Adaptable security mechanism for preventing unauthorized access of digital data
US6792113B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 14, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/1015
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Content such as computer software, data representing audiovisual works, and electronic documents can converted from a machine-bound state to user-bound state without modification to the content data itself. Instead, keys used to access the content are converted from the machine-bound state to the user-bound state. In particular, the keys are kept in a passport data structure which can represent either a machine-binding or a user-binding. A machine-bound passport can be upgraded to a user-bound passport without modifying the bound content. The private key of the machine-bound passport, in cleartext form, is included in the user-bound passport and encrypted using a user-supplied password to bind the private key to the user. In addition, private user information is collected and verified and included in the user-bound passport. Upgrading a machine-bound passport can be initiated automatically upon detection that an attempt is made to play back machine-bound content on a machine other than the one to which the content is bound.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.