System and method for providing conditional access to digital content

• US 6,865,555 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novak, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Application Number:
  US09/990,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/50, 705/54, 705/64, 705/59, 705/57, 705/58, 380200-204, 713200-202
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In response to a user request to view specific digital content, the user'"'"'s set top box (STB) accesses a verification entity via a persistent network connection. The STB establishes the user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity, for instance, by reading identity credentials from a smart card. In response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content, the STB receives a license key from the verification entity. In addition, the STB receives an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content. The license key is used to decrypt the encrypted access key, which is, in turn, used to decrypt the segment of encrypted digital content. A user may transfer his or her license in whole or in part to another user by sending a transfer request to the verification entity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing conditional access to digital content, the method comprising:

accessing a verification entity via a persistent network connection;

establishing a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

receiving a license including a license key from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content;

receiving an encrypted access key from an access key source, the encrypted access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

decrypting the encrypted access key using the license key;

receiving the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

decrypting the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key;

outputting the decrypted segment of digital content to an output device; and

instructing the verification entity to transfer a sublicense comprising at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content a set number of times, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to view the digital content at least a subset of the set number of times.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content during an established time interval, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person view the digital content during at least a subset of the time interval.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of sublicenses based on the license, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to create at least a subset of the set number of sublicenses based on the license.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to

transfer at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a user'"'"'s identity comprises:

providing user identity credentials to the verification entity, wherein the verification entity verifies the user identity credentials and determines whether the user has a license to view the digital content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing user identity credentials comprises:

reading the user identity credentials from a smart card in communication with the entertainment device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an encrypted access key comprises receiving an encrypted access key stream corresponding to a plurality of segments of the encrypted digital content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the segment of encrypted digital content comprises receiving an encrypted digital content stream from the content source.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification entity determines whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content, and wherein the verification entity only sends a license if a different entertainment device does not currently have a license to view the digital content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification entity determines whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content, and wherein the verification entity only sends a license if a different entertainment device does not currently have a valid license to view the digital content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content a set number of times.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of sublicenses based on the license.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of generations of sublicenses based on the license.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content during an established time interval.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the access key is received via the persistent network connection.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted content is received via the persistent network connection.

18. A computer-implemented method for providing conditional access to digital content, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of licenses to view specific digital content, each license being associated with a particular user;

receiving a request from a user of a specific entertainment device to view specific digital content;

verifying the user'"'"'s identity from information within the request;

locating a license for the user to view the digital content;

sending the license associated with the user, the license comprising at least a license key configured to decrypt an access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content; and

transferring a sublicense comprising at least a portion of the license to another person in response to a request from the user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user to transfer at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the license is valid for a set number of viewings, further comprising:

determining that the set number of viewings has not been exhausted prior to the license being sent.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the license is valid for a period of time, further comprising:

determining that the valid time period has not expired prior to the license being sent.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the license is valid for a period of time, further comprising:

determining whether the license is temporarily revoked for a set period of time to enable a sublicense.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein verifying the user'"'"'s identity comprises:

receiving user identity credentials read from a smart card; and

verifying the user identity credentials.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein locating a license comprises:

searching the plurality of licenses for a license corresponding to the user and the requested digital content; and

in response to locating a license associating the user with the requested digital content, extracting from the license a license key configured to decrypt an encrypted access key corresponding to a segment of the digital content.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein sending a license comprises sending the license via a persistent network connection.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content; and

wherein the license is only sent if a different entertainment device does not currently have a license to view the digital content.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the encrypted access key comprises an encrypted access key stream corresponding to a plurality of segments of encrypted digital content.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the segment of encrypted digital content comprises an encrypted digital content stream from the content source.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content a set number of times, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to view the digital content at least a subset of the set number of times.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of sublicenses based on the license, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to create at least a subset of the set number of sublicenses based on the license.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of generations of sublicenses based on the license, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to create at least a subset of the set number of generations of sublicenses based on the license.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the license is disabled for a set period of time corresponding to an established time interval of a sublicense created from the license.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content during an established time interval and wherein the sublicense allows the other person view the digital content during at least a subset of the time interval.

34. The method of claim 18, wherein the access key source comprises physical media.

35. The method of claim 18, wherein the content source comprises physical media.

36. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a network interface that accesses a verification entity via a persistent network connection;

an identification component that establishes a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

a license reception component that receives a license comprising a license key from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content;

an access key reception component that receives an encrypted access key from an access key source, the encrypted access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

an access key decryption component that decrypts the encrypted access key using the license key associated with the license;

an encrypted digital content reception component that receives the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

an encrypted digital content decryption component that decrypts the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key;

an output component that outputs the decrypted segment of digital content to a output device; and

a transfer component that instructs the verification entity to transfer a sublicense comprising at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

37. The system of claim 36,

wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content a set number of times, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to view the digital content at least a subset of the set number of times.

