Time Bound Entitlement for Digital Content Distribution Framework

• US 20070289028A1
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Insight Direct USA Incorporated (Insight Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Software Spectrum Incorporated (Insight Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vaughan, Michael J., Jacobs, Erich K., Brusseau, Craig S., Dumont, Norman J., Covino, John M., Penney, Bruce C.
• Application Number:
  US11/426,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20070289028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/30
• 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 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration

Abstract

A computer readable media containing instructions for a processor to implement a plurality of steps comprising: accessing a time constraint for an entitlement, determining whether the time constraint has been satisfied, and responsive to the determination that the time constraint has been satisfied, modifying the entitlement, wherein the duration of the entitlement is less than the duration of the license for the digital content.

Claims

1. A computer readable media containing instructions for a processor to implement a plurality of steps comprising:

accessing a time constraint for an entitlement;

determining whether the time constraint has been satisfied; and

responsive to the determination that the time constraint has been satisfied, modifying the entitlement;

wherein the duration of the entitlement is less than the duration of the license for the digital content.

2. The computer readable media of claim 1 wherein the modification of the entitlement comprises revoking the entitlement.

3. The computer readable media of claim 2 wherein the steps further comprise:

determining whether an entity is authorized to modify the time constraint;

responsive to the determination that the entity is authorized to modify the time constraint, accepting a time constraint modification; and

delaying modification of the entitlement until the time constraint modification has been satisfied.

4. The computer readable media of claim 3 wherein the steps further comprise:

delaying the implementation of the time constraint modification until the extension has been approved by a supervisor.

5. The computer readable media of claim 1 wherein the modification of the entitlement comprises allowing an entity to consume the entitlement.

6. The computer readable media of claim 5 wherein the steps further comprise:

determining whether the entitlement has been allocated to the entity;

responsive to the determination that the entitlement has been allocated to the entity, determining whether the entitlement is not already consumed; and

responsive to the determination that the entitlement is not already consumed, allowing an entity to consume the entitlement.

7. The computer readable media of claim 6 wherein the steps further comprise:

responsive to the determination that the entitlement has not been allocated to the entity, preventing the entity from consuming the entitlement.

8. The computer readable media of claim 7 wherein the steps further comprise:

notifying the entity that the entity is not allocated the entitlement.

9. The computer readable media of claim 6 wherein the steps further comprise:

responsive to the determination that the entitlement is consumed, preventing the entity from consuming the entitlement.

10. The computer readable media of claim 9 wherein the steps further comprise:

notifying the entity that the entity has not consumed the entitlement.

11. The computer readable media of claim 1 wherein the modification of the entitlement comprises allocating the entitlement to an entity.

12. A method comprising:

accepting a time constraint for an entitlement;

allocating the entitlement to an entity;

allowing the entity to consume the entitlement;

determining whether the time constraint has been satisfied; and

responsive to the determination that the time constraint has been satisfied, revoking the entitlement from the entity.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the time constraint is a stop date for consuming the entitlement.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the time constraint is a duration based upon the date of allocation.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the time constraint is a duration based upon the date of consumption.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the time constraint is a duration based upon the date of last use.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the entity is allowed to extend the time constraint.

18. A system comprising:

a processor configured to implement a plurality of steps comprising;

accepting a time constraint for an entitlement;

determining whether the time constraint has been satisfied; and

responsive to the determination that the time constraint has been satisfied, modifying the entitlement.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the time constraint is a start date for allocating the entitlement and the modification of the entitlement is allocating the entitlement to an entity.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the time constraint is a start date for consuming the entitlement and the modification of the entitlement is allowing an entity to consume the entitlement.