Copy protection of data

• US 7,366,701 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Copy Protection LLC (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Sims, Matthew Robert Charles, Bramhill, Ian Duncan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II; Calvin Loyd
• Application Number:
  US10/435,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50, 705/51, 705/57, 705/59
• US Class Current: 705/57
• 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 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copyright
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

A copyright protection scheme downloads data from a server, typically over the World Wide Web to a client for presentation to a user. The downloaded data is cryptographically protected, by encryption and hashing. When displayed by the client, storing and copying functions are selectively disabled in respect of the data, in order to prevent unauthorized copying.

Claims

1. A method of downloading encrypted data from a server to a client, said method including:

registering the client with the server by;

determining a machine identifier of the client by analysing its hardware and/or its software configuration,

transmitting the machine identifier to the server,

embedding the transmitted machine identifier with a cryptographic key in an applet, and

transmitting the applet to the client, subsequently identifying the client to the server by;

at the client, again determining the machine identifier for the client

at the client, comparing the again determined machine identifier for the client with the machine identifier embedded in said applet, and

signaling to the server on the basis of the outcome of the comparison; and

then

downloading data encrypted by means of the cryptographic key to the identified client, and

decrypting the downloaded data at the client using the cryptographic key from the applet.

2. A method as in claim 1 including authenticating the client to the server prior to downloading of the encrypted data.

3. A method as in claim 2 including;

generating a challenge,

at the client, generating a response at least as a function of the key included in the applet sent to the client, and

authenticating the client on the basis of the outcome of the comparison.