U.S. patent application number 12/280784 was filed with the patent office on 2010-08-12 for systems and methods for enabling consumption of copy-protected content across multiple devices.
This patent application is currently assigned to AGERE SYSTEMS INC.. Invention is credited to Fadi Afa Al-Refacee, Nikolai K. Bahram, Stephen N. Haddad, Robert W. Warren.
Application Number | 20100202610 12/280784 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38895314 |
Filed Date | 2010-08-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100202610 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Warren; Robert W. ; et
al. |
August 12, 2010 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENABLING CONSUMPTION OF COPY-PROTECTED
CONTENT ACROSS MULTIPLE DEVICES
Abstract
Various systems and methods for distributing rights managed
content objects arc disclosed. For example, some embodiments of the
present invention provide methods for distribution that include
providing a mobile storage device that includes a wireless
interface and a storage component maintaining a rights managed
content object. A first request to provide the rights managed
content object to a first mobile application device via the
wireless interface is received, and a second request to provide the
rights managed content object to a second mobile application device
via the wireless interface is received. The rights managed content
object is accessed from the storage component, and a digital rights
management tool associated with the accessed content object is
accessed. The rights managed content object is decrypted using the
digital rights management tool, and streamed to both the first
mobile application device and the second mobile application device
via the wireless interface.
Inventors: |
Warren; Robert W.;
(Loveland, CO) ; Haddad; Stephen N.; (Longmont,
CO) ; Al-Refacee; Fadi Afa; (Irvine, CA) ;
Bahram; Nikolai K.; (Scotts Valley, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hamilton,DeSanctis & Cha (LSI)
8601 W. CROSS DRIVE, F5-301
LITTLETON
CO
80123
US
|
Assignee: |
AGERE SYSTEMS INC.
Allentown
PA
|
Family ID: |
38895314 |
Appl. No.: |
12/280784 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
June 25, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2007/072000 |
371 Date: |
August 26, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60806610 |
Jul 5, 2006 |
|
|
|
60829007 |
Oct 11, 2006 |
|
|
|
60869453 |
Dec 11, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
380/200 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02D 70/164 20180101;
H04L 67/12 20130101; Y02D 30/40 20180101; Y02D 70/142 20180101;
Y02D 30/00 20180101; H04M 1/6091 20130101; Y02D 70/168 20180101;
Y02D 70/146 20180101; Y02D 30/70 20200801; H04L 67/04 20130101;
Y02D 70/144 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
380/200 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/167 20060101
H04N007/167 |
Claims
1. A method for distributing rights managed content objects, the
method comprising: providing a mobile storage device, wherein the
mobile storage device includes a wireless interface and a storage
component, and wherein the storage component includes a rights
managed content object; receiving a first request to provide the
rights managed content object to a first mobile application device
via the wireless interface; receiving a second request to provide
the rights managed content object to a second mobile application
device via the wireless interface; accessing the rights managed
content object from the storage component; accessing a digital
rights management tool associated with the accessed content object;
decrypting the accessed content object using the digital rights
management tool; streaming the decrypted content object via the
wireless interface to the first mobile application device; and
streaming the decrypted content object via the wireless interface
to the second mobile application device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving the rights managed content object; and storing the rights
managed content object to the storage component in a native
format.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the first request to
provide the rights managed content object to the first mobile
application device via the wireless interface indicates the native
format, wherein receiving the second request to provide the rights
managed content object to the second mobile application device via
the wireless interface indicates a selected format, and wherein the
method further comprises: converting the rights content object from
the native format to the selected format.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the decrypted content object is
streamed to the first mobile application device in the native
format, and wherein the decrypted content object is streamed to the
second mobile application device in the selected format.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile application device
includes a graphical user interface, and wherein the method further
comprises: providing information to drive the graphical user
interface via the wireless interface, wherein the graphical user
interface operates as a remote graphical user interface for the
mobile storage device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management
tool is a decryption key.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management
tool includes a set of instructions executable by the processor to
decrypt the accessed content object.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage component includes
both a hard disk drive and a flash memory.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface is
selected from a group consisting of: a Bluetooth interface and a
WiFi interface.
