Patent Application
20090199279
In many digital rights management (DRM) systems, purchased content is individually licensed to specific devices. For example, a customer might purchase a music track from an online service, enabling him to download a special version of the music file that contains information uniquely identifying the hardware from which the user made the purchase. Depending on severity of restrictions in the granted license, attempting to copy and play this music file on another device (e.g., the customer's friend's computer) might not work.
While these and other similar restrictions are certainly desirable for content providers and online services hoping to prevent end user piracy, the restrictions place a burden on honest users that suffer device failure or choose to replace their device with an improved model. In the worst case, content providers or online services will treat the replacement device as a completely new and different device, forcing the customer to repurchase his entire content investment. In better cases, these services may offer complicated re-licensing workarounds, where the online service's database is temporarily modified to allow the user one chance to re-download all of their content to the replacement device. However, this is expensive to the service in terms of bandwidth for transferring the content and the cost of customer service initiating this manual process. It is also potentially expensive to the customer in terms of time, as the customer could easily spend hours waiting for re-downloads to complete for content that the customer has already downloaded to the original device.
Techniques for migrating content from a first set of conditions to a second set of conditions are disclosed herein. In particular, a content migration certificate is utilized to enable content migration and set forth under what conditions content may be accessed after migration. The content migration certificate may, for example, be stored as a file in a removable storage unit or transferred online once an indication that conditions have changed is received. The change in conditions may involve a new device attempting to access the content file, a new user attempting to access the content, or any other similar conditions. Access to the information in the content migration certificate may be protected by encryption so that only devices and/or users meeting the conditions of the certificate are permitted to transfer content. By accessing the content migration certificate in the prescribed manner, migration of content is enabled in a controlled and easy process.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The illustrative embodiments will be better understood after reading the following detailed description with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
The inventive subject matter is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, it is contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies
With reference to
Computer 110 typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer 110 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CDROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computer 110. Communication media typically embody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and include any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.
The system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 131 and random access memory (RAM) 132. A basic input/output system 133 (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 110, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM 131. RAM 132 typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit 120. By way of example, and not limitation,
The computer 110 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,
The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in
The computer 110 may operate in a networked or distributed environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 180. The remote computer 180 may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 110, although only a memory storage device 181 has been illustrated in
When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 110 is connected to the LAN 171 through a network interface or adapter 170. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 110 typically includes a modem 172 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 173, such as the Internet. The modem 172, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 121 via the user input interface 160, or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 110, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,
In order to assist in the transfer of content (e.g., music, videos, games, etc.) purchased and/or downloaded by a first computing device (e.g., computer, video game player, MP3 player, cell phone, etc) to a second computing device, the present invention involves the implementation of a content migration certificate. It will be understood that such content migration certificate, which typically will be issued by the owner or a distributor of the content, essentially enables the content to be transferred in a manner which protects the rights of all parties. Of course, any limitations or conditions placed on the content migration certificate, such as the number of available transfers, special verification requirements, or connection requirements, may be included consistent with the business policies and practices of the content owner or distributor.
As seen in one exemplary transfer depicted in
File 230 containing the content migration certificate will preferably include an identifier associated with first computing device 200, such as a unique ID (e.g., a serial number, user ID or the like), an identifier associated with at least one item in content file 220, and an identifier associated with second computing device 240. Once storage unit 210 is inserted into second computing device 240, it is preferred that some indication of its transfer from first computing device 200 be provided. Thereafter, the content migration certificate in file 230 is accessed via any desirable manner and the transfer of content from file 220 to second computing device 240 is enabled.
It will be appreciated that the content migration certificate may, for example, be accessed by means of a code provided at the time of content purchase or later when second computing device 240 attempts to access such content. Alternatively, second computing device 240 may be required to connect to an online service over the Internet, as represented by a server 250 having a connection with second computing device 240, whenever the content migration certificate is consulted. The certificate may include a cryptographic signature originating from a well-secured trustworthy source (e.g. device manufacturer or service provider). Signing the migration certificate blocks malicious users from tampering with it. The signing key used to sign the migration certificates may be the same key used to sign the original content licenses.
In a second type of content transfer depicted in
Similarly,
It is contemplated that the content migration certificate may not only permit transfer of content between computing devices, but also between users as well. In this regard, it will be appreciated that this constitutes the change in conditions and that a second user is then able to access content for which a first user was authorized. Additionally, the content migration certificate may also permit transfer of content under any other suitable change of conditions.
Another aspect of the techniques described herein for transferring content from one set of conditions to another involves an external server as part of the process. In such case, the server may determine that conditions according to which content is accessed have changed from a first set of conditions to a second set of conditions. A content migration certificate may then be requested for migrating a right to access the content from the first set of conditions to the second set of conditions. Accordingly, the content migration certificate enables the content to be accessed in accordance with the second set of conditions.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to the structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features or acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
