Regulating access to digital content
DC CAFC
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of regulating access to digital content, the method comprising:
- at a client, executing an access checking process to determine whether the client holds a pre-existing permission for a resource to access the digital content, if not, requesting permission from an external source for the resource to access the digital content;
receiving from the external source a token; and
based on the received token, executing an installation process that generates at the client a permission that is locked uniquely to the client and that may be found by a later execution of the access checking process.
11 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Digital content such as text, video, and music are stored as part of a compressed and encrypted data file, or object, at a client computer, such as a personal home computer. The content is inaccessible to a user until a payment or use authorization occurs. Payment or use authorization occurs via a real-time, transparent authorization process whereby the user enters account or use data at the client computer, the account or use data is transmitted to a payment server computer, the account or use data is preprocessed at the payment server computer and if payment information is required and is present, the payment information is transmitted to a payment authorization center. The payment authorization center approves or rejects the payment transaction, and bills the corresponding account. The authorization center then transmits an authorization signal to the payment server computer indicating whether the transaction was approved and if not, which information was deficient. In response, the payment server computer transmits a token to the client computer, and if the token indicates approval, an installation process is initiated at the client computer whereby the object is activated and locked to the particular client computer. The object can be reopened and reused at any time on that particular computer. If the object is transmitted or copied to a different computer, the required payment or use information must again be tendered for access to the content.
376 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of regulating access to digital content, the method comprising:
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at a client, executing an access checking process to determine whether the client holds a pre-existing permission for a resource to access the digital content, if not, requesting permission from an external source for the resource to access the digital content;
receiving from the external source a token; and
based on the received token, executing an installation process that generates at the client a permission that is locked uniquely to the client and that may be found by a later execution of the access checking process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 55, 56)
transmitting payment data based on the payment information to a payment authorization center;
processing the payment data at the payment authorization center; and
transmitting an authorization code from the payment authorization center to the external source based on the processing of the payment information.
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19. The method of claim 18, wherein the payment data and the authorization code are transmitted via a dedicated frame relay network.
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20. The method of claim 13, wherein the authorization procedure comprises:
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processing use information received from a client;
searching the use information for a predefined parameter; and
transmitting the token to the client based on a result of the search.
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55. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising establishing a secure socket connection with the server for requesting the permission and receiving the token via the public switched network.
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56. The method of claim 55, the method further comprising opening the secure socket connection before transmitting the access information and closing the secure socket connection after receiving the token.
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21. A computer-implemented method for selectively granting access to an encrypted object, the method comprising:
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in response to a request from a client to a server for permission for access to the encrypted object, returning to the client a token that is not unique to the encrypted object or to the client, in response to the token, generating a permission key at the client, and decrypting the object at the client. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
requesting the object from a merchant server via a public switched network;
receiving the object from the merchant server via the public switched network; and
storing the object at the client.
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31. The method of claim 30, wherein the object is received as an electronic mail attachment.
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32. A computer-implemented method of regulating access to protected digital content at a client, the method comprising:
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including the protected digital content in a package that comprises an executable process, providing the package to the client, in connection with a request at the client for access to the protected digital content, executing the executable process at the client to request permission from a server for access to the protected digital content, receiving from the server a token;
based on the token received, selectively granting access at the client to the digital content. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system for selectively granting access to digital content, the system comprising:
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a client for executing an access checking process to determine whether a client holds a pre-existing permission for a resource to access the digital content;
for transmitting access information if the access checking process fails to determine that the client holds the permission;
for receiving a token; and
for executing an installation procedure based on the received token to install a permission that is unique to the client and may be found by a later execution of the access checking process;
a server for receiving access information transmitted by the client;
for processing the access information;
for submitting authorization information based on the access information;
for receiving an authorization code; and
for transmitting the token to the client based on the authorization code received; and
an authorization process for receiving the authorization information submitted by the server;
for confirming the authorization information; and
for providing the authorization code to the server.- View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeRPX Corporation
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Original AssigneeFirst Union National Bank (Wells Fargo & Company)
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InventorsPatterson, Patrick E.
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Primary Examiner(s)Decady, Albert
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Assistant Examiner(s)Callahan, Paul E.
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Application NumberUS09/079,545Time in Patent Office1,460 DaysField of Search705/56, 705/57, 705/58, 705/59, 705/53, 713/185, 713/201US Class Current726/9CPC Class CodesG06F 21/10 Protecting distributed prog...G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for elect...G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rig...H04L 2463/102 applying security measure f...H04L 2463/103 applying security measure f...H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is...H04L 63/08 for authentication of entit...
