DIGITAL KEY DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM

• US 20160044130A1
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greenman Gaming
• Original Assignee: Greenman Gaming
• Inventors: PACKHAM, Lee, BANDURSKI, Krzysztof, PHILLIPS, James, SMEDLEY, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,678,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/064 Hierarchical key distribution, e.g. by multi-tier trusted parties

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for distributing digital keys. The method includes the steps of a first database storing a plurality of keys relating to a plurality of products; for each product, transferring keys from the first database to a corresponding cache in a second database; in response to a request for a key for a product, retrieving and distributing a key from the corresponding cache; and refreshing the corresponding cache by transferring further keys from the first database to the corresponding cache. A system for distributing digital keys is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for distributing digital keys, including:

a) a first database storing a plurality of keys relating to a plurality of products;

b) for each product, a server transferring keys from the first database to a corresponding cache in a second database;

c) in response to a request for a key for a product, a server retrieving and distributing a key from the corresponding cache; and

d) refreshing the corresponding cache by a server transferring further keys from the first database to the corresponding cache.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the products are digital products.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein further keys for a product are transferred from the first database to a corresponding cache when the cache falls below a minimum threshold.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a cache for a product falls below a minimum threshold, transferring keys from the first database to the cache up to a maximum threshold for the cache.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the minimum threshold is predefined.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein further keys for a product are transferred from the first database to a corresponding cache periodically.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein keys stored within the first database are assigned a priority.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the priority determines the order in which the keys are transferred to their corresponding cache.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including:

revoking a key within the first database by marking the key as revoked;

wherein revoked keys are not transferred to their corresponding cache.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of products relate to a plurality of providers.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a key is distributed from a cache, the key is popped from the cache.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maximum threshold is predefined.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a separate maximum threshold is predefined for each cache.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the same maximum threshold is predefined for every cache.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when keys are transferred from the first database to the second database, the keys are marked within the first database as used.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein keys are stored within the first database within a group for each product.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein keys are provided in batches to the first database to be stored.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein keys are stored within the first database are associated by batch.

19. A system for distributing digital keys, including:

One or more servers;

a first database; and

a second database;

wherein the system is configured to perform the method of claim 1.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, further including a plurality of requester apparatuses configured to request a key for a product and to receive the requested key from the server.

21. Computer readable non-transitory medium configured to store digital keys distributed by the method of claim 1.