Digital rights management of content when content is a future live event

• US 8,275,709 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Xin, Padhye, Tushar N., Roopa, M. S., Joshi, C. V., B. H., Basavaraj, Ray, Arun, Kanungo, Deepanjan, Ta, Thanh, Raley, Michael, Lao, Guillermo, Chen, Eddie, Tadayon, Bijan, Kansal, Anant, Nahidipour, Aram
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US12/144,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 726/27
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1012 to domains
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1015 to users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00181 using a content identifier, e.g. an international standard recording code [ISRC] or a digital object identifier [DOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00224 wherein the key is obtained from a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00804 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of users or devices that are allowed to access a given content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00847 wherein the usage restriction is defined by a licence file
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00862 wherein the remote server can grant the permission to use a content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00869 wherein the remote server can deliver the content to a receiving device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 : by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06

Abstract

A system for managing use of digital content within a trusted community. An access list defines the trusted community. License requests for use of content made from outside the trusted community are handled in accordance with a license request policy process.

Claims

1. A system for managing use of an item of digital content based on usage rights associated with the item of digital content, the usage rights being enforceable by a user device, said system comprising:

an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service;

a content device configured to associate digital contents with the content service;

a policy device specifying a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service, the license request process permitting issuance of a license to a user that is not subscribed to the content service upon payment of a fee; and

a license device configured to issue a license to a user, wherein the license device is configured to;

receive a license request from a user device,

determine based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service, and

issue a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service, the subscription license granting the user the right to use digital contents associated with the content service, including future contents, and if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, and the request is for use of a digital content associated with the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested digital content upon receiving a fee.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subscription license includes a condition for use of digital contents associated with the content service.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the usage license is associated with the specific item of digital content requested by the user.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subscription license is associated with all digital content associated with the content service.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a management device configured to at least one of add and delete users from the access list to thereby change users within the trusted community.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the usage license permits the user to use the requested digital content in a specified manner.

7. A method for managing use of an item of digital content based on usage rights associated with the item of digital content, the usage rights being enforceable by a user device, said method comprising:

creating, using a computing device, an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service;

associating, using a content device, digital contents with the content service;

specifying, using a policy device, a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service, the license request process permitting issuance of a license to a user that is not subscribed to the content service upon payment of a fee;

receiving, at the license device, a license request from a user device;

determining, using the license device, based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service; and

issuing, using the license device, a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service, the subscription license granting the user the right to use digital contents associated with the content service, including future contents, and, if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, and the request is for use of a digital content associated with the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested digital content upon receiving a fee.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the subscription license includes a condition for use of digital contents associated with the content service.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the usage license is associated with the specific item of digital content requested by the user.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the subscription license is associated with all digital content associated with the content service.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising at least one of adding and deleting users from the access list to thereby change users within the trusted community.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the usage license permits the user to use the requested digital content in a specified manner.

13. Computer readable media for use in a system for managing use of an item of digital content based on usage rights associated with the item of digital content, the usage rights being enforceable by a user device, said media comprising:

instructions for creating, using a computing device, an access list defining a trusted community of content users subscribed to a content service;

instructions for associating, using a content device, digital contents with the content service;

instructions for specifying, using a policy device, a license request process to handle a license request made by a user that is not subscribed to the content service, the license request process permitting issuance of a license to a user that is not subscribed to the content service upon payment of a fee;

instructions for receiving, at the license device, a license request from a user device;

instructions for determining, using the license device, based on the access list if the user is currently subscribed to the content service; and

instructions for issuing, using the license device, a subscription license to the user if the user is currently subscribed to the content service, the subscription license granting the user the right to use digital contents associated with the content service, including future contents, and, if the user is not currently subscribed to the content service, and the request is for use of a digital content associated with the content service, executing the license request process to issue a usage license to the user for use of the requested digital content upon receiving a fee.

14. Media as recited in claim 13, wherein the subscription license includes a condition for use of digital contents associated with the content service.

15. Media as recited in claim 13, wherein the usage license is associated with the specific item of digital content requested by the user.

16. Media as recited in claim 13, wherein the subscription license is associated with all digital content associated with the content service.

17. Media as recited in claim 13, further comprising at least one of instructions for adding and deleting users from the access list to thereby change users within the trusted community.

18. Media as recited in claim 13, wherein the usage license permits the user to use the requested digital content in a specified manner.