Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/10—Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F17/00—Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/10—Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material ; Digital rights management [DRM]
  • G06F21/105—Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/10—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for controlling access to devices or network resources
  • H04L63/101—Access control lists [ACL]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L2463/00—Additional details relating to network architectures or network communication protocols for network security covered by H04L63/00
  • H04L2463/101—Additional details relating to network architectures or network communication protocols for network security covered by H04L63/00 applying security measures for digital rights management

Definitions

• This invention relates to an Authorized Domain Digital Right Managements (AD-DRM) system arranged to regulate the size of an Authorized Domain, said Authorized Domain being either device-based, person-based or hybrid, by means of a first restriction function associated with a limit.
• the invention moreover relates to a method of regulating the size of an Authorized Domain, said Authorized Domain being either device-based, person- based or hybrid, by means of a first restriction function associated with a limit.
• DRM Digital Rights Management
• a special instance of a DRM system is the Authorized Domain Digital Rights Management (AD-DRM) system, which is a system performing the management of rights in an Authorized Domain.
• An Authorized Domain can be seen as an environment of devices, media, rights and users, where users and devices handle content according to the rights, but with a relative freedom if performed within the boundaries of the Authorized Domain.
• the Authorized Domain defines a household with a home network and a number of users (in a family, a set of housemates, etc.) centred around the home network.
• a company network typically all devices and all users/persons can access the content associated with that particular Authorized Domain.
• a user could take a portable device for audio and/or video with a limited amount of content with him on a trip and use it in his hotel room to access or download additional content stored on his personal audio and/video system at home. Even though the portable device is outside the home network, it can be a part of the user's Authorized Domain.
• Authorized Domains can be either device- based, person-based or hybrid.
• a device-based Authorized Domain is a system that allows access to content by devices in the domain, but not by any other devices.
• a person-base Authorized Domain is a system wherein access to content is constrained to identified persons, e.g. by means of licenses or certificates, and a hybrid Authorized Domain is a system, wherein the access to content is a combination of the person-based and the device-based access.
• the members of the Authorized Domain should be able to share content in a socially acceptable context.
• managing access to content is turned into managing the extent of an Authorized Domain. Therefore, in Authorized Domains, the management of which devices are/can be part of a specific domain is a key issue.
• Inherent to the concept of Authorized Domains is the fact that the size of the domain must be limited to a relatively small group of devices and/or users to get a workable solution, i.e. a solution that is acceptable to both the content industry and the consumers.
• the tern "size" of an Authorized Domain is a measure of the number of devices and/or users in said Authorized Domain.
• the main reason for limiting the size of the Authorized Domain is to prevent domains from spreading unbounded over the Internet, where people open their Authorized Domain for complete strangers otherwhere in the world. By limiting the size of the Authorized Domain
• the Authorized Domain concept is designed to provide the user with a sense of freedom in this limited environment. With this concept the problem of limiting the freedom of consumers/users is transferred largely from the use of content to the configuration of the Authorized Domain. Thus, when the Authorized Domain is configured, content inside the Authorized Domain can be accessed freely within the Authorized Domain.
• the former limitation measures impose quite rigid bounds on the size of the Authorized Domain, e.g. a fixed maximum number of devices that can be part of the same Authorized Domain. Even though this enforces a very concrete limitation on the number of devices in an Authorized Domain, it is not really user friendly and is not future proof due to the rigidity thereof. Moreover, such a measure does not limit an Authorized Domain to a household, in that devices of a neighbour or of family members, who are not part of the household, could be part of the Authorized Domain. The latter type of limitation measures has easy circumvention mechanisms rendering them unacceptable.
• the concrete limiting methods or measures are:
• the number of sessions inside the network would be proportional to the number of members in the network.
• the number of devices becomes irrelevant, in that it is the number of sessions that is the limiting factor.
• WO 03/092264 attorney docket PHNL020372.
• Limiting through registration Users should register their Authorized Domain and the devices belonging to it at a registration authority. The registration authority keeps track of the size of the Authorized Domain and also for any unusual behaviour in domain management actions, such as a registration of an excessively large number of new devices.
• An example of a system with such a measure is xCP.
• a further development of the limiting registration measure is to let a user register at a higher authority in case of reaching the upper limit of devices. This could be related to a higher cost.
