Rights Expression Templates for Resource-Constrained DRM Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems face challenges in efficiently expressing and enforcing usage rights on resource-constrained devices, such as MP3 players and mobile phones, due to limited storage and processing capabilities, which hinders optimal digital content consumption.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system and method for creating and encoding rights expressions using profiles and templates, allowing for the compression of rights expressions and minimizing processing resources required for interpretation, enabling efficient and robust usage rights management on resource-constrained devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full rights expressions are used in DRM systems, then usage rights can be comprehensively enforced, but resource-constrained devices cannot efficiently process or store the rights expressions
Solution Approach 1:
The rights expression is segmented into two parts: a compact template identifier that can be stored on resource-constrained devices, and the full rights expression details that remain on the rights management server. The template serves as a simplified representation containing only essential structural information needed for verification, while the complete rights definition is maintained separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The template acts as an intermediary between the full rights expression and the resource-constrained device. Instead of requiring devices to process complex rights expressions directly, the template provides a simplified intermediate form that devices can efficiently handle, while still enabling comprehensive rights enforcement through verification against the full expression on the server.
2Reliability
If comprehensive rights expressions are stored on resource-constrained devices, then usage rights can be fully enforced, but storage space is excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The rights expression data is segmented into a compact template portion stored on the device and the full rights expression stored on the server. The template contains only the structural framework and identifier information, dramatically reducing the storage footprint on resource-constrained devices while maintaining the ability to enforce complete usage rights.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing the full rights expression on the device, a simplified copy in the form of a template is stored. This template copy contains sufficient information for verification purposes but omits detailed rights definition data, which is retrieved from the server when needed.
3Measurement precision
If detailed rights expressions are processed on resource-constrained devices, then usage rights can be accurately verified, but processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The verification process is segmented into two stages: a fast local verification using the compact template stored on the device, and a more detailed verification against the full rights expression on the server when necessary. This segmentation allows most verification operations to complete quickly using the template, reducing overall processing time while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial verification using the template for routine operations, which is sufficient for most use cases. Full verification against the complete rights expression is performed only when needed, avoiding unnecessary computational overhead while maintaining verification accuracy when required.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for creating a rights expression for association with an item for use in a system for controlling use of the item in accordance with the rights expression, including specifying rights expression information indicating a manner of use of an item, the rights expression information including at least one element, the element having a variable and corresponding value for the variable; and performing an encoding process, including determining an identifier associated with a template corresponding to the rights expression information, extracting from the rights expression information the value for the variable corresponding to the element, and encoding a license adapted to be enforced on a device based on the variable and the identifier, the license including an identification of the template and the value for the variable.