Digital Rights Transfer Using Probabilistic Data Structures

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems face challenges in allowing users to transfer digital rights between devices while ensuring the integrity and removal of rights from the original device, balancing user flexibility with protection against unauthorized use.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing probabilistic data structures, specifically Bloom filters, to verify the presence and transfer of digital rights management objects between devices, ensuring that rights are not duplicated and maintaining their integrity through encryption and verification processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a DRM system limits playback to a single device, then content protection is improved, but user flexibility to transfer files is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent protectionVSAvoiduser flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic device authorization where the licensed device identifier is not fixed but can be updated through a controlled transfer process. The system dynamically changes which device is authorized to play the content, allowing legitimate transfers while maintaining protection. This resolves the contradiction by making the single-device limitation flexible rather than rigid.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a DRM system allows transfer of rights to other devices, then user flexibility is improved, but risk of unauthorized retention is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser flexibilityVSAvoidunauthorized retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the licensed device identifier from the original device before authorizing the new device. This preliminary removal action ensures that the original device cannot retain unauthorized access while the transfer is being processed. By performing the removal in advance, the system prevents the harmful scenario where both devices would have simultaneous access rights.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the DRM server verifies the transfer request, confirms the current licensed device, processes the identifier removal, and then authorizes the new device. This closed-loop feedback ensures that transfers only occur through proper authorization channels, preventing unauthorized retention while maintaining user flexibility for legitimate transfers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If digital rights are transferred without verification, then transfer speed is improved, but integrity of rights is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer speedVSAvoidintegrity of rights
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary verification of the target device's authorization status before completing the rights transfer. The system checks whether the target device is properly authorized to receive the transfer before finalizing it. This preliminary check ensures integrity without significantly impacting transfer speed, as the verification is performed as a quick authorization check rather than a complex validation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP1985057B1Method of transferring digital rights
Publication Date: 2017.08.16 GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
  • EP1985057B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1985057B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1985057B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A system and method of transferring digital rights from a first device to a second device. A target rights management object is transferred from the first device to the second device. A probabilistic data structure is created that identifies each of a class of rights management objects that are present on the first device. The probabilistic data structure is employed to determine whether the target rights management object is present on the first device. The target rights management object is utilized on the second device in response to a determination through employment of the probabilistic data structure that the target rights management object is not present on the first device. The target rights management object and its state are returned to the first device in response to a determination through employment of the probabilistic data structure that the target rights management object is present on the first device.