Selective Content Protection on Removable Storage Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for protecting intellectual property rights on removable data storage devices are either cost-prohibitive or technically challenging, and existing solutions do not allow for selective protection of content, which can compromise copyright and patent protection, and burden users with unnecessary access restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A system that provides data protection on removable storage devices by using cryptographic mechanisms associated with device identifiers, allowing selective protection of content based on licensing rights, enabling on-demand access to additional features or upgrades, and maintaining user-friendly access to unprotected content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryptographic protection is implemented on removable data storage devices, then intellectual property rights are protected, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides content into protected and unprotected portions, applying cryptographic mechanisms only to specific content segments rather than the entire storage device. This selective protection reduces the complexity and cost of implementation while maintaining IP protection for critical content.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality levels of protection are applied to different content areas - high-level cryptographic protection for protected content and no protection for unprotected content. This local differentiation optimizes the balance between protection and cost by avoiding unnecessary protection overhead on non-critical content.
2Reliability
If cryptographic protection is implemented on removable data storage devices, then intellectual property rights are protected, but technical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A content protection module acts as an intermediary between the storage device and accessing systems, managing cryptographic operations centrally. This intermediary handles the complexity of key management and cryptographic processing, simplifying the overall system architecture and reducing technical barriers to implementation.
3Reliability
If all content on storage device is protected, then intellectual property rights are protected, but user access is burdened
Solution Approach 1:
Content is segmented into protected and unprotected portions, allowing users to freely access unprotected content without cryptographic verification while maintaining protection for copyrighted material. This segmentation eliminates unnecessary access barriers for non-critical content.
Solution Approach 2:
Different access requirements are applied locally to different content areas - unprotected content requires no authentication and protected content requires cryptographic verification. This local quality differentiation ensures seamless user experience for unprotected content while maintaining security for protected content.
4Reliability
If protection is applied to entire content, then copyright protection is comprehensive, but efficiency of content conversion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments content into protected and unprotected portions, allowing conversion and processing operations to be performed efficiently on unprotected content without cryptographic overhead, while maintaining comprehensive protection for copyrighted material through targeted encryption of specific segments.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, devices, apparatus, computer-readable media and processors are provided that protect the distribution of media content. Media content is encrypted and the associated cryptographic mechanisms are stored and accessible either remotely at a networked database or internally within a data storage device memory. Access to the cryptographic mechanisms is granted by associating the cryptographic mechanisms with a data storage device identification and, optionally, a computing device identification.