• a primary drawback is that none of the limiting methods or measures is able to be easily enforceable and flexible and at the same time being safe with regard to circumvention and/or fraud.
• each of the restriction functions is capable of limiting the size Authorized Domain, and when the limit of one restriction function can influence the limit of one or more other restriction functions, the resultant limit of the domain size becomes more flexible. Hereby, a user will experience a loosening of the limitation of the use of content in an Authorized Domain.
• the system is arranged to let a user select the functions in the plurality of restriction functions from a set of restriction functions.
• a user can choose what the most suitable restrictions are out of the total set of restrictions supported by the AD-DRM system.
• One user might want a higher limit for the number of devices in the Authorized Domain, whilst another user might want a large interval between any re-registrations of devices in his Authorized Domain.
• this embodiment provides an upgrade path for the restrictions in the Authorized Domain, in that devices added to the Authorized Domain might contain new restriction functions; the AD-DRM system can be configured to, when it detects that a new restriction function is present in the system, to use all available restriction functions in the manner described above.
• the term "device” is meant to cover any device capable of processing content, such as, but not limited to: a radio receiver, a DVD player, a CD player, a CD-ROM player, a television, a VCR, a tape deck, a personal computer, an MP3 player, a tuner/decoder, a Set Top Box, a mobile phone.
• the system is arranged to, in the case where a limit associated with a restriction function in said plurality of restriction functions would be transcended upon a proposed domain management action, provide a user with the possibility of changing said limit to be less restricted on condition that the limit of one or more other restriction functions in said plurality is/are changed to be more restricted.
• the AD DRM system could invite a user to perform actions to avoid this exceeding of limit(s) and/or could propose possibilities for doing so.
• a proposed domain management action such as any change of the number of or constellation of devices in the Authorized Domain, e.g. the addition or removal of a device to or from the Authorized Domain
• the AD DRM system could invite a user to perform actions to avoid this exceeding of limit(s) and/or could propose possibilities for doing so.
• such possibilities would relate to the changing of limits of one or more of the restriction functions in the plurality of restriction functions and could e.g. be reduction of the intervals between re-registrations (where a user could immediately provide for re-registration of the devices and thereby comply with this restriction), increase of the limit for stability in the Authorized Domain, etc.
• a system according to the invention could preferably be arranged to refuse content access in the case where a limit associated with a restriction function in said plurality of restriction functions is transcended, whereby unauthorized content access is avoided in the case where all the present limits of the restriction functions cannot be met.
• said limit can form an upper boundary for a restriction function, so that the expression "a limit of a restriction function is transcended” is meant to cover that said restriction function exceeds/goes beyond/goes above said limit. However, it is conceivable that said limit forms a lower boundary for said restriction function. In this case, the expression “a limit of a restriction function is transcended” is meant to cover that said restriction function becomes smaller that said limit.
• the system according to the invention is arranged to form a combination function from said plurality of restriction functions, where the limits associated with said restriction functions in said plurality are input to the combination function and where said combination function is arranged to output a value.
• the system is arranged to compare said output value with a threshold value upon any domain management action.
• the system is arranged to compare said output value with a threshold value upon any content access on any device in the Authorized Domain.
• the comparison of the output value and the threshold value provides an easily enforceable way of determining whether the limits of the restriction functions in said plurality are all observed/kept.
• the current limits of restriction functions can be the original limits or limits that have been changed in accordance with the above.
• Said comparison between said output value and said threshold value can be used to provide an indication of whether content access is permitted inside the Authorized Domain; content access can be permitted or not in the Authorized Domain as a whole or on one or more devices in the Authorized Domain.
• the system is arranged to refuse content access in the case where said output value transcends said threshold value.
• said output value transcends said threshold value.
• said threshold value can form an upper boundary for said output value, so that the expression “said output value transcends said threshold value” is meant to cover that said output value exceeds/goes beyond/goes above said threshold value.
• said threshold value forms a lower boundary for said output value.
• the expression “said output value transcends said threshold value” is meant to cover that said output value becomes smaller that said threshold value.
• the control functions of the AD-DRM system are preferably performed by an Authorized Domain Manager, which is a device in the Authorized Domain managing the AD-DRM system.
• the Authorized Domain Manager is integrated into one of the electronic consumer devices in he Authorized Domain; however, the Authorized Domain Manager might also be a distinct device used mainly for the purpose of regulating and managing the Authorized Domain and content access in the Authorized Domain.
• the invention moreover relates to a method of regulating the size of an
• Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of an Authorized Domain
• Fig. 2a schematically shows restriction functions with a fixed limit in two dimensions, corresponding to the prior art
• Fig. 2b schematically shows a combined restriction function in two dimensions corresponding to the invention
• Fig. 3 shows an example of a combination of restriction functions in three dimensions.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of an Authorized Domain AD.
• the Authorized Domain AD comprises N devices D 1 , D 2 , ..., D N , where N is a natural number. Examples of such devices are: a radio receiver, a DVD player, a CD player, a CD-ROM player, a television, a VCR, a tape deck, a personal computer, an MP3 player, a tuner/decoder, a Set Top Box.
• the devices are arranged to access content, such as music, movies, television programs, pictures, text, books, etc.
• the devices could contain storage media, such as hard disk, for recording of and later play back of content.
• the devices could contain means for receiving and immediately playing back content.
• the Authorized Domain AD moreover comprises an Authorized Domain Manager ADM.
• Each of the devices, Di can communicate with the Authorized Domain Manager ADM; the communication channels can be either wireless connections or conventional wired connections. However, it is also conceivable that a device can communicate with another device, which is able to communicate with the Authorized
• management functionality is handled in a distributed fashion, so that no Authorized Domain Manager ADM is needed.
• a plurality of devices in the AD then together provides the functionality of the ADM.
• the Authorized Domain Manager ADM can be a separate device, as shown in Fig. 1, or it could be integrated into one of the devices, Dj, i e [1; N].
• the Authorized Domain Manager ADM is a device that regulates the Authorized Domain by means of the plurality of restriction functions.
• the functions of the Authorized Domain Manager ADM e.g. comprises: communicating with the devices Dj for updating which devices are part of the Authorized Domain, registrating and limiting the number of devices in the Authorized Domain AD, registering and limiting the number of changes of devices in the Authorized Domain AD, registering the contact period between the ADM and each device D; in the Authorized Domain, etc., in accordance with the restriction functions in the plurality of restriction functions used in the Authorized Domain AD.
• the Authorized Domain Manager ADM decides whether a new device can be added to the Authorized Domain. Moreover, the Authorized Domain Manager ADM also implements consequences in a case where one or more of the limits of the restriction functions in the plurality of restriction functions are exceeded. Examples of such consequences could be: preventing one or more of the devices D; from accessing content, preventing the devices in the Authorized Domain from unauthorized copying of content and/or from unprotected leaking of content to unauthorized devices, prompting a user to perform actions and/or suggesting any such actions to be performed by the user to remedy any exceeding of the limits of the restriction functions, etc. As stated above, the Authorized Domain and the Authorized Domain Manager are elements in an Authorized Domain Digital Rights Management (AD-DRM) system (not shown) performing the management of rights in Authorized Domains.
• AD-DRM Authorized Domain Digital Rights Management
• the devices Di in the Authorized Domain AD can be arranged to retrieve content from integrated storage media, such as hard disks, or removable storage media, such as DVDs, CDs, video tapes, cassette tapes, etc. Moreover, any of the devices D; could be arranged for retrieving content from devices outside the Authorized Domain by means of a radio connection, an Internet connection, a broadband cable network, a satellite downlink, etc. (not shown in Fig. 1).
• Fig. 2a schematically shows restriction functions with a fixed limit in two dimensions, i.e. the restriction functions, X ⁇ Ci and Y ⁇ C 2 .
• restriction function could be: "the number of devices in the Authorized Domain ⁇ 10", “the number of domain changes per month ⁇ 5", "the interval of contact between any device and the ADM ⁇ 2 weeks", etc.
• the restriction functions are fulfilled/met, i.e. in the hatched area, the ADM should allow the devices in the Authorized Domain to access content inside the Authorized Domain.
• both restriction functions has to be fulfilled/met before content access should be allowed.
• Fig. 2b schematically shows a combined restriction function in two dimensions corresponding to the invention.
• a simple, linear relation between the limitations on the X- and Y- value, i.e. "X+Y ⁇ C" provides a combination of two restrictions, e.g. the restriction functions in Fig. 2a.
• the area of the hatched area in Fig. 2b is substantially equal to the area of the hatched area in Fig. 2a.
