Method and system for subscription digital rights management

• US 8,892,473 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc. (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Lao, Guillermo
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US13/412,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20120167229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/57
• US Class Current: 705/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1015 to users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for managing use of items having usage rights associated therewith. The system includes an activation device adapted to issue a software package having a public and private key pair, the public key being associated with a user, a license device adapted to issue a license, a usage device adapted to receive the software package, receive the license and allow the user to access the item in accordance with the license, and a subscription managing device adapted to maintain a subscription list including the public key associated with the user. License'"'"'s is issued by the license device upon verifying presence of the public key in the subscription list corresponding to requested content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more client-side subscriber computing devices associated with a subscriber of a subscription for controlling access to content that is made available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription as content of a digital work, the method comprising:

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices, information satisfying one or more conditions specified by a label representing the subscription to the digital work, the digital work including a first content and a second content, the first content being present content that is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription, the second content being future content that is not yet available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription, the label including one or more pointers to the first content of the digital work and specifying one or more usage rights corresponding to permitted utilizations of the first content and the second content;

before the second content is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription;

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices, a request for access to the first content; and

receiving, by at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices, a content license granting access to the first content based at least in part on the subscriber being on a subscription list associated with the subscription; and

after the second content is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription;

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices, a request for access to the second content; and

receiving, by at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices, a content license granting access to the second content based at least in part on the subscriber being on the subscription list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the permitted utilizations is rendering the second content for a specified period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the permitted utilizations is distribution of the second content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more usage rights are enforceable by a computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more usage rights correspond to the subscription.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein utilization of the digital work is permitted after the second content becomes available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions include at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a fee transaction, a collection of information, creation or activation of an account, a time period for access to the content, a number of views of the content, an access condition, and a state condition.

7. A client-side subscriber apparatus for controlling access to content that is made available to the client-side subscriber apparatus through a subscription as content of a digital work, the client-side subscriber apparatus being associated with a subscriber of the subscription, the client-side subscriber apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and containing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to;

transmit information satisfying one or more conditions specified by a label representing the subscription to the digital work, the digital work including a first content and a second content, the first content being present content that is available to the client-side subscriber apparatus through the subscription, the second content being future content that is not yet available to the client-side subscriber apparatus through the subscription, the label including one or more pointers to the first content of the digital work and specifying one or more usage rights corresponding to permitted utilizations of the first content and the second content;

before the second content is available to the client-side subscriber apparatus through the subscription;

transmit a request for access to the first content; and

enable the receipt of a content license granting access to the first content based at least in part on the subscriber being on a subscription list associated with the subscription; and

after the second content is available to the client-side subscriber apparatus through the subscription;

transmit a request for access to the second content; and

enable the receipt of a content license granting access to the second content based at least in part on the subscriber being on the subscription list.

8. The client-side subscriber apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of the permitted utilizations is rendering the future content for a specified period of time.

9. The client-side subscriber apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of the permitted utilizations is distribution of the future content.

10. The client-side subscriber apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more usage rights are enforceable by a computing device.

11. The client-side subscriber apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more usage rights correspond to the subscription.

12. The client-side subscriber apparatus of claim 7, wherein utilization of the digital work is permitted after the second content becomes available to the client-side subscriber apparatus through the subscription.

20. The client-side subscriber apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more conditions include at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a fee transaction, a collection of information, creation or activation of an account, a time period for access to the content, a number of views of the content, an access condition, and a state condition.

13. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more client-side subscriber computing devices associated with a subscriber of a subscription, control access to content that is made available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription as content of a digital work, the instructions causing at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices to:

transmit information satisfying one or more conditions specified by a label representing the subscription to the digital work, the digital work including a first content and a second content, the first content being present content that is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription, the second content being future content that is not yet available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription, the label including one or more pointers to the first content of the digital work and specifying one or more usage rights corresponding to permitted utilizations of the first content and the second content;

before the second content is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription;

transmit a request for access to the first content; and

receive a content license granting access to the first content based at least in part on the subscriber being on a subscription list associated with the subscription; and

after the second content is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription;

transmit a request for access to the second content; and

receive a content license granting access to the second content based at least in part on the subscriber being on the subscription list.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein at least one of the permitted utilizations is rendering the second content for a specified period of time.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein at least one of the permitted utilizations is distribution of the second content.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more usage rights are enforceable by a computing device.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more usage rights correspond to the subscription.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein utilization of the digital work is permitted after the second content becomes available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more conditions include at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a fee transaction, a collection of information, creation or activation of an account, a time period for access to the content, a number of views of the content, an access condition, and a state condition.

22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the label is presented to the subscriber as an offer to subscribe to the subscription.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the label is presented to the subscriber as a plurality of offers to subscribe to the subscription.

24. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more client-side subscriber computing devices associated with a subscriber of a subscription, control access to content that is made available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription as content of a digital work, the instructions causing at least one of the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices to:

transmit information satisfying one or more conditions specified by a label representing the subscription to the digital work, the digital work including a first content and a second content, the first content being present content that is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription, the second content being future content that is not yet available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription, the first content and the second content being video content from a streaming media service, the label including one or more pointers to the first content of the digital work and specifying one or more usage rights corresponding to viewing the first content and the second content;

before the second content is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription;

transmit a request to view the first content; and

receive a content license permitting the subscriber to view the first content based at least in part on the subscriber being on a subscription list associated with the subscription; and

after the second content is available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription;

transmit a request to view the second content; and

receive a content license permitting the subscriber to view the second content based at least in part on the subscriber being on the subscription list.

25. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more usage rights are enforceable by a computing device.

26. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more usage rights correspond to the subscription.

27. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein utilization of the digital work is permitted after the second content becomes available to the one or more client-side subscriber computing devices through the subscription.

28. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more conditions include at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a fee transaction, a collection of information, creation or activation of an account, a time period for access to the content, a number of views of the content, an access condition, and a state condition.

29. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the label is presented to the subscriber as an offer to subscribe to the subscription.

30. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the label is presented to the subscriber as a plurality of offers to subscribe to the subscription.