Separation of copy protection rules for digital rights management

Abstract

Management of rights to content is provided within an authorized domain. In a single authorized domain, where a plurality of domain interfaces are protected using a common rights management system, a copy of particular content may be allowed to be provided on all devices or only on specific devices coupled to the domain via the interfaces. Copy protection information, for outputs to external devices not protected by the common rights management system, is also specified. Rules can be provided for specifying whether particular content may be copied or moved to another protected domain. A number of rendering devices permitted to render the content simultaneously may be specified. Content rules are provided for use in managing rights to content within an authorized domain. Such rules can be associated with content that is persistently stored by a consumer device, as well as with content that is only rendered by a consumer device.

1 . A method for managing rights to content within an authorized domain comprising: 
 specifying, for a single authorized domain where a plurality of domain interfaces are protected using a common rights management system, if a copy of particular content is allowed to be provided on all devices or only on specific devices coupled to the domain via said interfaces; and    specifying copy protection information for outputs to external devices not protected by said common rights management system.    
   
   
       2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  comprising: 
 specifying if particular content may be copied or moved to another domain protected by a rights management system.    
   
   
       3 . A method in accordance with  claim 2  comprising: 
 specifying, for said single authorized domain, a number of rendering devices permitted to render said content simultaneously.    
   
   
       4 . A method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be moved, further specifying if that content may be moved to any other domain without limitation.  
   
   
       5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be moved, further specifying at least one particular domain to which the content may be moved.  
   
   
       6 . A method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be copied, further specifying at least one particular domain to which the copy may be provided.  
   
   
       7 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be copied, further specifying at least one particular domain to which the copy may be provided.  
   
   
       8 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be moved, further specifying if that content may be moved to any other domain without limitation.  
   
   
       9 . A method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be moved, further specifying at least one particular domain to which the content may be moved.  
   
   
       10 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein if particular content is specified as permitted to be moved, further specifying at least one particular domain to which the content may be moved.  
   
   
       11 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , comprising: 
 preserving content rights for content that is transferred to another domain.    
   
   
       12 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising specifying a number of playbacks that may be made of the particular content after it is copied to a particular device within a domain protected by a rights management system.  
   
   
       13 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein copy protection information specified for outputs to external devices not protected by said common rights comprises at least one of: 
 (i) a copy protection state,    (ii) an analog protection system parameter,    (iii) a parameter disabling a particular output type.    
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said outputs each comprise one of: 
 (i) an analog output;    (ii) a digital compressed output;    (iii) a digital uncompressed output.    
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein different copy protection information is specified for different types of outputs to external devices.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said outputs to external devices each comprise one of: 
 (i) an analog output;    (ii) a digital compressed output;    (iii) a digital uncompressed output.    
   
   
       17 . A set of content usage rules for use in managing rights to content within an authorized domain, comprising: 
 (a) persistent entitlements, which are rules associated with content that is persistently saved by a consumer device; and    (b) copy protection rules associated with content that is rendered but not saved by a consumer device.    
   
   
       18 . A set of persistent content rules in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein said persistent entitlements comprise at least one of: 
 an analog output element,    a digital compressed output element,    a digital uncompressed output element,    a redistribution element,    a playback element,    a multicast limit element,    a fingerprint element, and    a device capabilities element.    
   
   
       19 . A set of persistent content rules in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein said device capabilities element comprises at least one of: 
 a device security level,    a designation of whether a device supports secure time,    a designation of codecs associated with a device,    a designation of watermarks a device can check,    a designation of fingerprints a device can provide.    
   
   
       20 . A set of persistent content rules in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein said playback element comprises at least one of: 
 a playback count element,    a rental element,    a pause time element.    
   
   
       21 . A set of content usage rules in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein said copy protection rules include: 
 legacy device rules for restricting copies over at least one of an analog, compressed digital or uncompressed digital interface, and    copy protection rules for non-persistent content to be displayed within said authorized domain.    
   
   
       22 . A system for distributing content to end users, comprising: 
 a content or service provider; and    a network for coupling said provider to deliver licensed content to a home network;    wherein:    said home network comprises an authorized domain where a plurality of domain interfaces are protected using a common rights management system;    said licensed content is associated with rights data specifying whether the content is allowed to be provided on all devices or only specific devices coupled to the domain via said interfaces; and    copy protection information is provided for outputs from said home network to external devices not protected by said common rights.    
   
   
       23 . A system in accordance with  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 an additional network coupled to said home network for receiving said licensed content;    wherein said additional network comprises an authorized domain where all interfaces thereto are protected using a rights management system.    
   
   
       24 . A system in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the interfaces to said additional network are protected using said common rights management system.