UPnP Device Automatic Provisioning for DRM Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UPnP network provisioning requires manual user interaction, which is burdensome and prone to errors, especially for discovering and accessing Digital Rights Management (DRM) services.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus where a UPnP device automatically obtains pre-provisioning information from a provisioning device, such as an IP rights management server, to self-provision without user intervention, using pre-provisioning information to authenticate and register with the network, enabling access to DRM services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual provisioning is used for UPnP devices to access DRM services, then users can obtain pre-provisioning information from providers, but the process requires user interaction which is burdensome and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The UPnP device automatically discovers DRM services and obtains pre-provisioning information through automated protocols (SSDP, HTTP) without requiring user interaction. The device independently completes service discovery, sends requests to provisioning devices, receives pre-provisioning information, and configures itself, thereby eliminating manual input errors and reducing user burden while maintaining provisioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The provisioning device prepares and stores pre-provisioning information in advance, making it available for automatic retrieval by UPnP devices. This preliminary preparation allows the UPnP device to automatically obtain necessary DRM access information without manual user input, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If automated provisioning is implemented for UPnP devices, then user interaction is eliminated, but the device must automatically discover and obtain pre-provisioning information from provisioning devices
Solution Approach 1:
The provisioning device is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a UPnP device for service discovery, a web server for providing pre-provisioning information, and a DRM authorization entity. This multi-functionality allows automated provisioning without requiring separate dedicated components, thereby reducing overall system complexity while enabling ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses standardized protocols (SSDP for service discovery, HTTP for information exchange) as intermediaries between the UPnP device and provisioning device. These standardized communication mechanisms simplify the automation process by providing well-defined interaction patterns, reducing the complexity burden that would otherwise arise from direct device-to-device communication.
3Adaptability or versatility
If UPnP devices automatically discover DRM services, then seamless integration is achieved, but the device must interact with provisioning devices to obtain pre-provisioning information
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the UPnP device actively search for and complexly interact with multiple potential provisioning devices, the provisioning device publishes its availability and pre-provisioning information through standardized UPnP service discovery mechanisms. The UPnP device then passively receives this information, inverting the traditional active-discovery model into a passive-reception model that reduces complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided for enabling a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device to be automatically provisioned to access services without the need for manual interaction. In accordance with the invention, when a UPnP device needs to be provisioned, it automatically obtains pre-provisioning information from a provisioning device on the home network, and uses the pre-provisioning information to interact with the provisioning device to cause the UPnP device to be provisioned. The provisioning enables the UPnP device to access services, including digital rights management (DRM) services, over a network.