Digital rights management flexible continued usage system and method

• US 20080147556A1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NBC Universal Incorporated (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Gilder, Mark Richard, Smith, William David, Zingelewicz, Virginia Ann
• Granted Patent: US 10,120,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/57
• 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 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A digital rights management (DRM) scheme enables a user having a valid license to digital content to create one or more copies of the content. The number of copies is limited by the DRM scheme. However, if the user is not connected or connectable to the content provider or licensing party when additional copies are desired, the user is permitted to create one or more additional copies without deleting or disabling other copies even though the additional copies exceed the number otherwise permitted by the DRM scheme. The number of such “float” copies may be limited. Rights to such additional copies may be withdrawn during a subsequent connection session between the user and the content provider.

Claims

1. A method for permitting access to digital content comprising:

permitting creation of a first copy of the digital content by a user in accordance with a DRM scheme; and

permitting creation of a further copy of the digital content without the deletion or disabling of the first copy although the further copy exceeds a number of licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the digital content to the user by network link to a remote content provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the further copy is permitted only if the user has a valid license to the first copy of the digital content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first copy is permitted to subsist without deletion or disabling when the further copy is created during a time when the device with the first copy is not connected to a content provider via a network link.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising removing permission for the first copy when the device on which it resides is later connected to the content provider via the network link

6. The method of claim 1, comprising removing permission for either the first or the further copy after a predetermined time period.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising updating a local license registry upon creation of the first and further copies.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein creation of the further copy is permitted only if the number of copies previously created in excess of the licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme is not greater than a predetermined maximum.

9. A method for permitting access to digital content comprising:

permitting creation of a first copy of the digital content by a user in accordance with a DRM scheme;

permitting creation of a further copy of the digital content when the user is not connected to a content provider via a network link, without the deletion or disabling of the first copy although the further copy exceeds a number of licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme; and

removing permission for either the first or the further copy while the user is later connected to the content provider via a network link.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein creation of the further copy of the digital content creates an event that is added to a user side process queue and that is processed with the content provider when the user is later connected to the content provider via the network link

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the DRM scheme maintains a user side license registry, and wherein the user side license registry is synchronized with a content provider license registry when the user is later connected to the content provider via the network link.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein creation of the further copy is permitted only if the user has a valid license to the first copy of the digital content.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein creation of the further copy is permitted only if the number of copies previously created in excess of the licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme is not greater than a predetermined maximum.

14. A system for sharing digital content comprising:

an application component configured to permit creation of a first copy of the digital content by a user in accordance with a DRM scheme, and to permit creation of a further copy of the digital content without the deletion or disabling of the first copy although the further copy exceeds a number of licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the application component removes permission for either the first or the further copy while the user is later connected to the content provider via a network link.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the application component is configured to create an event that is added to a user side process queue upon creation of the further copy of the digital content.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the application component is configured to process the event with a content provider when the user is later connected to the content provider via the network link

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the application component maintains a user side license registry, and wherein the user side license registry is synchronized with a content provider license registry when the user is later connected to a content provider via the network link.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the application component is configured to permit creation of the further copy only if the user has a valid license to the first copy of the digital content.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein creation of the further copy is permitted only if the number of copies previously created in excess of the licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme is not greater than a predetermined maximum.

21. A system for sharing digital content comprising:

means for permitting creation of a first copy of the digital content by a user in accordance with a DRM scheme; and

means for permitting creation of a further copy of the digital content without the deletion or disabling of the first copy although the further copy exceeds a number of licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme.

22. The system of claim 21, comprising means for providing the digital content to the user by network link to a remote content provider.

23. The system of claim 21, comprising means for synchronizing licenses to the digital content between the user and a content provider.

24. A system for permitting access to digital content comprising:

means for permitting creation of a first copy of the digital content by a user in accordance with a DRM scheme;

means for permitting creation of a further copy of the digital content when the user is not connected to a content provider via a network link, without the deletion or disabling of the first copy although the further copy exceeds a number of licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme; and

means for removing permission for either the first or the further copy when the user is later connected to the content provider via a network link.

25. The system of claim 24, comprising means for synchronizing licenses to the digital content between the user and a content provider.

26. A method for sharing digital content comprising:

receiving a user request for creating a copy of digital content;

executing a DRM routine in response to the request; and

permitting creation of a further copy of the digital content without the deletion or disabling of a first copy of the digital content although the further copy exceeds a number of licensed copies allowable by the DRM scheme.