Digital content management and delivery

• US 8,775,825 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CRAM Worldwide LLC
• Original Assignee: CRAM Worldwide LLC
• Inventors: Klum, R. Daren, Fairchild, Matthew D., Pagan, Keith A., Hench, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CERVETTI, DAVID GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US12/858,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 713/189, 380/277, 726/27
• 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]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for digital content management and distribution are provided. In an example, a plurality of unique keys can be provide, wherein each unique key corresponding to one or more docks for accessing digital content. A selection of at least one item of digital content can be received from a user and an indication of a dock corresponding to the user can also be received. A unique key can be selected from the plurality of unique keys corresponding to the dock of the user, and the at least one item of digital content can be encrypted based on the selected unique key.

Claims

1. A method for delivering digital content to a user, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of unique keys stored at a server, each unique key corresponding to one or more docks for accessing digital content;

receiving, at the server, a selection of at least one item of digital content from a user;

receiving, at the server, an indication of a dock corresponding to the user;

selecting, at the server, a unique key from the plurality of unique keys corresponding to the dock of the user;

storing, at the server, the content on a memory device;

encrypting, at the server, the at least one item of digital content on the memory device based on the selected unique key; and

delivering the memory device having an encrypted version of the at least one item of digital content thereon to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each unique key is unique with respect to the one or more docks such the unique key is not used in docks other than the one or more docks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content includes movies and music.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving includes receiving multiple selections of items of digital content from the user;

loading the multiple selections of items of digital content on a memory device; and

sending the memory device to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein encrypting the at least one item includes encrypting the memory device using a hardware based encryption.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the memory device includes one of a hard disk drive and a solid state drive and where the hardware based encryption includes a full disk encryption.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein different items of digital content on the memory device are encrypted with different shared keys.

8. The method of claim 7, loading shared keys corresponding to the items of digital content on a memory device onto the memory device.

9. A dock for receiving a memory device, wherein the dock is an electronic device and is configured to access content on one or more memory devices for consumption thereof, wherein one or more memory devices are distinct devices from the dock that can be coupled to the dock, the one or more memory devices including content that is encrypted with a unique key corresponding to the dock, the dock comprising:

a first port configured to couple to a memory device;

the unique key stored in the dock in a manner that is inaccessible to a user,

wherein the dock is configured to provide the unique key to a memory device coupled to the port in order to access content on the memory device; and

wherein the dock is configured to provide content on the memory device to one or more external devices.

10. The dock of claim 9, wherein the unique key is unique with respect to one or more docks such the unique key is not used in docks other than the one or more docks.

11. The dock of claim 9, wherein the dock is configured to stream digital content from the memory device to one or more external devices.

12. The dock of claim 11, wherein the one or more external devices include a TV, a computer, and a mobile phone.

13. The dock of claim 12, wherein the dock is configured to stream digital content to the one or more external devices wirelessly.

14. The dock of claim 9, comprising:

a tamperproof case, wherein if the tamperproof case is breached the unique key is rendered un-obtainable.

15. A system for digital content management, the system comprising:

a plurality of memory devices for storing digital content, each the plurality of memory devices configured to have a unique key associated therewith;

a fulfillment server for loading digital content onto the memory devices; and

a plurality of docks for accessing digital content on one or more of the memory devices, each of the docks having a unique key stored therein, wherein the plurality of docks are distinct devices from the plurality of memory devices;

wherein each memory device is configured to be sent to a user associated with one or more docks, and wherein the fulfillment server is configured to provide a unique key associated with the one or more docks to a memory device having digital content for the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each unique key is unique with respect to one or more docks such the unique key is not used in docks other than the one or more docks.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital content includes movies and music.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the fulfillment server is configured to:

receive multiple selections of items of digital content from the user;

load the multiple selections of items of digital content on a memory device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of memory devices are configured to be encrypted using a hardware based encryption.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein different items of digital content on the memory device are encrypted with different shared keys.