Client DRM Enforcement via Local Policy Bundling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing digital rights management (DRM) systems fail to enforce content usage restrictions effectively, especially when users limit their online presence, allowing unintended access to digital content.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that bundles DRM data with digital content on a client device, enabling local enforcement without requiring network connectivity, using a client device to determine and enforce usage rights based on user data and DRM policies stored locally.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If DRM is enforced through online control via server, then content usage restrictions can be monitored, but user access may be blocked when online presence is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDRM enforcement reliabilityVSAvoidUser access convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by downloading and storing DRM policy data and content metadata to the client device before offline use. This allows the enforcement module to later verify content usage rights locally without requiring real-time server connectivity, thus maintaining both enforcement reliability and user access convenience during offline periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate local enforcement module and policy cache on the client device that mediates between the online DRM server and offline content playback. This intermediary stores necessary enforcement data locally and autonomously handles usage verification, bridging the gap between server-based control and client-side offline access

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If DRM data is stored locally on client device, then offline enforcement is enabled, but device storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveOffline DRM enforcementVSAvoidStorage space required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential DRM enforcement data and content metadata from the complete DRM system, storing them in a lightweight local policy cache on the client device. This selective extraction enables offline enforcement functionality while minimizing the storage space required, avoiding the need to store entire content libraries or complex server infrastructure locally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11010454B2Method and system for digital rights management enforcement

Publication Date: 2021.05.18 DESIRE2LEARN

AI summary

A method and system for Digital Right Management (DRM) enforcement on a client device is provided. The method includes: determining client requested digital content; retrieving DRM data associated with the requested digital content; bundling the associated DRM with the requested digital content; transmitting the bundled DRM and digital content to the client device; and enforcing the DRM on the client device. The system includes: a client device configured to issue a request for digital content; a content review module configured to retrieve DRM data associated with the requested digital content; a bundler module configured to bundle the associated DRM with the requested digital content; a connection module configured to transmit the bundled DRM and digital content to the client device; and an enforcement module configured to enforce the DRM on the client device.