WO2009081028A2 - Platform and device for managing and controlling rights of use associated with a multimedia object - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a platform (10) for managing and controlling rights of use associated with at least one multimedia object (100), wherein said platform includes: means for associating the multimedia object (100) with at least one piece of data representative of at least one right of use of said object (100); a means for authorising or rejecting a use or broadcasting operation of the object piece of content on the basis of said piece of data; and a means for matching said multimedia object (100) with at least one piece of information representative of a history of the use and broadcasting operations of the piece of content of said object (100).

Description

 Platform and device for managing and controlling user rights associated with a multimedia object

Background of the invention

The present invention is in the field of management and control of usage rights associated with multimedia objects.

This invention finds a preferred, but not limitative, application in multimedia file sharing applications on the Internet. It still finds full justification in the face of the increasing proliferation of custom blog-like websites, in which user members are encouraged to share documents or any other custom media objects created and / or simply made available.

Indeed, it is known that the new trend of Internet services, linked to the development of the Web2.0 protocol, generates a growing production of multimedia content by users, some of these users being eager to share some of their content with users. other users and under specific conditions.

There are methods to control the delivery of multimedia content in a network.

In particular, the Digital Rights Management (DRM) digital rights management mechanism is known, the purpose of which is to control, by technical means of protection, the use that is made of digital works.

This mechanism consists mainly of the use of extended file formats that include intellectual property information preventing the use of a multimedia file without the possession of a license issued by the right holder.

In practice, the DRM mechanism is based on the encryption of multimedia works.

One of the disadvantages of the DRM technique is that it requires the use of a specific device or software, generally known as a "player", to decipher the work and to allow its use. user consultation. This principle raises the problem of the security of the player so that the decryption keys remain secret.

The DRM mechanism, developed for professionals, does not adapt in practice to the protection of multimedia content generated by users of the general public.

Finally, it should be noted that the DRM mechanism adds information in the protected multimedia file, making it impossible to read by a reader other than the aforementioned player, even by a user who has acquired the rights to this multimedia object. The present invention aims to provide a mechanism for managing and controlling rights to use multimedia objects that does not have the disadvantages of the prior art.

For this purpose and according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a management platform and control rights of use associated with at least one multimedia object.

This platform includes:

means for associating the multimedia object with at least one datum representative of at least one right of use of this object;

means for authorizing or refusing an operation for using or broadcasting the content of the object according to the data; and

means for matching the multimedia object with at least one piece of information representative of a history of operations for using and broadcasting the content of the object.

The platform according to the invention is a space in which users can offer multimedia content, these contents being associated with user rights defined in an inalienable manner by the user who introduces the multimedia object onto the platform. These usage rights can be of different types. If we take the example of a digital image, it can for example be viewing rights, copy, modification, deletion, ...

The number of beneficiaries of the rights and the identifiers of these beneficiaries can be defined by the original owner.

In a very advantageous way, the invention enables the original owner to define usage rules for these multimedia objects. For example, a user can define a rule that allows three users to copy a media object without these users being identified by the original owner.

According to the invention, only the original owner can modify the rights of use of one of his multimedia objects. Thus, when the multimedia object is acquired in one way or another by another user, it can enjoy it only within the limit of rights decided by the original owner.

To make this mechanism possible, the platform according to the invention provides, via a computer structure, means for reconstructing the history of operations for use and dissemination of the content of a multimedia object. In particular, any multimedia content that passes into the space of a user who owns the platform according to the invention is associated with information that defines the conditions under which the multimedia object has been brought to the platform. This so-called provenance information makes it possible to know by whom, how and when the multimedia object has been introduced on the platform.

Whenever an operation relates to the content of the multimedia object, for example purchase, offer, exchange, modification, ..., this operation is identified in the above-mentioned computer structure.

In a very advantageous manner, the content of the multimedia objects is not modified by the invention. In other words, the original files are not denatured, as is the case in the DRM mechanism of the prior art. In a particular embodiment, the platform according to the invention identifies the multimedia objects from a signature of the content of these objects.

In other words, to identify a multimedia file, the platform calculates or subtracts the calculation of a signature from this file. A fixed size signature using a hashing algorithm, such as MD5, can in particular be used in the invention.

Whenever a content is introduced on the platform according to the invention, its signature is calculated and compared with the signatures of the content of all the other multimedia objects of the platform. The administrator of the platform according to the invention can thus define a policy to be implemented when two multimedia objects have contents of the same signature. This policy may in particular give rise to the following actions:

- consider that the two multimedia objects are independent;

- consider that the two multimedia objects are linked, the rights of use of the multimedia object introduced first on the platform to be applied to the second.

