Systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection

• US 7,100,199 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• 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:
  US10/696,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20040103305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 713/155, 713/165, 713/167, 713/189, 713/193, 713/200, 713/201, 380/230, 380/231, 380/233, 705/44, 705/51, 705/52, 705/53, 705/59, 707/9, 707/10, 709/226
• US Class Current: 726/4
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 : applying security measure for protecting copyright
• 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 for auditing access to, or other use of, a digital object at a first computer system, the method comprising:

obtaining a request to access or otherwise use the digital object;

granting the request to access or otherwise use the digital object in accordance with one or more rules associated with the digital object;

storing audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object; and

determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored, and sending at least part of the stored audit information to another computer system remote from the first computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, in which at least one of the one or more rules includes an indication of a number of times that the digital object is allowed to be accessed or otherwise used.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to obtaining the request to access or otherwise use the digital object, determining whether the request could be granted without exceeding the number of times that the digital object is allowed to be accessed or otherwise used.

4. The method of claim 3, in which determining whether the request could be granted without exceeding the number of times that the digital object is allowed to be accessed or otherwise used includes:

accessing previously stored audit information, the previously stored audit information containing an indication of a number of times the digital object has been accessed or otherwise used.

5. The method of claim 1, in which storing audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object comprises creating an audit record containing information relating to the access or other use of the digital object, and storing the audit record in a database containing one or more other audit records, the one or more other audit records containing information relating to one or more other accesses or other uses of the digital object.

6. The method of claim 5, in which determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored comprises determining that the database contains at least a predefined number of audit records.

7. The method of claim 1, in which storing audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object comprises creating an audit record containing information relating to the access or other use of the digital object, and storing the audit record in a database containing one or more other audit records, the one or more other audit records containing information relating to one or more other accesses or other uses of the digital object or one or more other digital objects.

8. The method of claim 7, in which determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored comprises determining that the database contains at least a predefined number of audit records.

9. The method of claim 1, in which storing audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object comprises creating an audit record containing information relating to the access or other use of the digital object, and storing the audit record.

10. The method of claim 9, in which determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored comprises determining that at least a predefined number of audit records have been stored.

11. The method of claim 1, in which storing audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object comprises updating previously stored audit information.

12. The method of claim 11, in which determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored comprises determining that the previously stored audit information has been updated at least a predefined number of times.

13. The method of claim 11, in which determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored comprises determining that the stored audit information exceeds a predefined size.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the remote computer system comprises a clearinghouse.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the remote computer system comprises a computer system associated with a creator of the digital object.

16. The method of claim 1, in which the remote computer system Comprises a computer system associated with a distributor of the digital object.

17. The method of claim 1, in which the digital object is encrypted, and in which granting the request to access or otherwise use the digital object comprises decrypting the digital object.

18. The method of claim 1, in which the request to access or otherwise use the digital object comprises a request to open the digital object.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the digital object comprises digitally recorded music, and in which the request to access or otherwise use the digital object comprises a request to play the music through one or more speakers.

20. The method of claim 1, in which the digital object comprises digitally recorded video content, and in which the request to access or otherwise use the digital object comprises a request to play the video content.

21. The method of claim 1, in which the digital object comprises textual content, and in which the request to access or otherwise use the digital object comprises a request to display at least part of the textual content on a computer screen.

22. The method of claim 21, in which the audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object comprises an indication of a quantity of textual content that was displayed.

23. The method of claim 21, in which the audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object comprises an indication of a length of time the textual content was displayed.

24. The method of claim 1, in which the digital object comprises textual content, and in which the request to access or otherwise use the digital object comprises a request to print at least part of the textual content.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting the stored audit information from the first computer system.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a communication from the remote computer system, the communication being operable to cause at least some functionality at the first computer system to be disabled.

27. The method of claim 26, in which the communication from the remote computer system is sent in response to said remote computer system receiving said at least part of the stored audit information.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a communication from the remote computer system, the communication being operable to disable further use of the digital object at the first computer system.

29. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a computer system, are operable to cause the computer system to perform actions comprising:

obtaining a request to access or otherwise use a digital object;

granting the request to access or otherwise use the digital object in accordance with one or more rules associated with the digital object;

storing audit information relating to the access or other use of the digital object; and

determining that at least a predefined amount of audit information has been stored, and sending at least part of the stored audit information to a remote computer system.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, in which at least one of the one or more rules includes an indication of a number of times that the digital object is allowed to be accessed or otherwise used.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, further including instructions operable to cause the computer system to perform actions comprising:

in response to obtaining the request to access or otherwise use the digital object, determining whether the request could be granted without exceeding the number of times that the digital object is allowed to be accessed or otherwise used.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, in which determining whether the request could be granted without exceeding the number of times that the digital object is allowed to be accessed or otherwise used includes:

accessing previously stored audit information, the previously stored audit information containing an indication of a number of times the digital object has been accessed or otherwise used.

33. The computer program product of claim 29, further including instructions operable to cause the computer system to perform actions comprising:

deleting the stored audit information.