U.S. patent application number 11/285781 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-29 for method and apparatus to enable a market in used digital content.
Invention is credited to Edward P. Flinchem, William L. Valenti.
Application Number | 20060143132 11/285781 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36565637 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060143132 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Valenti; William L. ; et
al. |
June 29, 2006 |
Method and apparatus to enable a market in used digital content
Abstract
Methods and apparatus to enable a distinction between "new" and
"used" digital content and to enable a market in used digital
content files between mobile phone terminals and an electronic
store, securely, by means of a wireless telephony network and a
server complex to handle contents right management, transaction
reporting, inventory, content delivery, payment, and billing. A
server receives a signal generated by a wireless user device that
was sent over a wireless telephony network. The signal indicates an
election for returning at least one previously purchased digital
content item. The server deletes user rights for the at least one
digital content item identified by the received signal and sends
information to the user device that generated the signal. Access to
the associated digital content item at the user device is removed
according to the sent information.
Inventors: |
Valenti; William L.;
(Seattle, WA) ; Flinchem; Edward P.; (Seattle,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BLACK LOWE & GRAHAM, PLLC
701 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 4800
SEATTLE
WA
98104
US
|
Family ID: |
36565637 |
Appl. No.: |
11/285781 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60631704 |
Nov 30, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 2463/062 20130101;
G06F 2221/2135 20130101; G06F 21/35 20130101; H04L 2463/081
20130101; H04L 9/0891 20130101; H04L 2209/603 20130101; G06F 21/10
20130101; H04L 63/0428 20130101; H04L 2209/56 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/057 |
International
Class: |
H04L 9/00 20060101
H04L009/00 |
Claims
1. A method for deleting rights to one or more digital content
items at a wireless user device in a digital rights management
environment, the method comprising: receiving at a server in data
communication a signal generated by a wireless user device and sent
over a wireless telephony network, the signal indicates an election
for returning at least one previously purchased digital content
item; deleting user rights for the at least one digital content
item identified by the received signal; and sending information to
the user device that generated the signal, wherein access to the
associated digital content item at the user device is removed
according to the sent information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein deleting comprises deleting a
digital content key associated with the elected at least one
previously purchased digital content item, wherein deleting the
digital content key is performed at the user device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein deleting comprises: generating a
new digital key; encrypting the new digital key, a previously
generated random number, and an id string associated with the user
device using a digital key previously confirmed by use of at least
two distinct networks; determining the digital content items the
user has user rights for; and encrypting one or more digital
content keys using the new digital key based on the determination,
wherein sending includes sending the encrypted new digital key to
the user device and sending the encrypted one or more digital
content keys to the associated user device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: applying credit to an
account associated with the user of the user device that generated
the signal.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: reporting information
of the account to the user of the user device.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding information
related to the digital content item that was requested for deletion
into a used content inventory database.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: allowing purchase of
a digital content item associated with information stored in the
used content inventory database.
8. A system for returning one or more digital content items from a
wireless user device in a digital rights management environment,
the system comprising: one or more memory units for storing users'
rights to digital content items; and a processing device in data
communication with the one or more memory units, the processing
device comprising: a communication component for receiving a signal
generated by a wireless user device that indicates an election to
return at least one previously purchased digital content item; and
a component for deleting user rights for the digital content item
identified by the received signal, wherein the communication
component sends information to the user device that generated the
signal, wherein the sent information removes access to the
identified digital content item.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the component for deleting
comprises: a component for generating a new digital key and
encrypting the new digital key, a previously generated random
number, and an id string with the user device using a digital key
previously confirmed by use of at least two distinct networks; and
a component for determining the digital content items the user has
user rights for and encrypting one or more digital content keys
associated using the new digital key based on the determination,
wherein the communication component sends the encrypted new digital
key to the user device and sending the encrypted one or more
digital content key to the associated user device.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing device further
comprises: a component for applying credit to an account associated
with the user of the user device that generated the signal.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the component for applying
credit comprises: a component for reporting information of the
account to the user of the user device.
12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing device further
comprises: a component for adding information related to the
digital content item that was requested for deletion into a used
content inventory database.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the component for adding
information comprises: a component for allowing purchase of a
digital content item associated with information stored in the used
content inventory database.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Digital content, such as music, games and video, are
becoming more and more central to the world economy. The
transaction of digital content is a general transfer of data and
data communications over a network, such as the Internet.
[0002] With regard to the rights to use the digital content, the
prior art takes a defensive posture that is focused on guarding the
digital content against unauthorized access, duplication and use.
Limitations are placed on the use and distribution of a piece of
digital content, and various means are used to attempt to enforce
these limitations. Oftentimes, the limitations can be easily
circumvented, and so enforcement can be difficult and therefore is
mostly ineffective.
[0003] Present methods for attaining rights to use a piece of
digital content are focused on resolving digital rights issues as
they pertain to digital content delivery between an end desktop
computer and a controlling server. Little has been done to generate
a digital rights management system that operates at least in part
over a data telephony network.
