Domain manager for extending digital-media longevity
A system is disclosed for providing trusted third-party management of user device domains in a digital rights management environment. The system includes a plurality of content providers that distribute digital content items via user accounts having associated user device domains. The user device domains are managed by an independent domain manager. The domain manager includes a device registrar which is operative, for a given user device domain, to receive a request to add a device to the user device domain. If the request is grantable, a domain controller of the domain manager is operative to cause a domain private key to be transmitted to the device being added to the user device domain. The domain private key is usable at the device to decrypt a content key which was previously released to the user device domain for decrypting protected digital content.
1. A domain-based digital rights management method enacted within a domain-manager computing system, the method comprising:
receiving, by the domain-manager computing system, a request to add a user device to a user-device domain;
wherein the domain-manager computing system being an independent, trusted third party with respect to a media-content provider and to the user-device domain;
releasing, by the domain-manager computing system, an encrypted content key to the user-device domain;
wherein the released encrypted content key is used to decrypt the received protected digital-media content;
determining, by the domain-manager computing system, whether to grant the received request;
based on a determination by the domain-manager computing system, that the received request was granted, sending a domain private key to the user device;
decrypting, the released encrypted content key, with the provided domain private key;
creating, by the domain-manager computing system, a content key;
creating, by the domain-manager computing system, a backup copy of the content key;
storing, by the domain-manager computing system, the created backup copy of the content key;
accessing, by the provided domain private key, the created backup copy of the content key that decrypts the protected digital-media content;
sending, by the domain-manager computing system, the created backup copy of the content key for transmission to user devices of the user-device domain;
storing, by the domain-manager computing system, a backup copy of a license for the protected digital-media content; and
sending the backup copy of the license for transmission to user device of the user-device domain.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a backup copy of the protected digital-media content.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user device is a first user device, the method further comprising automatically synchronizing the protected digital-media content among multiple devices of the user-device domain by providing the backup copy of the protected digital-media content and a backup copy of the associated license to a second device of the user-device domain.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing the backup copy of the protected digital-media content for transmission to any user device of the user-device domain.
5. A domain-based digital rights management method enacted within a domain-manager computing system, the method comprising:
receiving, by the domain-manager computing system, a request to add a user device to a user-device domain;
wherein the domain-manager computing system being an independent, trusted third party with respect to a media-content provider and to the user-device domain;
releasing, by the domain-manager computing system, an encrypted content key to the user-device domain;
wherein the released encrypted content key is used to decrypt the received protected digital-media content;
determining, by the domain-manager computing system, whether to grant the received request;
based on a determination by the domain-manager computing system, that the received request was granted, providing a domain private key to the user device;
decrypting, the released encrypted content key, with the provided domain private key;
creating, by the domain-manager computing system, a content key;
creating, by the domain-manager computing system, a backup copy of the content key;
storing, by the domain-manager computing system, the created backup copy of the content key;
accessing, by the provided domain private key, the created backup copy of the content key that decrypts the protected digital-media content;
sending, by the domain-manager computing system, the created backup copy of the content key for transmission to user devices of the user-device domain;
storing, by the domain-manager computing system, a backup copy of a license for the protected digital-media content; and
sending the backup copy of the license for transmission to user devices of the user-device domain.