Method for processing rights object in digital rights management system and method and system for processing rights object using the same

• US 8,489,509 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jea-Un
• Primary Examiner(s): Nigh, James D
• Application Number:
  US11/192,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,909 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/5, 705 50- 58, 705 51- 52
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1075 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A message, method and system for processing rights object (RO) in a DRM system are disclosed. A message for requesting submission or return of an unused/partially consumed rights object (RO) is newly defined. When an authenticated device generates such a request message and transmits it to a right issuer (RI), the RI checks whether there exists an ID of a receiving device in the request message. If an ID of a receiving device exists in the request message, the RI performs a procedure for submitting the RO to the ID of the receiving device. If, however, the ID of the receiving device does not exist, the RI performs a procedure of returning of the RO or issuing of a different RO. Accordingly, the unused RO or partially consumed RO can be returned or submitted to a different device by using the request message.

Claims

1. A method for processing access rights to digital content in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first device, a request message to a server, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one partially used rights object (RO) related to the digital content;

uploading, by the first device, the at least one partially used RO to the server;

receiving, by the server, the request message and the at least one partially used RO from the first device;

analyzing, by the server, the request message by recognizing whether the request message includes an identifier of a second device;

determining, by the server, the transaction to be performed based upon presence or absence of the identifier of the second device in the request message, the server recognizing that the identifier of the second device is present in the request message;

determining, by the server, that the transaction is a transfer of the at least one partially used RO based upon the presence of the identifier of the second device in the request message;

processing, by the server, the determined transaction, transferring the at least one partially used RO to the second device;

receiving, by the first device, a response message from the server;

recognizing, by the first device, that the received response message includes information indicating successful processing of the request message; and

deleting, by the first device, the at least one partially used RO after confirming the successful processing of the request message,

wherein the request message comprises;

a device identifier identifying the first device;

a device nonce;

an identifier identifying the server receiving the request message; and

information about the at least one partially used RO being transferred, and wherein the response message comprises;

a device identifier identifying the first device;

an identifier identifying the server;

a status indicating whether the transaction was successful;

a device nonce; and

a signature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking, by the server, whether the at least one partially used RO is transferrable to the second device;

recognizing, by the server, that the second device is powered off, no reception response is received from the second device or a memory of the second device is full; and

determining that the at least one partially used RO cannot be transferred to the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing, by the server, that the second device already has the digital content corresponding to the received at least one partially used RO; and

terminating, by the server, the transfer of the at least one partially used RO to the second device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises a phone number.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises a TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) or an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity).

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises an IP address.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the request message further comprises a digital signature.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the digital signature comprises a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) method.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the request message is an RO submit request message.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a rights issuer (RI).

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the request message and the response message are coded using an XML (Extensible Markup Language).

4. A method for processing access rights to digital content in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first device, a request message to a server, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one partially used rights object (RO) related to the digital content;

uploading, by the first device, the at least one partially used RO to the server;

receiving, by the server, the request message and the at least one partially used RO from the first device;

analyzing, by the server, the request message by recognizing whether the request message includes an identifier of a second device;

determining, by the server, the transaction to be performed based upon presence or absence of the identifier of the second device in the request message, the server recognizing that the identifier of the second device is absent in the request message;

determining, by the server, that the transaction to be performed is a return of the at least one partially used RO based upon the absence of the identifier of the second device in the request message; and

performing, by the server, a procedure for returning the at least one partially used RO;

receiving, by the first device, a response message from the server;

recognizing, by the first device, that the received response message includes information indicating successful processing of the request message; and

deleting, by the first device, the at least one partially used RO after confirming the successful processing of the request message,

wherein the request message comprises;

a device identifier identifying the first device;

a device nonce;

an identifier identifying the server receiving the request message; and

information about the at least one partially used RO being transferred, and wherein the response message comprises;

a device identifier identifying the first device;

an identifier identifying the server;

a status indicating whether the transaction was successful;

a device nonce; and

a signature.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing at least one return option to the first device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

returning, by the first device, the at least one partially used RO in exchange for at least a partial refund of a cost for the at least one partially used RO.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing, by the server, a cyber cash refund or issuance of at least one new RO in exchange for the at least one partially used RO returned by the first device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a value of the cyber cash and a value of the at least one new RO are the same as or less than a value of the at least one partially used RO.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing, by the server, a cyber cash refund in exchange for the at least one partially used RO returned by the first device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a value the cyber cash refund is based on unused portion of the at least one partially used RO.

