Patent ID: 8725646

Claim:
A system of controlling playback of a digital media file in a device, the system comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, perform a method of controlling playback of the digital media file in the device, the method comprising: reading, at the device, a license, stored on the device, the license specifying an output protection level that identifies an output type from among a plurality of discrete output types, the identified output type being defined for a playback output function and comprising a first numerical value that is a minimum bar configured to control the playback output function of the digital media file over an output path of the device; determining, at the device, a media type of the digital media file, wherein the media type of the digital media file comprises a second numerical value; comparing, at the device, whether the second numerical value of the media type of the digital media file exceeds the first numerical value that is the minimum bar configured to control the playback of the digital media file over the output path of the device; and when the second numerical value of the media type of the digital media file exceeds the identified output type comprising the first numerical value, playing back, at the device, the digital media file over the output path.