Cryptographic methods, apparatus and systems for storage media electronic rights management in closed and connected appliances

Abstract

A rights management arrangement for storage media such as optical digital video disks (DVDs, also called digital versatile disks) provides adequate copy protection in a limited, inexpensive mass-produceable, low-capability platform such as a dedicated home consumer disk player and also provides enhanced, more flexible security techniques and methods when the same media are used with platforms having higher security capabilities. A control object (or set) defines plural rights management rules for instance, price for performance or rules governing redistribution. Low capability platforms may enable only a subset of the control rules such as controls on copying or marking of played material. Higher capability platforms may enable all (or different subsets) of the rules. Cryptographically strong security is provided by encrypting at least some of the information carried by the media and enabling decryption based on the control set and/or other limitations. A secure “software container” can be used to protectively encapsulate (e.g., by cryptographic techniques) various digital property content (e.g., audio, video, game, etc.) and control object (i.e., set of rules) information. A standardized container format is provided for general use on/with various mediums and platforms. In addition, a special purpose container may be provided for DVD medium and appliances (e.g., recorders, players, etc.) that contains DVD program content (digital property) and DVD medium specific rules. The techniques, systems and methods disclosed herein are capable of achieving compatibility with other protection standards, such as for example, CGMA and Matsushita data protection standards adopted for DVDs. Cooperative rights management may also be provided, where plural networked rights management arrangements collectively control a rights management event on one or more of such arrangements.

1 . A system for converting analog signals to digital signals with rights management protection, the system comprising: 
 a device configured to receive an analog signal, convert the analog signal to a digital signal, and write the digital signal to a storage medium, the device including a protected processing environment configured to detect analog control information embedded in the analog signal, generate digital control information based at least in part on the analog control information, and associate the digital control information with the digital signal.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the device is further configured to use the digital control information to govern at least one use of the digital signal.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the protected processing environment is configured to use the analog control information to govern conversion of the analog signal to the digital signal.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , in which the device is adapted to write the digital signal to the storage medium in degraded quality in accordance with the analog control information.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the protected processing environment is configured to generate additional digital control information and associate the additional digital control information with the digital signal.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the analog signal comprises one or more watermarks containing the analog control information.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the protected processing environment comprises a secure processing unit.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the storage medium is a digital versatile disk.  
     
     
         9 . A method of converting analog signals to digital signals with rights management protection, the method comprising: 
 detecting analog control information embedded in an analog signal;    converting the analog signal to a digital signal;    generating digital control information based at least in part on the analog control information;    securely associating the digital control information with the digital signal; and    writing the digital signal and the digital control information to a storage medium.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 receiving a request to use the digital signal; and    selectively granting the request based at least in part on the digital control information.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: packaging the digital signal and the digital control information in a secure electronic container, and in which the step of writing the digital signal and the digital control information to the storage medium comprises writing the secure electronic container to the storage medium.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising generating additional digital control information; and associating the additional digital control information with the digital signal.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , in which converting the analog signal to the digital signal is performed in accordance with the analog control information.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , in which writing the digital signal and the digital control information to a storage medium comprises writing the digital signal in degraded quality.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the analog signal comprises one or more watermarks containing the analog control information.  
     
     
         16 . A system for converting digital signals to analog signals with rights management protection, the system comprising: 
 a device configured to receive a digital signal and convert the digital signal to an analog signal, the device including a protected processing environment configured to detect digital control information associated with the digital signal, generate analog control information based at least in part on the digital control information, and embed the analog control information in the analog signal.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the protected processing environment comprises a secure processing unit.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the protected processing environment is configured to enforce the digital control information associated with the digital signal when converting the digital signal to an analog signal.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the analog control information is embedded in the analog signal via one or more watermarks and/or fingerprints.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the device is further configured to write the analog signal to a storage medium.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , in which the storage medium comprises a VHS tape.  
     
     
         22 . A method of converting digital content to analog content with rights management protection, the method comprising: 
 detecting first digital control information associated with a first digital content item, the first digital control information including one or more rules specifying one or more permitted uses of the first digital content item;    converting the first digital content item to an analog content item, including: 
 generating analog control information based at least in part on the first digital control information, the analog control information including at least one rule specifying at least one of the one or more permitted uses specified by the first digital control information; and  
 securely associating the analog control information with the analog content item.  
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , in which the step of converting the first digital content item to an analog content item is performed in accordance with the first digital control information.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 writing the analog content item and the analog control information to a storage medium.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , in which the step of securely associating the analog control information with the analog content item comprises inserting one or more watermarks and/or fingerprints in the analog content item, the one or more watermarks and/or fingerprints containing at least part of the analog control information.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 converting the analog content item to a second digital content item;    generating second digital control information based at least in part on the analog control information;    securely associating the second digital control information with the second digital content item; and    writing the second digital content item and the second digital control information to a storage medium.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 receiving a request to use the second digital content item;    selectively granting the request based at least in part on the second digital control information.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 receiving a request to use the analog content item;    selectively granting the request based at least in part on the analog control information.    
     
     
         29 . A system for converting electronic content in a first format to a second format, the system comprising: 
 a device configured to receive a first electronic content item in a first format and generate a second electronic content item in a second format, the device including a protected processing environment configured to detect control information in the first format associated with the first electronic content item, generate control information in the second format based at least in part on the control information in the first format, and associate the control information in the second format with the second electronic content item.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , in which the protected processing environment comprises a secure processing unit.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , in which the protected processing environment is configured to enforce the control information in the first format when generating the second electronic content item.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , in which the device is further configured to embed the control information in the second format in the second electronic content item via one or more watermarks and/or fingerprints.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , in which the device is further configured to write the second electronic content item to a storage medium.  
     
     
         34 . A method of converting electronic content items in a first format to a second format, the method comprising: 
 detecting first control information in the first format associated with a first electronic content item, the first control information including one or more rules specifying one or more permitted uses of the first electronic content item;    generating a second electronic content item in the second format, including: 
 generating second control information in the second format based at least in part on the first control information, the second control information including at least one rule specifying at least one of the one or more permitted uses specified by the first control information; and  
 associating the second control information with the second electronic content item.  
   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , in which the step of generating the second electronic content item is performed in accordance with the first control information.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 writing the second electronic content item to a storage medium.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , in which the step of associating the second control information with the second electronic content item comprises inserting one or more watermarks and/or fingerprints in the second electronic content item.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 receiving a request to use the second electronic content item;    selectively granting the request based at least in part on the second control information.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , in which the first format comprises a digital format, and the second format comprises an analog format.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , in which the first format comprises an analog format, and the second format comprises a digital format.