System for controlling the use of digital works using removable content repositories

• US 7,117,180 B1
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Pirolli, Peter L. T., Stefik, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdi, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US11/202,179
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 59, 380200-204, 713200-201
• 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: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• 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 9/3263 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

Abstract

A rendering method, system, repository and software for controlling use of digital works in accordance with usage rights associated therewith and including a manner of use therefor, including receiving requests for digital works; determining whether a request for a digital work should be granted based on usage rights associated with the digital work; and storing digital works in a removable storage device. Whether a manner of use specified in the request corresponds to a manner of use included in the usage rights is determined and if so the request is granted. A contents file of the digital work and a description file including the usage rights and associated with the contents file are stored on the removable storage device. A secure and trusted communication is established between the repository and the removable storage device.

Claims

1. A repository for controlling the use of digital works in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital works and including a manner of use for the digital work, the repository comprising:

means for receiving requests for digital works;

means for determining whether a request for a digital work should be granted based on usage rights associated with the digital work;

means for storing digital works, the means for storing comprising at least one removable storage device,

wherein the means for determining determines whether a manner of use specified in the request corresponds to a manner of use included in the usage rights and grants the request if the manner of use specified in the request corresponds to a manner of use included in the usage rights,

the means for storing stores a contents file of the digital work and a description file associated with the contents file,

the description file includes the usage rights,

the contents file is stored on the removable storage device, and

the description file is stored on the removable storage device; and

means for establishing a secure and trusted communication between the repository and the removable storage device,

wherein use of the contents file in accordance with the usage rights is subject to fulfillment of a condition that the removable storage device is determined to be an authorized device.

2. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for receiving is operative to receive requests generated by a requester repository.

3. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising a secure housing in which the means for determining and the means for storing are contained.

4. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the removable storage device is a repository.

5. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises software instructions executed by a processor.

6. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises an ASIC chip.

7. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the usage rights include at least one condition that must be satisfied to exercise the manner of use.

8. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for associating the usage rights with content of the digital work.

9. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the content is a composite work comprising plural components.

10. A repository as recited in claim 9, wherein the components are stored in plural removable storage devices.

11. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the usage rights are created from a usage rights language.

12. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises means for accomplishing one or more transactions with respect to a computer program.

13. A repository as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for accomplishing comprises means for accomplishing a billing transaction.

14. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for using encryption schemes for protecting the digital works.

15. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for disabling at least one of the repository or the removable storage device if security is compromised.

16. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises at least one microprocessor.

17. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises at least one of ROM and RAM.

18. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for storing comprises a solid state storage.

19. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for storing comprises an optical disk.

20. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises an operating system.

21. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein one of plural security levels is assigned to the repository.

22. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting tampering and reporting tampering to a remote system.

23. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for erasing designated content of digital works if tampering is detected.

24. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising security sensors for detecting tampering.

25. A repository as recited in claim 24, further comprising means for saving digital work description records of history if tampering is detected.

26. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the repository is embedded in another device.

27. A repository as recited in claim 26, wherein the another device is a card.

28. A repository as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rendering device.

29. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the content is a software program.

30. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein the manner of use specifies how the software program is used.

31. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the contents file and the description file is represented as an object.

32. A repository as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the contents file and the description file are stored on plural storage means.

33. A removable repository for storing digital works and controlling the use of digital works in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital works, the removable repository comprising:

a housing;

means for receiving requests for digital works;

means for determining whether a request for a digital work should be granted based on usage rights associated with the digital work; and

means for storing digital works,

wherein the means for determining determines whether a manner of use specified in the request corresponds to a manner of use included in the usage rights and grants the request if the manner of use specified in the request corresponds to a manner of use included in the usage rights,

the means for storing stores a contents file of a digital work and a description file associated with the contents file,

the description file includes the usage rights,

the contents file is stored in the removable repository, and

the description file is stored in the removable repository,

wherein use of the contents file in accordance with the usage rights is subject to fulfillment of a condition that the removable repository is determined to be an authorized device.

34. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for receiving is operative to receive requests generated by a requester repository.

35. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for determining comprises software instructions executed by a processor.

36. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for determining comprises an ASIC chip.

37. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the usage rights include at least one condition that must be satisfied to exercise the manner of use.

38. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising means for associating the usage rights with content of the digital work.

39. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the content is a composite work comprising plural components.

40. A removable repository as recited in claim 39, wherein the components are stored in plural removable storage devices.

41. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the usage rights are created from a usage rights language.

42. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for determining comprises means for accomplishing one or more transactions with respect to a computer program.

43. A removable repository as recited in claim 42, wherein the means for accomplishing comprises means for accomplishing a billing transaction.

44. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising means for using encryption schemes for protecting the digital works.

45. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising means for disabling the removable repository if security is compromised.

46. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for determining comprises at least one microprocessor.

47. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for determining comprises at least one of ROM and RAM.

48. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for storing comprises a solid state storage.

49. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for storing comprises an optical disk.

50. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the means for determining comprises an operating system.

51. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein one of plural security levels is assigned to the removable repository.

52. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising means for detecting tampering and reporting tampering to a remote system.

53. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising means for erasing designated content of digital works if tampering is detected.

54. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising security sensors for detecting tampering.

55. A removable repository as recited in claim 54, further comprising means for saving digital work description records of history if tampering is detected.

56. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the removable repository is embedded in another device.

57. A removable repository as recited in claim 56, wherein the another device is a card.

58. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, further comprising-a rendering device.

59. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein the content is a software program.

60. A removable repository as recited in claim 59, wherein the manner of use specifies how the software program is used.

61. A removable repository as recited in claim 33, wherein at least one of the contents file and the description file is represented as an object.