Tuesdays the Patent Office issues new patents. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of digital rights management. Assigned to Limelight Networks, the first patent addresses techniques for a content distribution system for transporting audio or video licenses between content players that use digital rights management (DRM). Assigned to LG Electronics (KR), the second patent addresses techniques for processing rights object in digital rights management system.
8,494,965, "Electronic copyright license repository," assigned to Limelight Networks, Inc.
Abstract
A content distribution system for transporting audio or video licenses between content players that use digital rights management (DRM) is disclosed. The content distribution system includes at least a second license repository and an authentication engine. The second license repository receives second information describing a second plurality of content licenses. A first license repository stores a first plurality of content licenses. The first plurality of content licenses enable use of a plurality of content objects with a first content player within confines of DRM. The second license repository is geographically distant from the first license repository. The authentication engine authorizes the second plurality of content licenses of the second license repository. The second plurality of content licenses enable use of the plurality of content objects with the second content player within the confines of DRM.8,489,509, "Method for processing rights object in digital rights management system and method and system for processing rights object using the same," assigned to LG Electronics (KR).
Abstract
A message, method and system for processing rights object (RO) in a DRM system are disclosed. A message for requesting submission or return of an unused/partially consumed rights object (RO) is newly defined. When an authenticated device generates such a request message and transmits it to a right issuer (RI), the RI checks whether there exists an ID of a receiving device in the request message. If an ID of a receiving device exists in the request message, the RI performs a procedure for submitting the RO to the ID of the receiving device. If, however, the ID of the receiving device does not exist, the RI performs a procedure of returning of the RO or issuing of a different RO. Accordingly, the unused RO or partially consumed RO can be returned or submitted to a different device by using the request message.