System for controlling the distribution and use of digital works using secure components

• US 7,359,881 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• 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: Stefik, Mark J, Pirolli, Peter L
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil; Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US09/777,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,624 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705 57- 59, 705 26- 42, 380202-204, 713/156, 713/165, 713/175
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0113 Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers
• 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: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 50/184 : Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 : Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 : Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/146 : using digital cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 : Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 : involving discounts
• 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 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 61/00 : Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 : Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : 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 63/0464 : using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 : using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 : Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 : using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 : involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 : for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• 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 21/26613 : for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• 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 21/6332 : directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 : directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• 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 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system for controlling the distribution and use of digital works using digital tickets. In the present invention, a “digital ticket” is used to entitle the ticket holder to exercise some usage right with respect to a digital work. Usage rights are used to define how a digital work may be used or distributed. Each usage right may specify a digital ticket which must be present before the right may be exercised. Digital works are stored in repositories which enforce a digital works usage rights. Each repository has a “generic ticket agent” which punches tickets. In some instances only the generic ticket agent is necessary. In other instances, punching by a “special ticket agent” residing on another repository may be needed.

Claims

1. A digital right management system, comprising:

a secure component;

an interface between said secure component and a software application;

said secure component processes the requests coming from said software application through said interface;

said secure component validates signatures of one or more certificate documents to verify that said software application is compatible with said secure component;

in the case of verification of compatibility, said secure component allows operation of said software application; and

in the case of incompatibility, said secure component refuses to allow operation of said software application through said interface.

2. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said software application comprises a rendering engine.

3. A digital right management system according to claim 2, wherein said rendering engine is connected to a printer.

4. A digital right management system according to claim 2, wherein said rendering engine is connected to a computer monitor.

5. A digital right management system according to claim 2, wherein said rendering engine is connected to a handheld device.

6. A digital right management system according to claim 2, wherein said rendering engine is connected to a wireless device.

7. A digital right management system according to claim 2, wherein said rendering engine is connected to a device with one or more optical communication ports.

8. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component performs rights management.

9. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more self-protecting documents.

10. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more structured storages.

11. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more structured file systems.

12. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising information specifying content types.

13. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising information specifying licenses.

14. A digital right management system according to claim 9, wherein said secure component detects whether any of said one or more protecting documents is tampered with.

15. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising an encryption engine.

16. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising a user-interface module.

17. A digital right management system according to claim 16, wherein said user-interface module includes one or more menus or toolbars.

18. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component acts as a shell to be compatible to plug-ins which are designed based on a predetermined specification of said secure component'"'"'s interface.

19. A digital right management system according to claim 1, further comprising a software development kit that enables the creation of applications to protect, distribute, and consume content.

20. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said system is connected to one or more storefronts.

21. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said system is connected to one or more backoffices.

22. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said system creates one or more rights labels.

23. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said system creates one or more rights templates.

24. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said system creates one or more metadata.

25. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component comprises a secure environment;

said interface comprises an application programming interface which provides interface between said secure environment and said software application;

said secure environment processes the requests coming from said software application through said application programming interface; and

said secure environment validates one or more documents.

26. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component comprises a secure environment;

said interface comprises an application programming interface which provides interface between said secure environment and said software application;

said secure environment processes the requests coming from said software application through said application programming interface; and

said secure environment validates one or more documents to verify that said one or more documents are compatible with said secure environment.

27. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component comprises a secure environment;

said interface comprises an application programming interface which provides interface between said secure environment and said software application;

said secure environment processes the requests coming from said software application through said application programming interface; and

said secure environment validates signatures of one or more documents to verify that said one or more documents are compatible with said secure environment.

28. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component comprises a secure container;

said interface comprises an application programming interface which provides interface between said secure container and said software application;

said secure container processes the requests coming from said software application through said application programming interface; and

said secure container validates signatures of one or more documents to verify that said one or more documents are compatible with said secure container.

29. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component comprises a secure repository;

said interface comprises an external interface which provides interface between a processing means and an external environment;

said secure repository processes requests for access to a digital work; and

said secure repository checks usage rights, and after checking, grants the access to said digital work.

30. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said secure component composes one of a secure container a secure environment, and a secure repository.

31. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein said interface composes an application programming interface.

32. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein in the case of verification of compatibility, said secure component initiates loading of one or more dynamically linked libraries.

33. A digital right management system according to claim 1, wherein in the case of incompatibility, said secure component refuses to load any data coming through said application programming interface.