Out-of-band tokens for rights access

• US 7,315,946 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raduchel, William J., Blumenfeld, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Okoronkwo; Chinwendu C
• Application Number:
  US10/412,682
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2- 21, 726 26- 33, 713/175
• US Class Current: 713/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1458 by checking the subject access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2121 Chip on media, e.g. a disk or tape with a chip embedded in its case
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00253 wherein the key is stored on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0026 the key being stored as a barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00275 the key being stored on a chip attached to the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00731 involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2537 Optical discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

Access to content may be administered by storing content, the content comprising one or more selections, accessing a passive optical out-of-band token associated with the content, determining an access right for the content based on the passive optical out-of-band token, and enabling access to the content in accordance with the access right.

Claims

1. A content access system comprising:

an enclosure that includes;

a storage medium interface that physically receives a first storage medium that stores content, the content comprising one or more selections,

a content reader structured and arranged to read the first storage medium that stores content, the content comprising one or more selections;

an out-of-band token sensor, directionally oriented towards a user, structured and arranged to access a passive optical out-of-band token that is part of a packaging used to distribute the content and is associated with the content, the packaging being a spatially separate and distinct physical structure from the first storage medium;

an access controller structured and arranged to determine an access right for the content based on the passive optical out-of-band token that is printed or includes a holograph; and

an authenticating controller structured and arranged to enable access to the content in accordance with the determined access right.

2. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the content resides on an optical disk.

3. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the content is stored on a network accessible host.

4. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the content is stored on a jukebox, the jukebox having multiple selections from different authors.

5. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the passive optical out-of-band token resides on the second storage medium.

6. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the passive optical out-of-band token cannot be created from a consumer appliance used to access the content.

7. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the passive optical out-of-band token is included in packaging used to distribute the content.

8. The content access system of claim 7 wherein the packaging includes a case cover.

9. The content access system of claim 7 wherein the packaging includes a packaging insert.

10. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the packaging includes a card.

11. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band token sensor includes an image detector configured to read an image placed before the image detector.

12. The content access system of claim 11 wherein the image detector is structured and arranged to determine optical values at selected locations in the passive optical out-of-band token.

13. The content access system of claim 12 wherein the selected locations are randomly selected locations from within the passive optical out-of-band token.

14. The content access system of claim 12 wherein the selected locations are identified by a master location in the passive optical out-of-band token.

15. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the first media storage is structured and arranged to spin the passive optical out-of-band token to generate a new out-of-band token so that the out-of-band token sensor may read a pattern that results from spinning the passive optical out-of-band token.

16. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the passive optical out-of-band token resides on more than one surface.

17. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the authenticating controller is structured and arranged to supply a default rule when the out-of-band token may not be accessed.

18. The content access system of claim 17 wherein the default rule includes a read-only permission.

19. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the out-of band token sensor is structured and arranged to poll an access right data store with more than one access right.

20. The content access system of claim 19 wherein the out-of-band token sensor is structured and arranged to access the access right data store through a communications network.

21. The content access system of claim 1 further comprising a first registering processor structured and arranged to register the out-of-band token.

22. The content access system of claim 21 further comprising a second registering processor structured and arranged to modify the access right upon registering the passive optical out-of-band token.

23. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the authenticating controller is structured and arranged to specify a number of times the content may be accessed.

24. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the authenticating controller is structured and arranged to specify a number of times the content may be copied.

25. The content access system of claim 1 wherein the authenticating controller is structured and arranged to specify on which devices the content may be accessed.