U.S. patent application number 10/777044 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-19 for method and apparatus for dynamically assigning usage rights to digital works.
Invention is credited to Gilliam, Charles P., Lao, Guillermo, Nahidipour, Aram, Raley, Michael C., Ta, Thanh T., Tadayon, Bijan, Wang, Xin.
Application Number | 20040162784 10/777044 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25350385 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040162784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tadayon, Bijan ; et
al. |
August 19, 2004 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically assigning usage rights to
digital works
Abstract
A method, system and computer program product for dynamically
assigning usage rights to digital content for use in a system
having at least one repository, including specifying a usage right,
the usage right specifying an authorized use of digital content and
being enforceable by a repository; determining a status of a
dynamic condition; and dynamically assigning the usage right to the
digital content based on the status of the dynamic condition.
Inventors: |
Tadayon, Bijan; (Germantown,
MD) ; Nahidipour, Aram; (Mill Creek, WA) ;
Wang, Xin; (Los Angeles, CA) ; Raley, Michael C.;
(Downey, CA) ; Lao, Guillermo; (Torrance, CA)
; Ta, Thanh T.; (Huntington Beach, CA) ; Gilliam,
Charles P.; (Darien, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON PEABODY, LLP
401 9TH STREET, NW
SUITE 900
WASINGTON
DC
20004-2128
US
|
Family ID: |
25350385 |
Appl. No.: |
10/777044 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10777044 |
Feb 13, 2004 |
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09867745 |
May 31, 2001 |
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6754642 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/184 20130101;
G06Q 20/123 20130101; G06Q 20/1235 20130101; G07F 17/16
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/051 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A method of dynamically assigning usage rights to digital
content for use in a system having at least one repository, said
method comprising: specifying a usage right, the usage right
specifying an authorized use of digital content and being
enforceable by a repository; determining a status of a dynamic
condition; and dynamically assigning the usage right to the digital
content based on the status of the dynamic condition.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic condition is external
to said usage right.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage right specifies a
resolution of the digital content that is authorized for use by the
user.
4. The method of claim 3, comprising: determining a resolution for
download of the digital content based on the status of the dynamic
condition; applying a sub-band decomposition algorithm to the
digital content to create sub-images; and combining the sub-images
into a processed image of the determined resolution for
downloading.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said applying step comprises
applying a wavelet decomposition algorithm to the digital
content.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic condition includes a
time of day.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic condition includes a
load on a computer system used to distribute the digital
content.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage right includes a fee
charged for the digital content based on the status of the dynamic
condition.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage right includes a
distribution right for the digital content based on the status of
the dynamic condition.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized use of the
digital content includes at least one of an ability to print the
digital content, an ability to distribute the digital content, a
number of times that the digital content can be used, and a
resolution of the digital content, and wherein the method comprises
dynamically assigning based on the status of the dynamic condition
the usage right specifying the at least one of the ability to print
the digital content, the ability to distribute the digital content,
the number of times that the digital content can be used, and the
resolution of the digital content.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content includes
textual content.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content includes
audio content.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content includes
video content.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content includes
software.
15. The method of claim 1, comprising conducting the determining
step in a continuous manner.
16. The method of claim 1, comprising conducting the determining
step in a periodic manner.
17. The method of claim 1, comprising conducting the determining
step at a time of distribution of the digital content.
18. A system for dynamically assigning usage rights to digital
content and including at least one repository, said system
comprising: means for specifying a usage right, the usage right
specifying an authorized use of digital content and being
enforceable by a repository; means for determining a status of a
dynamic condition; and means for dynamically assigning the usage
right to the digital content based on the status of the dynamic
condition.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the specifying means, the
determining means and the dynamically assigning means comprise
devices of a computer system.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the specifying means, the
determining means and the dynamically assigning means comprise
computer readable instructions recorded on a computer readable
medium.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application is a continuation of Applicants' patent
application Ser. No. 09/867,745, entitled UMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
DYNAMICALLY ASSIGNING USAGE RIGHTS TO DIGITAL WORKS" (Attorney
Docket No. 111325-66), and is related to Applicants' patent
application Ser. No. 09/867,746, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
TRANSFERRING USAGE RIGHTS AND DIGITAL WORK HAVING TRANSFERRABLE
USAGE RIGHTS" (Attorney Docket No. 111325-63), Ser. No. 09/867,747,
entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING USAGE RIGHTS FOR
DIGITAL CONTENT TO BE CREATED IN THE FUTURE" (Attorney Docket No.
