Class-based content transfer between devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a system for distributing information from a distributing device to a receiving device. The idea of the invention is that each device is assigned a class number. When information is to be transferred, the distributing device verifies the class number of the receiving device. If the receiving device has a lower class number than the distributing device, the distributing device is allowed to transfer the content to the receiving device. Preferably this class number represents the number of potential users that has access to the device. The class number can be assigned using a signed certificate. The information to be distributed may be provided with a watermarked class number, the watermarked class number specifying the highest class number that the receiving device can have and still be allowed to receive the information.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.