International Business Machines Corporation

Level 3 Communications, LLC

George Gregory Gruse

Kenneth Louis Milsted

Marco M Hurtado

Edgar S Downs

Jeffrey Bruce Lotspiech

John J Dorak, Jr

Christopher T Lehman

Richard L Spagna

Susan E Waefler

James T Tsevdos

Minhtam C Nguyen

Glen E Hamblin

Cesar Medina

John Dorak

Ross L Cook

Jonn J Dorak, Jr

Edgar Downs

Kenneth Milsted

Marco Hurtado

Christopher Lehman

Jeffrey Lotspiech

A system, a method and a computer program product for tracking usage of digital content on user devices. A license to play digital content data is transmitted to a user. An user watermark is generated by the user device using watermarking instructions and usage rights associated with the digital content. The user watermark is separate from the water mark created outside the user device. Further, information is transmitted to a logging site whenever the content data is played by the content player or copied from the content player to an external medium so that usage of the licensed content data can be tracked.

System for tracking end-user electronic content usage

A method provides a collection of data structures and subroutines in a software toolkit, for developing an application for playing digital content data. The method comprises steps of receiving previously encrypted content data encrypted with an encrypted key from an external source; storing the previously encrypted content data in a library; selecting one or more encrypted content data from the library to play; and decrypting each content data selected to be played with its unique encryption key, wherein the decrypting is performed in a tamper-resistant subroutine for deterring unauthorized access to the instructions for decrypting the content data and for deterring unauthorized access to the encryption key.

Multimedia player toolkit for electronic content delivery

A method to delivery encrypted digital content to a end user system for playing the content comprising the steps of: reading from a computer readable medium metadata which has previously associated with the content. A user selects from the metadata associated content to decrypt and the end user system establishes a secure connection with an authorization authority for decrypting the content. The end user system receives a secure container containing the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the previously encrypted content as permitted. The system creates a secure container using the encrypting key from a clearing house, wherein the secure container has an encrypting key therein from the end user system; transferring the secure container to the clearing house for authentication of permission to decrypt the content. The system receives from the clearing house, a secure container encrypted using the encrypting key of the end user system containing the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the previously encrypted content stored on the computer readable medium as permitted; and playing at least part of the previously encrypted content by decrypting the secure container using the encrypting key of the end user system to access the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the encrypted content.

Secure electronic content distribution on CDS and DVDs

A method of managing content data and associated metadata. According to the method, the content data and the associated metadata are generated. The content data is transferred to a content host, and the metadata and usage condition data for the associated content are transferred to an electronic store. The metadata and/or the usage condition data are altered in order to form promotional data, and the promotional data is transferred from the electronic store to a customer's system. In one preferred method, the content data is encrypted with a first encrypting key before being transferred to the content host. The first encrypting key is encrypted with a second encrypting key, and the encrypted first encrypting key is transferred along with the metadata and usage condition data to the electronic store. Additionally, the encrypted first encrypting key is transferred along with the promotional data to the customer's system.

Secure electronic content management system

A system for tracking usage of digital content on user devices. Electronic stores coupled to a network sell licenses to play digital content data to users. Content players, which receive from the network the licensed content data, are used to play the licensed content data. Additionally, a logging site that is coupled to the network tracks the playing of the content data. In particular, the logging site receives play information from the network, and the play information includes the number of times that the content data has been played by the associated content player. Also provided is a method for tracking usage of digital content on user devices. According to the method, a license to play digital content data is sold to a user, and the licensed content data is transmitted to a content player for the user. Further, information is transmitted to a logging site whenever the content data is played by the content player or copied from the content player to an external medium so that usage of the licensed content data can be tracked.

Multimedia player for an electronic content delivery system

A method of managing keys used by a digital content player on a computer system. According to the method, digital content data encrypted with a first encrypting key is decrypted using a first decrypting key, and re-encrypted using a second encrypting key. A second decrypting key is encrypted using a third encrypting key to produce an encrypted second decrypting key. In one preferred method, an encrypted first decrypting key that was encrypted using a fourth encrypting key is received, and the encrypted first decrypting key is decrypted using a fourth decrypting key to reproduce the first decrypting key. A digital content player for use on a computer system is also provided. The content player includes a decrypter that decrypts digital content data, which was encrypted with a first encrypting key, using a first decrypting key so as to produce the content data. An encrypter re-encrypts the content data using a second encrypting key and encrypts a second decrypting key using a third encrypting key. In one preferred content player, a receiver receives an encrypted first decrypting key that was encrypted using a fourth encrypting key, and the decrypter decrypts the encrypted first decrypting key using a fourth decrypting key to reproduce the first decrypting key.

Key management system for digital content player

Disclosed is a method and apparatus of securely providing data to a user's system. The data is encrypted so as to only be decryptable by a data decrypting key, the data decrypting key being encrypted using a first public key, and the encrypted data being accessible to the user's system, the method comprising the steps of: transferring the encrypted data decrypting key to a clearing house that possesses a first private key, which corresponds to the first public key; decrypting the data decrypting key using the first private key; re-encrypting the data decrypting key using a second public key; transferring the re-encrypted data decrypting key to the user's system, the user's system possessing a second private key, which corresponds to the second public key; and decrypting the re-encrypted data decrypting key using the second private key.

Electronic content delivery system

In a data communication network wherein broadcasted transmissions include a portion uniquely identifying the content of the following transmission and wherein transmissions are repeated at predetermined intervals, a communication unit for operating within the system includes a receiver, a processor, and memory for storing data and instructions for the processor. The receiver receives transmissions over the communication network. The communication unit receives a record command from a user that causes it to record the audio/video content being broadcasted during a subsequent transmission thereof. The memory includes space for storing the program that causes the communication unit to automatically record the transmission at the time the transmission is re-broadcasted.

Method and system for recording in-progress broadcast programs

A game manufacturing process includes the steps of a customer's game selection being used to initiate the manufacturing process by scanning a bar code from an empty cartridge box to a selection slip. An appropriate cartridge is identified and erased. The manufacturing system then writes the game cartridge with the content data from a game storage computer and sends information to a printer for producing identification and instructional inserts for the game. The game computer has stored therein the game contents for all of the games. After a game-to-be-'burned' indicia is provided to the game storage computer, and a cartridge is installed, the sequence of loading the game and additional identifying information into a flash RAM contained in the cartridge is commenced. The manufacturing system functions so that if timely connections are not made between the game storage computer and a host computer, the game burner application time counter will not be reset by regularly transmitted and expected transactional data, and the system will only operate for a limited period of time and will then cease to function. The operator can request from the host computer a grace period to resume normal operation of the game burning application. This provides some minimum time between connections, but does not permit the game burner application to run without first transmitting sufficient support data to and from the host computer.

Growing community of inventors

Lighthouse Point, FL, United States of America

George Gregory Gruse