38. The system of claim 36,

wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content during an established time interval, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person view the digital content during at least a subset of the time interval.

39. The system of claim 36,

wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of sublicenses based on the license, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to create at least a subset of the set number of sublicenses based on the license.

40. The system of claim 36,

wherein the transfer component is to receive a request to instruct the verification entity to transfer at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the identification component provides user identity credentials to the verification entity and wherein the verification entity verifies the user identity credentials and determines whether the user has a license to view the digital content.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a smart card reader that reads the user identity credentials from a smart card.

43. The system of claim 36, wherein the access key reception component receives an encrypted access key stream corresponding to a plurality of segments of the encrypted digital content.

44. The system of claim 36, wherein the encrypted digital content reception component receives an encrypted digital content stream from the content source.

45. The system of claim 36, wherein the verification entity determines whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content, and wherein the verification entity only sends a license if a different entertainment device does not currently have a license to view the digital content.

46. The system of claim 36, wherein the verification entity determines whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content, and wherein the verification entity only sends a license if a different entertainment device does not currently have a valid license to view the digital content.

47. The system of claim 36, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content a set number of times.

48. The system of claim 36, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of sublicenses based on the license.

49. The system of claim 36, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of generations of sublicenses based on the license.

50. The system of claim 36, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content during an established time interval.

51. The system of claim 36, wherein the access key is received via the persistent network connection.

52. The system of claim 36, wherein the encrypted content is received via the persistent network connection.

53. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a storage device that stores a plurality of licenses to view specific digital content, each license being associated with a particular user;

a request reception component that receives a request from a user of an entertainment device to view specific digital content;

a verification component that verifies the user'"'"'s identity from information within the request;

a search component that locates a license for the user to view the digital content;

a transmission component that sends the license associated with the user, the license comprising at least a license key configured to decrypt an access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content; and

a transfer component that transfers a sublicense comprising at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

54. The system of claim 53,

wherein the transfer component receives a request from a user to transfer at least a portion of the user'"'"'s license to another person.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the license is valid for a set number of viewings, further comprising:

a license determination component that determines that the set number of viewings has not been exhausted prior to the license being sent.

56. The system of claim 53, wherein the license is valid for a period of time, further comprising:

a license determination component that determines that the valid time period has not expired prior to the license being sent.

57. The system of claim 53, further comprising:

a concurrent use determination component that determines whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content, wherein the license is only sent if a different entertainment device does not currently have the license to view the digital content.

58. The system of claim 53, wherein the verification component receives user identity credentials read from a smart card in communication with an entertainment device and verifies the user identity credentials.

59. The system of claim 53, wherein the search component searches the plurality of licenses for a license corresponding to the user and in response to locating a license associating the user with the requested digital content, the license comprising a license key configured to decrypt an access key corresponding to a segment of the digital content is located.

60. The system of claim 53, wherein the transmission component sends the license via a persistent network connection.

61. The system of claim 53, wherein the encrypted access key comprises an encrypted access key stream corresponding to a plurality of segments of encrypted digital content.

62. The system of claim 53, wherein the segment of encrypted digital content comprises an encrypted digital content stream from the content source.

63. The system of claim 53, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content a set number of times, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to view the digital content at least a subset of the set number of times.

64. The system of claim 53, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of sublicenses based on the license, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to create at least a subset of the set number of sublicenses based on the license.

65. The system of claim 53, wherein the license comprises a license to create a set number of generations of sublicenses based on the license, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person to create at least a subset of the set number of generations of sublicenses based on the license.

66. The system of claim 53, wherein the license is disabled for a set period of time corresponding to an established time interval of a sublicense created from the license.

67. The system of claim 53, wherein the license comprises a license to view the digital content during an established time interval, and wherein the sublicense allows the other person view the digital content during at least a subset of the time interval.

68. A computer-implemented method for providing conditional access to digital content, the method comprising:

accessing a verification entity via a persistent network connection;

establishing a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

receiving a license from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content, wherein the license comprises an expiration time;

receiving an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

decrypting the encrypted access key using the license;

receiving the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

decrypting the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key;

outputting the decrypted segment of digital content to an output device;

storing the license in volatile memory of the entertainment device;

disconnecting from the persistent network connection; and

in response to the expiration time being passed, deleting the stored license key from the volatile memory.

