Methods for Securely Distributing Computer Software Products

• US 20100115507A1
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatani, Masayuki, Mallinson, Dominic Saul
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• 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 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A product distribution and payment system for limited use or otherwise restricted digital software products. Digital content data comprising a software product to be rented is made available to customers through a detachable local storage medium, such as a DVD or CD-ROM disc, or over a network connection. The product digital content is capable of being accessed and played back through a computer or game console at the customer site. The software product may comprise a limited use product that is restricted in the number of plays or duration of use. The customer is allowed to download and purchase the product using his computer or playback console. The product purchase information is encoded and transmitted to the content distributor. When the preset time or number of plays has elapsed the software program is frozen and access to the program is not allowed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a two-way, public key/private key encryption system is implemented to transmit the product and usage information between the server providing the software product and the customer computer system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for distributing a software module by a distribution server having access to a plurality of software modules, comprising:

(a) encrypting said software module with an encryption key;

(b) distributing said software module that is encrypted in (a), over a network, from said distribution server to storage of a computing device of a user;

(c) establishing an exchange between the distribution server and the computing device of the user, the exchange including,

(i) establishing a user key pair between the distribution server and the computing device of the user; and

(ii) establishing a client key pair between the distribution server and the computing device of the user, the exchange between the distributor server and the computing device of the user defining multi-layer encryption from the user and client key pairs;

(d) preparing a decryption key for transmission to the computing device of the user, the preparing includes encrypting the decryption key with a layer defined from the client key pair and then encrypting the decryption key with a layer defined from the user key pair, defining the multi-layer encryption of the encryption key; and

(e) transmitting the decryption key having the multi-layer encryption to the computing device of the user, the decryption key, once removed of the multi-layer encryption at the computing device, being used to decrypt the software module present at the storage of the computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the software module includes at least one feature.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, wherein decrypting the software module unlocks one or more features.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the software module is a piece of code, digital software, a media file, a rented media file, music files, advertisements, image files, animation files, sounds, applets, interactive media programs, interactive video programs, games and networked games.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device of the user is one of a networked computer, a networked game console, a wireless handheld device, or interactive computer entertainment system.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the encryption key and decryption key are created by an entity associated with the distributor to encrypt a tile for the software module.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage of the computing device is accessed locally or over a network.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the distributing is initiated upon request of the user over the internet or directly to the user by the distribution server.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the distribution server has one or more software modules.

10. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the distributor server is defined from one or more servers connected to the internet.

11. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the distributing of the encrypted software module to the storage of the computing device is in response to a download request from the computing device of the user.

12. A computer-implemented method for distributing a software product from a distribution server having access to a plurality of software products, the software product having one or more features, comprising:

(a) encrypting said software product with an encryption key;

(b) distributing said software product that is encrypted in (a), over a network, from said distribution server to storage of a computing device of a user;

(c) establishing an exchange between the distribution server and the computing device of the user, the exchange including,

(i) establishing a user key pair between the distribution server and the computing device of the user;

(ii) establishing a client key pair between the distribution server and the computing device of the user, the exchange between the distributor server and the computing device of the user defining multi-layer encryption from the user and client key pairs;

(d) preparing a decryption key for transmission to the computing device of the user, the preparing includes encrypting the decryption key with a layer defined from the client key pair and then encrypting the decryption key with a layer defined from the user key pair, defining the multi-layer encryption of the encryption key; and

(e) transmitting the decryption key having the multi-layer encryption to the computing device of the user, the decryption key, once removed of the multi-layer encryption at the computing device, being used to decrypt at least one of the features of the software product present at the storage of the computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 12, wherein decrypting one of the features unlocks the one feature.

14. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein decrypting each of the features unlocks a full version of the software product.

15. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein the software product is a piece of code, digital software, a media file, a rented media file, music files, advertisements, image files, animation files, sounds, applets, interactive media programs, interactive video programs, games and networked games.

16. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13,wherein the computing device of the user is one of a networked computer, a networked game console, a wireless handheld device, or interactive computer entertainment system.

17. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein the encryption key and decryption key are created by an entity associated with the distributor to encrypt a tile for the software product.

18. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein the storage of the computing device is accessed locally or over a network.

19. A computer-implemented method for distributing a software product from a distribution server having access to a plurality of software products, the software product having one or more features, comprising:

(a) establishing an exchange between the distribution server and the computing device of the user, the exchange including,

(i) establishing a user key pair between the distribution server and the computing device of the user;

(ii) establishing a client key pair between the distribution server and the computing device of the user, the exchange between the distributor server and the computing device of the user defining multi-layer encryption from the user and client key pairs;

(b) for a particular software product, preparing a decryption key for transmission to the computing device of the user, the preparing includes encrypting a decryption key for the particular software product with a layer defined from the client key pair and then encrypting the decryption key with a layer defined from the user key pair, defining the multi-layer encryption of the encryption key; and

(c) transmitting the decryption key having the multi-layer encryption to the computing device of the user, the decryption key, once removed of the multi-layer encryption at the computing device, being used to decrypt at least one of the features of the software product present at the storage of the computing device.

20. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

at a time of distribution or before distribution of the software products, encrypting one or more of the a plurality of software products with an encryption key, such that the software product distribution and obtaining of the decryption key from the transmitting operation (c) are separate operations.