10. A system for distributing rights managed content objects, the
system comprising: a mobile storage device, wherein the mobile
storage device includes a processor, a wireless interface, and a
storage component; wherein the storage component includes a first
content object and a second content object, and wherein the storage
component further includes instructions executable by the processor
to: access one of the first content object and the second content
object from the storage component; access a digital rights
management tool associated with the accessed content object;
decrypt the accessed content object using the digital rights
management tool; and distribute the decrypted content object via
the wireless interface to a mobile application device.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile application device
is local to the mobile storage device.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises: a
graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface is
incorporated into the mobile application device, and wherein the
graphical user interface operates as a remote graphical user
interface for the mobile storage device.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the storage component includes
at least one of a hard disk drive and a flash memory.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless interface is
selected from a group consisting of: a Bluetooth interface and a
WiFi interface.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein the storage component further
includes instructions executable by the processor to: receive the
first content object; and store the first content object to the
storage medium in a native format.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the storage component further
includes instructions executable by the processor to: convert the
first content object from the native format to a selected format,
and wherein the decrypted content object is distributed in the
selected format.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the storage component further
includes instructions executable by the processor to: receive an
indication of the selected format from the mobile application
device via the wireless interface.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein the storage component further
includes instructions executable by the processor to: receive the
first content object; convert the first content object to a native
format; and store the first content object to the storage medium in
the native format.
19. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital rights management
tool is a decryption key.
20. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital rights management
tool includes a set of instructions executable by the processor to
decrypt the accessed content object.
21. A system for distributing rights managed content objects, the
system comprising: a mobile application device, wherein the mobile
application device includes a graphical user interface; a mobile
storage device, wherein the mobile storage device includes a
processor, a wireless interface, and a storage component; wherein
the storage component includes a non-volatile memory component,
wherein the mobile storage device is communicably coupled to the
mobile application device via the wireless interface, wherein the
storage component includes a content object, and wherein the
storage component further includes instructions executable by the
processor to: provide an information set to the mobile application
device via the wireless interface, wherein the information set is
used to drive the graphical user interface, and wherein the
graphical user interface operates as a remote graphical user
interface for the mobile storage device; receive the content
object; store the content object in a native format; receive a
request for the content object from the mobile application device
via the wireless interface, wherein the request for the content
object indicates a selected format; access the content object from
the storage component; access a digital rights management tool
associated with the content object; decrypt the content object
using the digital rights management tool; convert the format of the
decrypted content object from the native format to the selected
format; and stream the decrypted and format converted content
object via the wireless interface to the mobile application device.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to (is a
non-provisional filing of) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
60/806,610, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOBILE DATA STORAGE
AND ACQUISITION" and filed Jul. 5, 2006 by Al-Refaee et al.; U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/829,007, entitled "SYSTEMS
AND METHODS FOR MOBILE DATA STORAGE AND ACQUISITION" and filed Oct.
11, 2006 by Al-Refaee et al.; and U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/869,453, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR
MOBILE DATA STORAGE AND ACQUISITION" and filed Dec. 11, 2006 by
Al-Refaee et al. Each of the aforementioned applications is
assigned to an entity common hereto and is incorporated herein by
reference for all purposes.
[0002] Further, the present application is related to the following
patent applications filed on a date even herewith: PCT application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Reference No. AGERE-001210PCT), entitled
"Systems and Methods for Implementing Hands Free Operational
Environments" and filed by Bahram et al.; PCT application Ser. No.
______ (Attorney Reference No. AGERE-001220PCT), entitled "Systems
and Methods for Multiport Communication Distribution" and filed by
Haddad et al.; PCT Application No. ______ (Attorney Reference No.
AGERE-001230PCT), entitled "Systems and Methods for Power
Management in Relation to a Wireless Storage Device" and filed by
Warren et al.; PCT application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Reference
No. AGERE-001260PCT), entitled "Systems and Methods for Mobile Data
Storage and Acquisition" and filed by Al-Refaee et al.; and PCT
application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Reference No.
AGERE-001270PCT), entitled "Systems and Methods for Mobile Data
Storage and Acquisition" and filed by Warren et al. All of the
aforementioned related applications are assigned to an entity
common hereto and are incorporated herein by reference for all
purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is generally related to data
distribution, and in particular to systems and methods for
performing digital rights management in relation to data
distribution.
[0004] The computer architecture with a central processor governing
a local, centralized memory has been a standard in computing for
decades. The architecture utilizes a central repository that is
perceived as a slave to an associated processor. A myriad of
devices utilizing the familiar processor and memory structure have
been developed. For example, a number of consumer devices including
audio recorders, audio players, cell phones, video players, video
game devices, video recorders and the like have been developed that
include a central memory local to the particular device and
operating as a slave to a governing processor within the device.
Such devices have proliferated in the market and have satisfied a
continuing consumer demand.
[0005] The growth of digital rights management has exposed various
limitations of a data repository governed by a local processor. In
particular, digital content providers are willing to sell content
to consumers and allow the consumers to maintain and use the
content for as long as the consumer desires. This promise, however,
has proven to be somewhat illusory due to the incompatibility of
content rights and other issues. Because of these
incompatibilities, digital rights management often limits the use
of purchased content to a device on which the content was
originally deployed. Thus, for example, a consumer may purchase a
particular ring tone from a content provider and download the
purchased ring tone to a cell phone. The consumer may then use the
ring tone as long as the consumer continues to use the cell phone.
Once the cell phone is replaced, the consumer is forced to
re-purchase the ring tone. Alternatively, the consumer is forced to
download the purchased ring tone from a service supporting the
digital rights management scheme used in relation to the ring tone.
Each time the user accesses such a service, they are charged. Thus,
from a consumer's perspective, such services are not fundamentally
different from simply repurchasing the content at issue for use on
the new device.
[0006] Hence, for at least the aforementioned reasons, there exists
a need in the art for advanced systems and methods for allowing
appropriate use of digital information while at the same time
assuring the security of the information.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is generally related to data
distribution, and in particular to systems and methods for
performing digital rights management in relation to data
distribution.
[0008] Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems
for distributing rights managed content objects. Such systems
include a mobile application device and a mobile storage device.
The mobile storage device includes a processor, a wireless
interface, and a storage component including a non-volatile memory
component. The mobile storage device is communicably coupled to the
mobile application device via the wireless interface, and a
graphical user interface of the mobile application device is used
to control access to the mobile storage device. The storage
component includes at least one content object and instructions
executable by the processor to provide an information set to the
mobile application device via the wireless interface. The
information set is used to drive the graphical user interface of
the mobile application device, whereby the graphical user interface
operates as a remote graphical user interface for the mobile
storage device. The instructions are further executable by the
processor to receive the content object and to store the content
object in a native format. The instructions are further executable
by the processor to: receive a request for the content object that
indicates a selected format, access the content object from the
storage component, access a digital rights management tool
associated with the content object, decrypt the content object
using the digital rights management tool, convert the format of the
decrypted content object from the native format to the selected
format, and stream the decrypted and format converted content
object via the wireless interface to the mobile application
device.
[0009] Other embodiments of the present invention provide methods
for distributing rights managed content objects. Such methods
include providing a mobile storage device that includes a wireless
interface and a storage component maintaining a rights managed
content object. A first request to provide the rights managed
content object to a first mobile application device via the
wireless interface is received, and a second request to provide the
rights managed content object to a second mobile application device
via the wireless interface is received. The rights managed content
object is accessed from the storage component, and a digital rights
management tool associated with the accessed content object is
accessed. The rights managed content object is decrypted using the
digital rights management tool, and streamed to both the first
mobile application device and the second mobile application device
via the wireless interface.
[0010] In some instances of the aforementioned embodiments, the
methods further include receiving the rights managed content
object, and storing the rights managed content object to the
storage component in a native format. In some cases, the first
request and the second request indicate different formats in which
the rights managed content object is to be delivered. In such
cases, a format conversion of the rights managed content object
from the native format to a selected format may be performed before
delivering the rights managed content object to the recipient.
[0011] In some instances of the aforementioned embodiments, the
digital rights management tool is a decryption key, while in other
instances of the aforementioned embodiments, the digital rights
management tool includes a set of instructions executable by the
processor to decrypt the accessed content object. Based on the
disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize a variety of digital rights management tools that may be
used in relation to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. In some cases, the storage component includes both a
hard disk drive and a flash memory, while in other cases, the
storage component includes one or the other of a hard disk drive
and a flash memory. The wireless interface may be, but is not
limited to, a Bluetooth interface and/or a WiFi interface.
[0012] Yet other embodiments of the present invention provide
systems for distributing rights managed content objects. Such
systems include a mobile storage device with a processor, a
wireless interface, and a storage component. The storage component
maintains at least a first content object and a second content
object. In addition, the storage component includes instructions
executable by the processor to access one of the first content
object or the second content object from the storage component, and
to access a digital rights management tool associated with the
accessed content object. The instructions are further executable to
decrypt the accessed content object using the digital rights
management tool, and to distribute the decrypted content object via
the wireless interface to a mobile application device. In some
instances of the aforementioned embodiments, the systems further
include a graphical user interface that is incorporated into the
mobile application device. The graphical user interface operates as
a remote graphical user interface for the mobile storage
device.
[0013] This summary provides only a general outline of some
embodiments according to the present invention. Many other objects,
features, advantages and other embodiments of the present invention
will become more fully apparent from the following detailed
description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] A further understanding of the various embodiments of the
present invention may be realized by reference to the figures which
are described in remaining portions of the specification. In the
figures, like reference numerals are used throughout several to
refer to similar components. In some instances, a sub-label
consisting of a lower case letter is associated with a reference
numeral to denote one of multiple similar components. When
reference is made to a reference numeral without specification to
an existing sub-label, it is intended to refer to all such multiple
similar components.
[0015] FIG. 1 depicts various UMCS devices in accordance with some
embodiments of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method in accordance
with one or more embodiments of the present invention for binding a
UMCS device with other local devices in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary UMCS device in accordance with
some embodiments of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a digital rights management
system in accordance with various embodiments of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 depicts a method for distributing content objects in
accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; and
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting a method in accordance
with one or more embodiments of the present invention for
performing digital rights management on data stored local to an
application device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The present invention is generally related to data
distribution, and in particular to systems and methods for
performing digital rights management in relation to data
distribution.
[0022] Some embodiments of the present invention utilize a mobile
storage device such as a Universal Mobile Content Storage (UMCS)
device that is, among other things, capable of storing one or more
content objects and performing desired digital rights management in
relation to the stored content objects. As used herein, the phrases
"rights managed" and "digital rights management" are used in their
broadest sense to mean any of several technologies or approaches
known in the art and developing in the art that may be used to
limit access to the information to those who have been provided
with a key to decrypt or decode the information. Thus, for example,
a rights managed content object is any data that is encrypted or
wrapped in such a way that its use and distribution is intended to
be limited to those having a digital rights management tool capable
of decrypting or otherwise unwrapping the rights managed content
object. It should be noted that as used herein, rights managed
content objects may be, but arc not limited to, consumer content
objects such as, for example, audio, video and/or software objects;
and enterprise content such as, for example, documents and the
like. Also, as used herein, the phrase "content object" is used in
its broadest sense to mean any set of information that can be used
by an application device. Thus, for example, a content object may
be a digital audio file, a digital video file, a computer software
program, a document, or the like. In some cases, a variety of
digital rights management schemes are supported such that the
mobile storage device may support storage and distribution of
content objects using different approaches to digital rights
management. In such embodiments, digital rights managed content may
be carried with a user, and thus is local to devices in use by the
user. Further, the content may be accessed and utilized using one
or more devices that are capable of connecting to the mobile
storage device using either a wired or wireless connection.
[0023] In operation, a content object may be requested by a device
communicably coupled to the mobile storage device. Upon receiving
the request, the mobile storage device determines if a digital
rights management scheme is employed, and if so, which one. The
appropriate digital rights management module is then selected to
unwrap the selected content object(s). Once unwrapped, the content
object(s) are then streamed to the requesting device in a way that
provides some level of assurance that the content object(s) is/are
protected from illicit copying.
[0024] Turning to FIG. 1, a diagram depicts an exemplary content
usage network 100 that may be utilized in accordance with various
embodiments of the present invention. Content usage network 100 may
be utilized to distribute one or more rights managed content
objects from a UMCS device to one or more recipient devices.
Exemplary content usage network 100 includes a UMCS 110 at the core
thereof. UMCS 110 is able to receive content objects from one or
more online and wireless content providers as well as from various
self maintained application devices such as, for example, audio
recorders and video recorders. In some cases, UMCS 110 may be
intermittently wired to a personal computer 115 via a cable 117. In
such cases, UMCS 110 may be configured via personal computer 115
using the standard I/O interfaces associated with personal computer
115.
[0025] Wireless network 120 may be any wireless network known in
the art. Thus, for example, wireless network 120 may be, but is not
limited to, a Bluetooth.TM. network or WiFi network as are known in
the art. As indicated above, the word "Bluetooth" is a trademark of
Bluetooth SIG, Inc. For clarity, later use of the word Bluetooth is
done without the customary trademark designation. It should be
noted that while UMCS 110 may be configured across wireless network
120 using the user interface of another application device, and it
may also be configured using other approaches. Thus, for example,
UMCS 110 may be self configuring. In such a case, UMCS 110 is
implemented with enough intelligence to auto detect an available
wireless network as well as devices attached via the wireless
network. As a particular example, UMCS 110 may be implemented such
that when power is applied to the device it automatically scans for
Bluetooth devices that are within range of UMCS 110. Based on the
detected Bluetooth devices, UMCS 110 may form a service offering as
is more fully discussed below.
[0026] UMCS 110 is capable of interacting with various devices and
classes of devices via wireless network 120. For example, in some
cases, UMCS 110 is operable to interact directly with UMCS enabled
application devices via wireless network 120. Such UMCS enabled
application devices include capability to authenticate to UMCS 110
and to accept and transfer information from/to UMCS 110, and to
provide digital rights management whereby content is secured not
only in the transfer between UMCS 110 and the UMCS enabled
application device, but is also maintained secure within the UMCS
enabled application device. In the situation where wireless network
120 is a Bluetooth network, the aforementioned UMCS enabled
application devices would include Bluetooth capability.
Alternatively, or in addition, in the situation where wireless
network 120 is a WiFi network, the aforementioned UMCS enabled
applications devices would include WiFi capability.
[0027] In various cases, UMCS 110 is operable to interact directly
with non-UMCS enabled application devices via wireless network 120.
In such cases, either UMCS 110 includes capability to tailor output
and receive input from the non-UMCS enabled application device, or
the non-UMCS enabled application devices may interact with UMCS 110
via a specialized UMCS converter that is tailored for operation
with a class of devices. Thus, for example, where wireless network
120 is a Bluetooth network, the UMCS converter may be enabled to
receive from and provided information to a non-UMCS enabled
application device via any one of a number of communication
approaches, and to communicate the information to/from UMCS 110
using a Bluetooth protocol. As an example, UMCS 110 may interact
with digital audio devices (e.g., a digital audio player 151 and a
digital audio recorder 152) via a UMCS digital audio converter 150.
As another example, a cellular telephone 161 or personal digital
assistant (not shown) may interact with UMCS 110 either directly or
via a UMCS audio/video converter 160. As yet another example, UMCS
110 may interact with video devices (e.g., a set top box 166, a
video cassette player 167, a digital video recorder 168 and a
television 169) via a UMCS digital video converter 165. As yet a
further example, UMCS 110 may interact with still image devices
such as a digital still camera 171 or a printer (not shown) via a
UMCS digital image converter 170. As yet another example, UMCS 110
may interact with a GPS receiver/display 176 via a UMCS GPS
converter 175.
[0028] In various cases, UMCS 110 is operable to interact directly
with non-UMCS enabled application devices via a UMCS composite
converter 140. UMCS composite converter 140 is operable to provide
for UMCS interaction with multiple classes of recipient devices.
Thus, for example, where wireless network 120 is a Bluetooth
network, UMCS composite converter 140 may be enabled to receive
from and provided information to different classes of non-UMCS
enabled application devices via any one of a number of
communication approaches, and to communicate the information
to/from UMCS 110 using a Bluetooth protocol. As an example, UMCS
composite converter 140 may couple UMCS 110 to, for example, a
digital audio player 141, a digital video recorder 142, a
television 143, a set top box 144, a digital still camera 145, a
video cassette player 146, a digital audio recorder 147, a cellular
telephone 148, and a GPS receiver 149, or some combination of the
aforementioned device classes. In such cases, decoding of content
accessed from a storage medium included in UMCS 110 is done using a
decoder provided in UMCS composite converter 140. Thus, the content
is unwrapped by UMCS 110 and the unwrapped content is provided to
the UMCS composite converter 140 via wireless network 120. UMCS
composite converter 140 decodes the content and provides it to the
appropriate recipient device while at the same time assuring that
any demanded digital rights management is maintained. In some
cases, UMCS composite converter 140 may be implemented as a dongle
associated with one or more recipient devices.
[0029] Further discussion of content usage networks including UMCS
devices is provided in the patent application entitled "Systems and
Methods for Mobile Data Storage and Acquisition" that was
previously incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
[0030] Turning to FIG. 2, a flow diagram 500 illustrates a method
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention
for binding a UMCS device with other local devices in accordance
with one or more embodiments of the present invention. Following
flow diagram 500, a UMCS device is powered on or otherwise enabled
(block 510). Once enabled, the UMCS device detects any available
networks (block 520) and attempts to authenticate itself to such
networks (block 530). The aforementioned detection and
authentication may include awaiting authentication by a particular
network, identifying whether the network is a known network, and/or
the like. Thus, where the network is a Bluetooth network, the UMCS
device transmits and/or receives signals in accordance with a
Bluetooth network protocol. Alternatively, or in addition, where
the network is a WiFi network, the UMCS device transmits and/or
receives signals in accordance with a WiFi network protocol. Next,
for each authenticated network, the UMCS device identifies other
UMCS enabled or UMCS accessible devices communicably coupled to the
network (block 540). This may be done using any method for
identifying connected devices that are known in the art. For one or
more of the detected devices, an authentication process is
performed to bind a particular device to the UMCS (block 550). Such
authentication processes may involve accessing a unique identifier
associated with the device to be authenticated and checking the
unique identifier with a list of know devices maintained on the
UMCS. Alternatively, or in addition, a user name and password may
be requested from the device to be authenticated and where the user
name and password match, the device is authenticated. Based on the
disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate other authentication approaches that may be used in
relation to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
[0031] Once the various devices have been authenticated (block
550), they are bound to the UMCS by including the authenticated
devices in a list of known devices and maintaining communication
with the bound devices (block 560). Further, the
detection/authentication processes (blocks 520-560) are
periodically repeated or repeated upon command. Thus, it is
periodically determined whether an update to the list of known of
devices is to be performed (block 570). An update to the list of
known devices may be called for whenever a previously unidentified
device is detected via the network or whenever one of the devices
on the known devices becomes unavailable. Where an update to the
list of known devices is to be performed, the aforementioned steps
are repeated resulting in an updated list of known devices (blocks
520-560).
[0032] Turning to FIG. 3, a UMCS 200 in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present invention is depicted. UMCS 200 includes
a hard disk drive 205 that is accessible to a processor 210 via a
hard disk drive interface 215. Hard disk drive interface 215 may be
any interface known in the art that allows for transferring data to
and from hard disk drive 205. Further, hard disk drive 205 may be
any hard disk drive known in the art. In one particular case, hard
disk drive interface 215 is a standard ATA interface and hard disk
drive 205 is an ATA hard disk drive.
[0033] In addition, UMCS 200 includes multiple transmission paths
230 each coupled to processor 210 via a system bus 250. As
depicted, UMCS 200 includes three distinct transmission paths each
including a transmitter/receiver 232, 234, 236 electrically coupled
to a respective antenna 241, 242, 243 and a local buffering memory
231, 233, 235. It should be noted that UMCS 200 may include more or
fewer transmission paths depending upon the intended use and/or
design of UMCS 200.
[0034] UMCS 200 also includes a memory system comprising a flash
memory 258 and a system memory 254 electrically coupled to
processor 210 via system bus 210. Some embodiments of the present
invention utilize the combination of hard disk drive 205 and flash
memory 258 to limit the power consumption of UMCS 200. As
considerable power is expended spinning up hard disk drive 205,
larger less frequent accesses to hard disk drive offers
considerable power savings for UMCS 200. Based in part on this,
some embodiments of the present invention carefully tailor the size
and allocation of flash memory 258 such that the access to hard
disk drive 205 is limited. When such accesses to hard disk drive
205 are performed, large amounts of properly selected data are
moved from hard disk drive 205 to flash memory 258. In contrast to
other approaches where large contiguous blocks of data are pulled
from a hard disk drive to a cache memory, the data pulled from hard
disk drive 205 to flash memory 258 is not necessarily contiguous.
Further, in some cases, the data copied from hard disk drive 205 to
flash memory 258 is dictated by the particular memory type and/or a
media assemblage of a number of content objects.
[0035] Further discussion of UMCS devices that may be utilized in
relation to one or more embodiments of the present invention is
provided in the patent application entitled "Systems and Methods
for Mobile Data Storage and Acquisition" that was previously
incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. It will be noted
that one or more of the mobile storage devices disclosed in the
aforementioned patent application do not include a graphical user
interface, or include only a very limited graphical user interface.
In such cases, the graphical user interface of a communicably
coupled mobile application device may be used to control the mobile
storage device. As previously suggested, such mobile application
devices may include, but are not limited to, MP3 players, portable
video players, personal digital assistants, and the like. Further,
it should be noted that while three antennae are shown as part of
UMCS 200, single antenna implementations that are able to support
multiple wireless channels are possible in accordance with one or
more embodiments of the present invention. One example of such a
single antenna approach supporting multiple wireless channels is
provided in the patent application entitled "Systems and Methods
for Multiport Communication Distribution" that was previously
incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
[0036] Turning to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a digital rights
management system 700 in accordance with one or more embodiments of
the present invention is depicted. Digital rights management system
700 includes one or more content objects 710, a number of digital
rights management modules 720, a number of format conversion
modules 730 and a processor. Each content object 710 includes a
content object payload 712 and a file descriptor 714. Content
object payload 712 includes the data that either without
modification or after decryption includes the content of content
object 710. Thus, as just some of many examples, content object
payload 712 may be a digitized music selection, a digitized video
selection, a software program or the like. File descriptor 714
includes one or more fields of information describing content
object 710. As shown, file descriptor 714 includes a field 716 that
identifies the native format of content object payload 712 and a
field 718 that identifies any digital rights management that is
applied to content object payload 712. Based on the disclosure
provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a
variety of content objects, content object payloads and file
descriptors that may be used in relation to one or more embodiments
of the present invention. In one particular embodiment of the
present invention, digital rights management system 700 is
implemented as part of a UMCS device.
[0037] In operation, content object 710 is selected for
distribution. The selection may be received from another device
that is communicably coupled to digital rights management system
700, and may include an indication of a final format in which the
selected content object is to be provided. Where no indication of a
final format is received, it is assumed that delivery of the
selected content object in its native format is acceptable. As used
herein, the phrase "native format" is used in its broadest sense to
mean any format in which a particular content object is maintained
on a storage component that is accessible to processor 740. Thus,
for example, where the selected content object is an audio file,
the native format may be MP3 or high definition audio. Based on the
disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize a number of native formats in which a particular content
object may be maintained.
[0038] In response to the selection of content object 710,
processor 740 accesses content object 710 from a storage element
accessible to processor 740. Processor 740 utilizes the information
in file descriptor 714 to determine which, if any, digital rights
management module 720 that will be used to decrypt or otherwise
unwrap content object payload 712. The selected digital rights
management module 720 is executed by processor 740 to decrypt or
otherwise unwrap content object payload 712. Where a digital rights
management approach is not identified in file descriptor 714, it is
assumed that digital rights management is not implemented. In such
a case, digital rights management module 720 is not selected, and
the aforementioned decryption/unwrapping process is skipped.
[0039] Further, where the original selection of content object 710
indicates a final format that is different from the native format
indicated by file descriptor 714, processor 740 selects an
appropriate one of format conversion modules 730 to convert object
payload 712 from the native format indicated by file descriptor 714
to the indicated file format. Once the aforementioned decryption
and format conversion is complete, content object payload 712 is
provided to an indicated recipient device as a streamed content
object 750.
[0040] Providing streamed content object 750 may include, but is
not limited to, transmitting decrypted and format converted
portions of content object payload 712 piece-meal. Once the
portions are received by a receiving device the content object
payload is decoded and consumed in an audio, visual or other
fashion appropriate to the particular content object. Once
consumed, the portions of content object payload 712 are deleted
from the recipient device in accordance with digital rights
management associated with the content object. In some cases, the
information is provided via a wireless link between the receiving
device and the device in which digital rights management system 700
is implemented.
[0041] As will be appreciated from reading the foregoing, various
embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods
for distributing content objects incorporating one or more digital
rights management schemes. In some cases, such systems and methods
may provide for distribution of rights managed content to one or
more devices that are communicably coupled to the device in which
digital rights management system 700 is implemented. Further, such
distribution may be accomplished without an incremental fee to the
user distributing the content to another device. It should also be
noted that rights managed content may be distributed without the
aid of a personal computer, or without access to the Internet as
the content is maintained on a device local to the distribution.
Further, because the distributed content may be maintained on a
mobile storage medium that is wirelessly accessible, the content
may be accessed and consumed immediately without having the need to
go back to a specific location (e.g., a home where a personal
computer is located) to retrieve or re-encode the desired content
in a form accessible to a consuming device (e.g., a consumer
electronic device).
