Authentication of content download

• US 7,536,725 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Raciborski, Nathan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise; Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYZOCHA, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US10/935,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 714/799, 726/30, 707/10
• US Class Current: 726/30
• 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 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 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

According to the invention, a method for authenticating download of a number of digital content files ordered from a web site is disclosed. In one step, a selection of the digital content files is received with the web site. Download manager software, media information, the digital content files, and first codes for each of the digital content files are sent to the client computer. The media information indicates a location of each of the number of digital content files. A first code is calculated for each of the digital content files. If the client computer determines that the first code doesn'"'"'t match a second code for a particular digital content file, it is resent.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating download of a digital content file ordered from a web site, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a selection of the digital content file with the web site from a client;

calculating a first code indicative of the digital content file, wherein if the digital content file is changed, the first code changes, and further wherein the first code is unique to the client;

sending the digital content file to a client computer;

sending the first code to the client computer;

sending a media identifier to the client computer, wherein;

the media identifier comprises a unique code, and

the unique code correlating the digital content file to license information and correlating the digital content file to the client;

storing the media identifier in a remote database cross-referenced to each of;

the digital content file,

the client, and

the license information;

storing the media identifier in a local database coupled to the client computer;

calculating a second code indicative of the digital content file after the client computer received the digital content file, wherein the calculating step is configured to be repeated a number of times after download;

re-sending the digital content file if the client computer determines the first code doesn'"'"'t match the second code;

when a new version of the digital content file is available;

calculating a new first code indicative of the new version of the digital content file, wherein;

if the new version of the digital content file is changed, the new first code changes, and

the new first code is unique to the client,

sending the new first code to the client computer, and

sending the new version of the digital content file to the client computer when the client computer determines, during one of the repeated calculations of the second code, that the new first code doesn'"'"'t match the second code; and

when a license for the digital content file expires, performing the steps of;

replacing the first code with a different first code, wherein the different first code is different than the first code,

sending the different first code to the client computer, and

not sending the digital content file when the client computer determines, during one of the repeated calculations of the second code, that the different first code doesn'"'"'t match the second code.

2. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of performing the preceding steps for each of a plurality of digital content files, wherein the digital content file is one of the plurality.

3. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of sending download manager software to the client computer.

4. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 1, wherein the first code and the media identifier are embedded in the digital file.

5. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 1, wherein the calculating step includes a step of performing at least one of a cyclical redundancy check (CRC), a hash, a checksum, and a decryption.

6. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site of claim 1.

7. A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site of claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps is performed by a processor, and the processor is coupled to a memory.

8. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of sending the digital content uses a HTTP download protocol.

9. A method for authenticating download of a digital content file ordered by a client from a web site, the method comprising steps of:

indicating selection of the digital content file to the web site;

receiving the digital content file from a point away from a client computer;

receiving a first code indicative of the digital content file, wherein if the digital content file is changed, the first code changes, and further wherein the first code is unique to the client;

receiving a media identifier, wherein;

the media identifier comprises a unique code, and

the unique code correlating;

the digital content file to license information and

the digital content file to the client;

calculating a second code with the digital content file, wherein the calculating step is configured to be repeated a number of times;

checking if the second code corresponds to the first code after each calculating step;

determining a failed download should the checking step fail;

receiving the digital content file again if the checking step fails; and

when a new version of the digital content file is available;

receiving a new first code indicative of the new version of the digital content file, wherein;

if the new version of the digital content file is changed, the new first code changes, and

the new first code is unique to the client,

calculating the second code with the digital content file during one of the repeated calculations of the second code,

checking if the second code that was calculated during one of the repeated calculations corresponds to the new first code,

determining a failed download when the second code that was calculated during one of the repeated calculations doesn'"'"'t match the new first code, and

upon determining that the second code that was calculated during one of the repeated calculations doesn'"'"'t match the new first code, receiving the new version of the digital content file.

10. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of storing the digital content file before the first listed calculating step.

11. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 9, wherein the checking steps are performed at a location away from the client computer.

12. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim 9, further comprising steps of:

indicating to the client that the first listed checking step failed; and

asking the client if the fourth listed receiving step should be performed.

13. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of reporting where the digital content file was stored to a location away from the client computer.

14. The method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site as recited in claim as recited in claim 13, further comprising steps of:

storing the digital content file with a file name at a path on a drive of a computer; and

reporting at least one of the file name, the path, the drive, and the computer to the location.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site of claim 9.

16. A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for authenticating download of the digital content file ordered from the web site of claim 9, wherein at least one of the steps is performed by a processor, and the processor is coupled to a memory.

17. The method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of receiving the digital content file uses a HTTP protocol.

18. A method for authenticating download of a plurality of digital content files ordered from a web site, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a selection of the plurality with the web site from a client;

sending download manager software to a client computer;

sending media information to the client computer, wherein the media information indicates a location of each of the plurality;

calculating a first code for each of the plurality, wherein the first code is unique to the client;

sending each of the plurality to the client computer;

sending each of the first codes to the client computer;

sending a media identifier for each of the plurality to the client computer, wherein;

each of the media identifiers comprises a unique code, and

the unique code correlating one of the plurality to license information and correlating the one of the plurality to the client;

calculating a second code for a particular digital content file that is part of the plurality, wherein the calculating step is configured to be repeated a number of times;

re-sending any of plurality if it is determined that the first code doesn'"'"'t match the second code; and

when a license for one of the plurality expires;

replacing the first code, of the one of the plurality having the expired license, with a different first code, the different first code being different than the first code,

sending the different first code to the client computer, and

not sending the one of the plurality having the expired license when the client computer determines, during one of the repeated calculations of the second code for the one of the plurality having the expired license, that the different first code doesn'"'"'t match the second code calculated for the one of the plurality having the expired license.

19. The method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site as recited in claim 18, wherein the first code for each of the plurality changes if the respective digital content file changes.

20. The method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site as recited in claim 18, wherein the first two listed sending steps send the download manager software and the media information together in the same file.

21. The method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site as recited in claim 18, wherein the first and the fourth listed sending steps send the download manager software and the first codes together in the same file.

22. The method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site as recited in claim 18, wherein the first code for each of the plurality is sent separately from each of the plurality.

23. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content '"'"'files ordered from the web site of claim 18.

24. A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site of claim 18, wherein at least one of the steps is performed by a processor, and the processor is coupled to a memory.

25. The method for authenticating download of the plurality of digital content files ordered from the web site as recited in claim 18, wherein the step of sending each of the plurality uses a HTTP protocol.