System and method for controlling the use and duplication of digital content distributed on removable media

• US 7,756,792 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Music Holdings Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Music Holdings Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hughes, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Worjloh; Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US10/853,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,241 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 79, 726 26- 33, 713/193
• 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 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/00188 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised devices recording or reproducing contents to/from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00195 using a device identifier associated with the player or recorder, e.g. serial numbers of playback apparatuses or MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00224 wherein the key is obtained from a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00246 wherein the key is obtained from a local device, e.g. device key initially stored by the player or by the recorder
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00347 wherein the medium identifier is used as a key
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00528 wherein each title is encrypted with a separate encryption key for each title, e.g. title key for movie, song or data file
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00659 involving a control step which is implemented as an executable file stored on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00666 involving a step of erasing or nullifying data, e.g. data being overwritten with a random string
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00688 said measures preventing that a usable copy of recorded data can be made on another medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00746 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific number
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00753 : wherein the usage restriction limits the number of copies that can be made, e.g. CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00768 : wherein copy control information is used, e.g. for indicating whether a content may be copied freely, no more, once, or never, by setting CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00789 : wherein the usage restriction limits the number of functional copies, which can be accessed at a time, e.g. electronic bookshelf concept, virtual library, video rentals or check-in/check out
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0037 : with discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91357 : by modifying the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling the use and duplication of digital content distributed on removable media are described. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention digital content is protected by allowing a particular number of protected (e.g., encrypted) copies of the digital content to be made. Typically, these copies may only be used on and moved between authorized devices. In one embodiment, if copies are desired, the maximum number of allowable copies of the protected digital content are made and stored on a computer'"'"'s hard drive when the storage medium (e.g., a CD) containing the content is inserted into the computer. Each copy can then be moved but not copied to other devices (e.g., portable solid state devices). In an alternative embodiment, the storage medium containing the digital content is writable (e.g., a CD-R). When the storage medium is inserted into the computer, the computer writes information to the storage medium which regulates future copying and playing of the digital content on the storage medium.

Claims

1. A method for making a storage medium for the distribution of digital content, comprising:

storing, on a storage medium, digital content data adapted to be unreadable on a computer system;

storing, on the storage medium, an encrypted version of the digital content data that is readable on the computer; and

storing, on the storage medium, a plurality of instructions adapted to be executed on a microprocessor, the instructions which, when executed, control the use of the encrypted version of the digital content data, with a method comprising;

automatically producing at least one copy, but no more than a predetermined maximum number of copies, of the encrypted version of the digital content data; and

automatically storing said at least one copy on a storage device connected to the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital content data comprises a plurality of Redbook audio tracks.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of Redbook audio tracks are adapted to be readable only on stereo equipment.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the encrypted version of the digital content data comprises encrypted, compressed copies of the plurality of Redbook audio tracks.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of instructions stored on the storage medium which, when executed, control the use of the encrypted version of the digital content data, further comprises:

controlling access to said at least one copy.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said access is controlled by preventing copying of the at least one copy.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said access is controlled by only allowing the at least one copy to be transferred to an authenticated device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a transferred copy is marked to indicate that it may not be further transferred.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said authenticated device is another computer system.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said authenticated device is a portable audio device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of instructions stored on the storage medium which, when executed, control the use of the encrypted version of the digital content data, further comprises:

writing information to said digital storage medium regarding the production of the at least one copy.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions stored on the storage medium which, when executed, control the use of the encrypted version of the digital content data, further comprises:

determining the predetermined maximum number of copies to be produced based on information previously written to the digital storage medium.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said information written to the digital storage medium includes information identifying the computer system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said information identifying the computer system includes information about the hardware configuration of the computer system.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said information written to the digital storage medium includes information identifying the number of copies made.

16. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, control the use of encrypted digital content, with a method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, the encrypted digital content;

upon receiving the encrypted digital content, and without user input, automatically producing a plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content; and

storing the plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content in the computer system.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

allowing no more than a predetermined number of copies of the encrypted digital content to be stored in the computer system at any given time.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

allowing the user to move at least one of the copies of the encrypted digital content to another device; and

automatically deleting the or each of the at least one of the copies of the encrypted digital content from the computer system when the user moves the or each of the at least one of the copies of the encrypted digital content to another device.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content are stored on a hard drive of the computer system.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content are encrypted using a respective plurality of different encryption keys.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20 wherein the plurality of different encryption keys are downloaded from a central server.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 20 wherein the plurality of different encryption keys are generated by the computer system.

23. A method for controlling the use of encrypted digital content comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, the encrypted digital content;

upon receiving the encrypted digital content, and without user input, automatically producing a plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content; and

storing the plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content in the computer system.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

allowing no more than a predetermined number of copies of the encrypted digital content to be stored in the computer system at any given time.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

allowing the user to move at least one of the copies of the encrypted digital content to another device; and

automatically deleting the or each of the at least one of the copies of the encrypted digital content from the computer system when the user moves the or each of the at least one of the copies of the encrypted digital content to another device.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content are stored on a hard drive of the computer system.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of copies of the encrypted digital content are encrypted using a respective plurality of different encryption keys.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the plurality of different encryption keys are downloaded from a central server.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the plurality of different encryption keys are generated by the computer system.