The present invention relates to portable mobile communications devices and systems, and more particularly to a portable mobile communications device, system and method that can manipulate a digital rights management (DRM) lockout based on a proximity to a second device.
Portable mobile communications devices such as mobile phones are becoming more sophisticated and include many new features and capabilities. One such feature is the capability to receive, store, and playback audio and video content such as music and video that is subject to copyright protection. Copyright holders seek to protect unauthorized electronic distribution of their content. One such means for preventing unauthorized electronic distribution of copyrighted content in electronic form is to embed DRM data into the content itself. The DRM data tracks and controls the ability to electronically distribute the content file between or among various playback devices. There are or can be multiple DRM schemes. A key function common to virtually any DRM scheme is the ability to lock and lock out the content to a particular device such that it may only be played on one device at a time.
The convenience factor for having copyrighted electronic content receivable, storable, and playable on a portable mobile communications device is high for mobile users. However, the user is typically constrained to listening or viewing the content on the portable mobile communications device only even if there are one or more secondary devices within short range of the portable mobile communications device. The secondary devices likely possess better playback characteristics than the portable mobile communications device such as, for instance, a stereo system for music or a television for video content.
What is needed is a means for enabling or disabling DRM lockout on a second device when the devices are in relatively close proximity.