Software, systems, and methods for processing digital bearer instruments

• US 9,177,338 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: API Market, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OnCircle, Inc.
• Inventors: Collins, Kevin, Haven, Richard, Kintzer, Eric, Olsen, Jeremy, Roever, Stefan, Thrasher, Shannon, Leano, Rhandee, O'Kelly, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): KUCAB, JAMIE R
• Application Number:
  US11/645,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,238 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described which enable flexible and secure processing of digital bearer instruments. An architecture is provided that enables provision of an extensible applications framework that flexibly supports a variety of features and functionality supporting title-based rights processing operations. A wide range of methods of defining and assuring rights processing operating environments extend the capabilities of rights processing operating environments in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising one or more computing devices programmed to:

instantiate one or more operating environments for processing title objects that are data structures stored in memory accessible to the one or more computing devices, each operating environment comprising a software environment in which software applications operate to process the title objects, each title object comprising a digital bearer instrument representing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object to a title-enabled process that is configured to support transactions involving the title objects, the data structure of each title object identifying at least one of the one or more operating environments, the one or more computing devices being programmed to instantiate each operating environment by;

selectively instantiating a plurality of operating environment components according to a corresponding predefined operating context which specifies the operating environment, the corresponding predefined operating context comprising a data structure that specifies one or more aspects of the operating environment to which it corresponds, the plurality of operating environment components being operable to facilitate redemption of the rights represented by the title objects identifying the corresponding operating environment.

2. The computing system of claim 1 wherein each of the title objects identifies the operating context corresponding to the operating environment identified by the title object, and wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate the one or more operating environments with reference to the operating contexts identified by the title objects.

3. The computing system of claim 2 wherein a first one of the title objects includes an operating context identifier which points to the corresponding operating context stored externally to the first title object.

4. The computing system of claim 2 wherein a first one of the title objects includes at least a portion of the operating context identified by the first title object.

5. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate a single operating environment with reference to the corresponding operating context.

6. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of operating environment components comprise a plurality of integrity-verified components which cannot be undetectably altered, and wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate the plurality of integrity-verified components using digital signatures and manifests.

7. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more computing devices comprise one or more of a handheld device, a personal computer, a server, a network appliance, a piece of networking equipment, a single computing platform, or a distributed computing platform.

8. The computing system of claim 1 wherein a first one of the title objects identifies a plurality of operating environments each of which corresponds to a different operating context, each of the operating environments identified by the first title object corresponding to a different right represented by the first title object, and wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate each of the operating environments with reference to one of the operating contexts.

9. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more computing devices are deployed in a network including a plurality of additional computing devices, first ones of the additional computing devices corresponding to additional operating environments configured to process the title objects, wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to interoperate with the first additional computing devices to facilitate redemption of the rights represented by the title objects.

10. The computing system of claim 1 wherein a first one of the operating environment components is configured to instantiate a user interface configured to facilitate interaction by a user with selected ones of the title objects associated with the user, and wherein the user interface includes a first presentation mode in which a tab corresponding to the user interface is presented at an edge of a display window, and a second presentation mode in which a user interface window connected to the tab is overlaid on the display window, the user interface window including user interface objects configured to facilitate interaction by the user with the selected title objects, wherein selection of the tab results in the user interface window appearing to slide in to or out from the edge of the display window.

11. A computing system comprising one or more computing devices programmed to:

instantiate one or more verified operating environments for processing title objects that are data structures stored in memory accessible to the one or more computing devices, each verified operating environment comprising a software environment in which software applications operate to process the title objects, each title object comprising a digital bearer instrument representing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object to a title-enabled process that is configured to support transactions involving the title objects, the data structure of each title object identifying at least one of the one or more verified operating environments, the one or more computing devices being programmed to instantiate each verified operating environment by;

instantiating a plurality of integrity-verified components, the integrity-verified components being configured to facilitate redemption of the rights represented by the title objects identifying the corresponding verified operating environment, wherein the instantiated integrity-verified components cannot be undetectably altered.

12. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate the plurality of integrity-verified components using digital signatures and manifests.

13. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of integrity-verified components implements one or more of a user interface, a verifier configured to verify integrity of any of the integrity-verified components, a directory, a state process which includes an entry for each title object which indicates validity of the corresponding title object when the entry is synchronized with state information associated with the corresponding title object, a title manager operable to facilitate management of selected ones of the title objects by a corresponding user, a title publisher operable to generate the title objects, or at least one title resolver operable to receive the title objects and facilitate redemption of the rights associated therewith.

14. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the one or more computing devices comprise one or more of a handheld device, a personal computer, a server, a network appliance, a piece of networking equipment, a single computing platform, or a distributed computing platform.

15. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the one or more computing devices are deployed in a network including a plurality of additional computing devices, first ones of the additional computing devices corresponding to additional verified operating environments configured to process the title objects, wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to interoperate with the first additional computing devices to facilitate redemption of the rights represented by the title objects, and wherein second ones of the additional computing devices correspond to unverified operating environments intervening between the one or more computing devices and at least some of the first additional computing devices.

16. The computing system of claim 11 wherein a first one of the integrity-verified components is configured to instantiate a user interface configured to facilitate interaction by a user with selected ones of the title objects associated with the user, and wherein the user interface includes a first presentation mode in which a tab corresponding to the user interface is presented at an edge of a display window, and a second presentation mode in which a user interface window connected to the tab is overlaid on the display window, the user interface window including user interface objects configured to facilitate interaction by the user with the selected title objects, wherein selection of the tab results in the user interface window appearing to slide in to or out from the edge of the display window.

17. A computing system comprising one or more computing devices programmed to:

instantiate one or more verified operating environments for processing title objects that are data structures stored in memory accessible to the one or more computing devices, each verified operating environment comprising a software environment in which software applications operate to process the title objects, each title object comprising a digital bearer instrument representing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object to a title-enabled process that is configured to support transactions involving the title objects, the data structure of each title object identifying at least one of the one or more verified operating environments, the one or more computing devices being programmed to instantiate each verified operating environment by;

selectively instantiating a plurality of integrity-verified components according to a corresponding predefined operating context which specifies the verified operating environment, the corresponding predefined operating context comprising a data structure that specifies one or more aspects of the verified operating environment to which it corresponds, the plurality of integrity-verified components being configured to facilitate redemption of the rights represented by the title objects identifying the corresponding verified operating environment, wherein the selectively instantiated integrity-verified components cannot be undetectably altered.

18. The computing system of claim 17 wherein each of the title objects identifies the operating context corresponding to the verified operating environment identified by the title object, and wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate the one or more verified operating environments with reference to the operating contexts identified by the title objects.

19. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate a single verified operating environment with reference to the corresponding operating context.

20. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate the plurality of integrity-verified components using digital signatures and manifests.

21. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the one or more computing devices comprise one or more of a handheld device, a personal computer, a server, a network appliance, a piece of networking equipment, a single computing platform, or a distributed computing platform.

22. The computing system of claim 17 wherein a first one of the title objects identifies a plurality of verified operating environments each of which corresponds to a different operating context, each of the verified operating environments identified by the first title object corresponding to a different right represented by the first title object, and wherein the one or more computing devices are programmed to instantiate each of the verified operating environments with reference to one of the operating contexts.

23. The computing system of claim 17 wherein a first one of the integrity-verified components is configured to instantiate a user interface configured to facilitate interaction by a user with selected ones of the title objects associated with the user, wherein the user interface includes a first presentation mode in which a tab corresponding to the user interface is presented at an edge of a display window, and a second presentation mode in which a user interface window connected to the tab is overlaid on the display window, the user interface window including user interface objects configured to facilitate interaction by the user with the selected title objects, wherein selection of the tab results in the user interface window appearing to slide in to or out from the edge of the display window.