Method and system for digital rights management enforcement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11010454-B2
Application number	US-201615078092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 4, 2013
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A method and system for Digital Right Management (DRM) enforcement on a client device is provided. The method includes: determining client requested digital content; retrieving DRM data associated with the requested digital content; bundling the associated DRM with the requested digital content; transmitting the bundled DRM and digital content to the client device; and enforcing the DRM on the client device. The system includes: a client device configured to issue a request for digital content; a content review module configured to retrieve DRM data associated with the requested digital content; a bundler module configured to bundle the associated DRM with the requested digital content; a connection module configured to transmit the bundled DRM and digital content to the client device; and an enforcement module configured to enforce the DRM on the client device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for enforcing Digital Right Management (DRM) using a client device, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a request for providing digital content to a user;
obtaining, by one or more processors, DRM data to be associated with the requested digital content, wherein the obtaining of the DRM data comprises:
querying a database for information relating to a role of the user,
determining the DRM data to be associated with the requested digital content based at least in part on the role of the user and
determining options associated with the DRM data, the options based at least in part on the role of the user, wherein the options comprise a time limit, based on the role of the user and associated with the requested digital content;

providing, by one or more processors, over a network, the DRM data and the corresponding digital content to the client device; and
displaying the DRM data associated with the corresponding digital content and the options associated with the DRM data on a display of the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enforcing one or more digital rights on the client device based at least in part on the DRM data, wherein enforcing the DRM data comprises:
receiving a requested user right associated with the digital content from a user;
determining whether the requested user right is allowable in relation to the digital content based on the DRM data,
in the event that the requested user right is allowable, performing the user right, and
in the event that the requested user right is not allowable or if the user has gone beyond the associated time limit, providing an indication relating to the DRM data and providing the user a right to renew the digital content if allowed based on the DRM data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining whether the requested user right is allowable in relation to the digital content based on the DRM data is performed using information stored locally on the client device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining of whether the client device has the appropriate rights for performing the requested operation in relation to the content is performed without requiring further information relating to digital rights associated with the content to be transmitted to the client device.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the user right is selected from a group comprising: accessing, copying, annotating, printing, modifying, and transmitting.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the indication relating to the DRM data comprises:
determining available user rights associated with the digital content;
providing an indication of at least a subset of the available user rights associated with the digital content; and
receiving a request for an available user right.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the available user rights associated with the digital content include the rights associated with sharing information associated with the digital content among one or more other users belonging to a group of users of a learning management system to which the user belongs.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an update to DRM data associated with the digital content from another user;
updating the DRM data associated with the digital content based at least in part on the received update; and
providing the updated DRM data associated with the digital content and the digital content to the client device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server is associated with a learning management system, the role of the user to which the digital content is to be provided is that of a learner in relation to the learning management system, and the other user from which the update to the DRM data is received is one or more of has a role of one or more of an instructor or an administrator in relation to the learning management system.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the requested digital content and DRM on the client device;
accessing the digital content on the client device;
retrieving the associated DRM stored locally on the client device; and
limiting use of the digital content as restricted by the DRM.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling access to the requested digital content as defined in the associated DRM data.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deleting the requested digital content as defined in the associated DRM data.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of the DRM data includes obtaining DRM data related to user data associated with the user to which the digital content is to be provided.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the user data includes at least one of user identification data, user membership data, user role, and user's intended use of the data.

15. A system for enforcing Digital Right Management (DRM) on a client device, the system comprising:
a learning management system configured to provide on-line learning to a plurality of users respectively associated with the learning management system, the learning management system storing information relating to roles of the plurality of users, the learning management system being associated with one or more servers;
the client device configured to obtain, over a network, the digital content; and
the one or more servers comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive a request for providing digital content to a user;
obtain DRM data to be associated with the requested digital content, wherein to obtain the DRM data comprises:
querying a database for information relating to a role of the user,
determining the DRM data to be associated with the requested digital content based at least in part on the role of the user, and
determining options associated with the DRM data, the options based at least in part on the role of the user, wherein the options comprise a time limit associated with the requested digital content, based on the role of the user;

provide, over a network, the DRM data and the corresponding digital content to the client device; and
display the DRM data associated with the corresponding digital content and the options associated with the DRM data on a display of the client device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the client device is further configured to:
enforce one or more digital rights on the client device based at least in part on the DRM data, wherein to enforce the DRM comprises:
receiving a requested user right associated with the digital content from a user;
determining whether the requested user right is allowable in relation to the digital content based on the DRM data,
in the event that the requested user right is allowable, performing the user right, and
in the event that the requested user right is not allowable or if the user has gone beyond the associated time limit, providing an indication relating to the DRM data and providing the user a right to renew the digital content if allowed based on the DRM data.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the determining whether the requested user right is allowable in relation to the digital content based on the DRM data is performed using information stored locally on the client device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the determining of whether the client device has the appropriate rights for performing the requested operation in relation to the content is performed without requiring further information relating to digital rights associated with the cont

Assignees

• D2L Corp

Inventors

• Auger Jeremy

Classifications

• G06F21/105 Primary

  Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level · CPC title

• G06F21/10

  Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} · CPC title