Method for transferring digital content licenses and device for receiving such licenses

Abstract

A method of transferring a content license to a first device from a second device. The second device renders the license unusable to itself and sends this license to the first device that verifies that it may import the license which is the case if it has rendered one of its own licenses unusable to it, but has not exported this license. If so, it updates its license information so that it may import one license less and makes the received license usable. The first device also receives a content file that corresponds to the received license. The invention enables flexible transfer of licenses, as e.g. the second device may export the license to the first device without receiving anything in return, but the exportation does provide it with the right to import a further license. Also provided is a device.

1 . A method of transfer of a license to a first device from a second device, the first device storing at least one license and license information about the at least one license, the method comprising, at the first device, the steps of:
 receiving a license from the second device;   verifying the license information to decide if it may import the received license;   in case the first device may import the received license:   updating the license information so that the first device may import one license less; and   rendering the received license available for use;   wherein the method enables multilateral license transfer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the verification step comprises verifying that the first device has rendered at least one license unusable by the first device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the license information is stored in a license file. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the license information comprises information stored in the at least one license. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the updating step comprises erasing a license previously transferred to a third device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving a content file associated with the license. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device and the second device are content consumer devices. 
     
     
         8 . A first device for reception of a license from a second device, the first device comprising:
 an interface adapted to receive the license;   a memory adapted to store at least one license, license information about the at least one license, and the received license;   a processor adapted to:
 verify the license information to decide if the received license may be imported; and 
   in case the received license may be imported:
 update the license information so that the first device may import one license less; and 
 render the received license available for use; 
   wherein the first device may import the received license if it has rendered a license unusable to it, and wherein the first device is adapted to send the unusable license to a third device.   
     
     
         9 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the device is a content consumer device.