[0004] Therefore, there exists a need to provide a secured digital
content data transmission system that allows recipients some secure
control over transmission of digital content.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides methods and apparatus to
enable a distinction between "new" and "used" digital content and
to enable a market in used digital content files between mobile
phone terminals and an electronic store, securely, by means of a
wireless telephony network and a server complex to handle contents
right management, transaction reporting, inventory, content
delivery, payment, and billing.
[0006] In one embodiment, a method for deleting rights to one or
more digital content items at a wireless user device in a digital
rights management environment is provided. A server receives a
signal generated by a wireless user device that was sent over a
wireless telephony network. The signal indicates an election for
returning at least one previously purchased digital content item.
The server deletes user rights for the at least one digital content
item identified by the received signal and sends information to the
user device that generated the signal. Access to the associated
digital content item at the user device is removed according to the
sent information.
[0007] In another embodiment, the server generates a new digital
key and encrypts the new digital key, a previously generated random
number, and an id string associated with the user device using a
digital key previously confirmed by use of at least two distinct
networks. The server also determines the digital content items the
user has user rights for and encrypts one or more digital content
keys associated using the new digital key based on the
determination. The encrypted new digital key and the encrypted one
or more digital content keys are sent to the user device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0008] The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present
invention are described in detail below with reference to the
following drawings.
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example system
formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary diagram performed by some of
the components shown in FIG. 1 for providing secure access between
user devices and a digital rights management system;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a process for delivery of digital content
performed by some of the components shown in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a process for returning digital content
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates an example process for purchasing of used
digital content in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Methods and apparatus to enable a distinction between "new"
and "used" digital content and to enable a market in used digital
content files between mobile phone terminals and an electronic
store, securely, by means of a wireless telephony network and a
server complex to handle contents right management, transaction
reporting, inventory, content delivery, payment, and billing.
[0015] In one embodiment, a mobile phone enables a consumer to
engage in a retail transaction to purchase digital content that is
downloaded to their phone over the air, such that a copy of the
content then resides persistently on their phone for their ongoing
use. Any consumer so enabled with a mobile phone may give up their
rights to and access to a piece of digital content to which they
had previously purchased legitimate rights from an electronic store
in exchange for credit or payment. Analogous to the buying and
selling of used compact discs (physical media), the electronic
buying and selling of used digital content would entail the
exchange of a finite supply of unique entities, in this case
sequences of digital information, with the following properties: 1)
each entity is unique, 2) each entity is in the possession of only
one individual or organization at a time, 3) entities may not be
copied and then successfully exchanged as if they were originals to
gain additional value, 4) only certain authorized organizations may
generate new entities (i.e., unauthorized organizations can not
generate useful counterfeit entities).
[0016] The content being bought and sold may take the form of
music, pictures, ring tones, animations, video clips, icons, audio
files, text information, multimedia combinations of any number of
the previous types, or any other type of content for which a
digital format may be defined.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a system 20 performs secure transmission
of digital content in order to allow for expanded commercial
opportunities. The system 20 includes a plurality of user devices
24 and 26 that are in wireless communication with a server 28 via
first and second data networks 30 and 32. Examples of the user
devices include any of the number of various forms of wireless
devices, such as cellular phones, personal data assistance, palmtop
or laptop computers, etc. The server 28 is a computer system with
local memory that is also directly or indirectly in communication
with one of a number of digital content provider/owners 42 and one
or more financial institutions 44. In one embodiment, the server 28
is in communication with the digital content provider/owners 42 and
the financial institutions 44 over a network 40. A store 48 is in
data communication with the user devices 24 and 26 directly or
indirectly over any of the networks or via the server 28.
[0018] The user devices 24 and 26 use the networks 30 and 32 to
separately transmit different data associated with an encryption
method to the server 28. The server 28 authenticates each user
device 24 and 26 based on the received data and provides each of
the user devices 24 and 26 with new secret encryption keys. The new
secret encryption keys are used to decrypt digital content
requested by the user devices 24 and 26 that are sent from the
server 28. The server 28 either directly compensates digital
content provider/owner for the sale of associated digital content
to the users of the user devices 24 and 26 or provides some other
form of compensation (e.g., credit) with the aid of the financial
institution 44.
[0019] Information pertaining to users' rights to digital content
is stored in a users' rights storage unit 52 that is in direct or
indirect or indirect data communication with the server 28 or the
store 48.
[0020] Information pertaining to used digital content is stored in
a storage unit 50 that includes an inventory of used digital
content or just a record of what digital content has been returned.
The storage unit 50 is in direct or indirect or indirect data
communication with the server 28 or the store 48. The devices
[0021] In one embodiment, the networks 30 and 32 are distinct
networks from each other, such as a wireless cellular data network
and a short message service center (SMSC). The wireless cellular
data network may be any one of a general packet radio service
(GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Enhanced Data GSM
Environment (EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
(UMTS), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Wireless
Fidelity (WIFI), Bluetooth or comparable network. The network 40 is
one of a private or public data network, such as the Internet.
