SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GRANTING ACCESS TO DIGITAL CONTENT USING ELECTRONIC TICKETS AND TICKET TOKENS

1 . A digital rights management server, comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to store:

an electronic ticket,

a ticket token;

wherein the processor is configured to:

authenticate a merchant server;

receive a request for a ticket token from the merchant server where the request identifies a piece of digital content;

generate a ticket token that expires after a predetermined time period;

associate the ticket token with an electronic ticket;

send the ticket token to the merchant server for delivery to a user device,

receive a request to access the identified piece of digital content from the user device, where the request includes the ticket token;

send the electronic ticket and access information for the identified piece of digital content associated with the electronic ticket to the user device; and

expire the ticket token.

2 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to authenticate a user device registered to a user account and associate an electronic ticket with the user account based upon the ticket token received from the user device.

3 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the request for a ticket token contains at least one field selected from the group consisting of: a customer identifier, a content identifier, a merchant identifier, an account link identifier, a license identifier, a stream identifier, a transaction identifier, and a price.

4 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a new electronic ticket to represent a new purchase.

5 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to send the electronic ticket to the merchant server.

6 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the request to access the identified piece of digital content further includes identification of a user account to which the user device is registered.

7 . The digital rights management server of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to associate the electronic ticket with the user account.

8 . The digital rights management server of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to associate the user device with the user account.

9 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the request to access the identified piece of digital content further includes information that identifies the characteristics or capabilities of the user device.

10 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to validate the ticket token.

11 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to enforce rules on the playback of content based upon the ticket token.

12 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to enforce rules on the playback of content based upon device characteristics.

13 . The digital rights management server of claim 1 , wherein the access information includes at least one piece of information selected from the group consisting of: a top level index of the digital content, an identifier for the digital content, and cryptographic data that can be used to access the digital content.

14 . A method for enabling playback of digital content on a user device using an electronic ticket and an ticket token, the method comprising:

authenticating a merchant server using a DRM server;

receiving a request for a ticket token from the merchant server at the DRM server, where the request identifies a piece of digital content;

generating a ticket token that expires after a predetermined time period using the DRM server;

associating the ticket token with an electronic ticket using the DRM server;

sending the ticket token to the merchant server for delivery to a user device using the DRM server;

authenticating a user device registered to a user account using the DRM server;

receiving a request to access the identified piece of digital content from the user device using the DRM server, where the request includes the ticket token;

associating an electronic ticket with the user account based upon the ticket token received from the user device using the DRM server;

sending the electronic ticket and access information for the identified piece of digital content associated with the electronic ticket to the user device using the DRM server; and

expiring the ticket token using the DRM server.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising authenticating a user device registered to a user account and associating an electronic ticket with the user account based upon the ticket token received from the user device.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the request for a ticket token contains at least one field selected from the group consisting of: a customer identifier, a content identifier, a merchant identifier, an account link identifier, a license identifier, a stream identifier, a transaction identifier, and a price.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating a new electronic ticket to represent a new purchase.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising sending the electronic ticket to the merchant server.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the request to access the identified piece of digital content further includes identification of a user account to which the user device is registered.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising associating the electronic ticket with the user account.

21 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising associating the user device with the user account.

22 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the request to access the identified piece of digital content further includes information that identifies the characteristics or capabilities of the user device.

23 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising validating the ticket token.

24 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising enforcing rules on the playback of content based upon the ticket token.

25 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising enforcing rules on the playback of content based upon device characteristics.

26 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the access information includes at least one piece of information selected from the group consisting of: a top level index of the digital content, an identifier for the digital content, and cryptographic data that can be used to access the digital content.

27 . A system comprising:

a merchant server;

a DRM server;

a content server; and

a user device;

wherein the merchant server, DRM server, content server, and user device are configured to communicate via a network;

wherein the merchant server is configured to authenticate a user account maintained by the merchant server;

wherein the user device is configured to request a piece of digital content from the merchant server;

wherein the DRM server is configured to authenticate the merchant server;

wherein the merchant server is configured to request a ticket token associated with the requested piece of content from the DRM;

wherein the merchant server is configured to provide the ticket token to the user device;

wherein the DRM server is configured to authenticate the user device as being registered to a user account maintained by the DRM server;

wherein the user device is configured to provide the ticket token to the DRM server;

wherein the DRM server is configured to associate an electronic ticket with the user account to which the user device is registered; and

wherein the DRM server is configured to provide the user device with access information for the requested digital content and the electronic ticket.

28 . A method for enabling playback of digital content on a user device using an electronic ticket and an ticket token, the method comprising:

authenticating a user account maintained by a merchant server using the merchant server;

requesting a piece of digital content from the merchant server using a user device;

authenticating the merchant server using a DRM server;

requesting a ticket token associated with the requested piece of content from the DRM server using the merchant server;

providing the ticket token to the user device using the merchant server;

authenticating the user device as being registered to a user account maintained by the DRM server using the DRM server;

providing the ticket token to the DRM server using the user device;

associating an electronic ticket with the user account to which the user device is registered using the DRM server; and

providing the user device with the electronic ticket and access information for the requested digital content using the DRM server.

29 . A machine readable medium containing processor instructions, where execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform a process comprising:

authenticating a merchant server;

receiving a request for a ticket token from the merchant server where the request identifies a piece of digital content;

generating a ticket token that expires after a predetermined time period;

associating the ticket token with an electronic ticket;

sending the ticket token to the merchant server for delivery to a user device;

authenticating a user device registered to a user account;

receiving a request to access the identified piece of digital content from the user device, where the request includes the ticket token;

associating an electronic ticket with the user account based upon the ticket token received from the user device;

sending the electronic ticket and access information for the identified piece of digital content associated with the electronic ticket to the user device; and

expiring the ticket token.