Method and apparatus for managing digital content

• US 8,474,055 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Ju-hee, Kim, Myung-sun, Ju, Hak-soo, Moon, Ji-young, Park, Mi-hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLION, BRIAN L
• Application Number:
  US12/014,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 380201-204, 726/27
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing digital content are provided. The apparatus for managing digital content generated by applying digital rights management (DRM) includes: a content execution unit executing digital content; and a control unit confirming whether or not digital content is in a first period in which the digital content can be normally executed, and controlling the content execution unit so that, if the digital content is in the first period, the digital content can be executed normally, and if the digital content is in a second period which is not in the first period, the digital content can be executed in a manner which can be distinguished from that of execution in the first period. According to the apparatus and method, execution of digital content, which is close to expiration, can be controlled, thereby managing the expiration of the digital content for a user.

Claims

1. A method of managing digital content generated by applying digital rights management (DRM), the method comprising:

confirming, in a client computer, whether or not the digital content is in a first period in which the digital content can be normally executed; and

if the digital content is in the first period, normally executing the digital content in a first execution, and if the digital content is in a second period which is not in the first period, executing the digital content in a second execution, wherein the first and the second execution are different;

wherein if a valid period included in contents of a license for the digital content includes a condition period and a grace period, the first period is the condition period and the second period is the grace period, and wherein execution of the digital content is prevented if the digital content is outside the valid period;

wherein if the digital content is in the second period, providing a message indicating that the valid period approaches expiration;

wherein the message comprises information regarding at least one of restricting reproduction of part of the digital content and lowering quality of all or part of the digital content, and

wherein the information comprises at least one of an information item on a playback position and a size of the part of the digital content that is not reproduced, and an information item indicating a degree to which the quality of the digital content is lowered.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a valid period included in contents of a license for the digital content is a condition period, assigning an execution period for permitting execution of the digital content,

wherein the first period is the condition period and the second period is the assigned execution period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second execution comprises at least one of restricting reproduction of part of the digital content and lowering quality of all or part of the digital content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises at least one of an information item indicating an execution state of the digital content, and an information item required for reusing the digital content.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second execution further comprises separately storing information required for reusing the digital content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information required for reusing the digital content comprises at least one of a universal resource locator (URL) of an author of the digital content, a URL of a license provider of the digital content, and a URL of a distributor of the digital content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a part of the digital content is not normally executed, accessing a content providing server and receiving the part of the digital content that is not normally executed.

8. An apparatus for managing digital content generated by applying DRM, the apparatus comprising:

a processor, the processor comprising;

a content execution unit which executes digital content; and

a control unit which confirms whether or not digital content is in a first period in which the digital content can be normally executed in a first execution, and controls the content execution unit so that, if the digital content is in the first period, the digital content can be executed normally, and, if the digital content is in a second period which is not in the first period, the digital content can be executed in a second execution, wherein the first and second executions are different;

wherein if a valid period included in contents of a license for the digital content includes a condition period and a grace period, the control unit determines the condition period as the first period and the grace period as the second period, and wherein execution of the digital content is prevented if the digital content is outside the valid period;

wherein if the digital content is in the second period, the control unit provides a message indicating that the valid period approaches expiration;

wherein the message comprises information regarding at least one of restricting reproduction of part of the digital content and lowering quality of all or part of the digital content, and

wherein the information comprises at least one of an information item on a playback position and a size of the part of the digital content that is not reproduced, and an information item indicating a degree to which the quality of the digital content is lowered.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein if a valid period included in contents of a license for the digital content is a condition period, the control unit assigns an execution period for permitting execution of the digital content, and determines the condition period as the first period and the assigned execution period as the second period.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the content execution unit so that during the second period, reproduction of a part of the digital content is restricted or quality of all or part of the digital content is lowered.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the message comprises information required for managing the digital content during the second period.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the information required for managing the digital content includes at least one of an information item indicating an execution state of the digital content, and an information item required for reusing the digital content.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control unit separately stores information required for reusing the digital content during the second period.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the information required for reusing the digital content comprises at least one of a URL of an author of the digital content, a universal resource locator (URL) of a license provider of the digital content, and a URL of a distributor of the digital content.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a communication unit which controls access to a communication network,

wherein if a user input signal requesting reuse of digital content that is not normally executed is received, the control unit controls the communication unit so that a content providing server is accessed and the digital content that is not normally executed is received.

16. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method of managing digital content generated by applying DRM, the method comprising:

confirming whether or not the digital content is in a first period in which the digital content can be normally executed in a first execution; and

if the digital content is in the first period, normally executing the digital content, and if the digital content is in a second period which is not in the first period, executing the digital content in a second execution, wherein the first and the second executions are different;

wherein if a valid period included in contents of a license for the digital content includes a condition period and a grace period, the first period is the condition period and the second period is the grace period, and wherein execution of the digital content is prevented if the digital content is outside the valid period;

wherein if the digital content is in the second period, providing a message indicating that the valid period approaches expiration;

wherein the message comprises information regarding at least one of restricting reproduction of part of the digital content and said lowering quality of all or part of the digital content, and

wherein the information comprises at least one of an information item on a playback position and a size of the part of the digital content that is not reproduced, and an information item indicating a degree to which the quality of the digital content is lowered.