Patents by Inventor Clifford P. Strom

Clifford P. Strom has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11257099
    Abstract: Techniques enable creation of a preview license for digital content. In some instances, the preview license indicates that it allows a content-consuming device to consume less than all of the content. This preview license may create a list specifying multiple portions of the digital content that the content-consuming device may consume. These techniques may also present to a device user an offer to purchase rights to consume all of the digital content after consumption of the preview-licensed portion(s). In other instances, a content server may embed the preview license into a content package that contains the digital content, allowing the server to distribute the package to multiple devices. In still other instances, the preview license may be bound to a domain rather than to individual devices. This allows member devices to share the digital content and the preview license, such that each member device may enjoy the preview experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Patrik Schnell, Clifford P. Strom, Adrian J. Oney, Mark L. Beaubien, Kedarnath A. Dubhashi, Alexandre V. Grigorovitch, Anand Paka, Satvir Randhawa
  • Publication number: 20180018677
    Abstract: Techniques enable creation of a preview license for digital content. In some instances, the preview license indicates that it allows a content-consuming device to consume less than all of the content. This preview license may create a list specifying multiple portions of the digital content that the content-consuming device may consume. These techniques may also present to a device user an offer to purchase rights to consume all of the digital content after consumption of the preview-licensed portion(s). In other instances, a content server may embed the preview license into a content package that contains the digital content, allowing the server to distribute the package to multiple devices. In still other instances, the preview license may be bound to a domain rather than to individual devices. This allows member devices to share the digital content and the preview license, such that each member device may enjoy the preview experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Patrik SCHNELL, Clifford P. Strom, Adrian J. Oney, Mark L. Beaubien, Kedarnath A. Dubhashi, Alexandre V. Grigorovitch, Anand Paka, Satvir Randhawa
  • Patent number: 9805374
    Abstract: Techniques enable creation of a preview license for digital content. In some instances, the preview license indicates that it allows a content-consuming device to consume less than all of the content. This preview license may create a list specifying multiple portions of the digital content that the content-consuming device may consume. These techniques may also present to a device user an offer to purchase rights to consume all of the digital content after consumption of the preview-licensed portion(s). In other instances, a content server may embed the preview license into a content package that contains the digital content, allowing the server to distribute the package to multiple devices. In still other instances, the preview license may be bound to a domain rather than to individual devices. This allows member devices to share the digital content and the preview license, such that each member device may enjoy the preview experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Patrik Schnell, Clifford P. Strom, Adrian J Oney, Mark L. Beaubien, Kedarnath A. Dubhashi, Alexandre V. Grigorovitch, Anand Paka, Satvir Randhawa
  • Patent number: 9589114
    Abstract: This document describes policies for digital rights management that enable distribution of full-function versions of applications that, while fully functional, have functions limited by an associated policy. A policy may be replaced or updated, thereby enabling use of previously limited functions without distribution of another version of the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Clifford P. Strom, Stephen P. DiAcetis, Mark E. Paley
  • Patent number: 9009077
    Abstract: Metering is enabled through an arrangement in which a metering certificate is communicated to a mobile device using an over-the-air protocol. A metering trigger provides the metering certificate that includes a location to which metering data is posted by the mobile device and a public key of a public-private key pair, or alternatively provides a link to such metering certificate. A metering helper passes the metering certificate to a DRM system on the mobile device which collects metering data associated with the metering ID and uses the public key to encrypt the metering data into a metering challenge. The metering helper posts the metering challenge to the location. The metering service extracts the metering data from the metering challenge using a private key and generates a metering response that is received by the metering helper which prompts the DRM system to reset at least a portion of a data store in which the metering data is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Lau, Scott Plette, Clifford P. Strom, Alex McKelvey, Jonathan Billings
  • Patent number: 8756433
    Abstract: A content license associated with unencrypted digital content is generated, the content license including both an identifier of the unencrypted digital content and a content policy. At a user device, a determination is made as to whether the content license corresponds to particular unencrypted digital content. Use of the particular unencrypted digital content by the computing device is permitted in accordance with the content policy if the content license corresponds to the particular unencrypted digital content. However, use of the particular unencrypted digital content by the computing device based on the content license is prohibited if the content license does not correspond to the particular unencrypted digital content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mark E. Paley, Stephen P. DiAcetis, Clifford P. Strom, Kedarnath A. Dubhashi
