METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO DIGITAL CONTENT

• US 20080244713A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Jogand-Coulomb, Fabrice
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• 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 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

Method for utilizing digital content is provided. The method includes controlling a throughput rate for utilizing the digital content by an accessing system, wherein the throughput rate is associated with information related to the digital content stored as a file.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing digital content, comprising:

controlling a throughput rate for utilizing the digital content by an accessing system, wherein the throughput rate is associated with information related to the digital content stored as a file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the throughput rate is based on a content bit-rate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the content bit rate is determined by a storage system that is aware of a file system structure used for storing the digital content and the storage system is operationally coupled to the accessing system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the content bit rate is received by a storage system that is unaware of a file system structure used for storing the digital content and the storage system is operationally coupled to the accessing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the throughput rate is associated with a digital rights management (DRM) permission in a content license and the content license is used to control access to the digital content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the content license uses a plurality of throughput rates for different operations that are used for utilizing the digital content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the throughput rate is associated with a cipher key that is used to pre-process the digital content before it is utilized.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the throughput rate is delivered with a content license.

9. A method for utilizing digital content, comprising:

controlling a throughput rate for utilizing the digital content by an accessing system, wherein the throughput rate is associated with an access parameter that is used to control access to the digital content stored as a file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the access parameter is associated with an operation for utilizing the digital content,

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the access parameter is a login credential and a security key.

12. A method for utilizing digital content, comprising:

controlling a throughput rate for utilizing the digital content by an accessing system, wherein the throughput rate is associated with information related to the digital content stored as a file and the throughput rate is used as a parameter to delay a pre-processing operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a delay is added to the pre-processing operation by a pre-processing module to achieve a desired throughput rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the delay is fixed.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the delay is variable.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the delay is added after the digital content has been pre-processed by the pre-processing module.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the delay is added after the digital content has been partially pre-processed by the pre-processing module.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-processing module is a cryptographic module performing cryptographic functions.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-processing module is a DRM module that verifies if a user request to access the digital content is permitted.

20. A method for utilizing digital content, comprising:

controlling a throughput rate for utilizing the digital content by an accessing system, wherein the throughput rate is associated with information related to the digital content stored as a file and the throughput rate is controlled by a storage system that is operationally coupled to the accessing system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the storage system receives information regarding the file and the throughput rate is associated with the information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the throughput rate is provided to the storage system using a command.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the storage system processes a security key before releasing the digital content to the accessing system and the throughput rate is associated with the security key.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the throughput rate is set when a request to use the security key is received.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the throughput rate is associated with an account that is used to access the digital content.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the throughput rate is stored by the storage system.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the throughput rate is received by the storage system.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the throughput rate is determined by the storage system.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein a naming schema indicates an operation for utilizing the digital content and the throughput rate is associated with the operation.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the storage system uses a delay to control the throughput rate.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the delay is based on temporarily storing the digital content in an input/output buffer for a duration before releasing the digital content to the accessing system.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the delay is variable.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein a reduced delay is applied when the digital content is initially accessed by the accessing system and the delay is increased as the digital content is utilized by the accessing system.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein no delay is applied when the digital content is initially accessed by the accessing system and the delay is increased as the digital content is utilized by the accessing system.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein the storage system controls sending a busy status to the accessing system and timing for sending the busy status depends on the throughput rate for the digital content.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the storage system is a non-volatile memory device.

38. The method of claim 20, wherein the throughput rate controls display of digital advertisement content to a user before any non-advertisement content is utilized by the accessing system.