License management for digital content
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- creating a first license comprising a first cardinality, wherein a cardinality indicates the number of playback devices that can be authorized for playback of associated digital audio content, the license created by and the cardinality to be enforced by a license management device;
transmitting information corresponding to the first license to a content provider from the license management device;
transmitting the first license to a first set of playback devices from the license management device, wherein the first set of playback devices is less than or equal to the first cardinality;
storing the first license in the first set of playback devices in response to a command from the license management device; and
determining whether playback of first digital audio content received from the content provider is authorized by comparing the first license with the first digital audio content having one or more embedded licenses by the first set of playback devices.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for digital content license management is disclosed that provides one or more license management devices that manage licenses for playback of digital content. The license management devices create licenses having an associated cardinality that determines the number of playback devices that can be authorized by the license. The license is stored in a set of playback devices, where the number of playback devices in the set corresponds to the cardinality of the license. The license is also included in digital content that the license authorizes for playback. Playback devices that have a license that matches a license included in the digital content are authorized to play the digital content. A single license can be used to provide authorization to play digital content from multiple sources and/or multiple types of content. Playback devices can store multiple licenses, which allows playback devices to belong to multiple sets of playback devices authorized to playback various digital content. In one embodiment digital content files can contain multiple licenses to allow the content files to be shared by multiple sets of playback devices.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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creating a first license comprising a first cardinality, wherein a cardinality indicates the number of playback devices that can be authorized for playback of associated digital audio content, the license created by and the cardinality to be enforced by a license management device; transmitting information corresponding to the first license to a content provider from the license management device; transmitting the first license to a first set of playback devices from the license management device, wherein the first set of playback devices is less than or equal to the first cardinality; storing the first license in the first set of playback devices in response to a command from the license management device; and determining whether playback of first digital audio content received from the content provider is authorized by comparing the first license with the first digital audio content having one or more embedded licenses by the first set of playback devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that when executed one or more electronic systems to:
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create a first license comprising a first cardinality, wherein a cardinality indicates the number of playback devices that can be authorized for playback of associated digital audio content, the license created by and the cardinality to be enforced by a license management device; transmit information corresponding to the first license to a content provider from the license management device; transmit the first license to a first set of playback devices from the license management device, wherein the first set of playback devices is less than or equal to the first cardinality; store the first license in the first set of playback devices in response to a command from the license management device; and determine whether playback of first digital audio content received from the content provider is authorized by comparing the first license with the first digital audio content having one or more embedded licenses by the first set of playback devices. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for digital license management, the apparatus comprising:
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means for creating a first license comprising a first cardinality, wherein a cardinality indicates the number of playback devices that can be authorized for playback of associated digital audio content, the license created by and the cardinality to be enforced by a license management device; means for transmitting information corresponding to the first license to a content provider from the license management device; means for transmitting the first license to a first set of playback devices from the license management device, wherein the first set of playback devices is less than or equal to the first cardinality; means for storing the first license in the first set of playback devices in response to a command from the license management device; and means for determining whether playback of first digital audio content received from the content provider is authorized by comparing the first license with the first digital audio content having one or more embedded licenses by the first set of playback devices. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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- 22. A digital data signal embodied in a data communications medium shared among a plurality of network devices having a processor, the digital data signal comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to provide digital audio programming, the digital data signal comprising license comprising a first cardinality, wherein a cardinality indicates the number of playback devices that can be authorized for playback of associated digital audio content, the license having been created by and the cardinality to be enforced by a license management device, wherein a set of playback devices receive the digital data signal in response to one or more commands issued by the license management device and authorize playback of digital audio data if the license included in the computer data signal matches at least one license stored in the digital audio data.
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29. A method comprising:
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receiving a first license at a playback device, the playback device belonging to a first set of playback devices, the license comprising a first cardinality, wherein a cardinality indicating a number of playback devices that can be authorized for playback of digital content, and wherein the first set of playback devices is less than or equal to the first cardinality; storing the first license in the playback device; receiving first digital content, wherein information associated with the first license is embedded in the first digital content; and determining whether playback of the received first digital content by the playback device is authorized by comparing the first license stored in the playback device with the first license information embedded in the first digital content. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification