System and method for rights propagation and license management in conjunction with distribution of digital content in a social network
First Claim
1. A method of configuring and managing user rights to distributed digital content, comprising the following steps:
- generating, by a license server, a level-license for each of a plurality of levels associated with a distribution of at least one digital content, wherein each level-license defines access rights to the at least one digital content by a content recipient associated with a respective level of the plurality of levels;
receiving, by the license server, a request from a respective content recipient for access to a form of the at least one digital content;
determining a distribution path of the at least one digital content from an originating node to the respective content recipient;
determining, by the license server, a respective level of the plurality of levels associated with the respective content recipient based on a number of content recipients of the digital content in the distribution path of the digital content from the originating node to the respective content recipient; and
sending, by the license server, one of the level-licenses to the respective content recipient granting access rights in accordance with the respective level of the plurality of levels associated with the respective content recipient, wherein access to the at least one digital content is prevented beyond a predefined level of the plurality of levels.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A license server and corresponding method are provided for managing the rights of content as it is propagates through a social network. A license server receives a distribution package from a content producer and establishes a plurality of level-licenses, one for each of n allowable levels as defined by the content producer. Level-licenses define level-rights, or access rules, based on alteration definitions and other distribution parameters provided by the content producer for each allowable level. Alteration definitions may identify degradation characteristics or augmentation files for association with the distributed digital content. Content recipients who receive encrypted copies of the distributed digital content may request a license from the license server. Upon authentication, a license and decryption key is sent to a valid content recipient to enable viewing of a form of the digital content in accordance with the level-rights predetermined by the content producer for that level of access.
372 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of configuring and managing user rights to distributed digital content, comprising the following steps:
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generating, by a license server, a level-license for each of a plurality of levels associated with a distribution of at least one digital content, wherein each level-license defines access rights to the at least one digital content by a content recipient associated with a respective level of the plurality of levels; receiving, by the license server, a request from a respective content recipient for access to a form of the at least one digital content; determining a distribution path of the at least one digital content from an originating node to the respective content recipient; determining, by the license server, a respective level of the plurality of levels associated with the respective content recipient based on a number of content recipients of the digital content in the distribution path of the digital content from the originating node to the respective content recipient; and sending, by the license server, one of the level-licenses to the respective content recipient granting access rights in accordance with the respective level of the plurality of levels associated with the respective content recipient, wherein access to the at least one digital content is prevented beyond a predefined level of the plurality of levels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A license server for configuring and managing user rights to distributed digital content, comprising:
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a processor unit; and at least one portion of computer-readable medium for storing program code that is read and executed by said processor unit, said processor unit and said at least one portion of computer-readable medium functioning together to provide a plurality of operative modules, said modules comprising; a. a level-license creation module configured to establish a level-license for each of a plurality of levels associated with a distribution of at least one digital content, wherein each level-license defines access rights to the at least one digital content by a respective content recipient associated with a respective level of the plurality of levels; b. an authentication module for determining a distribution path of the at least one digital content from an originating node to the respective content recipient; c. the authentication module for determining a respective level of the plurality of levels associated with the respective content recipient based on a number of content recipients of the digital content in the distribution path of the digital content from the originating node to the respective content recipient and for verifying that each requesting user is an intended recipient of the at least one digital content, wherein access to the at least one digital content is prevented beyond a predefined level of the plurality of levels; d. and a license assignment module for granting licenses to authenticated users who request access to the at least one digital content. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium embodying program instructions for directing a computing device to:
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create a plurality of level-licenses from distribution parameters obtained from a content producer, wherein each level-license defines level-rights to digital content for one of a plurality of levels associated with a distribution of the digital content in a social network; determine a distribution path of the digital content from an originating node to a respective content recipient; and upon request from the respective content recipient, determine a respective level of the plurality of levels associated with the respective content recipient based on a number of content recipients of the digital content in distribution path of the digital content from the originating node to the respective content recipient and sending a license to the respective content recipient, wherein the license includes a key for decrypting the digital content in accordance with the level-rights defined by the content producer for the particular level associated with the respective content recipient, and wherein access to the digital content is prevented beyond a predefined level of the plurality of levels. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification