System and method for securing digital content

• US 20050044016A1
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetCracker Technology Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Convergys Information Management Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Birch, Robert Dennis, Irwin, Scott Andrew, Weagraff, Stephen DeWayne, Lupo, Joseph Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• 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 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A system is disclosed for a digital rights management system which enforces license rights by incorporating a decryption key in a license rights package that further includes an account number associated with a primary consumer. The digital rights management system also includes a mechanism for renewing/updating the license by charging the account number associated with a primary consumer. This way, the consumer may transfer the license rights package along with the digital content to any personal devices he likes but he is discouraged from freely disseminating the license package as uses by other consumers will be debited against his package or, if renewed/extended, charged against his account.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content, the system comprising a media device wherein said media device further comprises:

a digital rights management system;

wherein said media device and digital rights management system may be utilized by a consumer to perform one or more of the following functions;

a.

download a digital content package;

create a license rights package to be associated with said digital content package;

purchase said license rights package wherein said license rights package includes an account number for said consumer;

download said license rights package to said media device;

debit said license rights package when said consumer accesses said digital content package in accordance with a set of rights included in said license rights package;

when said license rights package is exhausted, renew said license rights package by charging said account number contained in said license rights package;

b.

modify said license rights package and apply a difference to said account number contained in said license rights package.

c.

download said license rights package to said media device;

transfer said digital content package and said license rights package to a second consumer;

debit said license rights package when said second consumer accesses said digital content package in accordance with a set of rights included in said license rights package;

modify said license rights package and apply a difference to said account number contained in said license rights package.

2. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when said license rights package is exhausted, said second consumer may renew said license rights package by charging said account number contained in said license rights package.

3. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 2 wherein, when said license rights package is exhausted, said second consumer may renew said license rights package by charging, at said second consumer'"'"'s option, a new account number and a new license rights package will contain said new account number.

4. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 1 wherein said digital rights management system may access a license storage on said media device to determine if a set of license rights exist for an access desired by said consumer.

5. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 4 wherein said digital rights management system will not allow access to said digital content package if an associated license rights package is not available.

6. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 5 wherein said digital rights management system will prompt said consumer to procure a license rights package if said license rights package does not exist in said license storage.

7. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 5 wherein said digital rights management system will prompt said consumer to renew a license rights package if said license rights package has been debited enough to trigger a predetermined expiration warning.

8. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 5 wherein said digital rights management system will prompt said consumer to procure additional rights for a license rights package if said license rights package does not include said additional rights.

9. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a rating engine;

wherein said license rights package (original license rights package) further comprises metadata which may be utilized by said rating engine to;

calculate a cost for an additional license rights package without contemporaneously connecting to a host system; and

create a new license rights package further comprising said account number associated with said original license rights package;

selectively transmit a charge associated with said additional license rights package and said account number associated with said additional license rights package to said host processor.

10. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a rating engine;

wherein said license rights package (original license rights package) further comprises metadata which may be utilized by said rating engine to;

calculate a cost for a set of additional rights in said license rights package without contemporaneously connecting to a host system; and

modify said license rights package to include said set of additional rights;

selectively transmit a charge associated with said additional license rights package and said account number associated with said license rights package to said host processor.

11. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 10 wherein said additional license rights package may be structured to provide rights on a per use basis.

12. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 10 wherein said additional license rights package may be structured to provide rights on a time spent basis.

13. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 10 wherein said additional license rights package may be structured to provide rights on a subscription basis.

14. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 10 wherein said additional license rights package may be structured to provide rights according to a quantum of digital content accessed basis.

15. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 10 wherein said additional license rights package may be flexibly structured to provide rights according to the preferences of a customer.

16. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content, the system comprising

a media device further comprising a digital rights management system and a rating engine;

a content server; and

a license server

wherein

said content server is configured to store and index digital content;

said license server is configured to store a plurality of data and algorithms to be associated with a particular set of digital content (digital content package)

said media device is configured to access said content server to

search said content server for a particular digital content package;

download said digital content package to said media device wherein said digital content package is further configured with an identifier; and

said media device is configured to

access said license server;

access a set of data and algorithms associated with said selected digital content package via said identifier;

create a license rights package for said downloaded digital rights;

charge said license rights package to an account associated with a consumer procuring said license rights package;

incorporate said account number in said license package for future charges;

download said license rights package to said media device; and

said digital rights management system

confirms a license rights package exists when said consumer attempts to access said digital content package on said media device;

if a desired access is included on said license rights package;

said digital rights management system debits said license package for said desired access and permits said access.

17. A computer-implemented system for accessing digital content as claimed in claim 16 said digital rights management system is further configured so that if a desired access is not included in said license rights package, said digital rights management system prompts said consumer to renew or extend said license rights package by charging a renewal or extension to said account number associated with the inadequate license rights package.