US 7,308,717 B2Granted

System and method for supporting digital rights management in an enhanced Java™ 2 runtime environment

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsLawrence Koved, Magda M. Mourad, Jonathan P. Munson, Giovanni Pacifici, Marco Pistoia, Alaa S. Youssef

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Abstract

A digital rights management (DRM) system and methodology for a Java client implementing a Java Runtime Environment (JRE). The JRE comprises a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and Java runtime libraries components and is capable of executing a player application for presenting content that can be presented through a Java program (e.g., a Java application, applet, servlet, bean, etc.) and downloaded from a content server to the client. The DRM system includes an acquisition component for receiving downloaded protected contents; and a dynamic rights management layer located between the JRE and player application for receiving requests to view or play downloaded protected contents from the player, and, in response to each request, determining the rights associated with protected content and enabling viewing or playing of the protected contents via the player application if permitted according to the rights. By providing a Ad DRM-enabled Java runtime, which does not affect the way non-DRM-related programs work, DRM content providers will not require the installation of customized players. By securing the runtime, every Java™ player automatically and transparently becomes a DRM-enabled player.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A computer implemented method for protecting digital rights associated with protected content downloaded to a client device implementing an object-oriented Runtime Environment (RE) comprising a Virtual Machine (VM) and object-oriented runtime libraries components, and a player application for presenting content downloaded or streamed from a content server to a user, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving requests to view or play downloaded or streamed protected contents via said player application;
b) loading a digital fights management protocol handler unit associated with a protocol indicated by the name of the protected content being accessed;
c) loading a rights set associated with that particular resource;
and
d) in response to each of the received requests, determining the rights associated with protected content and enabling viewing, listening or playing of said protected contents via said player application if permitted according to said rights, wherein digital rights management functionality is assured in a manner transparent to said player application and without the need for a trusted player application,
wherein as a result of said determining step, the steps of:
decrypting rights files to obtain a set of lights associated with said user;
and
if the user has rights associated with the protected content, creating objects to be passed to a security manager component for enforcing said rights as determined for that user;
and
wherein prior to said step of loading a digital rights management protocol handler unit, the steps of:
launching said VM component;
and
verifying the integrity of the RE prior to said launching;
and
wherein said step of decrypting rights files to obtain a set of rights associated with said user comprises the steps of:
resolving the resource URL in order to determine a content filename (CF) and the content map (CM) of that resource;
decrypting said content map using a hidden private key;
utilizing the CM to map the CF into a corresponding rights file (RF) and corresponding decryption key assigned to individual content items;
and,
decrypting the RE using the hidden private key.

18 more elements

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for protecting digital rights associated with protected content downloaded or streamed to a client device implementing an object-oriented Runtime Environment (RE) comprising a Virtual Machine (VM) and object-oriented runtime libraries components, and a player application for presenting content downloaded or streamed from a content server to a user, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving requests to view or play downloaded protected contents via said player application;
b) loading a digital rights management protocol handler unit associated with a protocol indicated by the name of the protected content being accessed;
c) loading a rights set associated with that particular resource;
and
d) in response to each of the received requests, determining the rights associated with protected content and enabling viewing, listening or playing of said protected contents via said player application if permitted according to said rights, wherein digital rights management functionality is assured in a manner transparent to said player application and without the need for a trusted player application,
wherein as a result of said determining step, the steps of:
decrypting rights files to obtain a set of rights associated with said user;
and
if the user has rights associated with the protected content, creating objects to be passed to a security manager component for enforcing said rights as determined for that user,
wherein prior to said step of loading a digital rights management protocol handler unit, the steps of:
launching said VM component;
and,
verifying the integrity of the RE prior to said launching,
wherein said step of decrypting rights files to obtain a set of rights associated with said user comprises the steps of:
resolving the resource URL in order to determine a content filename (CF) and the content map (CM) of that resource;
decrypting said content map using a hidden private key;
utilizing the CM to map the CF into a corresponding rights file (RF) and corresponding decryption key assigned to individual content items;
and,
decrypting the RF using the hidden private key.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.