Patents by Inventor Richard L. Spagna

Richard L. Spagna 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: 7590866
    Abstract: Super distribution of protected digital content is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention previously purchased encrypted digital content is received from a purchaser of the digital content. The purchaser of the previously purchased encrypted digital content is different from the recipient of the encrypted digital content. A secure transmission is established with an authorization authority for decrypting the content. A first decryption key for decrypting at least part of the previously purchased encrypted content as permitted by the authorization authority is received from the authorization authority. The at least part of the previously purchased encrypted content is decrypted as permitted by the authorization authority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marco M. Hurtado, James C. Mahlbacher, Richard L. Spagna
  • Patent number: 7487128
    Abstract: A method on an end user system for creating additional copies onto at least one computer readable medium such as CDs, DVDs, ZipDisks™, tape, Flash memory, and RAM. The method comprising the steps of: receiving encrypted content with associated usage conditions and a first hash value; receiving a selection from an end user to create at least one copy of the encrypted content onto at least one computer readable medium; sending a request to an online electronic store of the encrypted content selected to be copied; receiving from the electronic store a description of the content selected to be copied along with a second hash value; and determining if the first hash value received is identical to the second hash value and if the first hash and the second hash value is identical authorizing the creating additional copies onto at least one computer readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Spagna, Marco M. Hurtado, Paul R. Rettig, Ting Zhao
  • Patent number: 7228437
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a data table in memory on an end user system. The data table forming a library index of storage locations to electronic digital content in memory. The method consists of retrieving an encrypted file from storage. The file has a beginning, an end and a trailer section located just prior to the end. The file is read from the end a predetermined distance to verify if an identifier is present. Reading and decrypting the trailer section from the file read. Determining if there are any updates in the trailer section. In the case there are no updates in the trailer section then decrypting the reference table containing one or more data table location indicators for data items with the first decrypting key. Next, decrypting one or data items with the first decrypting key. Populating the data table with data items at locations specified in the reference table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Spagna, Ting Zhao, Douglas R. Geisler, James C. Mahlbacher
  • Patent number: 7110984
    Abstract: A method on an end user system for creating additional copies onto at least one computer readable medium such as CDs, DVDs, ZipDisks™, tape, Flash memory, and RAM. The method comprising the steps of: receiving encrypted content with associated usage conditions and a first hash value; receiving a selection from an end user to create at least one copy of the encrypted content onto at least one computer readable medium; sending a request to an online electronic store of the encrypted content selected to be copied; receiving from the electronic store a description of the content selected to be copied along with a second hash value; and determining if the first hash value received is identical to the second hash value and if the first hash and the second hash value is identical authorizing the creating additional copies onto at least one computer readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Spagna, Marco M. Hurtado, Paul R. Rettig, Ting Zhao
  • Patent number: 6983371
    Abstract: Briefly according to the present invention, a system, computer readable medium and method to deliver encrypted digital content to from a first system for playing the content to a second system for playing the content. The method on the first user system comprising the steps of: reading from a computer readable medium metadata which has previously been associated with the content; selecting from the metadata associated content to decrypt; establishing a secure connection with an authorization authority, such as a clearinghouse, for decrypting the key used to encrypt the content; receiving a secure container containing the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the previously encrypted content as permitted; decrypting the content and then encrypting the content with a new encryption key that is generated locally on the end user system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marco M. Hurtado, James C. Mahlbacher, Richard L. Spagna
  • Patent number: 6859791
    Abstract: A method at a clearing house to verify the geographic region of an end user device for receiving encrypted digital content. In one embodiment the geographic region is a country. The method comprising three sub-methods. In the first sub-method the address is verified by determining the credit card clearing address of the end user using an address verification system. In the second sub-method the address is verified by determining the IP address of the end user device requesting delivery of the encrypted digital content. And in the third sub-method the address is verified by checking that the IP address of the end user device requesting delivery of the encrypted digital content is the identical IP address of the end user device requesting a license to use the encrypted digital content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Spagna, Paul R. Rettig, Jeremy Rodgers, Arthur Best, Arthur R. Best, II
  • Patent number: 6742177
    Abstract: A method to debug application interface calls made to a tamper-resistant software module. The method comprises the steps of: loading a first application to be debugged using a debugging application, wherein the application makes one or more function calls to a tamper-resistant software module. A debugger application for symbolically debugging the first application is run and the debugger application with an initialization file that performs the steps of: loading a client application running a client socket service; loading a server application running a server socket service; loading the tamper-resistant software module with one or more function calls made thereto by the first application. The client application translates the one or more function calls made to the tamper-resistant software module during the running of the debugger application into socket calls and returns any status received from the socket calls to the first application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Dorak, Jr., Stephen B. Cagle, Richard L. Spagna
  • Patent number: 6611812
    Abstract: A method to delivery encrypted digital content to a end user system for playing the content comprising the steps of: reading from a computer readable medium metadata which has previously associated with the content. A user selects from the metadata associated content to decrypt and the end user system establishes a secure connection with an authorization authority for decrypting the content. The end user system receives a secure container containing the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the previously encrypted content as permitted. The system creates a secure container using the encrypting key from a clearing house, wherein the secure container has an encrypting key therein from the end user system; transferring the secure container to the clearing house for authentication of permission to decrypt the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marco M. Hurtado, Kenneth L. Milsted, George G. Gruse, Edgar Downs, Christopher T. Lehman, Richard L. Spagna, Jeffrey B. Lotspiech
  • Publication number: 20030105718
    Abstract: A method to delivery encrypted digital content to a end user system for playing the content comprising the steps of: reading from a computer readable medium metadata which has previously associated with the content. A user selects from the metadata associated content to decrypt and the end user system establishes a secure connection with an authorization authority for decrypting the content. The end user system receives a secure container containing the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the previously encrypted content as permitted. The system creates a secure container using the encrypting key from a clearing house, wherein the secure container has an encrypting key therein from the end user system; transferring the secure container to the clearing house for authentication of permission to decrypt the content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 1999
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: MARCO M. HURTADO, KENNETH L. MILSTED, GEORGE G. GRUSE, EDGAR DOWNS, CHRISTOPHER T. LEHMAN, RICHARD L. SPAGNA, JEFFREY B. LOTSPIECH
  • Publication number: 20020002468
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a data table in memory on an end user system. The data table forming a library index of storage locations to electronic digital content in memory. The method consists of retrieving an encrypted file from storage. The file has a beginning, an end and a trailer section located just prior to the end. The file is read from the end a predetermined distance to verify if an identifier is present. Reading and decrypting the trailer section from the file read. Determining if there are any updates in the trailer section. In the case there are no updates in the trailer section then decrypting the reference table containing one or more data table location indicators for data items with the first decrypting key. Next, decrypting one or data items with the first decrypting key. Populating the data table with data items at locations specified in the reference table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard L. Spagna, Ting Zhao, Douglas R. Geisler, James C. Mahlbacher