19. A device comprising a memory storing digital content, wherein access rights to the digital content is processed in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system and the device is configured to:

transmit a request message to a server, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one partially used rights object (RO) related to the digital content;

upload the at least one partially used RO to the server;

receive a response message from the server, the received response message including information indicating successful processing of the request message; and

delete the at least one partially used RO from the memory,

wherein the request message includes an identifier of another device in order to indicate that the transaction is a transfer of the at least one partially used RO to the another device, the request message further including an identifier of the device, a digital signature, an identifier identifying the server, and an identifier of the at least one partially used RO.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is further configured to request the server to re-issue the at least one partially used RO to be transferred to another device.

21. A device comprising a memory storing digital content, wherein access rights to the digital content is processed in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system and the device is configured to:

transmit a request message to a server, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one partially used rights object (RO) related to the digital content;

upload the at least one partially used RO to the server;

receive a response message from the server, the received response message including information indicating successful processing of the request message; and

delete the at least one partially used RO from the memory,

wherein the device is further configured to include an identifier of the device in the request message, a digital signature, an identifier identifying the server, and an identifier of the at least one partially used RO, excluding an identifier of another device or a redirect ID, in the request message in order to indicate that the transaction is return of the at least one partially used RO, the return transaction comprising returning the at least one partially used RO in exchange for a cyber cash refund or at least one replacement RO.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein a value of the cyber cash refund and a value of the at least one replacement RO are the same as or less than a value of the at least one partially used RO.

23. A system for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the system comprising:

a first device for generating and transmitting a request message, the request message indicating a transaction to be performed on at least one rights object (RO) related to accessing the digital contents; and

a rights issuer (RI) server comprising a processor; and

a memory connected to the processor storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of;

receiving, by the RI server, the request message including an RO;

analyzing, by the RI server, the request message;

recognizing, by the RI server, that the request message does not include a redirect identifier;

based on the recognition that the request message does not include the redirect identifier, determining, by the RI server, that the RI is receiving a request to return the RO indicated in the request message;

informing, by the RI server, a presentation server (PS) that the first device has requested to return the RO;

refunding, by the RI server, the corresponding RO by cyber cash;

reserving, by the RI server, the refunded cyber cash in a cyber cash account of the first device;

informing by the RI server, the PS regarding the reservation of the cyber cash;

transmitting, by the RI server, a RO acquisition protocol (ROAP) trigger to the first device comprising an URL address of the PS to the first device for confirmation of the refund; and

transmitting, by the RI server, the ROAP trigger to the first device to instruct the first device to connect to the PS for return of the RO.

24. A method for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a rights issuer (RI) sever, a request message including a rights object (RO);

analyzing, by the RI server, the request message;

recognizing, by the RI sever, that the request message does not include a redirect identifier;

based on the recognition that the request message does not include the redirect identifier, determining, by the RI server, that the RI is receiving a request to return the RO indicated in the request message;

informing, by the RI server, a presentation server (PS) that a first device has requested to return the RO;

refunding, by the RI server, the corresponding RO by cyber cash;

reserving, by the RI server, the refunded cyber cash in a cyber cash account of the first device;

informing, by the RI server, the PS regarding the reservation of the cyber cash;

transmitting, by the RI server, a RO acquisition protocol (ROAP) trigger to the first device comprising an URL address of the PS to the first device for confirmation of the refund; and

transmitting, by the RI server, the ROAP trigger to the first device to instruct the first device to connect to the PS for return the RO.

25. A rights issuer (RI) for processing access rights to digital contents in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system, the RI comprising:

a processor; and

a memory connected to the processor storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor to the perform the steps of;

receiving, by the RI server, a request message including a rights object (RO);

analyzing, by the RI server, the request message;

recognizing, by the RI server, that the request message does not include a redirect identifier;

based on the recognition that the message does not include a redirect identifier, determining, by the RI server, that the RI is receiving a request to return the RO indicated in the request message;

informing, by the RI server, a presentation server (PS) that the first device has requested to return the RO;

refunding by the RI server, the corresponding RO by cyber cash;

reserving, by the RI server, the refunded cyber cash in the cyber cash account of the first device;

informing, by the RI server, the PS regarding the reservation of the cyber cash;

transmitting, by the RI server, a RO acquisition protocol (ROAP) trigger to the first device comprising an URL address of the PS to the first device for confirmation of the refund; and

transmitting, by the RI server, the ROAP trigger to the first device to instruct the first device to connect to the PS for return of the RO.