Dynamic DRM Data Structure for Adaptive Content Rights

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional digital rights management (DRM) schemes struggle to effectively manage digital rights across various devices, content sources, formats, and networks, as they are static and unable to adapt to changing rights or contexts.

Innovation Solution

A device with a digital rights management (DRM) data structure that uses a multi-dimensional matrix to dynamically identify and apply rights based on content provider, network type, device state, and permitted actions, allowing for variable granularity and updates to rights as needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional DRM schemes are used, then basic copyright protection is provided, but the system cannot adapt to changing rights or contexts across different devices and networks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to changing rightsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic DRM by allowing rights management parameters to change over time and across different contexts. The system dynamically adjusts rights based on device state, network conditions, and content provider policies, moving from static to adaptive rights management that responds to changing conditions without requiring complete system redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes key parameters of the DRM system including device state identifiers, network type identifiers, and rights information that can be dynamically modified. By making these parameters changeable rather than fixed, the system achieves adaptability to different contexts and evolving copyright requirements while maintaining a manageable structural framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If a multi-dimensional DRM data structure is implemented to manage rights across various contexts, then adaptability and granularity of rights management are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegranularity of rights managementVSAvoiddata structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the DRM data structure into distinct dimensional components: content provider identifiers, network type identifiers, device state identifiers, and rights information. This segmentation allows each dimension to be managed independently while collectively providing fine-grained, multi-context rights management. The modular structure reduces complexity by organizing the multi-dimensional space into manageable, discrete segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces multiple dimensions to the DRM system beyond traditional binary rights management. By adding dimensions for content provider, network type, and device state, the system achieves fine-grained control across varying contexts. This dimensional expansion enables precise rights management for specific content-provider/network/device combinations without requiring complex rule sets, as each dimension independently contributes to the overall rights determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If dynamic rights management is implemented to accommodate different content sources and formats, then versatility is improved, but difficulty of managing rights increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveversatility across content sourcesVSAvoiddifficulty of managing rights
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal DRM framework that handles multiple content sources, formats, and delivery mechanisms through a single unified data structure. This multi-functional system can manage rights for broadcast content, internet-delivered content, and other formats using the same identification and rights determination process, reducing the difficulty of management by eliminating the need for separate systems for each content type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an intermediary layer in the form of the multi-dimensional data structure that mediates between diverse content sources and the rights management enforcement mechanism. This intermediary standardizes the interface for rights management by translating various content formats and delivery methods into a common identification framework, making rights management easier by providing a consistent mediation layer across all content types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2022006B1Dynamic constraints for content rights
Publication Date: 2020.11.11 DELL PROD LP
  • EP2022006B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2022006B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2022006B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A device for playing digital media comprises a connection for receiving content over a network and a digital rights management ("DRM") module that identifies rights for the received content by accessing a DRM data structure. The DRM data structure can be a temporal cache. The device receives content and the DRM module identifies identifiers associated with the content and/or the device. The DRM module uses the identifiers to access the DRM data structure and identify rights associated with the content. The identified rights are applied to the content to prevent and/or permit activities with respect to the content. Permitted activities for the content may be presented in a display of the device and can be updated as the content changes and/or as rights associated with content change. Content providers and other authorized entities can change the rights associated with particular content by updating the DRM data structure.