Media transport protocol extensions for system information exchange, and applications thereof

• US 8,626,931 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krig, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US11/967,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,199 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 709200-202, 726/27, 710 15- 19
• US Class Current: 709/228
• 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 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products to implement extensions of the Media Transport Protocol (MTP) are provided herein. The methods include opening a session between an initiator and a responder, exchanging one or more of device and system information and sending one of an operation or event based on media player application features. The operation includes one or more of a dataset, response code, operation parameter and response parameter. In an embodiment, the extensions enable the initiator and responder to manage connections efficiently between devices, send media player application information to a media player device, exchange device and system information, manage digital rights, monitor system security and specify properties within one or more extensions of MTP. These extensions may be in the form of one or more of an operation, an event, a dataset or property code.

Claims

1. A method to exchange media player information between an initiator and a media player operating under a Media Transport Protocol (MTP), comprising:

opening a session with the media player;

exchanging one or more of device and system information with the media player; and

sending, one of an operation or event that describes features of a media player application running on a processor of the initiator, to the media player.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an event from the media player that requests the initiator to provide information on the media player application running on the processor of the initiator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in response to the event, the initiator sends an operation to the media player to provide media player application information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operation includes a dataset that has one or more of manufacturer name, version identifier, serial number, model number, PC Media player friendly name, supported operations and supported events.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises receiving an event from the media player to reset a media player application running on the initiator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises receiving an event from the media player in response to a firmware upgrade of the media player.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the event causes the initiator to close all open sessions, perform a soft reset of its MTP stack, and query the media player for transport capabilities including one or more of Universal Serial Bus (USB) serial numbers, product identification numbers, model number, product name and changed system capabilities of the media player as a result of the firmware upgrade of the media player.

8. A method to efficiently manage sessions between an initiator and a responder operating under a data transfer protocol, comprising:

opening a session between an initiator and a responder; and

sending one or more of initiator system information and media player application information to the responder;

requesting one or more of device information, system information, and digital rights management (DRM) information from the responder;

requesting the responder to perform one or more of a system integrity check and an object integrity check, wherein the object integrity check includes checking integrity of object metadata and DRM licenses stored by the responder, and the system integrity check includes determining whether the responder is secure for transfer of DRM licenses; and

conducting multiple transaction with the responder without repeating the opening, sending or requesting at the start of each transaction;

wherein each transaction comprises one of an operation or an event; and

wherein said operation includes one or more of a dataset, response code, operation parameter and response parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the protocol is a Media Transfer Protocol (MTP).

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the checking of DRM licenses includes checking whether a DRM code is set for each object stored in a memory of the responder and recording an object identification for objects that do not have a DRM status property code set for each object.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of whether the responder is secure for transfer of DRM licenses is determined by checking integrity of DRM files in a memory of the responder, checking integrity of executable DRM library system code and integrity of executable MTP stack code, storing the results of the integrity check in a database, and transmitting the database to the initiator.

12. A method to exchange media player information between an initiator and a media player operating under a Media Transport Protocol (MTP), comprising:

opening a session with the initiator;

exchanging one or more of device and system information with the initiator; and

receiving at the media player one of an operation or event that describes features of a media player application running on a processor of the initiator.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending an event to the initiator requesting the initiator to provide information on the media player application running on the processor of the initiator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to the event, the receiver media player receives an operation from the initiator that provides information on the media player application running on the processor of the initiator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the operation includes a dataset that has one or more of manufacturer name, version identifier, serial number, model number, PC Media player friendly name, supported operations and supported events.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the sending further comprises sending an event to the initiator to reset a media player application running on the initiator.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the sending further comprises sending an event to the initiator in response to a firmware upgrade of the media player.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the event causes the initiator to close all open sessions, perform a soft reset of its MTP stack, and query the media player for transport capabilities including one or more of Universal Serial Bus (USB) serial numbers, product identification numbers, model number, product name and changed system capabilities of the media player as a result of the firmware upgrade of the media player.