DRM Segmentation for Arbitrary Media Protocols
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Digital Rights Management (DRM) techniques are limited in compatibility with various protocols and content types, particularly restricting the application of digital rights and restrictions to specific content types like ASF files, which do not allow for flexible policy application across different portions of a media file.
Innovation Solution
The system enables digital rights management policies to be associated with digital media of arbitrary content types and transfer control protocols by encrypting data segments and adding descriptors, allowing receivers to decrypt and consume media according to the correct policy, using root and leaf licenses for secure key management and flexible policy application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If DRM binds media content to a given machine or device, then content security and rights control are improved, but content portability and device flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the DRM protection into two independent components: a device-specific binding mechanism (root license tied to hardware identifiers) and a content-specific policy mechanism (leaf licenses tied to media files). This segmentation allows the content to be securely bound to authorized devices while enabling legitimate portability across different authorized devices through the transferable leaf license structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces leaf licenses as an intermediary layer between the device binding (root license) and the actual media content. The leaf license acts as a portable credential that mediates access rights, allowing content to be transferred between devices while maintaining security policies. This intermediary enables flexibility without compromising the underlying device binding security model.
2Device complexity
If DRM is limited to specific protocols like HTTP and RTSP, then implementation complexity is reduced, but protocol compatibility and versatility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the DRM system with universal components that can operate across multiple protocols. The license structure (root and leaf licenses), encryption mechanisms, and policy enforcement framework are protocol-agnostic, allowing the same DRM infrastructure to protect content delivered via HTTP, RTSP, or future protocols without requiring protocol-specific implementation changes.
3Ease of operation
If a single policy applies to an entire ASF file, then policy management is simplified, but fine-grained control and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the policy structure into hierarchical layers: a root license that establishes global parameters and multiple leaf licenses that provide fine-grained control over specific content portions. This segmentation enables both simplified management (through the single root license) and fine-grained control (through individual leaf licenses that can be selectively applied to different segments or types of content within the file).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables different policy restrictions to be applied to different portions or aspects of the same media file through the leaf license mechanism. Each leaf license can contain customized policy parameters that apply locally to specific content segments, allowing Macrovision to be required for some portions while not required for others, or enabling different playback restrictions for different content types within the same file.
4Device complexity
If DRM techniques are limited to two protocols, then system complexity is reduced, but future adaptability and extensibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic DRM architecture where the system can adapt to new protocols and content types without fundamental redesign. The license and policy structures are designed to be extensible, allowing new protocol-specific requirements to be incorporated through additional leaf licenses or policy parameters while maintaining compatibility with existing implementations. This dynamic structure enables the system to evolve with emerging protocols and content formats.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and/or methods (“tools”) are described that enable a digital rights management policy to be associated with digital media having an arbitrary content type or transfer control protocol. In some embodiments, the tools encrypt data segments of a media file and add a descriptor to each of those segments. These descriptors can enable a receiver of the encrypted media file to decrypt the file and consume it according to the correct digital rights management policy.