DRM Access Information Delivery for Offline Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital rights management (DRM) systems face challenges in enabling access to protected content on devices with constrained network connectivity, such as wireless devices with unreliable or high-latency connections, which results in a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
The DRM system proactively sends access information along with protected content to the access device, allowing local decryption and policy enforcement without relying on potentially unreliable network connections, enabling access even when the device is offline or has sporadic connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the DRM system requires real-time network connection for accessing protected content, then security control and policy enforcement are maintained, but access reliability deteriorates on devices with constrained connectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by sending access information (decryption keys, policy data) to the access device in advance, before the user actually needs to access the content. This allows the device to store and use this information locally when offline, improving access reliability without requiring real-time network connection. The interface server acts as an intermediary to deliver this access information proactively.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system sends access information proactively to the access device, then offline access capability is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by sending access information specifically tailored to the access device's needs and capabilities. The interface server determines what access information to send based on the device's identity, the content it needs to access, and its offline capabilities. This targeted approach ensures that only necessary data is transmitted, optimizing network bandwidth usage while enabling offline access.
3Speed
If the DRM system stores all access information on the server, then security is maintained, but access speed deteriorates due to network dependency
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the DRM architecture into multiple components: the DRM server maintains master keys and policy definitions, the interface server handles authentication and generates device-specific access information, and the access device stores and uses local access information for offline access. This segmentation allows fast local access while maintaining security through distributed trust, as each component holds only the information necessary for its function.
Data Source
AI summary
A DRM system is provided wherein when a protected content unit is provided to an access device, the access information associated with the protected content unit is retrieved from the DRM server and provided to the access device in the same transaction in which the protected content unit is provided. Therefore, when the user seeks to access the protected content unit, the access request can be handled locally without the need to rely upon potentially constrained connectivity to the DRM server. The techniques described herein enable an access device to access content protected by a DRM system. When a protected content unit and access information is received at the access device, in one transaction, the protected content unit can be decrypted on the access device using the access information, and/or the access information can be used to enforce a DRM policy associated with the protected content unit.