  • Patent number: 8738536
    Abstract: A computing device has encrypted content and a corresponding license having a decryption key for decrypting the content. The license allows the computing device to render the content thereon. The computing device may issue a sub-license based on the license to a portable device. The sub-license allows the portable device to render the content thereon and has the decryption key. The portable device has a digital device certificate including information thereon. The computing device receives from the portable device the device certificate thereof, and determines based on rules in the license and the information on the portable device in the device certificate whether the computing device can issue the sub-license to the portable device. If so, the computing device constructs such sub-license to include the decryption key (KD) and transmits the constructed sub-license to the portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford P. Strom, Michael Y. Siu, Brian P. Evans
  • Patent number: 8725646
    Abstract: A system of controlling playback of digital media. A system of controlling playback of digital media comprising a CE device having an output path and a license having a specified output protection level disposed upon the CE device in which the specified output protection level controls playback of the digital media over the output path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Alkove, Clifford P. Strom, Benjamin B. Cutter, Jr., Brian P. Evans
  • Patent number: 8639627
    Abstract: Portable digital rights for multiple devices is described. In an embodiment, a digital rights management (DRM) system includes a first device with a removable component configured as a token that is associated with a DRM license. The first device also includes a removable memory card that stores protected media content on which the first device can perform actions as permitted by the DRM license. The DRM system also includes a second device that can have the removable component and the removable memory card when removed from the first device and installed in the second device such that the second device can perform the actions on the protected media content as permitted by the DRM license.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Patrik Schnell, Kevin Lau, James M Alkove, Alexandre V Grigorovitch, Ryan A Haveson, Max G Morris, Scott A Plette, Clifford P Strom, Alexander McKelvey
  • Patent number: 8555059
    Abstract: This document describes tools that enable a computing device to receive an update to content management software. The tools also enable the computing device to generate new public and private keys without the use of a key server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander McKelvey, Clifford P. Strom, Quintin S. Burns
  • Patent number: 8539543
    Abstract: Techniques enable building a collection of data that defines an asset, with the data possibly having differing data types. These techniques are then capable of assigning arbitrary policy to that asset, regardless of which data types are present within the asset. In addition, these techniques enable packaging of this first asset with one or more additional assets in a self-contained envelope. Each asset within the envelope may similarly include data of differing data types. Furthermore, each of these assets may be assigned a policy that may be different than the policy assigned to the first asset. This envelope, or a collection of envelopes, may then be provided to a content-consuming device to consume the assets in accordance with each asset's specified policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Patrik Schnell, Clifford P. Strom, Kedarnath A. Dubhashi, Daniel Rosenstein, Mark L Beaubien, Alex McKelvey, Alexandre V. Grigorovitch, Anand Paka, Satvir Randhawa
  • Patent number: 8438645
    Abstract: A system of controlling playback of digital media. A system of controlling playback of digital media comprising a CE device having a secure clock and a license having a specified grace period disposed upon the CE device in which a digital media file governed by the license may be played for the grace period upon failure of the secure clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amit Jain, Brian P. Evans, Clifford P. Strom, Benjamin B. Cutter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8438114
    Abstract: A digital license includes an identification of a removal service that can authorize removing such license. A client selects the license to be removed and the service, constructs a challenge including therein a challenge license identification block (LIB) identifying the license to be removed, and sends the challenge to the service. The service receives the challenge, stores at least a portion of the challenge in a database, constructs a response corresponding to the challenge and including therein a response LIB identifying the license to be removed and an identification of the service, and sends the response to the client. The client receives the response, employs the response LIB from the response to identify the license to be removed, and removes the identified license upon confirming that the identification of the service in the identified license matches the identification of the service in the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Brooks Cutter, Brian P. Evans, Clifford P. Strom, Vikas Khandelwal
  • Patent number: 8290874
