IP Library Granted Patent US 11,816,649
Granted Patent B2
US 11,816,649 · App. 16/951,406 · Granted Nov 14, 2023

Method and system for protecting intellectual property rights on digital content using smart propertization

Inventors: Nam Yong Lee (Gyeongsangnam-do, KR); Chul Soo Kim (Gyeongsangnam-do, KR); Jinhong Yang (Gyeongsangnam-do, KR)
Assignee: Inje University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
G06Q20/1235G06F16/1837G06F21/105G06Q50/184H04L9/0618H04L9/3263H04L9/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,816,649
App. No.
16/951,406
Granted
Nov 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are a method and system for protecting intellectual property rights on digital content using smart propertization. The method of protecting intellectual property rights on digital content includes determining whether to decode encoded digital content based on the digital data indicative of a license for the digital content recorded on a blockchain.

Claims (35)

1. A method of protecting intellectual property rights on digital content, the method being executed in a computer system and the computer system comprising:

at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions included in a memory,

the method is executed by the at least one processor, and comprises:

determining whether to decode encoded digital content based on digital data indicative of a license, recorded on a blockchain, for the encoded digital content, wherein the encoded digital content, a decoding function in which a secret key is hidden, and an immobilizer controlling the decoding are combined in an inseparable form of a smart-propertized digital content, and wherein determining whether to decode the encoded digital content comprises performing the decoding of the encoded digital content in response to the immobilizer, combined in the inseparable form of the smart-propertized digital content, successfully authenticating a management program for a particular user, the management program configured to access and use the encoded digital content according to agreed rules of use defined for the management program for the particular user;

controlling the license using a multi-blockchain structure comprising a mainchain for providing blockchain network participants with sequence information on contents registered with the blockchain, an accountchain comprising information necessary to manage the license, and multiple sidechains composed of segments whose starts and ends are connected to the mainchain, and registering a process of generating, transferring and discarding the license,

wherein each of the mainchain and the sidechain has an unmodifiable structure and the accountchain has a modifiable structure,

wherein a start and an end of each of the segments are determined by a block hash value of the mainchain,

wherein the multiple sidechains include a first sidechain and a first dual sidechain paired with the first sidechain;

in response to a change in the license, registering a requested license change with a segment of the first sidechain;

classifying a previously registered license change, the previously registered license change having been registered with a previous segment of the first sidechain;

writing a modification command for an account, and registering the modification command with a segment of the first dual sidechain; and

performing the modification command in response to the segment of the first dual sidechain being connected to the mainchain.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the license comprises disclosing a sequence relation between blocks of the sidechain and a task to be performed in each step to the blockchain network participants using the mainchain.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the license comprises: generating the account for managing the digital content, and applying a modifiable blockchain structure to the accountchain having a connection of blocks of accounts so that a generation, transferral or discard of the license is able to be registered with the generated account.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the license comprises: registering a request for generating, transferring or discarding the license with a segment of a dual sidechain in which the sidechains connected to the mainchain are present in pairs, and registering a modification command for modifying an account with a next dual sidechain in response to the request for generating, transferring or discarding the license.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using cryptocurrency as a transaction price for a generation or transferral of the license.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to decode the encoded digital content comprises performing the decoding of the encoded digital content using the management program for managing a private key corresponding to a registration key used to manage the license.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating multiple pieces of the encoded digital content from one piece of digital content using a randomly selected secret key.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising protecting personal information related to a consumption of the digital content by assigning the license to a randomly selected registration key.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting a period in which the digital content is used by modifying an account in which the license is managed.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: setting a user condition for the digital content by modifying an account in which the license is managed and determining a number of pieces of the digital content available based on the user condition.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discarding a license assigned to a registration key used for an illegal use of the license.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inseparable form of the smart-propertied digital content further comprises a public registration key for the management program for the particular user, and wherein performing the decoding of the encoded digital content in response to the immobilizer successfully authenticating the management program for the particular user comprises: authenticating the management program using the public registration key for the management program for the particular user, the public registration key included in the inseparable form of the smart-propertized digital content.

13. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions included in a memory to perform operations including:

determining whether to decode encoded digital content based on digital data indicative of a license, recorded on a blockchain, for the encoded digital content, wherein the encoded digital content, a decoding function in which a secret key is hidden, and an immobilizer controlling the decoding are combined in an inseparable form of a smart-propertized digital content,

performs the decoding of the encoded digital content in response to the immobilizer, combined in the inseparable form of the smart-propertized digital content, successfully authenticating a management program for a particular user, the management program configured to access and use the encoded digital content according to agreed rules of use defined for the management program for the particular user;

controlling the license using a multi-blockchain structure, comprising a mainchain for providing blockchain network participants with sequence information on contents registered with the blockchain, an accountchain comprising information necessary to manage the license, and multiple sidechains composed of segments whose starts and ends are connected to the mainchain and registering a process of generating, transferring and discarding the license,

wherein each of the mainchain and the sidechain has an unmodifiable structure, and the accountchain has a modifiable structure,

wherein a start and an end of each of the segments are determined by a block hash value of the mainchain,

wherein the multiple sidechains include a first sidechain and a first dual sidechain paired with the first sidechain;

in response to a change in the license, registering a requested license change with a segment of the first sidechain;

classifying a previously registered license change, the previously registered license change having been registered with a previous segment of the first sidechain;

writing a modification command for an account, and registering the modification command with a segment of the first dual sidechain; and

performing the modification command in response to the segment of the first dual sidechain being connected to the mainchain.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: JOLLY SEVEN, SERIES 70 OF ALLIED SECURITY TRUST I; IP3 2024, SERIES 924 OF ALLIED SECURITY TRUST I
To: MERCURY POINTE, LLC
Reel/Frame 072058/0937 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2024
From: INJE UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
To: IP3 2024, SERIES 924 OF ALLIED SECURITY TRUST I
Reel/Frame 069576/0260 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2020
From: LEE, NAM YONG; KIM, CHUL SOO; YANG, JINHONG
To: INJE UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 054474/0399 →