Systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection

• US 7,076,652 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2001
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Inventors: Ginter, Karl L., Spahn, Francis J., Shear, Victor H., Van Wie, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/764,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 713/153, 713/155, 713/165, 713/189, 713/190, 713/193, 713/27, 713/200, 713/201, 380/230, 380/231, 380/232, 380/233, 705/39, 705/51, 705/52, 705/53, 705/59, 707/9, 707/10, 709/225, 709/226, 711/163, 711/164
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 : Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 : with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 : specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 : Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 : using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 : using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/16 : Copy protection or prevention
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 : Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 : Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 : Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 : Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 : Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 : for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 : Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 : Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 : applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 : for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 : for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 : Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/16 : Implementing security features at a particular protocol layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 : above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/006 : involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• 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: H04L 9/0838 : Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 : Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3218 : using proof of knowledge, e.g. Fiat-Shamir, GQ, Schnorr, ornon-interactive zero-knowledge proofs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 : involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 : the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 : by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 : Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• 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 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 : Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• 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 21/4143 : embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 : for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 : by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• 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 21/83555 : using a structured language for describing usage rules of the content, e.g. REL
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 : Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection. Electronic appliances such as computers equipped in accordance with the present invention help to ensure that information is accessed and used only in authorized ways, and maintain the integrity, availability, and/or confidentiality of the information. Such electronic appliances provide a distributed virtual distribution environment (VDE) that may enforce a secure chain of handling and control, for example, to control and/or meter or otherwise monitor use of electronically stored or disseminated information. Such a virtual distribution environment may be used to protect rights of various participants in electronic commerce and other electronic or electronic-facilitated transactions. Distributed and other operating systems, environments and architectures, such as, for example, those using tamper-resistant hardware-based processors, may establish security at each node. These techniques may be used to support an all-electronic information distribution, for example, utilizing the “electronic highway.”

Claims

1. A method performed at a first site, comprising one or more electronic appliances and a first secure container, the first secure container containing first protected information and having associated a first control set, the method comprising:

using a control from the first control set to govern an aspect of use of the first protected information;

creating a second secure container having associated a second control set for governing an aspect of use of protected information contained within the second secure container;

incorporating a first portion of the first protected information into the second secure container, the first portion made up of some or all of the first protected information;

transmitting identification information to a second site, the identification information at least in part identifying the first portion, the transmission being governed at least in part by a control from the first control set;

transmitting the second secure container to a third site; and

separately transmitting the second control set to the third site.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the first secure container further contains a third secure container having associated a third control set, the third secure container containing the first protected information and the step of incorporating the first portion in the second secure container includes copying or removing the first portion from the third secure container.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the step of creating a second secure container includes:

creating the second control set by incorporating at least one control from the first control set.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the step of incorporating at least one control from the first control set is accomplished in a secure manner.

5. The method of claim 2, in which the step of creating a second secure container includes:

creating the second control set by incorporating at least one control from the third control set.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the step of incorporating at least one control from the third control set is accomplished in a secure manner.

7. The method of claim 2, in which the step of creating a second secure container includes:

creating the second control set by incorporating at least one control not found in the first control set or the third control set.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the step of incorporating at least one control not found in the first control set or the third control set is accomplished in a secure manner.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the step of creating a second secure container is governed at least in part by at least one control contained within the first control set.

10. The method of claim 2, in which the step of creating a second secure container is governed at least in part by at least one control contained within the third control set.

11. The method of claim 2 in which the step of creating a second secure container is governed at least in part by at least one control not contained within the first control set or the third control set.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the first site is associated with a content distributor.

13. The method of claim 12, in which the third site is associated with a user of content.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the following step:

the user directly or indirectly initiating communication with the first site.

15. The method of claim 13, in which the second control set includes one or more controls at least in part governing the use by the user of at least a portion of the first portion of the first protected information.

16. The method of claim 13, in which the second control set includes one or more controls at least in part governing the price to be paid by the user for use of at least a portion of the first portion of the first protected information.

17. The method of claim 13, in which the second control set includes one or more controls at least in part governing or specifying an auditing method to be used in connection with use by the user of at least a portion of the first portion of the first protected information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least some auditing performed in accordance with the auditing method is performed at the third site.

