System and methods providing secure delivery of licenses and content

• US 7,051,004 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Macrovision Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Nuttall, Francois-Xavier, Collier, David Charles, Fenney, Robert J., Capitant, Patrice J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US10/041,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 705 51- 59, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/1, 707/100, 707/102, 707/101, 707/3, 365/49, 365/189.07, 365/154, 365/190, 709/223
• 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 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A computer network having a requesting node and a providing node permits data transfer therebetween when permitted by an authorizing node. Reports generated in response to authorizations and reports generated in response to data transfers are reconciled at a reconciliation node to improve the accuracy of payments collected and paid for use of the data. Such payments include copyright royalties for audio, video, and other works recorded in digital format.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a product from a requesting node, the request received by a providing node;

providing the request from the providing node to an authorizing node;

receiving a permit from the authorizing node in response to the request, conveying a first electronic digital data in a first protected transfer to deliver the permit to the requesting node;

conveying a second electronic digital data in a second protected transfer to deliver a product to the requesting node identified by the permit;

preventing the requesting node from identifying the authorizing node;

receiving at least two reports from a plurality of reports during a time period wherein the plurality of reports include a permit request report, a permit delivery report, a product delivery request report, a product delivery commencement report, and a product delivery completion report;

grouping reports into tuples of related reports;

determining whether a particular report is unmatched;

determining whether a particular tuple is incomplete; and

providing notice of a breach of security in accordance with at least one of whether the particular report is unmatched and whether the particular tuple is incomplete.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the requesting node and the providing node communicate via a public network without a firewall between the providing node and the public network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

a first delivering system conveys the permit responsive to a public network link to the requesting node;

and

a second delivering system conveys the product responsive to a public network link to the requesting node.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the permit is encrypted.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for the product comprises at least a portion of the permit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each request is received via a public network link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the product comprises at least one of a digital work, a file, an audio recording, a video recording, an executable program, a document, a multimedia program, and content.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein conveying the second digital data comprises or downloading the product in entirety.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein conveying the second digital data comprises streaming the product.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein conveying the first digital data comprises:

detecting a prerequisite event, the event being at least one of receiving a notice that payment for the permit has been assured by a provided process; and

conveying third electronic digital data across an interface and from a port in accordance with a protocol that denies entry into a state for transferring the permit unless the event is detected.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein conveying the second digital data comprises:

detecting a prerequisite event, the event being at least one of receiving a notice, receiving at least a portion of the permit, receiving a key for encrypting the product, and determining a network address for delivering the product; and

conveying third electronic digital data across an interface and from a port in accordance with a protocol that denies entry into a state for transferring the product unless the event is detected.

12. A system comprising:

means for receiving a request for a product from a requesting node, the request received by a providing node;

means for providing the request to an authorizing node;

means for receiving a permit from the authorizing node in response to the request;

means for conveying a first electronic digital data in a first protected transfer to deliver the permit to the requesting node;

means for conveying a second electronic digital data in a second protected transfer to deliver a product to the requesting node identified by the permit;

preventing the requesting node from identifying the authorizing node;

second means for receiving at least two reports from a plurality of reports during a time period, wherein the plurality of reports include a permit request report, a permit delivery report, a product delivery request report, a product delivery commencement report, and a product delivery completion report;

means for grouping reports into tuples of related reports;

means for determining whether a particular report is unmatched;

means for determining whether a particular tuple is incomplete; and

means for providing notice of a breach of security in accordance with at least one of whether the particular report is unmatched and whether the particular tuple is incomplete.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the requesting node and the providing node communicate via a public network without a firewall between the providing node and the public network.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein

a first means for delivering conveys the permit responsive to a public network link to the means for receiving;

and

a second a means for delivering conveys the product responsive to a public network link to the means for receiving.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein a portion of the permit is encrypted.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the request for the product comprises at least a portion of the permit.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein each respective request is received via a public network link.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the product comprises at least one of a digital work, a file, an audio recording, a video recording, an executable program, a document, a multimedia program, and content.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for conveying the second digital data comprises means for downloading the product in entirety.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for conveying the second digital data comprises means for streaming the product.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for conveying the first digital data comprises:

means for detecting a prerequisite event, the event being at least one of receiving a notice that payment for the permit has been assured by a provided process; and

means for conveying third electronic digital data across an interface and from a port in accordance with a protocol that denies entry into a state for transferring electronic digital data of the permit unless the event is detected.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for conveying the second digital data comprises:

means for detecting a prerequisite event, the event being at least one of receiving a notice, receiving at least a portion of the permit, receiving a key for encrypting the product, and determining a network address for delivering the product; and

means for conveying third electronic digital data across an interface and from a port in accordance with a protocol that denies entry into a state for transferring electronic digital data of the product unless the event is detected.

23. A method for reducing risk of unauthorized access to an electronic digital data product, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a product from a requesting system, the request received by a delivery system;

providing the request to an authorizing node;

receiving a permit from the authorizing node in response to the request;

conveying a first electronic digital data in a first protected transfer to deliver the permit to the requesting node;

conveying a second electronic digital data in a second protected transfer to deliver a product to the requesting node identified by the permit;

preventing the requesting system from identifying the authorizing node;

receiving at least two reports from a plurality of reports during a time period, wherein the plurality of reports include a permit request report, a permit delivery report, a product delivery request report, a product delivery commencement report, and a product delivery completion report;

grouping reports into tuples of related reports;

determining whether a particular report is unmatched;

determining whether a particular tuple is incomplete; and

providing notice of a breach of security in accordance with at least one of whether the particular report is unmatched and whether the particular tuple is incomplete.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein

the delivery system conveys the permit responsive to a public network link to the receiving system;

a second delivering system conveys the product responsive to a public network link to the receiving system.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein a portion of the permit is encrypted.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the request for the electronic digital data product comprises at least a portion of the permit.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein each request is received via a public network link.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the product comprises at least one of a digital work, a file, an audio recording, a video recording, an executable program, a document, a multimedia program, and content.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein conveying the second digital data comprises downloading the product in entirety.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein conveying the second digital data comprises streaming the product.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein conveying the first digital data comprises:

detecting a prerequisite event, the event being at least one of receiving a notice that payment for the permit has been assured by a provided process; and

conveying electronic digital data across an interface and from a port in accordance with a protocol that denies entry into a state for transferring electronic digital data of the permit unless the event is detected.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein conveying the portion of the electronic digital data product comprises:

detecting a prerequisite event, the event being at least one of receiving a notice, receiving at least a portion of the permit, receiving a key for encrypting the product, and determining a network address for delivering the product; and

conveying electronic digital data across an interface and from a port in accordance with a protocol that denies entry into a state for transferring electronic digital data of the electronic digital data product unless the event is detected.