111325-68), Ser. No. 09/867,754, entitled "DEMARCATED DIGITAL
CONTENT AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND PROCESSING DEMARCATED DIGITAL
WORKS" (Attorney Docket No. 111325-62), Ser. No. 09/867,749,
entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSIGNING CONDITIONAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL RIGHTS TO DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENTS HAVING SUCH RIGHTS"
(111325-64), and Ser. No. 09/867,748, entitled "METHOD AND
APPARATUS FOR HIERARCHICAL ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS TO DOCUMENTS AND
DOCUMENTS HAVING SUCH RIGHTS" (111325-65), which are incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This invention relates generally to distribution of digital
works and more particularly to digital works having dynamic usage
rights.
[0003] One of the most important issues impeding the widespread
distribution of digital works or documents (i.e. documents in forms
readable by computers), via electronic means, and the Internet in
particular, is the current lack of ability to enforce the
intellectual property rights of content owners during the
distribution and use of digital works. Efforts to resolve this
problem have been termed "Intellectual Property Rights Management"
("IPRM"), "Digital Property Rights Management" ("DPRM"),
"Intellectual Property Management" ("IPM"), "Rights have been
termed "Intellectual Property Rights Management" ("IPRM"), "Digital
Property Rights Management" ("DPRM"), "Intellectual Property
Management" ("IPM"), "Rights Management" ("RM"), and "Electronic
Copyright Management" ("ECM"), collectively referred to as "Digital
rights management (DRM)" herein. There are a number of issues to be
considered in digital rights management: authentication,
authorization, accounting, payment and financial clearing, rights
specification, rights verification, rights enforcement, and
document protection for example. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,235,
5,634,012, 5,715,403, 5,638,443, and 5,629,980, the disclosures of
which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose DRM concepts
addressing these issues.
[0004] In the world of printed documents, a work created by an
author is usually provided to a publisher, which formats and prints
numerous copies of the work. The copies are then sent by a
distributor to bookstores or other retail outlets, from which the
copies are purchased by end users. While the low quality of copying
and the high cost of distributing printed material have served as
deterrents to unauthorized copying of most printed documents, it is
far too easy to copy, modify, and redistribute unprotected digital
works. Accordingly, some method of protecting digital works is
necessary to make it more difficult to copy them without
authorization.
[0005] Unfortunately, it has been widely recognized that it is
difficult to prevent, or even deter people from making unauthorized
distributions of electronic works within current general-purpose
computing and communications systems such as personal computers,
workstations, and other devices connected over communications
networks, such as local area networks (LANs), intranets, and the
Internet. Many attempts to provide hardware-based solutions to
prevent unauthorized copying have proven to be unsuccessful. The
proliferation of high band-width "broadband" communications
technologies will render it even more convenient to distribute
large documents electronically, including video files such as full
length motion pictures, and thus will remove any remaining
deterrents to unauthorized distribution of digital works.
Accordingly, DRM technologies are becoming a high priority.
[0006] Two basic DRM schemes have been employed to attempt to solve
the document protection problem: secure containers and trusted
systems. A "secure container" (or simply an encrypted document)
offers a way to keep document contents encrypted until a set of
authorization conditions are met and some copyright terms are
honored (e.g., payment for use). After the various conditions and
terms are verified with the document provider, the document is
released to the user in clear form. Commercial products such as
IBM's CRYPTOLOPES and InterTrust's DIGIBOXES fall into this
category. Clearly, the secure container approach provides a
solution to protecting the document during delivery over insecure
channels, but does not provide any mechanism to prevent legitimate
users from obtaining the clear document and then using and
redistributing it in violation of content owners' intellectual
property.
[0007] Cryptographic mechanisms are typically used to encrypt (or
"encipher") documents that are then distributed and stored
publicly, and ultimately privately deciphered by authorized users.
This provides a basic form of protection during document delivery
from a document distributor to an intended user over a public
network, as well as during document storage on an insecure
medium.