• the combined restriction function in Fig. 2b is still restrictive, it provides an enhanced flexibility in that the possible maximum values of X and Y in Fig. 2b are increased in comparison with those in Fig. 2a.
• Fig. 3 shows an example of a combination of restriction functions in three dimensions.
• the restrictive functions relate to:
• Max Devices i.e. the maximum number of devices in the Authorized Domain
• the Authorized Domain Manager ADM is arranged to combine the three restriction function to one combined restriction function as shown in Fig. 3, so that the volume wherein the current limits of all three restriction functions are met corresponds to the columns in Fig. 3. It can be seen from Fig. 3 that a maximum of 40 devices can be obtained, if the contact period with the ADM is daily and if the domain changes are minimized, so that the Authorized Domain becomes "semi- fixed". However, if a maximum number of 30 devices is sufficient, this could be obtained in a number of ways, e.g. if the contact period with ADM is daily and the frequency of domain changes is "regular" or if the Authorized Domain is semi- fixed and the contact period with the ADM is monthly.
• Fig. 3 are only exemplary, so that it is also conceivable that e.g. the limit of the number of devices could be set to e.g. 1000 (resembling infinity) on condition of a daily (or more frequent) contact period with the ADM and an AD configuration with high stability.
• Authorized Domain Manager ADM of whether the devices in the Authorized Domain should be able to access content and/or if the devices fulfil the criterions for constituting/belonging to an Authorized Domain. This check can e.g. be carried out during any Authorized Domain transaction or during content access on any devices in the Authorized Domain.
• the Authorized Domain Manager ADM could gather information about its last contact with each of the devices in the present Authorized Domain and the stability of the Authorized Domain before deciding on the admittance of a change of the Authorized Domain. Based on the information gathered, the Authorized Domain Manager determines, whether a change, such as an addition of a device to the Authorized Domain, is admissible.
• the Authorized Domain Manager should render the user, proposing the change, the possibility of changing the maximum number of devices by changing the limits of one or both of the other restriction functions to become more restrictive. In the example of Fig. 3, this could be achieved by shortening the contact period (which could be obtained immediately by effecting contact between all devices and the ADM or between the device(s) having the longest contact period and the ADM). Alternatively, the user could wait until number of domain changes per time unit goes down to an acceptable level corresponding to the wanted maximum number of devices in the AD (this will happen automatically if no changes in the Authorized Domain is performed for a specific time).
• each device in the Authorized Domain could retrieve the currently required contact period with the
• the Authorized Domain DRM system can be arranged check whether the device is within normal operation limits, i.e. whether any current limit of any restriction function in the plurality of restriction function relating to the device is met and/or if the output value of said combination function avoids transcending said threshold value.
• the Authorized Domain DRM system is arranged to be able to refuse or allow content access (on one, more or all of the devices in the Authorized Domain) in dependence on the result of said check, so that content access on said device is only allowed in case of any appropriate restriction function(s) is/are met.
• the term “valid” corresponds to a situation in which all current limits of the restriction functions in the plurality of restriction functions are met.
• the example shows, that the restriction function "number of devices ⁇ 20" is changed to be less restricted on the condition that either the restriction function "oldest registration ⁇ 1 month” or the restriction function “oldest proximity check ⁇ 2 months” are changed to become more restrictive.
• the maximum of the restriction function "number of devices” is not fixed, but can be stretched under the condition that one or more other restriction functions are becoming more restrictive.
• some of the prevalent restrictions functions have a fixed maximum, whilst some of the other restriction functions have flexible limits. Thus, not all the restriction functions need to be interlinked.
• restriction functions in Fig. 2b and Fig. 3 could have been chosen by a user from a set of restriction functions, so that he/she can choose the restriction functions that are most convenient or suitable, i.e. causes the least nuisance; to him/her.
• the set of restriction functions can be extended, when new devices are added to the Authorized Domain.

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• 2005
  • 2005-10-11 EP EP05823222A patent/EP1805967A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-10-11 WO PCT/IB2005/053328 patent/WO2006043198A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2005-10-11 JP JP2007536321A patent/JP2008517366A/ja active Pending
  • 2005-10-11 CN CNA2005800357361A patent/CN101044739A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-10-11 KR KR1020077011359A patent/KR20070084367A/ko not_active Withdrawn

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