On Tuesdays the USPTO publishes new patents. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of DRM. Assigned to Microsoft, the first patent concerns techniques for converting content protection from conditional access to DRM systems. Assigned to Nokia, the second patent concerns techniques for dynamically enforcing digital rights management rules.
7,546,641, "Conditional access to digital rights management conversion," assigned to Microsoft.
Abstract
The present invention provides for an interface between two seemingly incompatible and different content protection systems. Accordingly, protected content may be transferred between the respective security kernels of a conditional access (CA) and digital rights management (DRM) systems, while maintaining security of the content and any associated protection information. The transfer and consumption of protected content and the associated content protection information may be achieved by temporarily or permanently binding the respective security kernels of the CA and DRM systems, transcribing content protection information, and potentially transcribing the content.
7,529,929, "System and method for dynamically enforcing digital rights management rules," assigned to Nokia (FI).
Abstract
A system and method for enforcing digital rights management (DRM) rules in a terminal, even when the requesting rendering application is already operating. Content, which may be encrypted, is received at the terminal and securely stored. On-demand authorization is effected for the rendering application that is requesting access to the content, using secure communications between a DRM engine within the terminal and an operating system within the terminal that is augmented with a security manager adapted to engage in such secure communications. If the rendering application is found to be authorized, the DRM rules are applied to determine whether the rendering application may access the content, and if so, the content is made available to the rendering application.
