Detecting supported digital rights management configurations on a client device

• US 9,129,092 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorwin, David Kimbal, Scherkus, Andrew Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Linglan
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAREY, FORREST L
• Application Number:
  US13/610,632
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 726/29, 726/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3003 Monitoring arrangements specially adapted to the computing system or computing system component being monitored
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• 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 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 : Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 : for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0631 : Substitution permutation network [SPN], i.e. cipher composed of a number of stages or rounds each involving linear and nonlinear transformations, e.g. AES algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 : Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 : Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 : involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 : involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 : involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available

Abstract

A content protection query module (CPQM) dynamically queries content protection items supported on the client device. The CPQM automatically identifies content protection configurations, based on the results of the queries. Using a variety of business rules and policies, the CPQM may select a content protection configuration from the configurations for packaging and providing protected content to the client device. The CPQM may instruct the client device to expect the protected content in the selected configuration, thereby enabling the client device to configure itself, as appropriate, for such configuration. The client device may include a media player that selects based on the instructions which DRM module to employ, providing the DRM module with instructions regarding where to obtain decryption keys/licenses for the content, and even instructing the DRM module which decryption mechanism to employ to decrypt the received protected content.

Claims

1. A client device, comprising:

a network interface card to receive content over a network;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program code; and

one or more processors configured to execute the computer program code to perform steps, comprising;

sending a request for access to protected content over the network;

receiving, in response to the request, a content protection query module;

executing the content protection query module within the client device to;

generate a plurality of queries to the client device about content protection items supported on the client device;

receive responses to the plurality of queries from the client device;

apply a content protection policy to the responses to the plurality of queries, the content protection policy prioritizing a content protection configuration based on a digital rights management module, container format and decryption key system supported on the client device;

select the content protection configuration based on the application of the content protection policy to the responses to the plurality of queries; and

instruct the client device to configure the client device to receive the protected content in the selected content protection configuration;

receiving the protected content in the selected content protection configuration; and

playing the received protected content using the selected content protection configuration.

2. The client device of claim 1, wherein the content protection query module is further executable to:

automatically generate a structure based on the received responses to the plurality of queries, the structure storing and managing the plurality of content protection items supported on the client device.

3. The client device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of queries comprises separate queries specifically requesting whether the client device supports a particular content protection item.

4. The client device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of queries comprises at least one query requesting the client device to provide information indicating each content protection configuration that the client device supports.

5. The client device of claim 4, wherein the content protection configuration comprises an indication of which digital rights management (DRM) modules are supported by the client device, and for each DRM module, which container format is supported, and which coders/decoders are supported.

6. A network device, comprising:

one or more memory storage devices storing executable computer program code; and

one or more processors configured to execute the computer program code to perform steps comprising;

receiving a request from a client device for protected content;

sending to the client device in response to the request, a content protection query module, wherein the content protection query module is adapted to execute on the client device to;

generate a plurality of queries to the client device about content protection items supported on the client device;

receive responses to the plurality of queries from the client device;

apply a content protection policy to the responses to the plurality of queries, the content protection policy prioritizing a content protection configuration based on a digital rights management module, container format and decryption key system supported on the client device;

select the content protection configuration based on the application of the content protection policy to the responses to the plurality of queries; and

instruct the client device to configure the client device to receive the protected content in the selected content protection configuration; and

sending the protected content in the selected content protection configuration to the client device.

7. The network device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of queries comprises queries using a canPlayType( ) Application Programming Interface.

8. The network device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of queries comprises separate queries specifically requesting whether the client device supports a particular content protection item.

9. The network device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of queries comprises at least one query requesting the client device to provide information indicating each content protection configuration that the client device supports.

10. The network device of claim 6, wherein the selected content protection configuration is stored on the client device.

11. The network device of claim 6, wherein the content protection configuration comprises at least two of a digital rights management module, a container format, a coder/decoder and a decryption type.

12. A method, comprising:

sending a request for access to protected content over a network;

receiving, in response to the request, a content protection query module;

executing the content protection query module within a client device to;

generate a plurality of queries to the client device about content protection items supported on the client device;

receive responses to the plurality of queries from the client device;

apply a content protection policy to the responses to the plurality of queries, the content protection policy prioritizing a content protection configuration based on a digital rights management module, container format and decryption key system supported on the client device;

select the content protection configuration based on the application of the content protection policy to the responses to the plurality of queries; and

instruct the client device to configure the client device to receive the protected content in the selected content protection configuration;

receiving the protected content in the selected content protection configuration; and

playing the received protected content using the selected content protection configuration.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the content protection query module is further executable to:

automatically generate a structure based on the received responses to the plurality of queries, the structure storing and managing the plurality of content protection items supported on the client device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of queries comprises separate queries specifically requesting whether the client device supports a particular content protection item.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of queries comprises at least one query requesting the client device to provide information indicating each content protection configuration that the client device supports.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the content protection configuration comprises an indication of which digital rights management (DRM) modules are supported by the client device, and for each DRM module, which container format is supported, and which coders/decoders are supported.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the selected content protection configuration indicates network bandwidth required to transfer the protected content.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the content protection policy prioritizes a content protection configuration based on a container format that provides a lowest network bandwidth to transfer the protected content.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the content protection policy prioritizes a content protection configuration based on a fastest decryption provided by a decryption key system supported on the client device.