Multiple party content distribution system and method with rights management features

• US 6,996,544 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Imagine Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Imagine Software LLC
• Inventors: Sellars, William, Hunt, David C., Cochran, William K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/248,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/1, 705/50, 380/1, 380/255, 380/268
• US Class Current: 705/51
• 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 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A multiple party system for distributing content. In one embodiment, four parties are involved in the system: a consumer, a service provider, an authenticator, and a content provider. The distribution of content from the content provider to the consumer is carried out using a predefined protocol, mutating IDs, and licenses. The authenticator controls the distribution of mutating IDs and verifies the identity of one or more participating parties.

Claims

1. A method of distributing content requested by a first party, the method comprising:

generating, with a processor, a first mutating identifier associated with the content;

repeatedly mutating a previously generated mutating identifier at at least one subsequent party, starting with the first mutating identifier;

terminating mutating a previously generated mutating identifier when the previously generated mutating identifier is authenticated;

encrypting the content based on the previously authenticated mutating identifier;

distributing the encrypted content to the first party; and

distributing a decryption key to the first party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted content is distributed to the first party by a second party, and the decryption key is distributed to the first party by a third party.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing each of the parties with a license.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising tagging the previously generated mutating identifier with a party license.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein mutating a previously generated mutating identifier further comprises:

tagging the previously mutating identifier with a party license; and

encrypting the previously tagged mutating identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of terminating mutating the previously generated mutating identifier when the previously generated mutating identifier is authenticated further comprises:

decrypting the previously generated mutating identifier; and

validating the decrypted mutating identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a use of the content by a second party.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising discarding the previously generated mutating identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising modifying the first mutating identifier associated with the content after the content has been requested.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a new first mutating identifier associated with the content after the content has been requested.

11. A content distribution system comprising:

an authenticator, the authenticator is configured to randomly generates a content provider license, a service provider license, and a consumer device license;

a content provider device, the content provider device having content and a content identifier, and generating a first mutating identifier associated with the content identifier;

a consumer device, the consumer device operable to generate a request for the content; and

a service provider device, the service provider device configured to receive the request from the consumer device, receive the first mutating identifier from the content provider device, generate a second mutating identifier associated with the first mutating identifier, and distribute the second mutating identifier to the consumer device, the consumer device generating a third mutating identifier associated with the second mutating identifier, and distributing the third mutating identifier to the authenticator, the authenticator obtaining a validation of the request, the authenticator thereafter informing the service provider of the validation of the request, the content provider thereafter encrypting the content and sending the encrypted content to the consumer device while the authenticator sends a decryption code to the consumer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first mutating identifier is modified after the content has been requested.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second mutating identifier is associated with the service provider license.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the third mutating identifier is associated with the consumer device license.

15. A content distribution system comprising:

an authenticator;

a content provider device, the content provider device having content and a content identifier, and generating a first mutating identifier associated with the content identifier;

a consumer device, the consumer device operable to generate a request for the content; and

a service provider device, the service provider device configured to receive the request from the consumer device, receive the first mutating identifier from the content provider device, generate a second mutating identifier associated with the first mutating identifier, and distribute the second mutating identifier to the consumer device, the consumer device generating a third mutating identifier associated with the second mutating identifier, and distributing the third mutating identifier to the authenticator, the authenticator obtaining a validation of the request, which comprises decrypting the third mutating identifier, the authenticator thereafter informing the service provider of the validation of the request, the content provider thereafter encrypting the content and sending the encrypted content to the consumer device while the authenticator sends a decryption code to the consumer.

16. A content distribution system comprising:

an authenticator, wherein the authenticator tracks the use of the content;

a content provider device, the content provider device having content and a content identifier, and generating a first mutating identifier associated with the content identifier;

a consumer device, the consumer device operable to generate a request for the content; and

a service provider device, the service provider device configured to receive the request from the consumer device, receive the first mutating identifier from the content provider device, generate a second mutating identifier associated with the first mutating identifier, and distribute the second mutating identifier to the consumer device, the consumer device generating a third mutating identifier associated with the second mutating identifier, and distributing the third mutating identifier to the authenticator, the authenticator obtaining a validation of the request, the authenticator thereafter informing the service provider of the validation of the request, the content provider thereafter encrypting the content and sending the encrypted content to the consumer device while the authenticator sends a decryption code to the consumer.

17. A content distribution system comprising:

an authenticator;

a content provider device, the content provider device having content and a content identifier, and generating a first mutating identifier associated with the content identifier;

a consumer device, the consumer device operable to generate a request for the content; and

a service provider device, the service provider device configured to receive the request from the consumer device, receive the first mutating identifier from the content provider device, generate a second mutating identifier associated with the first mutating identifier, and distribute the second mutating identifier to the consumer device, the consumer device generating a third mutating identifier associated with the second mutating identifier, and distributing the third mutating identifier to the authenticator, the authenticator obtaining a validation of the request, the authenticator thereafter informing the service provider of the validation of the request, the content provider thereafter encrypting the content and sending the encrypted content to the consumer device while the authenticator sends a decryption code to the consumer, and wherein the plurality of the mutating identifiers are discarded.

18. A content distribution system comprising:

an authenticator;

a content provider device, the content provider device having content and a content identifier, and generating a new first mutating identifier associated with the content and content identifier after the content has been requested;

a consumer device, the consumer device operable to generate a request for the content; and

a service provider device, the service provider device configured to receive the request from the consumer device, receive the first mutating identifier from the content provider device, generate a second mutating identifier associated with the first mutating identifier, and distribute the second mutating identifier to the consumer device, the consumer device generating a third mutating identifier associated with the second mutating identifier, and distributing the third mutating identifier to the authenticator, the authenticator obtaining a validation of the request, the authenticator thereafter informing the service provider of the validation of the request, the content provider thereafter encrypting the content and sending the encrypted content to the consumer device while the authenticator sends a decryption code to the consumer.

19. A method of content distribution, the method comprising:

making a request with a consumer device for content;

associating a first mutating identifier with the content at a content provider;

distributing the first mutating identifier from the content provider to a service provider over a network;

generating a second mutating identifier with the first mutating identifier at the service provider;

distributing the second mutating identifier from a service provider to the consumer device, over a network;

generating a third mutating identifier with the second mutating identifier at the consumer device;

distributing the third mutating identifier from a service provider to an authenticator;

determining the request from the third mutating identifier;

generating encrypted content based on the request at the content provider;

distributing the encrypted content to the consumer device; and

distributing a key from the authenticator to the consumer device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing each identifier with a license.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising tagging the identifier with the license.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein mutating an identifier further comprises:

tagging the identifier with a license; and

encrypting the tagged identifier.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the request from the third mutating identifier further comprises:

decrypting the third mutating identifier; and

validating the decrypted mutating identifier.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising tracking a use of the content.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising discarding the plurality of the mutating identifiers.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising generating a new first mutating identifier associated with the content after the content has been requested.