Digital rights management (DRM) enabled portable playback device, method and system

1. A method for accessing digital rights managed (DRM) content from a server using a portable playback device, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection with a multifunction computing device capable of operating as a gateway device for passing data between the portable playback device and the server;

requesting that the multifunction computing device establish a connection with the server and operate as a proxy for operating as a pass through device for enabling direct end to end data exchange, without interpreting the data, between the portable playback device and the server, wherein the multifunction computing device operates as a proxy without maintaining a secure relationship with the portable playback device;

sending to the server, upon establishing the connection with the server via the multifunction computing device operating as a proxy, a listing of the DRM solutions supported by the portable playback device, and a list comprising requested DRM content to be downloaded to the portable playback device;

receiving from the server, via the multifunction computing device operating as a proxy, the requested DRM content and DRM rules associated with the received content; and

playing back the received DRM content in accordance with the received DRM rules.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requesting step comprises requesting that the multifunction computing device operate in one of two proxy modes, including a first mode in which the multifunction computing device establishes an end to end communications link between the server and the portable playback device for passing data between the server and the portable playback device in substantially real time, and a second mode in which the multifunction computing device operates as an application layer proxy in which the multifunction computing device receives and stores the DRM content, and transfers the DRM content to the portable playback device during a subsequent session.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein during the second mode, the multifunction computing device operates as an IP router.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the portable playback device selects the first proxy mode in response to initialization data received from the server.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the portable playback device may select either one of the first or second proxy modes in response to completion of a DRM initialization phase using the initialization data received from the server.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the portable playback device transfers the DRM content from the multifunction computing device during a synchronizing operation between the playback device and the multifunction computing device.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the DRM content comprises one of audio, video and license data.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the multifunction computing device capable of operating as a gateway device comprises a PC.

9. A portable playback device for accessing digital rights managed (DRM) content from a server, comprising:

a communications interface for connecting to a multifunction computing device capable of operating as a gateway device for passing data between the portable playback device and the server;

a memory for storing DRM rules and downloaded DRM content; and

a processor, coupled to the communications interface and the memory, operative to: transmit a request that the multifunction computing device establish a connection with the server and operate as a proxy for operating as a pass through device for enabling direct end to end data exchange between the portable playback device and the server without interpretation within the multifunction computing device, wherein the multifunction computing device operates as a proxy without maintaining a secure relationship with the portable playback device; transmit to the server, upon establishing the connection with the server via the multifunction computing device operating as a proxy, a listing of DRM solutions supported by the portable playback device, and a list of DRM content to be downloaded to the portable playback device; store the requested DRM content and DRM rules associated with the DRM content received from the server, via the multifunction computing device operating as a proxy; and play back the received DRM content in accordance with the received DRM rules.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is operative to request that the multifunction computing device operate in one of two proxy modes, including a first mode in which the multifunction computing device establishes an end to end communications link between the server and the portable playback device for passing data between the server and the portable playback device in substantially real time, and a second mode in which the multifunction computing device operates as an application layer proxy in which the multifunction computing device receives and stores the DRM content, and transfers the DRM content to the portable playback device during a subsequent session.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein during the second mode, the multifunction computing device operates as an IP router.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the processor requests that the multifunction computing device operates in the first proxy mode in response to initialization data received from the server.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the processor may select either one of the first or second proxy modes in response to completion of a DRM initialization phase using the initialization data received from the server.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein in processor transfers the DRM content from the multifunction computing device during a synchronizing operation between the playback device and the multifunction computing device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the DRM content comprises one of audio, video and license data.