Authorization rights for operational components

• US 20090165127A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Secure3Dp+ Pte. Ltd. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rinaldo, John D. JR., Tegreene, Clarence T., Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Malamud, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,818,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

Various methods and systems include exemplary implementations for a security-activated operational component. Possible embodiments include but are not limited to obtaining access to an object data file configured to implement various functional operation regarding one or more objects; verifying validity of an authorization code associated with the object data file; and controlling operation of the operational component to enable or prevent its activation pursuant to the authorization code in accordance with one or more predetermined conditions.

Claims

1. A method for implementing authorization rights regarding a security-controlled process, comprising:

obtaining access to an object data file configured to implement the security-controlled process that involves creating or producing or duplicating or processing or testing one or more objects;

further obtaining a digital rights management code that provides access protection to the object data file;

determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to a permission agreement having a predetermined condition requiring qualitative or quantitative monitoring of the security-controlled process; and

pursuant to processing the digital rights management code, providing interaction with an operational component of the security-controlled process in accordance with the predetermined condition to enable or prevent activation of the operational component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the aspect of the security-controlled process is dependent on one or more of the following predetermined conditions;

benchmark comparison, temporal milestone, time period restriction, output quantity limitation, machine qualification, operator qualification, event occurrence, and quality certification.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that a functional aspect of the operational component is dependent on an intellectual property provision or a third party ownership provision of the permission agreement.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that usage of the object data file is dependent on a copyright ownership provision of the permission agreement.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to one or more types of output objects of the security-controlled process.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to one or more types of output data of the security-controlled process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to one or more types of output results of the security-controlled process.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to a product creation type of operational component.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to a product manufacturing type of operational component.

10. The method for implementing authorization rights of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to a product duplication type of operational component.

11. The method for implementing authorization rights of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to a product processing type of operational component.

12. The method for implementing authorization rights of claim 1 wherein said determining that an aspect of the security-controlled process is subject to the permission agreement includes:

determining that the predetermined condition of the permission agreement is applicable to a product testing type of operational component.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the permission agreement is applicable to a payment provision or authorization status regarding the operational component.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining access to an object data file includes:

obtaining access to the object data file that includes one or more of operational instructions and/or a production model file and/or a computer-aided design (CAD) solid model file and/or a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) file.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing limited access to the object data file by deciphering the digital rights management code that includes one or more of a digital certificate, private/public key, redundancy check, error checking algorithm, checksum code and/or cryptographic hash function.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the interaction in accordance with the predetermined condition of the permission agreement, which interaction includes enabling or preventing a manufacturing operation using one or more polymer materials.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the interaction in accordance with the predetermined condition of the permission agreement, which interaction includes enabling or preventing a production operation involving one or more of the following;

rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing, three-dimensional manufacturing or printing, two-dimensional manufacturing or printing, freeform fabrication, and stereolithography.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the interaction which includes enabling or preventing functioning of a physical aspect of the operational component based on compliance with the predetermined condition of the permission agreement.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the interaction which includes enabling or preventing a read function of the object data file based on compliance with the predetermined condition of the permission agreement.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the interaction in accordance with the predetermined condition of the permission agreement, which interaction includes enabling or disabling one or more of the following types of operational components;

production device, testing device, creative tool, duplication unit, packaging assembly, chemical process apparatus, injection molding unit, subtraction machine, stamping machine, extrusion machine, melting machine, die-casting machine, solidifying machine, custom manufacturing, rapid prototyping device, and robotic manufacturing line.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a computer readable medium for encoding instruction to execute one or more acts to carry out the method recited in claim 1 regarding a security-controlled process subject to a permission agreement

22. A security system for implementing authorization rights regarding a security-controlled process, the system comprising:

a digital rights management code that is configured to control an operational component involved in a functional operation to create or produce or duplicate or process or test an object;

a verification module capable of interacting with the operational component to obtain monitoring data regarding predetermined conditions required by a permission agreement, wherein the verification module is operably coupled to the digital rights management code and operably coupled to the operational component; and

an object data file associated with the digital right management code, wherein the object data file is configured to activate or disable the operational component based on confirmation from the verification module regarding compliance with the predetermined conditions.

23. The security system of claim 22 wherein the verification module is configured for enabling or preventing one or more of the following types of manufacturing in accordance with the digital rights management code and based on the predetermined conditions of the permission agreement:

computer numerical controlled fabrication, micro-fabrication, injection molding, additive manufacturing, robotic production, packaging, engraving, casting, plating, coating, glazing, laminating, and bonding.

24. The security system of claim 22 wherein verification module is configured for enabling or preventing the object data file to become readable by the operational component if the digital rights management code passes a compare function associated with a machine identifier.

25. The security system of claim 22 wherein the verification module is configured for enabling or disabling the operational component dependent on one or more of the following predetermined conditions:

benchmark comparison, temporal milestone, time period restriction, output quantity limitation, machine qualification, operator qualification, event occurrence, and quality certification.

26. The security system of claim 22 wherein the verification module is configured for enabling or disabling one or more of the following types of operational devices:

chemical process apparatus, product packaging, injection molding unit, subtraction machine, additive manufacture unit, two-dimensional production technique, three-dimensional production technique, stamping machine, extrusion machine, melting machine, die-casting machine, solidifying machine, manufacturing system, rapid prototyping device, and robotic production line.