The invention can be implemented in several ways.

In a first variant, the management and control of usage rights are done using a database. This database includes a record associated with each multimedia object introduced on the platform. This record includes:

an identifier of the multimedia object;

- the data representing the rights of use of the multimedia object; and

- Information representative of a history of the operations of use and dissemination of the content of the multimedia object.

In another variant, the implementation of the invention is achieved by associating each multimedia object with a Java Bean.

It is recalled here that a Java Bean is a reusable software component, written in Java language, and running on a J2EE compliant application server ("Java 2 Enterprise Edition").

In this embodiment, the Java Bean representing a multimedia object comprises:

at least one method adapted to implement an operation for using or broadcasting the content of the multimedia object, the method being associated with a Java Bean containing a description of at least one right of use of the object multimedia, and a method of verifying this right of use systematically implemented before the aforementioned operation; and

a class describing the history of operations of use and distribution of the content of the multimedia object.

The invention also relates to a method for managing and controlling the usage rights associated with at least one multimedia object. This process comprises:

a step of associating the multimedia object with at least one datum representative of at least one right of use of the object; a step of authorizing or refusing an operation for using or broadcasting the content of the object according to the data; and

a step of associating the multimedia object with at least one piece of information representative of a history of operations for using and broadcasting the content of the multimedia object.

In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the method of management and control of the rights of use are determined by instructions of computer programs.

Consequently, the invention also relates to a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in a platform or more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation implementation of the steps of a method of management and control of the rights of use as described above. This program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form desirable shape. The invention also relates to a computer-readable information medium (in particular a platform within the meaning of the invention), and comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above.

The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disk or a disk. hard. On the other hand, the information medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet type network. Alternatively, the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question.

The particular features and advantages of the method, the computer program and the recording medium according to the invention are identical to those mentioned above for the platform according to the invention.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character. In the figures:

- Figure 1 represents, in its environment, a management platform and control rights to use according to the invention in a particular embodiment;

FIGS. 2A to 2F represent recordings of a database that can be used in a platform according to a first variant of implementation of the invention;

FIG. 3 represents Java Beans that can be used in a platform according to a second implementation variant of the invention; and FIG. 4 represents, in flowchart form, the main steps of a method for managing and controlling the usage rights associated with a multimedia object in a particular embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 represents a platform 10 for managing and controlling usage rights associated with multimedia objects in one embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment described here, we will assume that the platform 10 is connected, via an Internet network 2, to four users Ul to U4. In the exemplary embodiment described here, the platform 10 has the hardware architecture of a conventional computer.

It comprises in particular a processor 11, a random access memory RAM 12, a read-only memory 13 and means 14 for communicating on the network 2. The read-only memory 13 constitutes a recording medium in accordance with the invention, on which is recorded a program computer according to the invention and whose main steps are shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4.

In the example described here, the platform 10 includes a storage area 15 of multimedia objects 100. More precisely, the multimedia objects 100 are stored in spaces dedicated to the users Ul to U4.

In the first embodiment described here, the platform 10 is adapted to access a database 16 whose records will now be described with reference to Figures 2A to 2F. We will assume, initially, that the user Ul uploads a multimedia object 100, in this case a video, in his user space.

According to this embodiment of the invention, when the multimedia object 100 is introduced for the first time on the platform 10, the latter creates an El record in the database 16, this record E being represented in FIG. 2A.

This record El comprises, in this example, three fields f1 to f3 in which:

fl is a field comprising a unique identifier mOO1 assigned to the multimedia object 100;

- f2 is a field with a URL ("Uniform Resource Locator" in English) or, more generally, a link, L_F100 pointing to the multimedia object 100 in the file system of the platform 10; and

f3 is a field comprising a signature SIG100 of the content of the multimedia object 100.

In the example described here, this signature SIG100 is calculated by the hashing algorithm MD5 known to those skilled in the art.

According to this embodiment of the invention, each time a content is introduced on the platform 10, its signature is calculated and compared to all the signatures of the other multimedia objects managed by the platform 10.

In this example, it is assumed that the administrator of the platform 10 has defined a policy according to which two multimedia objects having contents of the same signature must be considered as independent multimedia objects and not be linked. As a variant, the administrator could have defined a policy according to which two multimedia objects having contents of the same signature had to be linked, the rights of use of the first multimedia object introduced on the platform to be imposed on those of the second object of the same signature. .

