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Method and system for binding enhanced software features to a persona

  • US 7,823,208 B2
  • Filed: 06/18/2004
  • Issued: 10/26/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of enabling the use of a first digital work on plural computing devices, said method comprising the acts of:

  • receiving, at an activation server from a first computing device, a user'"'"'s credentials and a request to authenticate the first computing device;

    retrieving activation information associated with the user'"'"'s credentials, wherein the activation information identifies a number of previously activated computing devices associated with the user'"'"'s credentials;

    comparing the activation information identifying the number of activated computing devices associated with the user'"'"'s credentials to an activation limit number;

    when the activation limit number has been reached, denying the authentication request received from the first computing device, otherwise;

    authenticating said credentials by querying a namespace authority;

    providing a first activation certificate to said first computing device, wherein the activation certificate includes an activation private key encrypted by a public key associated with a secure repository, wherein the secure repository includes a repository private key and the public key;

    providing the secure repository to said first computing device, wherein the secure repository, when executed, decrypts the activation private key using the repository private key securely;

    decrypting a symmetric key, bound to said first digital work, using the activation private key wherein the symmetric key operable to decrypt said first digital work; and

    persisting an association between said credentials and at least some information included in said first activation certificate, wherein said computing device stores software having an activated state and a non-activated state, wherein said first activation certificate transforms said software to said activated state, wherein said software renders a second digital work regardless of whether it is in the activated state, and wherein said software renders said first digital work only if said software is in the activated state.

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