Time based availability to content of a storage medium

• US 5,825,876 A
• Filed: 02/12/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, Jr., Mendel Lazear
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/600,173
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 380/3, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 380/49, 380/50, 380/30
• US Class Current: 705/52
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/725 operating on a secure reference time value
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity

Abstract

A service methodology for time based availability to content, such as, movies, music, games, information and the like, provisioned on a storage medium whereby revenue may be generated for premier and pay-per-use access to the content. The service is manifested by the combination of a video disk reader, controller and authorization center. A service provider, for instance, locks up a movie on a video disk for which a premier event viewing date and time may be defined and which the provider may then directly distribute, in advance of the premier event, to potential consumers. Each consumer may purchase the right to view the movie once for a certain fee, for example $5.00, through online access from the controller to the authorization center, but the single viewing will only be allowed by the controller on or after the premier event. Thereafter, the consumer pays for viewing of the movie on a pay-per-use basis or over a defined window of time, perhaps for reduced fee, such as $1.00. Moreover, the online authorization process makes it possible to track consumer preferences at the authorization center, and as an alternative to the online payment processing, smart cards may be utilized for such.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to a data content of a storage medium, comprising the steps of:

defining a start point in time prior to which access to the data content is to be inhibited;

receiving a master clock signal from an authorization center for determining when the start point has been reached;

updating date and time within a clock responsive to receiving the master clock signal;

determining time by the clock; and

enabling, responsive to the determined time effectively reaching the start point, access to the data content.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data content is encrypted and enabling access to the data content includes enabling decryption to the encrypted data.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

requesting access to the encrypted data from the authorization center; and

receiving authorization which includes a key for the decryption of the encrypted data.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of defining the start point includes providing an indication of the start point with the authorization.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of defining the start point includes providing an indication of the start point on the storage medium.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of determining time includes providing a local secure clock for determining the time.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of setting the local secure clock by the authorization center.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the local secure clock is password protected.

9. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of providing a secure device having a time clock for determining the time and a memory in which a key for decryption of the encrypted data is stored.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the secure device is any of a smart card or a PCMCIA card.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of defining the start point includes providing an indication of the start point on the storage medium.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining an expiration point in time; and

inhibiting, responsive to the determined time effectively reaching the expiration point, access to the data content.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data content is encrypted, enabling access to the data content includes enabling decryption of the encrypted data, and inhibiting access to the data content includes inhibiting the decryption of the encrypted data.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

requesting access to the encrypted data from the authorization center; and

receiving authorization which includes a key for the decryption of the encrypted data.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the steps of defining the start point and defining the expiration point includes providing an indication of the start point and an indication of the expiration point with the authorization.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the steps of defining the start point and defining the expiration point includes providing an indication of the start point and an indication of the expiration point on the storage medium.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the steps of defining the start point and defining the expiration point includes providing an indication of the start point and an indication of the expiration point on the storage medium.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

defining a usage limit;

metering usage of the data content; and

inhibiting, responsive to the metered usage reaching the usage limit, access to the data content.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the data content is encrypted, and wherein enabling access to the data content includes enabling decryption of the encrypted data, and wherein inhibiting access to the data content includes inhibiting the decryption of the encrypted data.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

requesting access to the encrypted data from an authorization center; and

receiving authorization which includes a key for the decryption of the encrypted data.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the steps of defining the start point, defining the expiration point and defining the usage limit include providing an indication of the start point, an indication of the expiration point and an indication of the usage limit with the authorization.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the steps of defining the start point, defining the expiration point and defining the usage limit include providing an indication of the start point, an indication of the expiration point and an indication of the usage limit on the storage medium.

23. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the steps of defining the start point, defining the expiration point and defining the usage limit include providing an indication of the start point, an indication of the expiration point and an indication of the usage limit on the storage medium.

24. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data content comprises multiple portions of data which are associated with respective start points and expiration points in time, enabling access to a particular portion of the data content is in response to the determined time effectively reaching the respective start point for that portion and inhibiting access to the particular portion of the data content is in response to the determined time effectively reaching the respective expiration point for that portion.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of determining time includes providing a local secure clock for determining the time.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the local secure clock is password protected.

27. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data content comprises multiple portions of data which are associated with respective start points in time, and enabling access to a particular portion of the data content is in response to the determined time effectively reaching the respective start point for that portion.

28. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage medium is any of a compact disk, CD-ROM, cartridge and digital video disk.

29. An apparatus for controlling access by a user to content of a storage medium, the medium being readable by a corresponding medium reader from which the apparatus is adapted to receive the content, comprising;

means for defining a start point in time prior to which access to the data content is to be inhibited;

means for receiving a master clock signal from an authorization center;

means for determining time and for determining when the start point has been reached; and

means for enabling, responsive to the determined time effectively reaching the start point, access to the data content.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the data content is encrypted and the means for enabling access includes means for enabling decryption of the encrypted data.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30, further comprising:

means for requesting access to the encrypted data from the authorization center; and

means for receiving authorization which includes a key for the decryption of the encrypted data.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein an indication of the start point is provided with the authorization and the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the authorization.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein an indication of the start point is provided on the storage medium and the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the storage medium.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein the means for determining time includes a local secure clock.

35. An apparatus as claimed in claim 34, further comprising means for setting the local secure clock by the authorization center.

36. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the local secure clock is password protected.

37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, further comprising a secure device having a time clock for determining the time and a memory in which a key for decryption of the encrypted data is stored.

38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 37, wherein the secure device is any of a smart card or a PCMCIA card.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein an indication of the start point is provided on the storage medium and the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the storage medium.

40. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, further comprising:

means for defining an expiration point in time; and

means for inhibiting, responsive to the measured time effectively reaching the expiration point, access to the data content.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein the data content is encrypted, and wherein enabling access to the data content includes enabling decryption of the encrypted data, and wherein inhibiting access to the data content includes inhibiting the decryption of the encrypted data.

42. An apparatus as claimed in claim 41, further comprising:

means for requesting access to the encrypted data from the authorization center; and

means for receiving authorization which includes a key for the decryption of the encrypted data.

43. An apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein an indication of the start point and an indication of the expiration point are provided with the authorization, the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the authorization, and the means for defining the expiration point includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the authorization.

44. An apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein an indication of the start point and an indication of the expiration point are provided on the storage medium, the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the storage medium, and the means for defining the expiration point includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the storage medium.

45. An apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein an indication of the start point and an indication of the expiration point are provided on the storage medium, the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the storage medium, and the means for defining the expiration point includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the storage medium.

46. An apparatus as claimed in claim 40, further comprising:

means for defining a usage limit;

means for metering usage of the data content; and

means for inhibiting, responsive to the metered usage reaching the usage limit, access to the data content.

47. An apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein the data content is encrypted, the means for enabling access includes means for enabling decryption of the encrypted data, and the means for inhibiting access includes means for inhibiting the decryption of the encrypted data.

48. An apparatus as claimed in claim 47, further comprising:

means for requesting access to the encrypted data from the authorization center; and

means for receiving authorization which includes a key for the decryption of the encrypted data.

49. An apparatus as claimed in claim 48, wherein an indication of the start point, an indication of the expiration point and an indication of the usage limit are provided with the authorization;

the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the authorization;

the means for defining the expiration point includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the authorization; and

the means for defining the usage limit includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the authorization.

50. An apparatus as claimed in claim 48, wherein an indication of the start point, an indication of the expiration point and an indication of the usage limit are provided on the storage medium;

the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the storage medium;

the means for defining the expiration point includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the storage medium; and

the means for defining the usage limit includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the storage medium.

51. An apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein an indication of the start point, an indication of the expiration point and an indication of the usage limit are provided on the storage medium;

the means for defining the start point includes means for retrieving the start point indication from the storage medium;

the means for defining the expiration point includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the storage medium; and

the means for defining the usage limit includes means for retrieving the expiration point indication from the storage medium.

52. An apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein the data content of the storage medium comprises multiple portions of data which are associated with respective start points and expiration points in time, the means for enabling access operates on a particular portion of the data content in response to the measured time effectively reaching the respective start point for that portion, and the means for inhibiting access operates on the particular portion of the data content in response to the measured time effectively reaching the respective expiration point for that portion.

53. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the means for determining time includes a local secure clock.

54. A method as claimed in claim 53, wherein the local secure clock is password protected.

55. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the data content of the storage medium comprises multiple portions of data which are associated with respective start points in time, and the means for enabling access operates on a particular portion of the data content in response to the determined time effectively reaching the respective start point for that portion.

56. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the storage medium is any of a compact disk, CD-ROM, cartridge and digital video disk.

57. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, further comprising:

means for storing authorization records, wherein the means for storing is adapted to be accessed only by an authorization center.

58. An apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the means for storing is adapted to prevent a user of the apparatus from gaining access to the authorization records within the means for storing.

59. An apparatus as claimed in claim 58, wherein the means for storing authorization records includes means for encrypting the authorization records to create an additional layer of security.

60. An apparatus for controlling access by a user to contents of a storage medium, comprising:

a medium reader for reading the contents of the storage medium;

logic circuitry connected to the medium reader for controlling the medium reader; and

a local secure clock connected to receive time information and an access code from an external source and connected to the logic circuitry to provide time information thereto,

wherein the local secure clock does not update its time information according to the received time information unless a valid access code is received with the time information from the external source.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising:

a store for storing cost and usage information, the store being connected to the logic circuitry to receive usage information therefrom and being connected to receive cost information from the external source, the store also for providing usage information to the external source.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the store for storing cost stores a plurality of different costs according to different types of specified usage conditions.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein a first type of specified usage condition is the time of usage.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein a second type of specified usage condition is the number of times of previous usage.

65. An apparatus for controlling access by a user to contents of a storage medium, comprising:

a medium reader for reading the contents of the storage medium;

logic circuitry connected to the medium reader for controlling the medium reader; and

a store for storing authorization records,

wherein the store is adapted to be accessed only by an authorization center.

66. An apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein the store is adapted to prevent a user of the apparatus from gaining access to the authorization records within the store.

67. An apparatus as claimed in claim 66, wherein the store includes means for encrypting the authorization records to create an additional layer of security.

68. An apparatus as claimed in claim 67, further comprising:

a local secure clock connected to receive time information and an access code from an external source and connected to the logic circuitry to provide time information thereto,

wherein the local secure clock does not update its time information according to the received time information unless a valid access code is received with the time information from the external source.