Method of providing adaptive security

#1. Field

#The present invention relates generally to digital content protection in computer and consumer electronics systems and, more specifically, to adapting security levels for program modules to a desired performance attribute or to other requirements.

#2. Description

#The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention in which:

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram describing input data to and output data from a signing tool according to an embodiment of the present invention;

#An embodiment of the present invention is a method for providing adaptable security levels for selected content that are interpreted and implemented by a security system. In this invention, a content provider or authorized content distributor may select, when the content is manufactured or distributed, a level of security to be provided for access to content after distribution. This selectable level of security may be included as a parameterized security factor in a content license accompanying the content when the content is distributed. When a player application and associated components access the content, the security level specified in the security factor by the content provider or distributor may be applied by a security system to regulate access to the content or affect security processing protecting such access. During selection of the security level, a content provider may take into account the performance requirements or other attributes of user systems implementing different levels of security, thereby balancing security interests with the goal of providing a good user experience during content playback.

#As used herein, a program module is any identifiable portion of computer program code or any sequence of programming instructions in any programming language. In one embodiment, program modules may comprise at least one of a player application for playing digital content, a plug-in module having a coder/decoder (codec), and an agent for, at least in part, providing security. In other embodiments, a program module may comprise one or more other application programs. Generally, a signed binary description filed (SBDF) may be a file comprising, at least in part, a binary description of the integrity of at least one program module.

#Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present invention means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” appearing in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.