Rights Object Upgrade via Local Proof of Purchase Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current digital rights management systems face complexity and management overhead in handling rights object upgrades for users, requiring complex protocols and large user databases to verify ownership and manage rights, especially for large groups or domains.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that allow users to request rights upgrades by including or omitting an upgrade key identifier in messages to the content provider, enabling secure encryption and decryption of rights objects without the need for extensive database records, using a client device and server system to manage rights object upgrades efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the provider keeps records in a user database to verify ownership and manage rights, then the ability to verify user ownership is improved, but the management overhead and database size increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveownership verificationVSAvoidmanagement overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the ownership verification mechanism from the provider's database system and relocates it to the user's device through stored proof of purchase data. This eliminates the need for the provider to maintain extensive user databases while ensuring reliable verification, as the proof of purchase is locally stored and presented during upgrade requests.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Users self-verify their ownership by presenting proof of purchase data stored on their own devices. The system enables users to independently demonstrate their right to upgrade without requiring the provider to actively verify ownership through database queries, thereby reducing management overhead while maintaining verification reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If a complex protocol is used to verify user ownership and securely convey rights object state, then security is improved, but the protocol complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprotocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts critical security verification elements from complex provider-side protocols and places them on the user's device in the form of stored proof of purchase data. This simplifies the interaction protocol while maintaining security, as the user's device independently holds and presents verification data rather than requiring complex back-and-forth verification protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Proof of purchase data is pre-stored on the user's device during the initial purchase transaction. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex verification protocols during subsequent upgrade requests, as the verification data is already available locally and can be presented immediately without complex authentication sequences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If each user runs the join-domain protocol to get domain group key, then individual user rights are ensured, but the management difficulty increases for large groups

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindividual user rightsVSAvoidmanagement difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges individual user verification into a unified upgrade request process. Instead of requiring separate join-domain protocols for each user to establish domain group keys, the system combines verification through the user's stored proof of purchase data with the upgrade request itself, simplifying management for large groups while maintaining individual rights verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the provider issues new rights objects for upgrades, then users get updated permissions, but the need for extensive database records increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverights upgrade capabilityVSAvoiddatabase records
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the rights verification function from the provider's database and places it in the user's device through stored proof of purchase data. This allows the provider to issue new rights objects for upgrades without maintaining extensive database records, as the verification is performed locally using the extracted proof of purchase information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2534603B1Apparatuses and methods for enabling a user to consume protected contents of a content provider
Publication Date: 2019.11.27 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2534603B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2534603B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2534603B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatuses, in terms of a client device (110) and a server (120) and to methods in the client device (110) and in the server (120) respectively for enabling a user to consume content provided by a content provider. According to the method in the client device (120) the method comprises: assembling a request for rights for consuming a content and indicating in the request which content to consume; determining if an upgrade key, associated with the content, is present in the client device; including, in such a case, in the request, an identifier of the upgrade key that is associated with the content, sending the request to the content provider; receiving, a response comprising an encrypted rights object; decrypting the encrypted rights object and starting to use the rights object for consuming the content.