Method and apparatus for identifying installed software and regulating access to content

• US 8,225,414 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Raley, Michael C, Chen, Daniel C, Wu, Hsi-Cheng, Ta, Thanh
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nobahar, Abdulhakim
• Application Number:
  US10/425,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20030196119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,366 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/4, 726/7, 726/26, 726/27, 726/29, 713/189, 713/193, 380/201, 380/231
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1083 Partial license transfers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

A system and method for controlling use of content in accordance with usage rights associated with the content and determined in accordance with the environment of a user device. A request is received for secure content from a user device and the integrity of the environment of the user device is verified. Appropriate usage rights are retrieved based upon the results of the verification of integrity and the content is rendered on the user device in accordance with the appropriate usage rights.

Claims

1. A system for controlling use of content in accordance with usage rights associated with the content and determined in accordance with the environment of a user device, said system comprising:

means for receiving a request for secure content from a user device, the user device including a standard application program having a rendering engine capable of being accessed to render content;

means for verifying the integrity of the environment of the user device, including the integrity of the rendering engine of the standard application program;

means for retrieving the appropriate usage rights based upon the results of the verification of integrity; and

means for rendering the content on the user device in accordance with the appropriate usage rights, wherein said means for rendering renders at least a portion of the content with the rendering engine of the standard application program of the user device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for rendering is under control of a security component on the user device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for verifying the integrity of the environment of the user device verifies the identity of the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein means for verifying the integrity of the environment of the user device verifies the integrity of the rendering engine of the user device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for disabling functions of the rendering engine of the user device in accordance with the verification of integrity.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for receiving, said means for verifying, said means for retrieving, and said means for rendering comprise devices of a computer system.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for receiving, said means for verifying, said means for retrieving, and said means for rendering comprise computer readable instructions recorded on a medium.