USING TRUSTED THIRD PARTIES TO PERFORM DRM OPERATIONS

• US 20090307780A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dubhashi, Kedarnath A., Reneris, Kenneth S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,245,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• 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]

Abstract

Various embodiments utilize a third party, such as a trusted third-party, to perform DRM operations such as “move” operations. In at least some embodiments, the trusted third-party is utilized for both “move” operations as well as local content access such as playback and the like. In at least some embodiments, a third-party maintains a database that includes an association of clients, content, and move version numbers. A client—termed a “source client” maintains at least a move version number locally in a secure fashion. The version number is incremented each time the source client performs a move operation. Both the source client and the third-party increment the version number each time a piece of content is moved. When the client attempts to perform a move operation, it contacts the third-party to ascertain the third-party'"'"'s move version number. If the move version numbers match and the source client owns the license/content, then, in at least some embodiments, a move operation is permitted.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining at least a move version number on a client computing device, the move version number being associated with content that has been moved to another computing device;

sending a message to a trusted third-party indicating that a move operation is desired;

receiving a communication from the trusted third-party indicating approval of the move operation;

conducting the move operation; and

incrementing the move version number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said maintaining further comprises maintaining a move list that describes content that has been moved to another computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said maintaining further comprises maintaining a move list that describes content that has been moved to another computing device and further comprising receiving a list of license IDs from the trusted third-party and maintaining the list of license IDs in the move list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trusted third-party comprises a server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the trusted third-party comprises an entity other than a server.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, responsive to conducting the move operation, deleting an associated license and content associated with the license from the client computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a request to the trusted third-party for a move version number maintained by the trusted third-party;

receiving a message indicating the move version number maintained by the trusted third-party;

comparing the move version number maintained by the trusted third-party with the move version number maintained by the client computing device; and

allowing consumption of associated content if the move version numbers match.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said sending a request is performed responsive to attempting to bind a license to a particular piece of content.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising ascertaining whether a license ID associated with a particular piece of content appears on a move list maintained by the client computing device, wherein the move list describes content that has been moved to another computing device and, performing said allowing if the license ID does not appear on the move list.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said allowing is performed if a move list maintained by the client computing device has been updated within a defined period of time, wherein the move list describes content that has been moved to another computing device.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a message from a client computing device indicating that a move operation is desired;

allowing or denying the move operation; and

incrementing a move version number responsive to allowing the move operation.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

prior to said allowing, ascertaining whether a move operation has been performed on content identified in the message; and

performing said allowing if a move operation has not been performed on the content identified in the message.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising returning a list of license IDs to the client computing device, wherein the list of license IDs is configured to be utilized in a move list maintained by the client computing device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of receiving is performed by a server.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of receiving is performed by an entity other than a server.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving a request from the client computing device for a move version number;

and returning a message to the client computing device indicating the move version number.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising maintaining an allow list that indicates which entities can play which content.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising setting a threshold that defines how long data is to be maintained on a move list, wherein the move list describes content that has been moved by the client computing device.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media embodying computer-readable instructions which, when executed, implement a method comprising:

sending, using a client computing device, a request to a trusted third-party server for a move version number, wherein said sending is performed responsive to attempting to bind a license with a particular piece of content;

receiving a message from the trusted third-party server indicating the move version number;

comparing a received move version number with a locally-maintained move version number;

if the move version numbers do not match, disallowing binding of the license; and

if the move versions match, allowing binding of the license.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises prior to allowing binding of the license, ascertaining whether a license ID associated with the particular piece of content appears on a move list maintained by the client computing device and allowing binding of the license if the license ID does not appear on the move list.