Method and system for accessing content on demand

• US 8,788,425 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Diamond, Michael B., White, Jonathan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nigh, James D
• Application Number:
  US11/202,545
• Time in Patent Office: 3,267 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 59, 707/783
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44236 Monitoring of piracy processes or activities protecting computer platforms against harmful, malicious or unexpected behaviour or activities using intrusion detection and counter measures G06F21/566; computer virus detection and handling G06F21/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06

Abstract

A method and system for accessing content on demand are described. In one embodiment, upon receiving a user request to access an instance of content (e.g., information that is independent of a particular physical medium), the identity of the user is authenticated. The request conveys a unique identifier of the instance of content and a key for activating the content corresponding thereto according to an instance of ownership stored therewith. The instance of ownership corresponding to the user in that instance of content is ascertained. Upon associating the instance of ownership corresponding to the user in the instance of content, the instance of content is activated to allow the user to access the instance of content according to the corresponding instance of ownership. Where access is demanded in excess of the instance of ownership, a transaction is initiated with which the instance of ownership can be upgraded.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating, by a registry server, for each of a plurality of instances of content, a unique identifier of a given instance of content, an ownership identification for said given instance of content, and an instance of ownership of said given instance of content, in a registry;

receiving, by a registry server, a request to access a particular instance of content, wherein said request includes a unique identifier of said particular instance of content and an ownership identification of a user;

authenticating, by a registry server, said user in response to receiving said request to access said particular instance of content;

determining, by said registry server, an instance of ownership of said particular instance of content from said registry according to said unique identifier of said particular instance of content and said ownership identification of said user, if said user is authenticated; and

providing, by said registry server, a content key to an access device of said user, wherein said content key includes said unique identifier of said particular instance of content, said ownership identification of said user and an instance of ownership of said particular instance of content.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, by said access device of said user, a decryption key for decrypting said particular instance of content according to said instance of ownership of said particular instance of content if said content key verifies that said user is permitted to access said particular instance of content; and

accessing, by said access device of said user;

said particular instance of content using said decryption key according to said instance of ownership of said particular instance of content in said content key.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said plurality of instances of content separately from said registry.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particular instance of content, protected by said decryption key, local to said access device of said user.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particular instance of content, remotely from said access device of said user, on a content server.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particular instance of content, protected by said decryption key, local to said access device of said user, and on a content server remote to said access device of said user.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating a transaction to upgrade said instance of ownership if said request to access said particular instance of content exceeds said determined instance of ownership.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transcoding said particular instance of content to provide independent of said particular instance of content from a particular medium or format.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said content key is embedded in said particular instance of content provided to said access device of said user.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said content key, in a safeguarded format, local to said access device of said user.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said content key is valid for a specified time period.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said registry server is remote from said access device of said user.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said registry server is provided by a content provider, or a third party to said content provider and said user.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said content key is associated with a select number of access devices of said user.

15. One or more non-transitory computing device readable media having computing device executable instructions which when executed perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to access a particular instance of content, wherein said request includes a content identifier of said particular instance of content and an identifier of a user;

authenticating said user in response to receiving said request to access said particular instance of content;

determining access rights for said particular instance of content, according to said received content identifier of said particular instance of content and said identifier of said user, from a registry that associates a unique content identifier of each given instance of content, a corresponding owner identifier of each given instance of content, and corresponding access rights for each given instance of content, if said user is authenticated; and

providing a content key to an access device of said user, wherein said content key includes said content identifier of said particular instance of content, said identifier of said user and said access rights for said particular instance of content.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising accessing said particular instance of content using a decryption key according to said access rights for said particular instance of content in said content key.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising storing said particular instance of content separately from said registry so that said access rights are decoupled from said particular instance content.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising initiating a transaction to upgrade access rights of said particular instance of content if said request to access said particular instance of content exceeds said determined access rights.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising transcoding said instance of content to provide independence of said particular instance of content from a particular medium or format.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein said content key is provided by embedding said content key in said particular instance of content.