Method and apparatus for provisioning a device to access digital rights management (DRM) services in a universal plug and play (UPnP) network

• US 20070157295A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterka, Petr, Mangalore, Geetha
• Granted Patent: US 8,176,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• 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: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for enabling a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device to be automatically provisioned to access services without the need for manual interaction. In accordance with the invention, when a UPnP device needs to be provisioned, it automatically obtains pre-provisioning information from a provisioning device on the home network, and uses the pre-provisioning information to interact with the provisioning device to cause the UPnP device to be provisioned. The provisioning enables the UPnP device to access services, including digital rights management (DRM) services, over a network.

Claims

1. A Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device that is capable of being automatically provisioned to access digital rights management (DRM) services by a provisioning device through interaction with the provisioning device over a home network, the UPnP device comprising:

a processor configured to obtain pre-provisioning information from said provisioning device and to use the pre-provisioning information to interact with said provisioning device to cause said UPnP device to be provisioned; and

a memory device, the pre-provisioning information being stored in the memory device.

2. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a digital rights management (DRM) type and version identifier.

3. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a name and a realm of the UPnP provisioning device.

4. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a time server name.

5. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide a certificate to said provisioning device, and to receive a certificate from said provisioning device, the certificate received by said UPnP device including a key that may be used by the UPnP device to obtain a session key that enables the UPnP device to access content files stored in a media server that is connected and provisioned to the home network.

6. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein the pre-provisioning information is included in a Service Control Protocol Definition (SCPD) document that is sent by said provisioning device to said UPnP device.

7. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein the pre-provisioning information is obtained by the processor sending an action to said provisioning device that is implemented by said provisioning device to cause the pre-provisioning information to be returned to said processor.

8. The UPnP device of claim 1, wherein said provisioning device provisions the UPnP device to access one or more digital rights management (DRM) services over the home network.

9. The UPnP device of claim 8, wherein said UPnP device is a set-top box.

10. The UPnP device of claim 8, wherein said UPnP device is a media server.

11. A provisioning device that is capable of provisioning a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device to access digital rights management (DRM) services through interaction with said UPnP device over a home network, said provisioning device comprising:

a processor configured to receive a request for pre-provisioning information from said UPnP device and to send pre-provisioning information to said UPnP device; and

a memory device, the memory device storing the pre-provisioning information.

12. The provisioning device of claim 11, wherein said pre-provisioning information includes a digital rights management (DRM) type and version identifier.

13. The provisioning device of claim 11, wherein said pre-provisioning information includes a name and a realm of said UPnP provisioning device.

14. The provisioning device of claim 11, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a time server name.

15. The provisioning device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to provide a certificate to the UPnP device, and to receive a certificate from the UPnP device, the certificate provided to UPnP device including a key that may be used by the UPnP device to obtain a session key that enables the UPnP device to access content files stored in a media server that is connected and provisioned to the home network.

16. The provisioning device of claim 11, wherein the pre-provisioning information is included in a Service Control Protocol Definition (SCPD) document that is sent by said provisioning device to said UPnP device.

17. The provisioning device of claim 11, wherein said provisioning device provisions said UPnP device to access one or more digital rights management (DRM) services over the home network.

18. The provisioning device of claim 17, wherein said provisioning device is a set-top box.

19. The provisioning device of claim 17, wherein said provisioning device is a video recorder.

20. The provisioning device of claim 17, wherein said provisioning device is a personal computer.

21. A method for provisioning a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device with a provisioning device over a home network to access digital rights management (DRM) services, the method comprising:

sending a request from a UPnP device to a provisioning device for pre-provisioning information;

receiving pre-provisioning information in said UPnP device sent by said provisioning device to said UPnP device; and

using the received pre-provisioning information in said UPnP device to cause said UPnP device to be provisioned by said provisioning device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a digital rights management (DRM) type and version identifier.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a name and a realm of the UPnP provisioning device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a time server name.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-provisioning information is included in a Service Control Protocol Definition (SCPD) document that is sent by said provisioning device to said UPnP device.

26. A method for provisioning a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device with a provisioning device over a home network to access digital rights management (DRM) services, the method comprising:

receiving a request for pre-provisioning information in a provisioning device, the request being sent by a UPnP device; and

sending pre-provisioning information to said UPnP device from said provisioning device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a digital rights management (DRM) type and version identifier.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the pre-provisioning information includes a name and a realm of the UPnP provisioning device.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the pre-provisioning information is included in a Service Control Protocol Definition (SCPD) document that is sent by said provisioning device to said UPnP device.

30. A computer program for provisioning a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device with a provisioning device over a home network to access digital rights management (DRM) services, the program being embodied on a computer-readable medium, the program comprising:

instructions for sending a request from a UPnP device to a provisioning device for pre-provisioning information;

instructions for receiving pre-provisioning information in said UPnP device sent by said provisioning device to said UPnP device; and

instructions for processing the received pre-provisioning information in said UPnP device to cause said UPnP device to be provisioned by said provisioning device.

31. A computer program for provisioning a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device with a provisioning device over a home network to access digital rights management (DRM) services, the program being embodied on a computer-readable medium, the program comprising:

instructions for receiving a request for pre-provisioning information in a provisioning device, the request being sent by a UPnP device; and

instructions for sending pre-provisioning information to said UPnP device from said provisioning device.