Multi-user conditional access to a content item

• Main Authors: VRIELINK, KOEN HENDRIK JOHAN, SZOSTEK, LUKASZ MAREK, KAMPERMAN, FRANCISCUS LUCAS ANTONIUS JOHANNES, VERBERKT, MARK HENRICUS
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 01.11.2005
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; PHYSICS

This invention relates to a system and a method of providing conditional access to a data content item for a number of users, where the data content item is associated with a digital right that provides a user the right to access the data content item a predetermined number of times. The data content item is arranged in a number of subparts and the digital right is arranged in a number of sub-rights (100), initially designated as available sub-rights (101), where each available sub-right (101) provides a user the right to access a subpart of the data content item. When a user is granted (new) access to a content item a number of available sub-rights (101) is reserved. In this way, it is ensured in a very simple way that if a user in a multi-user scenario pauses access (also for a prolonged time) to the data content item then there will be sub-rights available so that the content may be accessed at a later time even if another user of the group starts spending sub-rights immediately after.