On Tuesdays the USPTO issues new patents. Today's Spotlight Patents address aspects of digital rights management. Assigned to Microsoft, the first patent concerns techniques for enforcing advertisement playback for downloaded media content. Assigned to IBM, the second patent concerns techniques for managing access to physical data via a data abstraction model.
7,836,511, "Enforcing advertisement playback for downloaded media content," assigned to Microsoft.
Abstract
Enforcing rendering advertisements and other predetermined media content in connection with playback of downloaded selected media content. Playback of selected media content is made conditional on acquisition of a playback token that is generated in response to playback of the predetermined content. The playback token may be implemented as a digital rights management (DRM) license acquired in response to playback of the predetermined content. Another aspect involves a content insertion engine for inserting ads or other predetermined content into the playback of downloaded content.
7,836,078, "Techniques for managing access to physical data via a data abstraction model," assigned to IBM.
Abstract
A method, system and article of manufacture for managing access to a data abstraction model abstractly describing physical data and, more particularly, for creating a logical security model for a data abstraction model abstractly describing data in a database. One embodiment provides a computer-implemented method for creating a logical security model based on a physical security model defining user access rights to physical data. The method comprises, for each of the user access rights defined by the physical security model, creating a logical access right definition for a logical model. The logical model comprises a plurality of logical field definitions each comprising a field name and access information for accessing a field of the physical data. The logical access right definitions are applied to the logical model so that the logical model reflects the user access rights to the physical data.