System and method for providing content protection of linearly consumed content with a bidirectional protocol for license acquisition

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory comprising instructions executable by the one or more processors to:
• receive, at a playback device, an updateable playlist for electronic content, the updateable playlist specifying multiple electronic content items and a linear sequence in which the multiple electronic content items are to be consumed, the electronic content comprising multiple encrypted content items, each encrypted content item being protected by a corresponding license specifying usage rules for the encrypted content item;
• receive a manifest, identified by the updateable playlist, corresponding to one of the encrypted content items, the manifest specifying the internal content and structure of the corresponding encrypted content item, and an identity of the corresponding license required to decrypt the encrypted content item;
• receive, at the playback device, the electronic content for linear consumption;
• and
• for each encrypted content item of at least some of the encrypted content items of the electronic content:
• provide, from the playback device, a request for the corresponding license for the encrypted content item to a remote computer;
• responsive to the request, receive the corresponding license that protects the encrypted content item license separate from the encrypted content item and for at least one encrypted content item, the corresponding license that protects that encrypted content item is received before the receipt of that encrypted content item;
• utilize that corresponding license to decrypt the encrypted content item to generate a respective decrypted content item, in which an encrypted content item includes multiple segments, each segment specifying an encrypted decryption key for decrypting that segment and responsive to decrypting the encrypted decryption key of each segment with a cryptographic key from the license received for the encrypted content item, decrypting each segment of the encrypted content item with the respective decryption key that was decrypted;
• and
• consume the decrypted content item according to said linear sequence and said usage rules.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• receiving, at a playback device, an updateable playlist for electronic content, the updateable playlist specifying multiple electronic content items and a linear sequence in which the multiple electronic content items are to be consumed, the electronic content comprising multiple encrypted content items, each encrypted content item being protected by a corresponding license specifying usage rules for the encrypted content item;
• receiving a manifest, identified by the updateable playlist, corresponding to one of the encrypted content items, the manifest specifying the internal content and structure of the corresponding encrypted content item, and an identity of the corresponding license required to decrypt the encrypted content item;
• receiving, at the playback device, the electronic content for linear consumption;
• and
• for each encrypted content item of at least some of the encrypted content items of the electronic content:
• providing, from the playback device, a request for the corresponding license for the encrypted content item to a remote computer;
• responsive to the request, receiving the corresponding license that protects the encrypted content item, separate from the encrypted content item;
• utilizing the corresponding license to decrypt the encrypted content item to generate a respective decrypted content item, in which an encrypted content item includes multiple segments, each segment specifying an encrypted decryption key for decrypting that segment and responsive to decrypting the encrypted decryption key of each segment with a cryptographic key from the license received for the encrypted content item, decrypting each segment of the encrypted content item with the respective decryption key that was decrypted;
• and
• consuming the decrypted content item according to said linear sequence and said usage rules;
• and
• providing, from the playback device, at a selected time during the consumption of a current encrypted content item, a request to the remote computer for the license that protects a next encrypted content item, the next encrypted content item being a content item that is to be consumed after the current encrypted content item according to said linear sequence and for at least one encrypted content item, the corresponding license that protects that encrypted content item is received before the receipt of that encrypted content item.