RIGHTS EXPRESSION PROFILE SYSTEM AND METHOD USING TEMPLATES

• US 20080320599A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: TADAYON, Bijan, LAO, Guillermo, GILLIAM, Charles P., HAM, Manual, RALEY, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/83555 using a structured language for describing usage rules of the content, e.g. REL

Abstract

A system and method for creating a rights expression for association with an item for use in a system for controlling use of the item in accordance with the rights expression, including specifying rights expression information indicating a manner of use of an item, the rights expression information including at least one element, the element having a variable and corresponding value for the variable; and performing an encoding process, including determining an identifier associated with a template corresponding to the rights expression information, extracting from the rights expression information the value for the variable corresponding to the element, and encoding a license adapted to be enforced on a device based on the variable and the identifier, the license including an identification of the template and the value for the variable.

Claims

1. A method for managing use of protected items within a rights management system having a communication network, at least one receiving device configured to receive protected items and at least one consumption device configured to use protected items, comprising:

receiving, by the at least one receiving device, a protected item, use of the protected item being controlled in accordance with usage rights specified in a first format;

generating, at the at least one receiving device, usage rights in a second format from the usage rights in the first format, the second format being a format supported by the at least one consumption device to control use of the protected item;

transferring the usage rights in the second format and the protected item to the at least one consumption device; and

controlling use of the protected item on the at least one consumption device in accordance with the usage rights in the second format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving device is a set top box.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving device is a PC.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one receiving device, the usage rights in the first format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises mapping the usage rights in the first format into a template corresponding to the at least one consumption device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

interpreting the usage rights specified in the first format; and

determining a mapping between the interpreted usage rights and the template.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

querying a knowledge base to determine the template corresponding to the at least one consumption device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second format is a structural format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second format is a binary format.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises evaluating the usage rights in the first format.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second format is a format that is specific to the at least one consumption device.

12. A system for managing use of protected items, the system having a communication network, at least one receiving device configured to receive protected items and at least one consumption device configured to use protected items, the system comprising:

means for receiving, by the at least one receiving device, a protected item, use of the protected item being controlled in accordance with usage rights specified in a first format;

means for generating, at the at least one receiving device, usage rights in a second format from the usage rights in the first format, the second format being a format supported by the at least one consumption device to control use of the protected item;

means for transferring the usage rights in the second format and the protected item to the at least one consumption device; and

means for controlling use of the protected item on the at least one consumption device in accordance with the usage rights in the second format.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one receiving device is a set top box.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one receiving device is a PC.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving, by the at least one receiving device, the usage rights in the first format.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for generating comprises means for mapping the usage rights in the first format into a template corresponding to the at least one consumption device.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for interpreting the usage rights specified in the first format; and

means for determining a mapping between the interpreted usage rights and the template.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for querying a knowledge base to determine the template corresponding to the at least one consumption device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the second format is a structural format.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the second format is a binary format.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for generating comprises means for evaluating the usage rights in the first format.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the second format is a format that is specific to the at least one consumption device.

23. A receiving device for use in a system for managing use of protected items within a rights management system having a communication network, the system including at least one receiving device configured to receive protected items and at least one consumption device configured to use protected items, the receiving device comprising:

means for receiving a protected item, use of the protected item being controlled in accordance with usage rights specified in a first format;

means for generating usage rights in a second format from the usage rights in the first format, the second format being a format supported by the at least one consumption device to control use of the protected item;

means for transferring the usage rights in the second format and the protected item to the at least one consumption device; and

means for controlling use of the protected item on the at least one consumption device in accordance with the usage rights in the second format.

24. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the at least one receiving device is a set top box.

25. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the at least one receiving device is a PC.

26. The receiving device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for receiving the usage rights in the first format.

27. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the means for generating comprises means for mapping the usage rights in the first format into a template corresponding to the at least one consumption device.

28. The receiving device of claim 27, further comprising:

means for interpreting the usage rights specified in the first format; and

means for determining a mapping between the interpreted usage rights and the template.

29. The receiving device of claim 27, further comprising:

means for querying a knowledge base to determine the template corresponding to the at least one consumption device.

30. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the second format is a structural format.

31. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the second format is a binary format.

32. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the means for generating comprises means for evaluating the usage rights in the first format.

33. The receiving device of claim 23, wherein the second format is a format that is specific to the at least one consumption device.