Preventing unauthorized distribution of media content within a global network

• US 8,667,299 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Music Public Broadcasting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Music Public Broadcasting, Inc.
• Inventors: Risan, Hank, Fitzgerald, Edward Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/479,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 713/189
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• 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 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• 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 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention is a method for providing media content while preventing its unauthorized distribution. The method includes transmitting from a client to an administrative node a request for delivery of an instance of media content (IMC); determining which content source (CS) of a plurality of CSs to provide delivery of the IMC, provided the client is authorized to receive the IMC; transmitting to the client an access key and a location of the IMC; transmitting from the client to the CS a second request and the access key; in response to receiving the second request and the access key, transferring the IMC from the CS to the client; transmitting from the client to the administrative node an indicator indicating a successful transfer of the IMC; and generating a transaction applicable to the client and associated with the transfer of the IMC to the client.

Claims

1. A method for controlling presentation of media content on a media storage device, said method comprising:

verifying presence of a content presentation application and a usage compliance mechanism on a client system, said client system communicatively coupled with a network comprising a plurality of source nodes, wherein at least one of said source nodes of said network authorizes presentation of said media content;

utilizing said usage compliance mechanism for enforcing compliance with a usage restriction applicable to said media content disposed on said media storage device, said usage compliance mechanism including a file system filter driver for controlling data reads associated with said media content;

activating said usage compliance mechanism in response to receiving the media content by the client system;

utilizing said usage compliance mechanism to govern a function of said content presentation application, the compliance mechanism diverting a commonly used data output path of the content presentation application to a controlled data output path monitored by said compliance mechanism for every instance of media content presented by said content presentation application;

presenting said media content via said content presentation application that is communicatively coupled with said usage compliance mechanism, said content presentation application enabled to present said content when communicatively coupled with said source node; and

preventing said protected media content from being captured by an extractor mechanism via said controlled data input pathway while enabling presentation of said media content said preventing performed by said compliance mechanism stopping or disrupting the delivery of said media content via said controlled data input pathway.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

installing said usage compliance application on said client system when said usage compliance application is not present on said client system; and

installing said content presentation application on said client system when said content presentation application is not present on said client system.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said media storage device comprises an autorun mechanism disposed thereon that initiates installation of said usage compliance mechanism and said content presentation application on said client system in response to said client system receiving said media storage device and said usage compliance mechanism and said content presentation application are not present on said client system.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting said media content prior to disposal of said content on said media storage device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said encrypting comprises a first encryption applied to said media content and a second encryption applied to said first encryption of said media content.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said encrypting comprises a unique first encryption applied to each instance of media content when a plurality of media content is disposed on said media storage device and a unique second encryption is applied to each said unique first encryption of said media content.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

decrypting said second encryption with said file system filter driver using a second decryption key stored on a source node of said plurality of source nodes.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

decrypting said first encryption with said media content presentation application using a first decryption key stored on a source node of said plurality of source nodes concurrent with said presenting.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

affixing a unique identifier on said media storage device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said unique identifier is a serial number generated prior to or during disposition of said media content on said media storage device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

watermarking said content via said content presentation application during decryption of a first encryption applied to said media content, said content presentation application further causing said unique identifier to be watermarked onto an outgoing data stream containing said media content.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

updating said content presentation application via a source node of said plurality of source nodes.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

updating said usage compliance mechanism via a source node of said plurality of source nodes.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining which source node of said plurality of source nodes to update said content presentation application or said usage compliance mechanism.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said determining further comprises:

determining which source node of said plurality of source nodes is nearest to the physical location of said client system.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said determining further comprises:

determining which source node of said plurality of source nodes contains said content presentation application or said usage compliance mechanism.