System and method for dynamically extending a DRM system using authenticated external DPR modules

• US 7,093,296 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nusser, Stefan, Mahlbacher, James C., Contessa, Luca, Koeppen, Eckhart, Medina, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Barren, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US10/051,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200
• US Class Current: 726/26
• 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]

Abstract

A rights management module controls access to a data set by processing requests for flexibly defined types of access to the data set and determines if the requested access may be granted. The requester'"'"'s right for the requested type of access is verified by a verification module that may be part of the rights management core or verified through expansion rights verification modules. Extension verification modules may be contained within the data set itself or obtained from a separate store. Extension verification modules are authenticated by the rights management core.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a data set, the method on a computer system comprising:

retrieving a digital property rights list identifying at least a first associated digital property rights module and at least a second associated digital property rights module, wherein the at least first associated digital property rights module resides in a Digital Rights Management core, and wherein the at least second associated digital property rights module is an associated extension rights control module that is separate from the Digital Rights Management core;

retrieving, in response to the associated extension rights control module not being installed, the associated extension rights control module specified in the digital property rights list for generating an authorization for a desired type of access to a data set, wherein the associated extension rights control module verifies that a set of usage conditions associated with the desired type of access has been satisfied;

wherein upon the retrieving of the associated extension rights control module, the Digital Rights Management core performs the following;

requesting the authorization for the desired type of access to the data set through the associated extension rights control module;

receiving the authorization from the associated extension rights control module if the set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied; and

granting, in response to receipt of the authorization, the desired type of access to the data set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the associated extension rights control module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data set comprises at least one of a multi-media presentation, an audio program, a database and a document data set.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated extension rights control module is installed prior to the step of requesting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated extension rights control module is located in at least one of the data set, a remote device and an external Digital Property Rights library.

6. A method, in a Digital Rights Management core, for controlling access to a data set, the method comprising:

accepting a rights request to a data set, wherein the data set is associated with a digital property rights list specified in a rights management language, wherein the digital property rights list identifies at least a first associated digital property rights module and at least a second associated digital property rights module, wherein the at least first associated digital property rights module resides in the Digital Rights Management core, and wherein the at least second associated digital property rights module is an associated extension rights control module that is separate from the Digital Rights Management core;

determining if the rights request is contained within the digital property rights list;

determining if the associated extension rights control module is required to authorize a requested right that is specified by the rights request;

retrieving the associated extension rights module in response to a determination that the associated extension rights control module is required, wherein the associated extension rights module verifies that a set of usage conditions associated with the rights request has been satisfied;

requesting an authorization for the requested right from the associated extension rights module;

receiving the authorization from the associated extension rights control module if the set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied; and

granting the desired type of access to the data set in response to the authorization.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising validating the digital property rights list.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising authenticating the associated extension rights control module.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the rights management language is the XML markup language.

10. A system for controlling access to a data set, the system comprising:

an associated extension rights control module, the associated extension rights control module being identified in a digital property rights list that also identifies a digital property rights module residing in a Digital Rights Management core, wherein the associated extension rights control module is separate from the Digital Rights Management core and generates an authorization for a desired type of access to a data set if a set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied, wherein the authorization is generated based on the associated extension rights module verifying that a set of usage conditions associated with the desired type of access has been satisfied; and

a rights manager which

requests the authorization for the desired type of access to the data set through the associated extension rights control module,

receives the authorization from the associated extension rights control module if the set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied, and

grants, in response to receipt of the authorization, the desired type of access to the data set.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an extension rights control module verifier for authenticating the associated extension rights control module.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data set comprises at least one of a multi-media presentation, an audio program, a database and a document data set.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the associated extension rights control module is loaded prior to a request for the desired type of access.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the associated extension rights control module is located in at least one of a file containing the data set, a remote device and a downloadable module.

15. A system for controlling access to a data set, the system comprising:

an associated extension rights control module, wherein the associated extension rights generates an authorization for a desired type of access to a data set if the associated extension rights control module verifies that a set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied; and

a rights manager for;

accepting a rights request to a data set, wherein the data set comprises a digital property rights list specified in a rights management language, wherein the digital property rights list identifies at least the associated extension rights control module and a digital property rights module, and wherein the associated extension rights control module is separate from a Digital Rights Management core and the digital property rights module resides in the Digital Rights Management core;

determining if the rights request is contained within the digital property rights list;

determining if the associated extension rights control module is installed within the rights manager;

retrieving the associated extension rights module in response to a determination that the associated extension rights control module is required;

requesting an authorization for the requested right from the associated extension rights module;

receiving the authorization from the associated extension rights control module if the set of usage conditions for the desired tvne of access is satisfied; and

granting the desired type of access to the data set in response to the authorization.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the rights manager further verifies the digital property rights list.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the rights manager further verifies the associated extension rights control module.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the rights management language is the XML markup language.

19. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for controlling access to a data set, the program containing instructions for performing the steps of:

retrieving a digital property rights list that identifies at least a first associated digital property rights module and at least a second associated digital property rights module, wherein the at least first associated digital property rights module resides in a Digital Rights Management core, and wherein the at least second associated digital property rights module is an associated extension rights control module that is separate from the Digital Rights Management core;

retrieving, in response to the associated extension rights control module not being installed, the associated extension rights control module specified in the digital property rights list for generating an authorization for a desired type of access to a data set, wherein the associated extension rights control module verifies that a set of usage conditions associated with the desired type of access has been satisfied;

wherein upon the retrieving of the associated extension rights control module, the Digital Rights Management core performs the following;

requesting the authorization for the desired type of access to the data set through the associated extension rights control module;

receiving the authorization from the associated extension rights control module if the set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied; and

granting, in response to receipt of the authorization, the desired type of access to the data set.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising the step of authenticating the associated extension rights control module.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the data set comprises at least one of a multi-media presentation, an audio program, a database and a document data set.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the associated extension rights control module is installed prior to performing the step of requesting.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the associated extension rights control module is located in at least one of a file containing the data set, a remote device and a downloadable module.

24. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for controlling access to a data set by a Digital Rights Management core, the program containing instructions for performing the steps of:

accepting a rights request to a data set, wherein the data set comprises a digital property rights list specified in a rights management language, wherein the digital property rights list identifies at least the associated extension rights control module and a digital property rights module, and wherein the associated extension rights control module is separate from a Digital Rights Management core and the digital property rights module resides in the Digital Rights Management core;

determining if the rights request is contained within the digital property rights list;

determining if the associated extension rights control module is required to authorize a requested right specified by the rights request;

retrieving the associated extension rights module in response to a determination that the associated extension rights control module is required, wherein the associated extension rights module verifies that a set of usage conditions associated with the rights request has been satisfied;

requesting an authorization for the requested right from the associated extension rights module;

receiving the authorization from the associated extension rights control module if the set of usage conditions for the desired type of access is satisfied; and

granting the desired type of access to the data set in response to the authorization.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of validating the digital property rights list.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of authenticating the associated extension rights control module.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the rights management language is the XML markup language.