19. The method of claim 17, in which the second control set includes one or more controls at least in part specifying one or more allowed clearinghouses to receive payment information from the user for use of at least a portion of the first portion of the first protected information.

20. The method of claim 17, in which the second control set includes one or more controls at least in part specifying information to be provided by the user in return for use of at least a portion of the first portion of the first protected information.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

encrypting at least a portion of the information to be provided by the user.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a level of compensation required for at least one of (a) the step of transmitting the second secure container;

(b) the step of transmitting the second control set;

or (c) at least one aspect of use at the third site of at least a portion of the first portion of the first protected information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

calling a budget method to establish whether one or more budgets associated with the user are sufficient to satisfy the required compensation; and

blocking the step of transmitting the second secure container, the step of transmitting the second control set, and/or the at least one aspect of use if the budget method establishes that the one or more budgets associated with the user are not sufficient to satisfy the required compensation.

24. The method of claim 22, in which the budget method is governed at least in part by one or more controls contained in the first control set.

25. The method of claim 2, in which the creation of the second secure container further comprises using a template which specifies one or more of the controls contained in the second control set.

26. The method of claim 1, in which the creation of the second secure container further comprises using a template which specifies one or more attributes of the second secure container.

27. The method of claim 1, in which the creation of the second secure container further comprises using a template which specifies one or more of the controls contained in the second control set.

28. An electronic appliance located at a first site comprising:

a memory storing a first secure container having associated a first rule set and containing first protected information; and

a secure processing unit comprising

means for creating a second secure container having associated a second rule set, the means further comprising

means for copying or removing a first rule from the first rule set,

and means for incorporating the first rule in the second rule set;

means by which a rule from the first rule set governs, at least in part, the means for creating a second secure container;

means for copying or removing at least a first portion of the first protected information from the first secure container;

means for copying or transferring the first portion of the first protected information from the first secure container to the second secure container,

the means for copying or transferring operating at least in part

under the control of the first rule set;

memory means for storing identification information at least in part identifying the first portion of the first protected information, the memory means operating at least in part under the control of the first rule set; and

telecommunications means for (a) communicating the identification information to a second site located remotely from the first site;

(b) communicating the second secure container to a third site located remotely from the first and second sites; and

(c) separately communicating the second rule set to the third site.

29. The electronic appliance of claim 28, further comprising means by which a rule from one or both of the first and second rule sets at least in part governs use of the telecommunications means communicating identification information to the second site.

30. A method comprising the steps of

creating a first secure container having associated a first rule set and containing first protected information;

storing the first secure container in a first memory;

creating a second secure container having an associated second rule set;

storing the second secure container in a second memory;

copying or transferring at least a first portion of the first protected information to the second secure container, the copying or transferring step being at least in part governed by a first rule from the first rule set;

in compliance with the first rule, storing information at least in part identifying the first portion;

in compliance with the first rule, communicating at least a portion of the identification information to a remote site;

copying or transferring the second secure container to a second remote site; and

separately copying or transferring the second control set to the second remote site.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the steps of creating the second secure container, and copying the first portion of the first protected information, are securely performed by one or more protected processing environments.

32. The method of claim 30, in which the first portion of the first protected information consists of the entirety of the first protected information.

33. The method of claim 30, in which the first portion of the first protected information consists of less than the entirety of the first protected information.

34. The method of claim 30, in which

the first memory is located at a first site,

the second memory is located at a third site remote from the first site, and

the step of copying or transferring the first portion of the first protected

information to the second secure container further comprises copying or

transferring the first protected information from the first site to the third site.

35. The method of claim 30, in which the first memory and the second memory are located at the same site.

36. The method of claim 35, in which the first memory comprises first addressable memory locations, and the second memory comprises second addressable memory locations in the same address space as the first addressable memory locations.

37. The method of claim 36, in which the first addressable memory locations and the second addressable memory locations are located within the same physical memory device.

38. The method of claim 30, in which the step of copying or transferring the first portion of the first protected information from the first secure container to the second secure container further comprises storing a third secure container in the second secure container.

39. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

creating a third rule set.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

using the third rule set to govern at least one aspect of use of the copied first portion of the first protected information.