Preventing unauthorized distribution of media content within a global network

• US 8,112,810 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Music Public Broadcasting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Music Public Broadcasting, Inc.
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Edward Vincent, Risan, Hank
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/479,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 713/164, 726/26, 726/29
• US Class Current: 726/26
• 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 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention is a method for providing media content while preventing its unauthorized distribution. The method includes transmitting from a client to an administrative node a request for delivery of an instance of media content (IMC); determining which content source (CS) of a plurality of CSs to provide delivery of the IMC, provided the client is authorized to receive the IMC; transmitting to the client an access key and a location of the IMC; transmitting from the client to the CS a second request and the access key; in response to receiving the second request and the access key, transferring the IMC from the CS to the client; transmitting from the client to the administrative node an indicator indicating a successful transfer of the IMC; and generating a transaction applicable to the client and associated with the transfer of the IMC to the client.

Claims

1. A method for providing media content while preventing its unauthorized distribution, said method comprising:

transmitting from a client node to an administrative node a request for delivery of an instance of media content;

determining which content source of a plurality of content sources to provide delivery of said instance of media content, provided said client node is authorized to receive said instance of media content;

transmitting to said client node an access key and a location of said instance of media content of said content source;

transmitting from said client node to said content source a second request and said access key;

in response to receiving said second request and said access key, transferring said instance of media content from said content source to said client node;

activating a compliance mechanism in response to receiving the instance of media content by the client node, the compliance mechanism coupled to the client node, the client node having a media content presentation application operable thereon and coupled to the compliance mechanism;

controlling a data output path with the compliance mechanism by diverting, with a shim driver, a commonly used data output path of the client node media content presentation application to a controlled data output path monitored by said compliance mechanism for every instance of media content;

directing the instance of media content to a custom media device coupled to the compliance mechanism via the data output path;

preventing said instance of media content from being captured via said controlled data path while enabling presentation of instance of media content, said preventing performed by said compliance mechanism stopping or disrupting the delivery of said instance of media content via said controlled data output path;

transmitting from said client node to said administrative node an indicator indicating a successful transfer of said instance of media content from said content source to said client node; and

generating a transaction applicable to said client node and associated with said transfer of said instance of media content to said client node.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining which content source of said plurality of content sources to provide delivery of said instance of media content further comprises:

determining which content source of said plurality of content sources is nearest to the physical location of said client node.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining which content source of said plurality of content sources to provide delivery of said instance of media content further comprises:

determining which content source of said plurality of content sources contains said instance of media content.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said access key is a time sensitive access key that becomes obsolete after a defined amount of time.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said location of said instance of media content comprises an address.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

changing said address after said transferring said instance of media content from said content source to said client node.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said instance of media content comprises a digital watermark or an embedded key.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said instance of media content is stored within a custom file system of memory coupled to said content source.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

decrypting said instance of media content on said content source from an encryption local to said content source with an intermediate encryption via an intermediate encryption key received from said administrative node.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

decrypting said instance of media content in said intermediate encryption at said client node via an intermediate decryption key received from said administrative node.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

encrypting said instance of media content with an encryption local to said client node.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

preventing a secure player application coupled to said client node from sharing said instance of media content with a second client node when said client node is unauthorized to do so.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

disabling a secure player application coupled to said client node to prevent presentation of said instance of media content on said client node when said client node is unauthorized to do so.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a secure player application coupled to said client node to present said instance of media content on said client node when said client node is authorized to do so.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing said client node by verifying a secure player application and a client application are coupled to said client node.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said client application coupled to said client node performs said decryption and said encryption related to said client node.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing said instance of media content in a custom file system of memory coupled to said client node.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

complying with a usage restriction applicable to said instance of media content on said client node via a usage compliance mechanism coupled to said client node.