[0022] In one embodiment, rights are attained according to the
following process. As shown in FIG. 2, at a block 120, a user
device generates a random number and a first key. At a block 122,
the user device encrypts an identification (id) string associated
with the user device and the random number using the first key. At
a block 126, the encrypted id string and random number are sent to
the server via a first transmission means, i.e., a first network
30. At a block 128, the random number and the first key are sent
unencrypted to the server 28 via a second transmission means, i.e.
the second network 32. Then at a block 130, the server 28 decrypts
the received encrypted message using the first key received via the
second transmission means. At a block 134, the server 28 generates
a second key, if the decrypted random number matches the random
number received via the second transmission means. At a block 136,
the server 28 encrypts the random number, the id string, and the
second key using the first key and at a block 138, sends this new
encrypted package to the user device. At a block 140, the user
device decrypts the received package using the first key and saves
the second key. At a block 144, the server 28 creates and saves a
new user record using the id string and stores the second key in
the record.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, at a block 200, a user device 24 or 26
sends a request for digital content to the server 28. At a block
202, the server 28 retrieves the requested digital content. The
server 28 may retrieve digital content from a local storage device
or may retrieve it from the digital content provider/owners 42 or
from some other source over the network 40. At a block 204, the
server 28 retrieves the second key stored for the user associated
with the request, if the request is valid. At a block 206, the
server 28 encrypts the requested digital content using a unique
digital content key. At a block 208, the server 28 encrypts the
unique digital content key using the retrieved second key and, at a
block 210, sends the encrypted unique digital content key and
digital content to the user device that made the digital content
request. At a block 214, the user device decrypts the unique
digital content key using the previously stored second key. At a
block 216, the user device decrypts the digital content using the
unique digital content key. At a decision block 218, the user
device determines if the entire digital content was received. If
the entire digital content was not received, then at block 220, the
user device requests that the server 28 resends and/or indicates an
error. If the digital content was properly received, then at block
224 the server 28 completes a billing transaction. The steps of
decrypting 214 and 216 may be performed when a user desires
prentation of the digital content--after block 218 or 224.
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates an example process 300 performed in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First at
304, a user elects to return an item (digital content) to the store
48 on their wireless terminal (user device 24). In one embodiment,
the item was originally purchased from the store 48, however, the
item could have been purchased through other means, such as another
user or another store. At 306, the store 48 receives the user's
request via any network connection or a direct connection. At 308,
the store commands the database (unit 52) to check for existence of
the user's rights to the item and to delete if present. Rights
information pertains to rights that the user has previously
attained for the digital content. A confirmation of the deletion is
returned to the store 48, at 310. If the store 48 maintains
inventory of used items at the used content inventory storage unit
50, the inventory for that related used item is increased by 1, at
312. At 316, the inventory update is complete and the store 48 is
notified of the completed process. At 318, the store 48 applies
credit to an account balance associated to the user at the storage
unit 52 and feedback is sent to the store 48, at 320. At 322, the
store 48 resets the DRM client on the user device 24, invalidating
all of the content keys stored on the phone. At 324, the DRM client
proceeds with re-initialization cycle. At 326, re-initialization is
complete, see FIG. 2. At 328, the user device 48 requests
re-delivery of owned content keys. The owned content keys are
digital content keys associated with the digital content that the
user still has rights to use.
[0025] At 330, a current key set is created based on the updated
information in the storage unit 52 and sent to the user device 24
for completion; similar to FIG. 3. A new second key is created,
encrypted, sent, and decrypted in accordance with blocks 134-144,
FIG. 2. Then, the unique or owned content keys are encrypted using
the new second key, sent to the user device and decrypted using the
new second key.
[0026] At 332, the user device 24 requests credit balance and at
334, the store 48 reports credit balance to the user.
[0027] In an alternate embodiment, when the user elects to return a
digital content item, the user device deletes the unique content
key associated with the elected digital content item.
[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates a process 400 for purchasing digital
content identified as used content and stored in the used content
inventory storage unit 50. At 404, a user browses the selection of
available used content. At 406, the store 48 receives request to
view available used inventory based on a signal send from the user
device 24. At 408, the store 48 checks current inventory for the
used content from the used content inventory storage unit 50 and
results of the check are returned at 410. At 412, the store 48
sends a menu of the currently stored inventory of used digital
content and prices to the user device 24 for presentation to the
user. At 416, a user selects one or more of the digital content
items for purchase. At 418, the store 48 deducts credit from user's
balance in the store 48. If insufficient balance, user will be
billed by a separate mechanism, such as a previously designated
credit card. At 420, results of payment method are returned to the
store 48. At 422, 424, the store 48 subtracts one from the used
content inventory for the just sold item. At 426, the store 48
commands a database (user's rights storage unit 52) to add the used
item to the user's rights file. At 428, the store 238 receives
confirmation of addition of the rights for the user. At 430, the
purchased used content and content key are delivered to user device
24.
[0029] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the
disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention
should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that
follow.
* * * * *