The administrator can also define a policy according to which the rights of use of the first multimedia object must be replaced by those of the second. The implementation of such a policy can be advantageously used when it turns out that the true beneficiary of the content of the file is the user having introduced the second multimedia object, for example in view of a certificate.

In this embodiment of the invention, when the multimedia object 100 is introduced into the platform 10, the latter creates a record E2 shown in FIG. 2B, in which the rights of use of the multimedia object 100 d M001 are defined inalienable by the original owner of the content, namely the user Ul.

The record E2 described here comprises four fields f4 to f7 in which: the field f4 comprises an identifier riOO1 of the right of use;

the field f5 comprises the identifier mOO1 of the multimedia object;

the field f6 comprises a type of right of use; and

the field f7 includes identifiers of users to whom this right of use benefits. In the example described here, the field f6 can contain the values

V, S and T respectively associated with the viewing rights, storage or download of the multimedia object 100.

In the example described here, the identifiers u002, u003 and u004 are the identifiers of the users U2 to U4. As a result, the E2 record must be interpreted as a storage right of the multimedia object 100 offered to the U2 users at

U4.

Advantageously, the field f7 may contain a rule for dynamically defining the users who benefit from the usage right specified in the field f6. By way of example, the record E2 'of FIG. 2C contains a rule RG according to which all the contacts of the users U2 to U4 can benefit from the storage right, these contacts not being known a priori by the original owner of the multimedia object 100.

In this embodiment of the invention, when the multimedia object 100 is introduced on the platform 10, the latter creates a record E3 shown in FIG. 2D, this record comprising seven fields f8 to fl4 in which:

the field f8 comprises an identifier rOO1 of a resource, a resource being, within the meaning of the invention, a pair defined by the content of a multimedia object and the use that its owner can make of it;

the field f9 comprises the identifier mOO1 of the multimedia object 100;

the field flO optionally comprises information on the source of the content of this resource, possibly associated with parameters of the thread field; the field fl2 includes the identifier uOO1 of the original owner of the content, namely in this example the identifier of the user U1;

the field fl3 includes information tl making it possible to date the moment when the content has been introduced into the platform 10; and

the field fl4 includes the identifier riOOl of the right of use associated with this content.

In the example described here, the field flO may contain three values U, G or C representative of the fact that the multimedia object comes from a download, an offer or a copy.

Thus, the record E3 must be interpreted by the fact that the multimedia object mOO1 was downloaded on the date t1 on the platform 10, the original owner of this object being the user U1, the latter having defined the riOOl identifier usage rights, namely those of the E2 record of Figure 2B.

We will now assume that the user Ul offers the multimedia object 100 to the user U2.

In accordance with the invention, a record E3 'is recorded in the database 16, which is shown in Figure 2E.

The fields f8 to fl4 of this record have the same meaning as those of the record E3 of Figure 2D. Those skilled in the art will understand that the field f8 includes a new identifier r002 resource, to define the relationship between the multimedia object 100 and the user U2. The field flO is representative of the fact that the multimedia object has been offered to the user U2.

The wire field makes it possible to reconstitute the history of the multimedia object 100 on the platform 10, since it contains the identifier rOO1 of the resource at the origin of this new resource r002.

The field fl3 includes the date t2 of the offer.

We will now assume that the user U3 copies the multimedia object 100 from the user's space U2. A record E3 'is then created in the database

16, the latter having the value C representative of a copy in the field flO and the identifier r002 of the resource at the origin of this copy.

It is understood that the records E3, E3 ', E3 "make it possible to reconstitute the history of the multimedia object 100 on the platform 10, since by going back these records, one finds the information according to which:

the user Ul has downloaded the multimedia object 100 on the platform 10 at the instant t1;

it has offered this multimedia object 100 to the user U2 at time t2; and - that user U2 has allowed the user U3 to make a copy at time t3.

These offer and copy operations are compatible with the inalienable rights defined by the original owner U1 of the multimedia object 100 in the E2 record. Those skilled in the art will note that, very advantageously, the content of the multimedia object 100 has not been altered by any of these operations.

Referring to Figure 3, we will now describe a second variant of use of the invention, based on the use of Java Beans.

In the example described here, the multimedia object 100 is represented by a BO object Bean. This BO object Bean contains:

a Bean B1 which comprises information 1100 on the multimedia object 100 (title, comments, etc.) and an L_BB link to a binary binary BB which describes the binary file associated with the multimedia object 100; a class C1 which contains an L_BU2 link to a BU2 Bean associated with the owner of the current multimedia object;

a class C2 which describes the history of the object, that is to say the set of successive operations by which the current owner has taken possession of the content of the object; and

two methods M1 and M2 respectively corresponding to the operations of use and diffusion that can be performed on this object.