[0042] Turning to FIG. 5, a diagram 400 illustrates a method for
content object delivery in accordance with one or more embodiments
of the present invention. A content company 310 represents many
content owners in licensing digital content distribution by both
online retailers 315 and wireless retailers 320. Wireless retailers
320 and online retailers 315 in turn distribute the licensed
content objects to consumers (e.g., to UMCS device 410 maintained
by the user) under license from content company 310. UMCS 410 is
able to receive content from any of online retailers 315, wireless
retailers 320 and/or self maintained content equipment such as, for
example, an audio capture device 420 or a video capture device 415.
UMCS 410 is enabled to output content to one or more consumer
devices via a common interface. In some cases, the common interface
is a wireless interface. Such a wireless interface may be, but is
not limited to an 802.11 wireless interface. In one particular
case, the wireless interface is an 802.11(i) interface.
[0043] In various cases, the content objects are received in a
particular format and stored on UMCS 410 in the received format. In
other cases, UMCS 410 performs a format conversion on the received
content object before it is stored. The format in which the content
objects are stored on UMCS 410 is referred to herein as a "native
format". Further, the received content object may require some form
of digital rights management. In such cases, the particular form of
digital rights management is associated with the received content
object. In some cases, the received content object may be decrypted
before being stored to the memory of UMCS 410. In such cases, any
access to the content object from the memory requires satisfaction
of the digital rights management requirements. In other cases, the
content object is stored in its encrypted or encoded condition, and
only when the content object is accessed from the memory is digital
rights management applied. In such cases, a tag may be stored with
the content object that indicates both the native format of the
content object and a particular digital rights management
scheme/key that may be used to decrypt the particular content
object.
[0044] Turning now to FIG. 6, a flow diagram 600 depicts a method
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention
for performing digital rights management on data stored local to an
application device. Following flow diagram 600, information is
received via an antenna associated with the UMCS device (block
605). The information received via the antenna is demodulated and
buffered (blocks 610-615). It is next determined if the device with
which the UMCS is communicating has been authenticated (block 620).
Where no authentication is complete (block 620), an authentication
can be performed immediately to satisfy the authentication
requirement, or the process may simply end (block 655). Such
authentication may be performed using any authentication approach
known in the art. In other embodiments of the present invention,
only information from a previously authenticated and/or bound
device may be received. In such cases, block 620 and block 655 may
not be necessary.
[0045] Where the authentication requirement is satisfied (block
620), it is determined whether the received information is to be
the subject of a storage or retrieval from the storage component
associated with the UMCS device (block 625). Where the received
information is to be stored to the storage component (block 625),
it is determined whether the information is to be encoded (block
630). Where the information is to be encoded (block 630), the
appropriate encoding is performed (block 635). In some cases, the
encoding provides for a format conversion from a received format to
a native format. As previously discussed, in some embodiments of
the present invention content objects are stored in the format in
which they are received. In such cases, the aforementioned encoding
is not performed. In other embodiments of the present invention,
content objects are first encoded to change the native format in
which the content object are stored. It is then determined whether
some form of digital rights management is to be applied to the
information (block 640). Where digital rights management is to be
applied (block 640), the appropriate digital rights management is
indicated in relation to the content object (block 645). Finally,
the information is stored to the storage component of the UMCS
device (block 850) and the process ends (block 655).
[0046] Otherwise, where information is to be retrieved from the
storage component of the UMCS device (block 625), the indicated
information is retrieved from the storage component (block 660). In
addition, it is determined if a digital rights management is to be
performed in relation to the retrieved information (block 665).
Where digital rights management is to be performed in relation to
the retrieved information (block 665), the appropriate digital
rights management module is accessed (block 670) and the retrieved
information is unwrapped or otherwise decrypted (block 675). It is
next determined whether the information is to be furnished to the
requestor in a format other than the native format (block 680).
Where the information is to be provided in other than the native
format (block 880), the appropriate decoding (i.e., format
conversion) is performed (block 685). Finally, the information is
modulated (block 890) and transmitted via the antenna (block
695).
[0047] In conclusion, the present invention provides novel systems,
devices, methods and arrangements for implementing hands free
operational environments. It should be noted that while a number of
different data sharing approaches have been discussed herein, that
one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure would
appreciate other approaches that may be implemented in accordance
with various embodiments of the present invention. In particular,
while detailed descriptions of one or more embodiments of the
invention have been given above, various alternatives,
modifications, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in
the art without varying from the spirit of the invention.
Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting
the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended
claims.
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