# US 8,788,425 B1 · Method and system for accessing content on demand > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,425 B1 - Document ID: US8788425B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/202,545 - Filed: 2005-08-11 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-15 - Assignees: NVIDIA Corporation - Applicants: Michael B. Diamond; Jonathan B. White - Inventors: Michael B. Diamond; Jonathan B. White - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788425B1 ## CPC - G06Q 20/38215: {Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights} - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - H04N 21/2541: {Rights Management (protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)} - H04N 21/2543: Billing {, e.g. for subscription services (payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21)} - H04N 21/25875: {involving end-user authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)} - H04N 21/42661: {for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive} - H04N 21/44236: {Monitoring of piracy processes or activities (protecting computer platforms against harmful, malicious or unexpected behaviour or activities using intrusion detection and counter measures G06F21/566; computer virus detection and handling G06F21/56)} - H04N 21/6334: for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key {(wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08)} - H04N 21/63345: {by transmitting keys (key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06)} - H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method and system for accessing content on demand are described. In one embodiment, upon receiving a user request to access an instance of content (e.g., information that is independent of a particular physical medium), the identity of the user is authenticated. The request conveys a unique identifier of the instance of content and a key for activating the content corresponding thereto according to an instance of ownership stored therewith. The instance of ownership corresponding to the user in that instance of content is ascertained. Upon associating the instance of ownership corresponding to the user in the instance of content, the instance of content is activated to allow the user to access the instance of content according to the corresponding instance of ownership. Where access is demanded in excess of the instance of ownership, a transaction is initiated with which the instance of ownership can be upgraded. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: associating, by a registry server, for each of a plurality of instances of content, a unique identifier of a given instance of content, an ownership identification for said given instance of content, and an instance of ownership of said given instance of content, in a registry; receiving, by a registry server, a request to access a particular instance of content, wherein said request includes a unique identifier of said particular instance of content and an ownership identification of a user; authenticating, by a registry server, said user in response to receiving said request to access said particular instance of content; determining, by said registry server, an instance of ownership of said particular instance of content from said registry according to said unique identifier of said particular instance of content and said ownership identification of said user, if said user is authenticated; and providing, by said registry server, a content key to an access device of said user, wherein said content key includes said unique identifier of said particular instance of content, said ownership identification of said user and an instance of ownership of said particular instance of content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: accessing, by said access device of said user, a decryption key for decrypting said particular instance of content according to said instance of ownership of said particular instance of content if said content key verifies that said user is permitted to access said particular instance of content; and accessing, by said access device of said user; said particular instance of content using said decryption key according to said instance of ownership of said particular instance of content in said content key. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said plurality of instances of content separately from said registry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particular instance of content, protected by said decryption key, local to said access device of said user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particular instance of content, remotely from said access device of said user, on a content server. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particular instance of content, protected by said decryption key, local to said access device of said user, and on a content server remote to said access device of said user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating a transaction to upgrade said instance of ownership if said request to access said particular instance of content exceeds said determined instance of ownership. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising transcoding said particular instance of content to provide independent of said particular instance of content from a particular medium or format. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said content key is embedded in said particular instance of content provided to said access device of said user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said content key, in a safeguarded format, local to said access device of said user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said content key is valid for a specified time period. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said registry server is remote from said access device of said user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said registry server is provided by a content provider, or a third party to said content provider and said user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said content key is associated with a select number of access devices of said user. ### Claim 15 One or more non-transitory computing device readable media having computing device executable instructions which when executed perform a method comprising: receiving a request to access a particular instance of content, wherein said request includes a content identifier of said particular instance of content and an identifier of a user; authenticating said user in response to receiving said request to access said particular instance of content; determining access rights for said particular instance of content, according to said received content identifier of said particular instance of content and said identifier of said user, from a registry that associates a unique content identifier of each given instance of content, a corresponding owner identifier of each given instance of content, and corresponding access rights for each given instance of content, if said user is authenticated; and providing a content key to an access device of said user, wherein said content key includes said content identifier of said particular instance of content, said identifier of said user and said access rights for said particular instance of content. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising accessing said particular instance of content using a decryption key according to said access rights for said particular instance of content in said content key. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising storing said particular instance of content separately from said registry so that said access rights are decoupled from said particular instance content. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising initiating a transaction to upgrade access rights of said particular instance of content if said request to access said particular instance of content exceeds said determined access rights. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising transcoding said instance of content to provide independence of said particular instance of content from a particular medium or format. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein said content key is provided by embedding said content key in said particular instance of content.