Client-Side DRM Policy Manager for Offline Content Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing license models for multimedia content are inflexible, as they typically define rights for a single piece of content, limiting integration and combination with other content, especially in scenarios where offline access is required, such as advertising with multimedia presentations.

Innovation Solution

A license associated with a first piece of content can grant rights to additional pieces of content, using a client-side digital rights management (DRM) runtime environment with a policy manager and state component to enforce policies across multiple content pieces, allowing interdependent licensing and offline content consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a license defines rights for only one piece of content, then the license structure remains simple and easy to manage, but the system lacks flexibility to integrate or combine multiple different pieces of content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility to integrate multiple content piecesVSAvoidlicense structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple content references and policy expressions into a single license object. The license structure is extended to include an array of content identifiers and multiple policy expressions that can reference different content pieces, allowing one license to govern multiple content items and their interrelationships.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The license is transformed from a single-purpose object governing one content piece to a multi-functional object that can control access to multiple content pieces, define relationships between them (such as advertising-content relationships), and enforce different policy types across different content items within a unified structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If a server controls content presentation online, then content consumption can be controlled and monitored, but users who are not online cannot consume content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoffline content consumption capabilityVSAvoidpolicy enforcement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service policy enforcement by embedding all necessary policy expressions and content relationships directly in the license file. The local player reads and enforces these policies autonomously without requiring continuous server connection, enabling offline content consumption while maintaining policy control through locally-stored licensing information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The license file is prepared in advance with all policy expressions and content relationships defined before the user attempts to consume content offline. The policy manager evaluates these pre-defined policies locally, eliminating the need for real-time server verification and enabling offline operation while maintaining enforcement reliability through preliminary policy configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8245310B2Controlling access to multiple pieces of content of a presentation

Publication Date: 2012.08.14 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

In one or more embodiments, a license associated with a first piece of content can grant rights with respect to a second and/or additional pieces of content. That is, language that is included in a first license can express a policy that is interpreted by a client-side device. This policy can establish rights with respect to additional pieces of content. Accordingly, policy enforcement with respect to licensed content can take place on the client-side device and can establish how different content is to be played relative to one another.