On Tuesdays the USPTO issues new patents. Both of today's Spotlight Patents address various uses of encryption in DRM. Assigned to Panasonic the first patent concerns the use of encryption in copyright protection. Assigned to Ericsson, the second patent concerns encryption-based techniques for DRM.
7,617,402, "Copyright protection system, encryption device, decryption device and recording medium," assigned to Panasonic (JP).
Abstract
A copyright protection system comprises an encryption device and a decryption device. Cryptographic communication is performed between the encryption device and the decryption device using a contents key. The encryption device includes a contents storage section for storing contents, a first contents key generation section for generating the contents key based on a second decryption limitation obtained by updating a first decryption limitation, and a first encryption section for encrypting the contents using the contents key and outputting the encrypted contents. The decryption device includes a second contents key generation section for generating the contents key from the second decryption limitation, and a first decryption section for decrypting the encrypted contents using the contents key generated by the second contents key generation section.
7,617,158, "System and method for digital rights management of electronic content," assigned to Ericsson (SE).
Abstract
Digital rights management is described involving a device, a content issuer, and a rights issuer. A content encryption key (CEK) is encrypted using a public key associated with the device to produce an encrypted CEK. The encrypted CEK is encrypted using an issuer encryption key to produce a twice encrypted CEK. The twice encrypted CEK is encrypted using the public key to produce a ciphertext included in a rights object. The rights object is available to the device for decrypting digital content associated with the content issuer. The device can then decrypt the rights object ciphertext using its private key to produce a decrypted rights object ciphertext and decrypt the decrypted rights object ciphertext using an issuer decryption key received from the content issuer to produce an encrypted CEK. The encrypted CEK is decrypted using the private key to obtain the CEK, which is then available for decrypting digital content.
Abstract
A copyright protection system comprises an encryption device and a decryption device. Cryptographic communication is performed between the encryption device and the decryption device using a contents key. The encryption device includes a contents storage section for storing contents, a first contents key generation section for generating the contents key based on a second decryption limitation obtained by updating a first decryption limitation, and a first encryption section for encrypting the contents using the contents key and outputting the encrypted contents. The decryption device includes a second contents key generation section for generating the contents key from the second decryption limitation, and a first decryption section for decrypting the encrypted contents using the contents key generated by the second contents key generation section.
7,617,158, "System and method for digital rights management of electronic content," assigned to Ericsson (SE).
Abstract
Digital rights management is described involving a device, a content issuer, and a rights issuer. A content encryption key (CEK) is encrypted using a public key associated with the device to produce an encrypted CEK. The encrypted CEK is encrypted using an issuer encryption key to produce a twice encrypted CEK. The twice encrypted CEK is encrypted using the public key to produce a ciphertext included in a rights object. The rights object is available to the device for decrypting digital content associated with the content issuer. The device can then decrypt the rights object ciphertext using its private key to produce a decrypted rights object ciphertext and decrypt the decrypted rights object ciphertext using an issuer decryption key received from the content issuer to produce an encrypted CEK. The encrypted CEK is decrypted using the private key to obtain the CEK, which is then available for decrypting digital content.