[0008] In the "trusted system" approach, the entire system is
responsible for preventing unauthorized use and distribution of the
document. Building a trusted system usually entails introducing new
hardware such as a secure processor, secure storage and secure
rendering devices. This also requires that all software
applications that run on trusted systems be certified to be
trusted. While building tamper-proof trusted systems is a real
challenge to existing technologies, current market trends suggest
that open and untrusted systems such as PC's and workstations using
browsers to access the Web, will be the dominant systems used to
access digital works. In this sense, existing computing
environments such as PCs and workstations equipped with popular
operating systems (e.g., Windows.TM., Linux.TM., and UNIX) and
rendering applications such as browsers are not trusted systems and
cannot be made trusted without significantly altering their
architectures. Of course, alteration of the architecture defeats a
primary purpose of the Web, i.e. flexibility and compatibility.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,012, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference, discloses a system for
controlling the distribution of digital documents. Each rendering
device has a repository associated therewith. A predetermined set
of usage transaction steps define a protocol used by the
repositories for carrying out usage rights associated with a
document. Usage rights are encapsulated with the document content
or otherwise associated with the document to travel with the
document. The usage rights can permit various types of use such as,
viewing only, use once, distribution, and the like. Rights can be
granted based on payment or other conditions and are generally set
prior to distribution to the user. For example the rights may grant
the user certain privileges, such as the ability to view and print
the content, in exchange for a specific fee. However, there are
dynamic conditions that affect the cost or desirability of
distributing a document. Conventional DRM techniques do not account
for such dynamic conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Exemplary aspects of the invention are directed to a method,
system and computer program product for dynamically assigning usage
rights to digital content for use in a system having at least one
repository, including specifying a usage right, the usage right
specifying an authorized use of digital content and being
enforceable by a repository; determining a status of a dynamic
condition; and dynamically assigning the usage right to the digital
content based on the status of the dynamic condition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] The invention is described through a preferred embodiment
and the attached drawing in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a digital content
distribution system that can be used with the preferred
embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a computer architecture in
accordance with the preferred embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a lookup table illustrating the logic of the
rights module of the preferred embodiment; and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating how image resolution
is varied in the preferred embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for the electronic
distribution of digital works in accordance with a preferred
embodiment. Such works may include correspondence, books,
magazines, journals, newspapers, other papers, software, audio and
video clips, other files or objects, and the like. The phrase
"digital work" as used herein refers to any type of element having
content in computer readable form. "Content" as used herein refers
to the viewable or otherwise usable portion of a digital work.
Author 110 creates original content 112 and passes it to a
distributor 120 for distribution. Ordinarily, author 110 is the
creator of the content. However, the term "author" as used herein
can be the creator, owner, editor, or other entity controlling the
content or an agent (e.g. a publisher) of one of those entities.
Also author 110 may distribute documents directly, without
involving another party as distributor 120 and thus the author and
distributor may be the same entity. However, the division of
functions set forth in FIG. 1 is more efficient, as it allows
author 110 to concentrate on content creation and not the
administrative functions of distribution. Moreover, such a
breakdown facilitates economies of scale by permitting distributor
120 to associate with a number of authors 110. Distributor 120
distributes digital works to user 130 upon request. In a typical
electronic distribution model, the work is distributed as a
document containing the content and associated usage rights in
encrypted form. Distributor 120 encrypts the works with a random
key and then encrypts the random key with a public key
corresponding to user 130. Thus the encrypted work is customized
solely for the particular user 130. User 130 is then able to use
their private key to unencrypt the random key and use it to
unencrypt and view the content at the work.
[0017] Payment for the work is passed from user 130 to distributor
120 by way of clearinghouse 150 which collects requests from user
130 and from other users who wish to sue a particular content.
Clearinghouse 150 also collects payment information, such as debit
transactions, credit card transactions, or other known electronic
payment schemes, and forwards the collected payments as a payment
batch to distributor 120. Of course, clearinghouse 150 may retain a
share of the payment as a fee for the above-noted services.
Distributor 120 may retain a portion of the batch payment from
clearinghouse 150 for distribution services and forward a payment
(for example royalties) to author 110. Distributor 120 may compile
a bundle or batch of user requests for a single work before
distributing the work. In such a case, a single instance of the
encrypted work can be generated for unencryption by all of the
requesting users 130.
[0018] Each time user 130 requests (or uses) content of a work, an
accounting message is sent to audit server 140 which ensures that
each request by user 130 matches with a document sent to user 130
by distributor 120. Accounting information is received by audit
server 140 directly from distributor 120. Any inconsistencies are
transmitted via a report to clearinghouse 150, which can then
adjust the payment batches made to distributor 120 accordingly.
This accounting scheme is operative to reduce the possibility of
fraud in electronic distribution and to handle any time-dependent
usage rights that may result in charges that vary, depending on the
duration or other extent of use.
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a computer architecture for downloading
digital works from distributor 120 to user 130 in accordance with
the preferred embodiment. The architecture utilizes a
communications network, such as the Internet, for data transfer.
User 130 uses client computer 230, such as a personal computer, a
personal digital assistant (PDA), a data terminal, a kiosk, or the
like, to communicate with computer server 200 associated with
distribution 120. Client 230 is coupled to Internet backbone 60,
through a modem, phone line and Internet Service Provider (ISP) for
example, in a known manner. Client can be running an operating
system having a graphical user interface (GUI) such as Microsoft
Windows 98.TM. or Microsoft Windows 2000.TM. and an application
program known as a "Web browser" that permits a graphical user
interface to be used to control communications over the Internet
through Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and a standard page
description language known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). The
collection of Internet servers using HTTP is known as the "World
Wide Web" or the "Web".
[0020] Server 200 is associated with distributor 120 and can be a
personal computer, a server, a minicomputer, a collection of
computers, a computer network, or the like. Server 200 has storage
devices 202 (such as magnetic hard discs) for storing information
including central program 710 and digital works 203. Central
processing unit (CPU) 204 for controlling the flow of information
in accordance with control program 210, and random access memory
(RAM) 206 used as a workspace for CPU 204. Server 200 is coupled to
Internet backbone 60 through high speed communications link 62. Of
course, server 200 can be coupled to Internet backbone 60 through a
modem and an ISP in a manner similar to client 230, or in any other
manner.
[0021] Control program 210 is stored in one of storage devices 202
and includes dynamic conditions module 212 which tracks a plurality
of dynamic conditions. Control program 210 also includes rights
module 214 which sets usage rights for content in accordance with
the dynamic conditions monitored by dynamic conditions module 212.
One such dynamic condition can be the time of day. For example, a
user can access a popular web site to obtain content during
off-peak hours, in terms of web site traffic, at a reduced fee. To
encourage content distribution during off-peak hours (and more
uniform distribution of traffic to server 200), distributor 120 can
charge lower fees for the same content during off-peak hours by
monitoring time with dynamic conditions module 212 (which can
reference the real time clock of server 200) and setting usage
rights in a dynamic manner with rights module 214 based on the
conditions, i.e. the time. The usage rights can be assigned in any
known manner, such as through techniques disclosed in the patents
cited above and incorporated by reference.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a simple example of the logic of rights
module 214 in the form of a lookup table. Conditions values 216 are
listed in the left column and corresponding usage rights 218 are
listed in the right column. As an example, assume that condition
value A corresponds to 9 am to 5 pm in the United States Eastern
Standard Time, condition value B corresponds to 5 pm to 11 pm in
the United States Pacific Standard Time, and condition value C
corresponds to 11 pm to 9 am in the United States Eastern Standard
Time. In this case, the corresponding usage rights 218 can be fees
or discounts off of standard fees. Assuming that server 200 tends
to be most busy during time A and least busy during time C, price X
can be higher than price Y, which is higher than price Z. Of
course, if X, Y, and Z are expressed as discounts, the inverse
relationship can be true, i.e. Z can be higher than Y, which is
higher than X. Usage rights 218 can be assigned to one or more of
digital works 203 on a periodic basis, just prior to distribution,
or in any manner.
[0023] The fee schedule, or other usage rights can be dynamically
adjusted based on the status of the network in general or server in
particular, by obtaining various known load parameters from the
network. Of course, in such a case, rights module 214 may have a
more complex lookup table or other logic that combines the various
conditions to ascertain corresponding usage rights 218 for content.
Also, dynamic conditions module 212 can include known software
tools for monitoring servers load such as WEB PERFORMANCE
TRAINERTM, a commercially available software package for monitoring
server load.
[0024] The concept of dynamic usage rights can apply to fees or any
other rights. In other words, any usage rights that can be
specified for a digital work can be changed based on dynamic
conditions. For example, the ability to print or distribute the
content, the number of times the content can be used, the
resolution of an image in the content, and the like can all be set
and changed based on dynamic conditions. The list of usage rights
can include all rights that can be specified by the known XrML.TM.
usage rights language or other grammars for digital rights
management. The logic of usage rights module 214 can be based on
curves, formulas, tables, databases or any other algorithm using
predetermined, or dynamic schemes.
[0025] Further, the percentage of the commission or fee of
distributor 120 can be a usage right that is varied dynamically.
