Monitoring of digital content provided from a content provider over a network

Abstract

The invention refers to monitoring usage of digital content provided from a content provider (30) over a network (40) to a client system (10). In the client system (10), a logging agent (150) generates and stores information concerning usage of the digital content individually for each usage to be monitored. The generated information is entered in a usage log (170; 175), either stored in the client system (10) or at a trusted party. The logged usage information is also authenticated allowing identification of the client using the associated digital content. The entries (172) of the log (170; 175) may include a representation (172-1) of the content, information about usage quality (172-2) and / or usage time (172-N). The logging agent (150) is preferably implemented in a portable tamper-resistant module (400), e.g. a network subscriber identity module. The module (400) may be pre-manufactured with the logging agent (150), or the agent (150) can be downloaded thereto.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to digital rights management (DRM) for managing digital content provided over a network, and more particularly to monitoring usage of digital content by customers in a DRM system. Background technique [0002] The distribution of digital content or media data using modern digital communication technologies is evolving, gradually replacing more traditional methods of distribution. In particular, there is a growing trend towards downloading or streaming digital content from content providers to customers or users, who then typically use certain user rights or usage rules specified in a license agreement associated with the digital content. The content is reproduced using a reproduction device. Since the advantages of this form of content distribution include being cheap, fast, and easy to perform, it is now possible to find applications for all types of media distribution, such as audio, video, images, e-books, an...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the problem that fundamentally distinguishes the security problem of a DRM system from other conventional security problems is that even the other end (user) of the communication cannot be fully trusted.

[0006] Prior art DRM systems and rendering devices incorporating DRM agents do not provide any mechanism to minimize the risk of inconsistency between the user and the DRM agent discussed above, or in the event that it occurs, do not provide any mechanism to support the defense of DRM agents and thus content providers, device manufacturers and DRM system manufacturers

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