69. A computer-implemented method for providing conditional access to digital content, the method comprising:

accessing a verification entity via a persistent network connection;

establishing a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

receiving a license from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content, wherein the license comprises an expiration time;

receiving an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

decrypting the encrypted access key using the license;

receiving the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

decrypting the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key;

outputting the decrypted segment of digital content to an output device;

storing the license in volatile memory of the entertainment device;

disconnecting from the persistent network connection; and

in response to the expiration time being passed, blocking access to the stored license key.

70. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a network interface that accesses a verification entity via a persistent network connection;

an identification component that establishes a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

a license reception component that receives a license from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content;

an access key reception component that receives an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

an access key decryption component that decrypts the encrypted access key using a license key associated with the license;

an encrypted digital content reception component that receives the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

an encrypted digital content decryption component that decrypts the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key; and

an output component that outputs the decrypted segment of digital content to a output device;

wherein the license comprises an expiration time, wherein the license reception component stores the license in volatile memory, wherein the network interface disconnects from the persistent network connection, and wherein the license reception component deletes the stored license in response to the expiration time being passed.

71. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a network interface that accesses a verification entity via a persistent network connection;

an identification component that establishes a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

a license reception component that receives a license from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content;

an access key reception component that receives an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

an access key decryption component that decrypts the encrypted access key using a license key associated with the license;

an encrypted digital content reception component that receives the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

an encrypted digital content decryption component that decrypts the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key; and

an output component that outputs the decrypted segment of digital content to a output device;

wherein the license comprises an expiration time, wherein the license reception component stores the license in volatile memory, and wherein the network interface disconnects from the persistent network connection, and wherein the license reception component blocks access to the stored license in response to the expiration time being passed.

72. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a storage device that stores a plurality of licenses to view specific digital content, each license being associated with a particular user;

a request reception component that receives a request from a user of an entertainment device to view specific digital content;

a verification component that verifies the user'"'"'s identity from information within the request;

a search component that locates a license for the user to view the digital content, wherein the license is valid for a period of time; and

a transmission component that sends the license associated with the user, the license comprising at least a license key configured to decrypt an access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

wherein the verification component is further to determine whether the license is temporarily revoked for a set period of time to enable a sublicense.

73. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a network interface that accesses a verification entity via a temporary network connection;

an identification component that establishes a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

a license reception component that receives a license from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content;

a volatile memory that temporarily stores the license;

an access key reception component that receives an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

an access key decryption component that decrypts the encrypted access key using a stored license key associated with the license, the license key comprising an expiration time;

an encrypted digital content reception component that receives the segment of encrypted digital content from a content source;

an encrypted digital content decryption component that decrypts the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key;

an output component that outputs the decrypted segment of digital content to a output device; and

a license deletion component that, in response to the expiration time being passed, deletes the stored license from the volatile memory.

74. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a network interface that accesses a verification entity via a temporary network connection;

an identification component that establishes a user'"'"'s identity with the verification entity;

a license reception component that receives a license from the verification entity in response to the verification entity having stored a license for the user to view the digital content;

a volatile memory that temporarily stores the license;

an access key reception component that receives an encrypted access key from an access key source corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content;

an access key decryption component that decrypts the encrypted access key using a stored license key associated with the license, the license key comprising an expiration time;

an encrypted digital content reception component that receives the segment or encrypted digital content from a content source;

an encrypted digital content decryption component that decrypts the segment of encrypted digital content using the decrypted access key;

an output component that outputs the decrypted segment of digital content to a output device; and

a license deletion component that, in response to the expiration time being passed, blocks access to the stored license.

75. A computer-implemented method for providing conditional access to digital content, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of licenses to view specific digital content, each license being associated with a particular user of an entertainment device;

receiving a request from a user of a specific entertainment device to view specific digital content;

verifying the user'"'"'s identity from information within the request;

locating a license for the user to view the digital content;

determining whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content; and

sending the license to the user in response to a different entertainment device not currently having a license to view the digital content, the license comprising at least a license key configured to decrypt an access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content.

76. A system for providing conditional access to digital content, the system comprising:

a storage device that stores a plurality of licenses to view specific digital content, each license being associated with a particular user;

a request reception component that receives a request from a user of a specific entertainment device to view specific digital content;

a verification component that verifies the user'"'"'s identity from information within the request;

a search component that locates a license for the user to view the digital content;

a concurrent use determination component that determines whether a different entertainment device currently has a license to view the digital content; and

a transmission component that sends the license to the user in response to a different entertainment device not currently having a license to view the digital content, the license comprising at least a license key configured to decrypt an access key corresponding to a segment of encrypted digital content.