New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of digital rights management.Assigned to Konica Minolta, the first patent addresses techniques for a hybrid digital rights management system and related document access authorization method. Assigned to Adobe, the second patent addresses techniques for digital rights management using device proximity information.
9,959,395, "Hybrid digital rights management system and related document access authorization method," assigned to Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
Abstract
A digital rights management system includes two digital rights management servers (RMS servers) connected to a client computer. The two RMS servers implement different but related digital rights management (DRM) policies, with the first RMS server implementing conventional DRM policies and the second RMS server implementing extended DRM policies. An application program on the client computer interacts with a document on the client computer, and communicates with the first RMS server to obtain access authorization for the document. A plug-in program in the client computer cooperates with the application program, and communicates with the second RMS server to obtain additional access authorization for the document. Access to the document is granted when both RMS servers grant access to the document. This achieves extended digital rights management control which can provide a more flexible access control than that provided by existing DRM systems.
9,967,624, "Digital rights management using device proximity information," assigned to Adobe.
Abstract
A method and system utilizing proximity information in managing digital rights is provided. An example method includes receiving a request to access a content item at an electronic device, determining proximity information using at least one processor, the proximity information indicating proximity of the electronic device to a designated base electronic device and using the proximity information for granting or denying access to the content item.
