Digital Rights Management Labeling for Disconnected Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital rights management systems do not allow disconnected devices to play trial versions of songs without a license, and lack features for tracking and managing rights when songs are copied between devices, limiting user access and revenue sharing.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for managing digital rights by labeling songs as 'Purchased', 'Recorded', or 'Try & Buy', allowing registration of devices, and enabling song copying with label adaptation, usage tracking, and revenue sharing across a sharing chain, while enabling access to licensed songs on multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If DRM technology encapsulates songs within encrypted wrappers requiring license purchases, then copyright protection is improved, but device accessibility and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the DRM system into different license types (full license, trial license, shared license) and different device categories (connected devices, disconnected devices). This allows fine-grained control over access rights, enabling trial versions for disconnected devices while maintaining full protection for purchased content on connected devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts DRM behavior based on device connectivity status and license type. Connected devices can access full licensed content, while disconnected devices receive trial versions with limited rights. The system automatically manages license validation and content delivery based on real-time device state.
2Device complexity
If disconnected devices cannot purchase licenses without network connection, then copyright management is simplified, but user convenience and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-distributing trial versions of songs to disconnected devices before the user needs to access them. When a user wants to play a song on a disconnected device, the trial version is already available or can be quickly downloaded through a connected device, eliminating the need for real-time license purchases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces trial versions as an intermediary mechanism between the music library and disconnected devices. These trial versions act as temporary licenses that enable playback without requiring permanent license purchases or network connectivity, serving as a bridge between content protection and user accessibility.
3Reliability
If trial versions of songs cannot be copied between disconnected devices, then DRM security is improved, but adaptability and versatility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels and rights to different device types. Disconnected devices receive trial versions with limited copying and distribution rights, while connected devices can access full licensed content with broader permissions. This local differentiation maintains security for purchased content while enabling controlled sharing for trials.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows partial actions (playing trial versions) on disconnected devices without granting full rights (copying, distributing). The trial license enables sufficient functionality for listening but deliberately restricts copying capabilities to maintain DRM security, applying only the minimum necessary permissions for the intended use.
4Device complexity
If no tracking system exists for license purchases along sharing chains, then system complexity is reduced, but loss of information and revenue tracking deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where devices report their usage and licensing status back to a central server. The system tracks which devices have purchased licenses, which have shared content, and calculates revenue sharing based on this feedback information, enabling accurate accounting along the sharing chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical tracking infrastructure with a centralized server-based information management system. Rather than embedding complex tracking logic in each device, the patent uses a simplified client-server architecture where devices provide basic usage information and the server performs comprehensive tracking, validation, and revenue calculation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is described for enabling a user to listen to songs on a network-enabled device, including an embedded receiver for receiving at least one song list, and for receiving music streamed over a wireless network, list navigation software, for navigating the at least one song list and selecting a desired song therefrom, using a keypad communicatively coupled with the network-enabled device, an embedded transmitter for transmitting a song selection to a tracking server, and an embedded audio player, for playing the music streamed to the network-enabled device over the wireless network, a tracking server, including a data store including at least one song list, a receiver for receiving a song selection from said network-enabled device, the song selection comprising an ID for a selected song, and a transmitter for transmitting the at least one song list to the network-enabled device, and for transmitting the received song selection to a media server, and a media server, including a data store including audio files for the songs listed in the song list, an audio streamer, a receiver for receiving an instruction from said tracking server to transmit the selected song to the network-enabled device, and a transmitter for streaming the selected song to the network-enabled device. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described.