Multi-device digital rights management system

Abstract

A multi-device digital rights management server is provided. The server may include, but is not limited to, a processor communicatively coupled to a communications system and a memory, the processor configured to receive, from the communications system, a request to transfer digital content from a first user device to a second user device, update, upon receipt of the request, digital rights management data stored in the memory to enable both the first user device and the second user device to consume the digital content, receive, from the communications system, notice that one of the first user device and the second user device is consuming the digital content, update, upon receipt of the notice, the digital rights management data to disable the other of the first user device and the second user device from consuming the digital content.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated process comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, a request to copy a file containing a first piece of content from a first device to a second device;   updating, by the processor, digital rights management (DRM) data to enable the first device or the second device to playback the first piece of content from the file; and   updating, by the processor, the DRM data to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first device and the second device in response to the first device and the second device being offline for a predetermined period.   
     
     
         2 . The automated process of  claim 1 , further comprising retaining the file on the first device and the second device in response to the DRM data disabling playback of the first piece of content from the file. 
     
     
         3 . The automated process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating, by the processor, the DRM data to enable the first device and the second device to playback a second piece of content; and   updating, by the processor, the DRM data to disable playback of the second piece of content from a second file stored on the first device in response to active playback of the second piece of content on the second device.   
     
     
         4 . The automated process of  claim 3 , further comprising updating, by the processor, the DRM data to enable the first device to playback the second piece of content from the second file in response to terminated playback of the second piece of content on the second device. 
     
     
         5 . The automated process of  claim 1 , wherein the DRM data is stored on a server remote from the first device and the second device. 
     
     
         6 . The automated process of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, periodic status messages from the first device and the second device to indicate an online status. 
     
     
         7 . The automated process of  claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the first device is offline in response to a status message from the first device being overdue. 
     
     
         8 . An automated process comprising:
 sending a file containing a first piece of content to a first playback device and a second playback device for local storage;   updating digital rights management (DRM) data on a DRM server to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the second playback device in response to active playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first playback device; and   retaining the file on the second playback device in response to the DRM data disabling playback of the content from the file on the second playback device.   
     
     
         9 . The automated process of  claim 8 , further comprising updating the DRM data on the DRM server to reenable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the second playback device in response to terminated playback of the first piece of content on the first playback device. 
     
     
         10 . The automated process of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving, by the DRM server, a request from the first playback device to update the DRM data in response to the first playback device terminating playback of the first piece of content from the file. 
     
     
         11 . The automated process of  claim 8 , further comprising updating the DRM data on the DRM server to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first playback device in response to active playback of the first piece of content from the file on the second playback device. 
     
     
         12 . The automated process of  claim 8 , wherein the DRM server triggers deletion of the file from the first playback device and the second playback device in response to the DRM data indicating an account associated with the first playback device and the second playback device has reached a playback limit for the first piece of content. 
     
     
         13 . The automated process of  claim 12 , wherein the playback limit comprises a playback count limit or an available duration limit. 
     
     
         14 . The automated process of  claim 8 , further comprising updating the DRM data to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first playback device and the second playback device in response to the first playback device and the second playback device being offline for a predetermined period. 
     
     
         15 . A digital rights management (DRM) system comprising a processor in electronic communication with a non-transitory memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the DRM system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 sending a file containing a first piece of content to a first playback device and a second playback device for local storage;   updating digital rights management (DRM) data on the DRM system to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the second playback device in response to active playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first playback device; and   retaining the file on the second playback device in response to the DRM data disabling playback of the content from the file on the second playback device.   
     
     
         16 . The DRM system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise updating the DRM data on the DRM system to enable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the second playback device in response to terminated playback of the first piece of content on the first playback device. 
     
     
         17 . The DRM system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving, by the DRM system, a request from the first playback device to update the DRM data in response to the first playback device terminating playback of the first piece of content from the file. 
     
     
         18 . The DRM system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise updating the DRM data on the DRM system to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first playback device in response to active playback of the first piece of content from the file on the second playback device. 
     
     
         19 . The DRM system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise triggering deletion of the file from the first playback device and the second playback device in response to the DRM data indicating an account associated with the first playback device and the second playback device has reached a playback limit, wherein the playback limit comprises a playback count limit or an available playback duration limit of the first piece of content. 
     
     
         20 . The DRM system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise updating the DRM data to disable playback of the first piece of content from the file on the first playback device and the second playback device in response to the first playback device or the second playback device being offline for a predetermined period.