Applying digital rights management to multi-media file playback

• US 9,330,241 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abhijeet, Kumar, Gladwin, S. Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): MENGESHA, MULUGETA A
• Application Number:
  US14/333,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20140331330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1083 Partial license transfers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/34 Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/085 Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739

Abstract

A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system that supports a plurality of subscriber units, receiving a request for playback of a stored multi-media file from a subscriber unit. The method continues with the processing module determining whether the stored multi-media file is a subscription based file or a publically available file. When the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, the method continues with the processing module accessing digital rights management data regarding subscription based multi-media files to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file. When the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the multi-media file, the method continues with the processing module sending a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with a unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit.

Claims

1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system that supports a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprises:

receiving a request for playback of a stored multi-media file of a plurality of stored multi-media files from a subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, wherein the centralized DVS system stores the plurality of stored multi-media files as a plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects, wherein one of the plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects corresponding to the stored multi-media file includes a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein each of the plurality of subscriber units is assigned a unique slice retrieval pattern;

determining whether the stored multi-media file is a subscription based file or a publically available file;

when the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, accessing digital rights management data regarding subscription based multi-media files to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the multi-media file, sending a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates a unique pattern for identifying a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving a second request for playback of a second stored multi-media file of the plurality of stored multi-media files from the subscriber unit, wherein another one of the plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects corresponding to the second stored multi-media file includes a second plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

determining whether the second stored multi-media file is the subscription based file or the publically available file;

when the second stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, accessing the digital rights management data to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the second stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the second stored multi-media file, sending a unique copy of the second stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates the unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the second plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management data includes one or more rights from a list of rights, wherein the list of rights comprises:

a content identifier for each subscription based file of the plurality of stored multi-media files;

a subscriber identifier for at least some of the plurality of subscriber units;

subscriber based access privileges with respect to subscription based files; and

a logical storage vault identifier associated with one or more of the subscription based files.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving, from a second subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, a second request for playback of the stored multi-media file;

accessing the digital rights management data to determine the second subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the second subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the stored multi-media file, sending a second unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the second subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the second subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the second subscriber unit indicates a second unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the stored multi-media file is the publically available file;

sending a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates the unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a second plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

accessing a listing of the plurality of multi-media files to determine whether the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file or the publically available file.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving, from the subscriber unit, a request for one right from a set of rights, wherein the set of rights include copying, publicly displaying, distributing, and making derivative works, wherein the request identifies the stored multi-media file;

accessing the digital rights management data to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include the one right from the set of rights, sending the unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises:

at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system that supports a plurality of subscriber units, causes the one or more computing devices to;

receive a request for playback of a stored multi-media file of a plurality of stored multi-media files from a subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, wherein the centralized DVS system stores the plurality of stored multi-media files as a plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects, wherein one of the plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects corresponding to the stored multi-media file includes a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein each of the plurality of subscriber units is assigned a unique slice retrieval pattern;

determine whether the stored multi-media file is a subscription based file or a publically available file;

when the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, access digital rights management data regarding subscription based multi-media files to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the multi-media file, send a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates a unique pattern for identifying a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the centralized DVS system to;

receive a second request for playback of a second stored multi-media file of the plurality of stored multi-media files from the subscriber unit, wherein another one of the plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects corresponding to the second stored multi-media file includes a second plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

determine whether the second stored multi-media file is the subscription based file or the publically available file;

when the second stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, access the digital rights management data to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the second stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the second stored multi-media file, send a unique copy of the second stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates the unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the second plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the digital rights management data includes one or more rights from a list of rights, wherein the list of rights comprises:

a content identifier for each subscription based file of the plurality of stored multi-media files;

a subscriber identifier for at least some of the plurality of subscriber units;

subscriber based access privileges with respect to subscription based files; and

a logical storage vault identifier associated with one or more of the subscription based files.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the centralized DVS system to;

receive, from a second subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, a second request for playback of the stored multi-media file;

access the digital rights management data to determine the second subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the second subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the stored multi-media file, send a second unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the second subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the second subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the second subscriber unit indicates a second unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the centralized DVS system to;

when the stored multi-media file is the publically available file;

send a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates the unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a second plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the centralized DVS system to;

access a listing of the plurality of multi-media files to determine whether the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file or the publically available file.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the centralized DVS system to;

receive, from the subscriber unit, a request for one right from a set of rights, wherein the set of rights include copying, publicly displaying, distributing, and making derivative works, wherein the request identifies the stored multi-media file;

access the digital rights management data to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include the one right from the set of rights, send the unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit.

15. A computing device of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system that supports a plurality of subscriber units, wherein the computing device comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operably coupled to the interface, wherein the processing module is operable to;

receive, via the interface, a request for playback of a stored multi-media file of a plurality of stored multi-media files from a subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, wherein the centralized DVS system stores the plurality of stored multi-media files as a plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects, wherein one of the plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects corresponding to the stored multi-media file includes a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein each of the plurality of subscriber units is assigned a unique slice retrieval pattern;

determine whether the stored multi-media file is a subscription based file or a publically available file;

when the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, access digital rights management data regarding subscription based multi-media files to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the multi-media file, send, via the interface, a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates a unique pattern for identifying a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

16. The computing device of claim 15 further comprises:

the processing module is further operable to;

receive, via the interface, a second request for playback of a second stored multi-media file of the plurality of stored multi-media files from the subscriber unit, wherein another one of the plurality of dispersed storage error encoded data objects corresponding to the second stored multi-media file includes a second plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

determine whether the second stored multi-media file is the subscription based file or the publically available file;

when the second stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, access the digital rights management data to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the second stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the second stored multi-media file, send, via the interface, a unique copy of the second stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates the unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the second plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the digital rights management data includes one or more rights from a list of rights, wherein the list of rights comprises:

a content identifier for each subscription based file of the plurality of stored multi-media files;

a subscriber identifier for at least some of the plurality of subscriber units;

subscriber based access privileges with respect to subscription based files; and

a logical storage vault identifier associated with one or more of the subscription based files.

18. The computing device of claim 15 further comprises:

the processing module is further operable to;

receive, from a second subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units via the interface, a second request for playback of the stored multi-media file;

access the digital rights management data to determine the second subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the second subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include playback of the stored multi-media file, send, via the interface, a second unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the second subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the second subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the second subscriber unit indicates a second unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

19. The computing device of claim 15 further comprises:

the processing module is further operable to;

when the stored multi-media file is the publically available file;

send, via the interface, a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit, wherein the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit indicates the unique pattern for identifying the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a second plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

20. The computing device of claim 15 further comprises:

the processing module is further operable to;

access a listing of the plurality of multi-media files to determine whether the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file or the publically available file.

21. The computing device of claim 15 further comprises:

the processing module is further operable to;

receive, from the subscriber unit via the interface, a request for one right from a set of rights, wherein the set of rights include copying, publicly displaying, distributing, and making derivative works, wherein the request identifies the stored multi-media file;

access the digital rights management data to determine the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights to the stored multi-media file; and

when the subscriber unit'"'"'s digital rights include the one right from the set of rights, send, via the interface, the unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with the unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit.