Managing Rights Management

Microsoft and Sony and DRM Patents

New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of digital rights management. Assigned to Microsoft, the first patent addresses techniques for supporting a plurality of content protection systems in a single container file. Assigned to Sony (JP), the second patent addresses techniques... Read more →

DECE Moving Toward "buy once, play anywhere" Deployment

Many outlets including New York Times and Variety highlight progress by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem, a broad consortium of companies implementing a cloud-based "buy once, play anywhere" content distribution strategy . DECE has tapped Virginia-based Neustar to operate that digital locker. It's also approved Adobe Flash Access, CMLA-OMA V2,... Read more →

The CCIA On Interoperability and DRM

As noted, the Federal Trade Commission will hold a public hearing in Seattle on DRM and it's impact on consumers. More than 800 submissions were received, including several from various vendors and trade associations. Among the latter submitting written comments from the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a trade... Read more →

AACS Interim License Agreement Expiring?

Tyler Pruitt points out that the AACS-LA interim licensing agreement expires on February 27th. AACS is one of the security standards used in Blu-ray discs and players (and in the now defunct HD-DVD format). The thing that makes this important is the much lauded “Managed Copy” technology specifications are set... Read more →

Interoperable DRM and Multi-device DRM Patent Applications

On Thursdays the USPTO publishes new patent applications. Both of today's Spotlight Applications address various aspects of DRM. The first application discloses interoperable DRM systems, no assignee given. Assigned to Microsoft, the second application discloses portable digital rights for multiple devices. 20090013185, "Compatible system of digital rights management and method... Read more →

"Open Market" DRM Interoperability

TechCrunch reports that the Sony-backed Open Market proposal for interoperability among various DRM schemes may be gathering support and momentum apart from Apple and Disney. Open Market is a set of policy decisions and a software and services framework that will allow interoperability of various formats and DRM schemes that... Read more →

What's Up With CH DVD, Blu-Ray, BD+

Writing on FormatWarCentral, Mehar Gill has a useful article on the Chinese DVD format, CH DVD and a potential battle with Blu-ray. Drawing in part on a ZDNET China article, Gill says: [The ZDNet article takes] the opportunity to talk about Blu-ray and BD+ by stating it may slow down... Read more →

Blogging From The FCC Hearing on Net Neutrality

I'm at the Havard Law School today. Thanks to the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, the FCC is conducting a public en banc hearing at the Harvard Law School on Net Neutrality (NN) and broadband management. There will be a live audo feed for those interested. I'll be blogging... Read more →

And the Winner Is: Wal-Mart Goes Exclusively Blu-ray

Wal-Mart has announced on its blog that it will exclusively support Blu-ray HiDef optical disc format. This follows a similar announcement by Best Buy and Netflix. Read more →

DRM InteroperabilityThrough Transcoding Patent Application

Recently published patent applications often indicate what individuals or companies are thinking about and perhaps how DRM and related technologies may be evolving. The first of today's applications addresses transcoding techniques for DRM interoperability, no assignee given. The second application addresses ways of binding digital rights management executable code to... Read more →