New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of digital rights management and one concerns the use of blockchain. Assigned to Verizon and Cellco Partnership, the first patent address for techniques for secure distributed information and password management including blockchain. Assigned to Intel, the second patents addresses techniques for selectively licensing segments of source content.
9,338,148, "Secure distributed information and password management," assigned to Verizon and Cellco Partnership.
Abstract
A method, performed by a computer device, may include receiving an indication that a first user has acquired rights to access a digital content; generating a key for the digital content; encrypting the digital content using the generated key to generate encrypted digital content; obtaining a first passcode; and providing the first passcode and the encrypted digital content to a user device associated with the first user. The method may further include receiving, from the user device, a request for the key, wherein the request include the first passcode; determining that the first passcode is valid; determining that the key has not expired; and providing the key to the user device, in response to determining that the first passcode is valid and that the key has not expired.
9,800,911, "Technologies for selective content licensing and secure playback," assigned to Intel.
Abstract
Technologies for selectively licensing segments of source content are described. In some embodiments the technologies enable a user of a client device to select, license, and use one or more segments of source content, without the need to obtain a license to the source content as a whole. Systems, methods, and computer readable media utilizing such technologies are also described. In some embodiments, the technologies can enable digital rights management or other restrictions imposed on a content segment to be enforced, even when the content segment is incorporated into diverse content such as a content mashup. The technologies may also enable independent tracking of information regarding the use and/or payback of content segments, even when such segments are included in diverse content.