Digital rights management of content when content is a future live event

Abstract

A method and system for managing use of items having usage rights associated therewith including a point of capture system adapted to generate content of a future event when the event occurs, a content distributor adapted to generate a rights label having usage rights associated with content of the future event before the content is created, the rights label having a distribution key for encrypting the content as the content is generated, the distribution key being encrypted with a public key. The system also includes a license server adapted to generate a license associate with the content from the rights label before the content is generated, the license including the distribution key encrypted with the public key, and a content distributor adapted to distribute the license before the content is generated.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for controlling use of future content, the method comprising:
 selecting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices before the future content is available, a usage right included in at least one rights offer associated with the future content;   requesting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices before the future content is available, generation of an authorization token associated with the future content;   transmitting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, device information and information identifying the authorization token;   receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, an indication that the future content is available; and   receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a data stream representing the future content.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for controlling use of future content, the future content being a recorded representation of a future event, the apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to:
 select, before the future content is available, a usage right included in at least one rights offer associated with the future content; 
 request, before the future content is available, generation of an authorization token associated with the future content; 
 enable the transmission of device information and information identifying the authorization token; 
 enable the receipt of an indication that the future content is available; and 
 enable the receipt of a data stream representing the future content. 
   
     
     
         3 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:
 select, before the future content is available, a usage right included in at least one rights offer associated with the future content;   request, before the future content is available, generation of an authorization token associated with the future content;   transmit device information and information identifying the authorization token;   receive an indication that the future content is available; and   receive a data stream representing the future content.