfer of the usage rights from the second player application to the first player application;
first indication setting means adapted to set a first status indication associated with said first content player application to indicate that the first player application is no longer entitled to exercise the usage rights;
response transmitting means adapted to transmit a response transferring the usage rights from the first player application to the second player application; and
second indication setting means adapted to set a second status indication associated with said second content player application to indicate that the second application is henceforth entitled to exercise the usage rights. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 71)
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30-43. -43. (canceled)
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44. A digital content player device for use in a digital rights management system in which a digital license confers predetermined usage rights in relation to a digital content, the device including:
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request transmitting means adapted to transmit a request for transfer of the usage rights from another device to said digital content player device;
response transmitting means adapted to transmit a response to a request for transfer of the usage rights received by said digital content player device from another device;
request receiving means for receiving a request for transfer of the usage rights by said digital content player device from another device;
response receiving means for receiving a response by said digital content player device from another device to a transmitted request for transfer of the usage rights; and
indication setting means adapted to set a status indication to indicate that said digital content player device is entitled to exercise the usage rights when the rights are transferred to the digital content player device, and to indicate that the digital content player device is not entitled to execute the usage rights when the rights have not been transferred to the digital content player device. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 50, 51)
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48-49. -49. (canceled)
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52. (canceled)
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53. In a digital rights management system, a method for generating a second digital license from a first digital license, wherein said first digital license confers predetermined usage rights in relation to a digital content upon a first digital content player application and said second digital license confers the usage rights upon a second digital content player application, said digital content being normally encrypted and only able to be decrypted using a digital content decryption key, the first and second digital licenses each including a validated portion and an unvalidated portion, wherein
the validated portion of the first digital license includes characteristic information of the digital content decryption key, and the unvalidated portion of the first digital license includes the digital content decryption key encrypted using an encryption key associated with said first digital content player application, the method including the steps of: -
decrypting the digital content decryption key using a decryption key associated with the first digital content player application;
using the decrypted digital content decryption key to generate the characteristic information of the digital content decryption key;
verifying that the generated characteristic information matches the characteristic information included in the validated portion of the first digital license; and
if the verification is successful, encrypting the digital content decryption key using an encryption key associated with said second digital content player application and including said encrypted key in the unvalidated portion of the second digital license. - View Dependent Claims (54, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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55. (canceled)
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60. (canceled)
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61. (canceled)
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62. In a digital rights management system, an apparatus for generating a second digital license from a first digital license, wherein said first digital license confers predetermined usage rights in relation to a digital content upon a first digital content player application and said second digital license confers the usage rights upon a second digital content player application, said digital content being normally encrypted and only able to be decrypted using a digital content decryption key, the first and second digital licenses each including a validated portion and an unvalidated portion wherein
the validated portion of the first digital license includes characteristic information of the digital content decryption key, and the unvalidated portion of the first digital license includes the digital content decryption key encrypted using an encryption key associated with said first digital content player application, the apparatus including: -
decrypting means adapted to decrypt the digital content decryption key using a decryption key associated with the first digital content player application;
generating means adapted to use the decrypted digital content decryption key to generate the characteristic information of the digital content decryption key;
verifying means adapted to verify that the generated characteristic information matches the characteristic information included in the validated portion of the first digital license; and
encrypting means adapted to check if the verification is successful, and if so then to encrypt the digital content decryption key using an encryption key associated with said second digital content player application and to include said encrypted key in the unvalidated portion of the second digital license. - View Dependent Claims (63, 66)
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64. (canceled)
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65. (canceled)
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67-69. -69. (canceled)
Specification