Continuous digital content protection

• US 9,626,493 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2013
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohen, Yair
• Primary Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US13/913,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20140366159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,410 Days
• Field of Search: 726 28, 455517
• 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: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration

Abstract

Data from one or more sensors of a computing device can be employed to provide continuous protection of digital content. After user authentication and authorization, sensor data can be utilized to control access to protected content. More specifically, sensor data can be employed as a basis for initially providing an authorized user access to protected content and subsequently terminating access to the protected content. For additional security, content can be embedded with user identifying information in the form of a watermark. Further, such user identifying information can be provided to a content owner identifying one or more users who viewed the content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

acquiring an image of a user seeking to access protected content on a computing device from a camera of the computing device after successful authentication and authorization of the user;

embedding the image into the protected content as a visible watermark;

initiating presentation of the protected content;

monitoring one or more sensors of the computing device during presentation of the protected content; and

halting presentation of the protected content in response to detecting a change in a number of users of the protected content detected as a function of data from the one or more of the sensors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein halting presentation comprises halting presentation in response to detecting an increase in the number of users from one to greater than one.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

providing the image to an owner of the protected content; and

requesting permission to provide access to the protected content based on the image prior to initiating presentation of the protected content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after halting presentation of the protected content, initiating presentation of the protected content upon successful authentication and authorization of the user.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprises initiating presentation after detecting presence of a single user.

6. The method of claim 1 detecting the change in number of user based on a number of faces detected in an image by a face detection algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises halting presentation based on a preselected level of protection associated with the protected content.

8. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that enable at least one processor to perform a method upon execution of the instructions, the method comprising:

acquiring a first image of a user seeking to open protected content on a computing device from a camera of the computing device after successful authentication and authorization of the user;

determining how many faces are present in the first image;

opening the protected content if solely one face is present in the first image; and

embedding the first image into the protected content as a visible watermark.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprises:

capturing a series of images while the protected content is open; and

closing the protected content automatically based on detection of more than one face in one of the series of images.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprises closing the protected content automatically based on detection of less than one face.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprises providing the first image to an auditing component assessable by an owner of the protected content.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprises:

providing the first image to an owner of the protected content; and

requesting permission to provide access to the protected content based on the first image prior opening the protected content.

13. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to control access to protected content, and further to cause the computer system to perform at least the following;

receive a request to access protected content, wherein the request includes a set of user credentials;

identify a user based on the received set of user credentials;

using one or more hardware sensors of the computer system, continuously monitor a plurality of factors that are associated with the access of the protected content,

wherein the plurality of factors that are monitored includes counting a number of persons having a particular proximity and particular orientation relative to the computer system;

analyze the continuously monitored factors to detect whether one or more conditions that compromise the protected content are present; and

upon detecting a condition in which the analysis indicates that the one or more conditions are present, terminate access to the protected content.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are also executable to cause the computer system to determine a level of permissions available to the identified user and grant access to the protected content in accordance with the level of permissions available to the user.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein granting access to the protected content in accordance with the level of permissions available to the user includes injecting a watermark within the protected content, the watermark including information that identifies the user.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the watermark is one of:

a picture of the user, or a video of the user.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the computer system further includes:

an audit component that provides a picture gallery of images of users who have previously accessed the protected content, wherein the picture gallery also includes the following;

a user name for each of the users who have previously accessed the protected content,

an access location for each of the users, and

a time of access for each of the users.

18. The computer system of claim 13, wherein, upon the condition in which the analysis indicates that the one or more conditions are present, provide a notification to the user prior to terminating access to the protected content.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of factors that are monitored also includes a geographic location of the computer system.

20. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the computer system further detects additional people that are allowed to be located proximate the one or more hardware sensors and attempts to authorize each of the additional people that are allowed to be located proximate to the one or more hardware sensors.

21. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the continuous monitoring of the plurality of factors occurs substantially in real time, and such that the monitoring is continual rather than intermittent.

22. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to control access to protected content, and further to cause the computer system to perform at least the following;

acquire an image of a user seeking to access protected content on a computing device from a camera of the computing device after successful authentication and authorization of the user;

embed the image into the protected content as a visible watermark;

initiate presentation of the protected content;

monitor one or more sensors of the computing device during presentation of the protected content; and

halt presentation of the protected content in response to detecting a change in a number of users of the protected content detected as a function of data from the one or more of the sensors.