For example, depending on the network conditions or parameters
(such as number of the visitors to the web site or corresponding
downloads at that moment), to encourage more uniform distribution
of content throughout all hours, distributor 120 can charge a lower
percentage during times of lower use of server 200. This permits
distributor 120 to reduce the number of servers in the server farm
that constitutes server 200 and thus reduce operating costs.
[0026] Further, the quality or other characteristics of content can
be adjusted as usage rights based on dynamic conditions. For
example, at peak hours, user 130 may only be able to download a low
resolution image of content, or may be charged a premium for a high
resolution image. In such a case, it is desirable to make content
available in plurality of resolutions. However, storing multiple
resolution images (at each desired resolution) for each piece of
content can be very cumbersome and can take up a large amount of
memory in memory devices 202 and other resources. Applicant has
discovered that application of known wavelet decomposition or other
subband decomposition technologies can be used to provide
flexibility of resolution while reducing resource overhead.
[0027] The phrase "wavelet decomposition" refers to a method of
signal processing in which the signal is divided, i.e. decomposed,
into components of various frequency bandwidths. Wavelet
decomposition and related transformations are well known generally
and described in Wavelets and Subband Coding, M. Veterrli and J.
Kovacevic, Prentice Hall, 1995 the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference. Wavelet decomposition has been
applied to analyzing the time-frequency domain of various signals
and to digital compression technologies. FIG. 4 illustrates one of
digital works 203 adapted for providing variable resolution images
in accordance with the preferred embodiment. Content of work 203,
in the form of an image, is divided into sub-images
207.sub.1-207.sub.5. Each sub-image corresponds to a wavelet, i.e.
a frequency component of the image. In the preferred embodiment,
sub-image 207.sub.1 is a 1/2 resolution image, sub-image 207.sub.2
is a 1/4 resolution image, sub-image 207.sub.3 is a 1/8 resolution
image, sub-image 207.sub.4 is a {fraction (1/16)} resolution image
and sub-image 207.sub.5 is a {fraction (1/32)} resolution image.
Each of sub-images 207.sub.1-207.sub.5 can be superposed and
downloaded to provide a plurality of possible resolutions. For
example, downloading only sub-image 207.sub.1 provides a 1/2
resolution image. However, superposing sub-image 207.sub.1 with
sub-image 207.sub.2 provides a higher resolution image 209.
Accordingly, usage rights X, Y, and Z of FIG. 3 can correspond to
the right to download various sub-images or combinations
thereof.
[0028] The parameters used in sub-sampling (or filtering) of
content determine the quality of the resultant sub-image and can be
varied in a known manner to make any number of sub-images having
any resolution. Further, while the sub-images 207.sub.1-207.sub.5
are all illustrated in FIG. 4, all sub-images need not be
decomposed and stored but can be decomposed "on the fly" using
known mathematical techniques in control program 210 to provide
only sub-images needed for the desired resolution download. The
content owner may grant only the right to view, print, or copy a
wavelet decomposition low resolution sub-image for trial or
inspection purposes, for example. All the sub-images can be
attached to the corresponding content for usage rights assignment
or can be generated on the fly. In the preferred embodiment, all of
the components of the image are in the same package, and the
resolutions or the combination of resolutions are readily
obtainable using wavelet decomposition. The various rights and the
associated content can be stored at the same location or at
different locations.
[0029] The invention can be applied to any type of distribution
system for digital works. For example any number of computers or
other devices can be used. Any dynamic conditions can be monitored
and used to change usage rights assigned to content in any manner.
Usage rights can be any privileges or restrictions on use and/or
distribution of the digital work or content thereof. The dynamic
conditions can be monitored, and the usage rights can be
dynamically assigned or adjusted, constantly, periodically, or only
when a digital work is to be distributed.
[0030] The distribution, accounting, and other functions of the
distributor and clearinghouse can be accomplished by any party on
any device. For example, the content can be rendered on an ebook
reader or PDA in response to entry of a code or insertion of a
smartcard into a reader and accounting can be accomplished when the
digital work or accounting data is returned to a specific source.
The division of tasks disclosed herein is only an example. Usage
rights and or accounting data can be encapsulated with the digital
work or can be stored separately. Code for rendering, decrypting,
or otherwise permitting or limiting use of the content can be
stored on any device or can be encapsulated with the digital work.
Any distribution arrangement can be used with the invention and
such arrangements can include any combination of devices, such as
personal computers, servers, PDAs, and the like communicating with
one another in any manner as is necessary to transfer the desired
information.
[0031] The invention has been described through a preferred
embodiment. However, various modifications can be made without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims and legal equivalents.
* * * * *