Method and system for restricted biometric access to content of packaged media

• US 20090113529A1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Beckwitt, Marc, Abram, Philip Michael, Siegel, Brian, Gudorf, Gregory D., Tobin, Christopher M., Raymond, Brian, Iso, Kazuaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A system, method, and user device for restricting access to the content of media over a network. Biometric information is collected and compared against pre-stored biometric information of a user to authenticate the identity of the user. The user then requests access to the content of a medium. Access is permitted to the requested content if the content is identified as content, or indicia identifying the content, that the user previously uploaded to the server. Access is denied to the requested content if the content is not identified as content, or indicia identifying the content, that the user previously uploaded to the server.

Claims

1. A digital content playing device to restrict access to digital content on a communications network, comprising:

a digital content player to play for a user of the digital content playing device digital content received over the network; and

a biometric measuring component, coupled with the digital content player, the biometric measuring component to measure biometric information of the user;

wherein the digital content playing device is configured to generate an authentication signal at the digital content playing device if a coincidence exists between reference fingerprint data of a fingerprint stored at the digital content playing device and measured fingerprint data of a fingerprint measured by the biometric component of the digital content playing device,

wherein the digital content playing device is configured to transmit the authentication signal across a network to a server to authenticate the user of the digital content playing device with the server so that the successful transmission of the authentication signal to the server permits the digital content playing device to access protected playable digital content.

2. The digital content playing device of claim 1 wherein the digital content comprises digital audio data.

3. The digital content playing device of claim 1 wherein the digital content player is configured to receive the protected playable digital content as a data stream upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

4. The digital content playing device of claim 1 wherein the digital content player is configured to receive the protected playable digital content as a data download upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

5. The digital content playing device of claim 1 wherein the digital content playing device is further configured to transmit through the network the playable digital content that is accessed upon successful receipt of an authentication signal at the server.

6. The digital content playing device of claim 1, wherein the digital content playing device is a portable device.

7. A method for restricting access to playable digital content on a network, comprising the steps of:

measuring biometric information of a user with a biometric component of a digital content playing device;

generating an authentication signal at the digital content playing device if a coincidence exists between reference fingerprint data of a fingerprint stored at the digital content playing device and measured fingerprint data of a fingerprint measured by the biometric component of the digital content playing device,

with the digital content playing device, transmitting the authentication signal across the network to a server to authenticate the user of the digital content playing device with the server so that the successful transmission of the authentication signal to the server permits the digital content playing device to access protected playable digital content; and

playing the protected playable digital content received over the network on the digital content playing device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the protected playable digital content comprises digital audio data.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the digital content player receives the protected playable digital content as a data stream upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the digital content player receives the protected playable digital content as a data download upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the digital content playing device transmits through the network the playable digital content that is accessed upon successful receipt of an authentication signal at the server.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the digital content playing device is a portable device.

13. A digital content playing device to restrict access to digital content on a communications network, comprising:

a digital content player to play for a user of the digital content playing device digital content received over the network; and

a biometric measuring component, coupled with the digital content player, the biometric measuring component to measure biometric information of the user,

wherein the digital content playing device is configured to generate an authentication signal at the digital content playing device if a coincidence exists between reference fingerprint data of a fingerprint stored at the digital content playing device and measured fingerprint data of a fingerprint measured by the biometric component of the digital content playing device,

wherein the digital content playing device is configured to transmit the authentication signal across a network to a server to authenticate the user of the digital content playing device with the server so that the successful transmission of the authentication signal to the server permits the digital content playing device to access protected playable digital content, and

wherein the digital content playing device is further configured to transmit through the network the playable digital content that is accessed upon successful receipt of an authentication signal at the server.

14. The digital content playing device of claim 13 wherein the digital content comprises digital audio data.

15. The digital content playing device of claim 13 wherein the digital content player is configured to receive the protected playable digital content as a data stream upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

16. The digital content playing device of claim 13 wherein the digital content player is configured to receive the protected playable digital content as a data download upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

17. A method for restricting access to playable digital content on a network, comprising:

measuring biometric information of a user with a biometric component of a digital content playing device;

generating an authentication signal at the digital content playing device if a coincidence exists between reference fingerprint data of a fingerprint stored at the digital content playing device and measured fingerprint data of a fingerprint measured by the biometric component of the digital content playing device,

with the digital content playing device, transmitting the authentication signal across the network to a server to authenticate the user of the digital content playing device with the server so that the successful transmission of the authentication signal to the server permits the digital content playing device to access protected playable digital content;

from the digital content playing device, transmitting through the network the playable digital content that is accessed upon successful receipt of an authentication signal at the server; and

playing the protected playable digital content received over the network on the digital content playing device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the protected playable digital content comprises digital audio data.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the digital content player receives the protected playable digital content as a data stream upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the digital content player receives the protected playable digital content as a data download upon the successful transmission of the authentication signal.