Each of these methods is associated with a BRI BRI, which describes the rights that the original owner assigned to the media object. More specifically, each of the BRI, BR2 Beans comprises:

- a description Dl, D2 of the rights that the original owner has assigned to the object; and

a method M3, M4 for verifying these rights D1, D2.

These methods always check the rights before authorizing the operations of use and diffusion, respectively defined by the methods M1 and M2 of the Bean BO.

As mentioned previously, the Bean B1 comprises an L_BB link to a binary Bean BB associated with the multimedia object 100. This binary Bean BB comprises: a class C3 which describes the physical characteristics PHY100 of the object (type of multimedia object , technical characteristics) ;

the SIG100 signature of the content of this multimedia object; and

a class C4 which has a reference to the BUI Bean of the owner of the binary file, namely the user who introduced this file on the platform 10.

Referring to Figure 4, we will now describe the main steps of a management method and control rights to use associated with a multimedia object according to the invention in one embodiment. During a step S1, a multimedia object 100 is associated with at least one datum representative of a right of use of this object. In the previously described variant embodiment using a database 16, this amounts in particular to creating the records E1 and E2 linked together by the identifier mOO1 of the multimedia object, the record E2 comprising a field f6 in which is stored the value S associated with the storage right. In the variant embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3, this amounts to linking the methods M1 of use and M2 of diffusion of the object Bean BO with the Beans BRI and BR2 in which are described the rights D1, D2 and, and define the M3 and M4 methods of verifying these rights. The rights management and control method in this embodiment of the invention comprises a step S2 during which an operation for using or broadcasting the content of the object according to these rights is authorized or refused. .

In the first embodiment, this step consists in particular of checking, before creating the records E3 'and E3 "during the offer and copy operations, if these operations are compatible with the definition of the storage rights defined by the user U1 in the field f6 of the record E2.

In the second embodiment variant, this step consists in concretely implementing methods M3 and M4 of the BRI and BR2 Beans.

The method for managing and controlling the usage rights according to the invention comprises, in this embodiment, a step S3 during which the multimedia object 100 is associated with at least one piece of information representative of a history of operations. of use and dissemination of the content of this object.

In the first embodiment, each of the three records E3, E3 'and E3 "constitutes such information.

In the second variant embodiment, this information is constituted by the class C2 of the BO object Bean, this class describing the successive phases by which the current owner (Bean BU2) has come into possession of the content of the multimedia object 100.

Claims

A platform for managing and controlling usage rights associated with at least one multimedia object (100), characterized in that it comprises: means for associating said multimedia object (100) with at least one data item (f6, BRI, BR2) representative of at least one usage right of said object (100); means for authorizing or refusing an operation for using or broadcasting the content of said object as a function of said datum (f6, BRI, BR2); and - Means for matching said multimedia object (100) with at least one information (E3, E3 ', E3 ", C2) representative of a history of the operations of use and dissemination of the content of said object (100). 2. Platform (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for identifying said object (100) from a signature (SIG100) of the contents of this object. 3. Platform (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises means for accessing and updating a database (16) comprising a record associated with said multimedia object (100), this record comprising: an identifier (mOO1) of said multimedia object; said at least one datum (f6) representative of at least one right of use of the multimedia object; and - said information (E3, E3 ', E3 ") representative of a history of operations of use and dissemination of the content of said multimedia object. 4. Platform according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that it comprises means for representing said multimedia object (100) by a Java bean (OB) comprising: at least one method (Ml, M2) adapted to implement an operation for using or broadcasting the content of said multimedia object, said method being associated with a Java Bean (BRI, BR2) containing a description of at least one right of use of said multimedia object, and a method (M3, M4) of verifying said right of use systematically implemented before said operation; and a class (C2) describing the history of operations for using and broadcasting the content of said multimedia object. 5. A method for managing and controlling the usage rights associated with at least one multimedia object (100), characterized in that it comprises: a step (S1) of associating said multimedia object (100) with at least one representative datum (f6, BRI, BR2) of at least one right of use of said object; a step (S2) for authorizing or refusing an operation for using or broadcasting the content of said object as a function of said datum (f6); and a step (S3) of associating said multimedia object (100) with at least one piece of information (E3, E3 ', E3 ", C2) representative of a history of operations for using and broadcasting the content of said object (100 ). A computer program comprising instructions for performing the steps of the rights management and control method according to claim 5 when said program is executed by a computer. 7. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the rights management and control method according to claim 5.