Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Edward J Allard

Jason S Brownell

Steven T Ansell

Andrew R Cherenson

Leon Rishniw

Micah S Stroud

Susan A Cannon

Micah Stroud

Content such as computer software, data representing audiovisual works, and electronic documents can converted from a machine-bound state to user-bound state without modification to the content data itself. Instead, keys used to access the content are converted from the machine-bound state to the user-bound state. In particular, the keys are kept in a passport data structure which can represent either a machine-binding or a user-binding. A machine-bound passport can be upgraded to a user-bound passport without modifying the bound content. The private key of the machine-bound passport, in cleartext form, is included in the user-bound passport and encrypted using a user-supplied password to bind the private key to the user. In addition, private user information is collected and verified and included in the user-bound passport. Upgrading a machine-bound passport can be initiated automatically upon detection that an attempt is made to play back machine-bound content on a machine other than the one to which the content is bound.

Adaptable security mechanism for preventing unauthorized access of digital data

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Edward J Allard