System and method for activating a rendering device in a multi-level rights-management architecture

• US 7,430,542 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DeMello, Marco A., Krishnaswamy, Vinay, Byrum, Frank D., Narin, Attila, Manferdelli, John L., Zeman, Pavel, Yaacovi, Yoram, Setty, Venkateshaiah, Alger, Jeffrey A., Keely, Leroy Bertrand
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Augustin; Evens J.
• Application Number:
  US10/985,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/51, 705/54, 709/203
• US Class Current: 705/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• 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 2221/2117 User registration

Abstract

A digital rights management system for the distribution, protection and use of electronic content. The system includes a client architecture which receives content, where the content is preferably protected by encryption and may include a license and individualization features. Content is protected at several levels, including: no protection; source-sealed; individually-sealed (or “inscribed”); source-signed; and fully-individualized (or “owner exclusive”). The client also includes and/or receives components which permit the access and protection of the encrypted content, as well as components that allow content to be provided to the client in a form that is individualized for the client. In some cases, access to the content will be governed by a rights construct defined in the license bound to the content. The client components include an object which accesses encrypted content, an object that parses the license and enforces the rights in the license, an object which obtains protection software and data that is individualized for the client and/or the persona operating the client, and a script of instructions that provides individualization information to a distributor of content so that the content may be individualized for the client and/or its operating persona. Content is generally protected by encrypting it with a key and then sealing the key into the content in a way that binds it to the meta-data associated with the content. In some instances, the key may also be encrypted in such a way as to be accessible only by the use of individualized protection software installed on the client, thereby binding use of the content to a particular client or set of clients.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions to perform a method of activating software installed on a computing device, said method comprising the acts of:

validating a server;

deriving an identifier associated with said computing device;

uploading said identifier to said server;

receiving a secure repository from said server; and

authenticating said secure repository,

further comprising the acts of;

installing said secure repository; and

receiving one or more activation certificates adapted for use with said secure repository,

wherein said one or more activation certificates includes;

a first activation certificate in an encrypted form; and

a second activation certificate in an unencrypted form.

3. The computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions comprise a client-side object.

4. The computer-executable instructions of claim 3, wherein said client-side object comprises an ACTIVEX control COM object.

5. The computer-executable instructions of claim 3, wherein said client-side object comprises a Java Applet.

6. The computer-executable instructions of claim 3, wherein said client-side object comprises a NETSCAPE plug-in.

7. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the act of uploading, to said server, data associated with a user.

8. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein said identifier is based on hardware associated with said computing device, and wherein said identifier uniquely identifies said computing device.

9. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein said secure repository is based on said identifier.

10. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein said authenticating act comprises verifying a digital signature of at least some code of said secure repository.

11. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein said computing device comprises a dedicated reader device.

12. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein said computing device comprises an open-platform computing arrangement.

13. The computer executable instructions of claim 1, wherein an address of said server is hard-coded into said computer-executable instructions.

2. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions to perform a method of enabling the use of content items in a multi-level distribution architecture, said method comprising the acts of:

rendering a first set of content items without regard to whether a first status is activated or non-activated; and

rendering a second set of content items only if said first status is activated, further comprising the act of obtaining an activation certificate, wherein said second set of content items are encrypted with a first key,

wherein said activation certificate contains a first public/private key pair, and wherein said second set of content items are decryptable only in the presence of said activation certificate, further comprising the act of downloading a secure repository having associated therewith a second public/private key pair,

wherein said first key is encrypted with the public key of said first public/private key pair, and wherein said activation certificate contains the private key of said first public/private key pair in a form encrypted by the public key of said second public/private key pair.