    Abstract: A computing device segregates licenses for corresponding content according to relatively short lived licenses for relatively short lived content and relatively long lived licenses for relatively long lived content. The computing device stores the relatively short lived licenses in a more temporary and volatile license store, and the relatively long lived licenses in a more permanent and non-volatile license store. Thus, the relatively short lived licenses are deleted when the temporary license store is turned off and do not create disorder in the permanent license store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Evans, Clifford P. Strom, Daniel Rosenstein
  • Publication number: 20120036562
    Abstract: A digital license includes an identification of a removal service that can authorize removing such license. A client selects the license to be removed and the service, constructs a challenge including therein a challenge license identification block (LIB) identifying the license to be removed, and sends the challenge to the service. The service receives the challenge, stores at least a portion of the challenge in a database, constructs a response corresponding to the challenge and including therein a response LIB identifying the license to be removed and an identification of the service, and sends the response to the client. The client receives the response, employs the response LIB from the response to identify the license to be removed, and removes the identified license upon confirming that the identification of the service in the identified license matches the identification of the service in the response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Brooks Cutter, Brian P. Evans, Clifford P. Strom, Vikas Khandelwal
  • Patent number: 8060923
    Abstract: A digital license includes an identification of a removal service that can authorize removing such license. A client selects the license to be removed and the service, constructs a challenge including therein a challenge license identification block (LIB) identifying the license to be removed, and sends the challenge to the service. The service receives the challenge, stores at least a portion of the challenge in a database, constructs a response corresponding to the challenge and including therein a response LIB identifying the license to be removed and an identification of the service, and sends the response to the client. The client receives the response, employs the response LIB from the response to identify the license to be removed, and removes the identified license upon confirming that the identification of the service in the identified license matches the identification of the service in the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Brooks Cutter, Brian P. Evans, Clifford P. Strom, Vikas Khandelwal
  • Publication number: 20110258437
    Abstract: This document describes tools that enable a computing device to receive an update to content management software. The tools also enable the computing device to generate new public and private keys without the use of a key server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander McKelvey, Clifford P. Strom, Quintin S. Burns
  • Publication number: 20110179268
    Abstract: One or more files of an application are obtained and configured as a virtual storage volume. An application package is generated by encrypting, using a key, the one or more files configured as a virtual storage volume. A license generation module generates a license including both a usage policy for the application and the key. A computing device, to run the application, obtains and attempts to authenticate the application package. If the application package is authenticated, then a license associated with the application package is obtained and at least part of the application package is decrypted using the key in the license. A virtual storage volume that includes the application is mounted, and the application is executed in accordance with the usage policy in the license. However, if the application is not authenticated, then the application is not executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Clifford P. Strom, Mark E. Paley, Suntian Song
  • Publication number: 20110173321
    Abstract: Metering is enabled through an arrangement in which a metering certificate is communicated to a mobile device using an over-the-air protocol. A metering trigger provides the metering certificate that includes a location to which metering data is posted by the mobile device and a public key of a public-private key pair, or alternatively provides a link to such metering certificate. A metering helper passes the metering certificate to a DRM system on the mobile device which collects metering data associated with the metering ID and uses the public key to encrypt the metering data into a metering challenge. The metering helper posts the metering challenge to the location. The metering service extracts the metering data from the metering challenge using a private key and generates a metering response that is received by the metering helper which prompts the DRM system to reset at least a portion of a data store in which the metering data is stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Lau, Scott Plette, Clifford P. Strom, Alex McKelvey, Jonathan Billings
  • Publication number: 20110173454
    Abstract: A content license associated with unencrypted digital content is generated, the content license including both an identifier of the unencrypted digital content and a content policy. At a user device, a determination is made as to whether the content license corresponds to particular unencrypted digital content. Use of the particular unencrypted digital content by the computing device is permitted in accordance with the content policy if the content license corresponds to the particular unencrypted digital content. However, use of the particular unencrypted digital content by the computing device based on the content license is prohibited if the content license does not correspond to the particular unencrypted digital content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark E. Paley, Stephen P. DiAcetis, Clifford P. Strom, Kedarnath A. Dubhashi