Rechargeable media distribution and play system
First Claim
1. A system for facilitating distribution and accession of electronic files, comprising:
- (a) a service facility having an electronically accessible catalog of the electronic files, and a network interface for communicating over a communications network;
(b) means for transmitting the catalog in response to a user request;
(c) means for defining a customer account for a user to identify the user as a customer, to process payments from the customer and establish authorization for accessing an authorized plurality of the electronic files;
(d) means for receiving from the network interface an order from the customer requesting selected ones of the electronic files;
(e) means for enabling transmission of the selected files by the network interface to the customer as received data files; and
(f) means for providing to the customer a player program for accessing the received data files, the player program being implemented for metering access to the received data files as limited by the authorization.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic media distribution/play system includes a service facility that has a communications network interface and maintains a data file catalog. The catalog is sent over the network to requesting users, and the system processes payments from customers in establishing file access authorizations. Encrypted user-selected files and a player program are transmitted to each customer for metered access to received data files as limited by the authorization, and customers can make additional selections and play the encrypted files freely while the authorization remains established. The system can transmit the data files from local storage, and also provide links to encrypted files that are stored at remote vendor facilities. Authorizations can be for selected portions or class levels of the catalog, and for terms measured as calendar time, play time, and collective number of plays. Also disclosed is a method for facilitating the distribution and accessing of electronic files.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating distribution and accession of electronic files, comprising:
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(a) a service facility having an electronically accessible catalog of the electronic files, and a network interface for communicating over a communications network;
(b) means for transmitting the catalog in response to a user request;
(c) means for defining a customer account for a user to identify the user as a customer, to process payments from the customer and establish authorization for accessing an authorized plurality of the electronic files;
(d) means for receiving from the network interface an order from the customer requesting selected ones of the electronic files;
(e) means for enabling transmission of the selected files by the network interface to the customer as received data files; and
(f) means for providing to the customer a player program for accessing the received data files, the player program being implemented for metering access to the received data files as limited by the authorization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for facilitating distribution of electronic files to be accessed, comprising:
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(a) providing a catalog of the electronic files for access by users of a communication network;
(b) defining a customer account for a user to identify the user as a customer, to process payments from the customer and to establish authorization for accessing an authorized plurality of the electronic files;
(c) enabling transmission of selected electronic files to the customer as received data files over the communication network in response to a customer order; and
(d) providing to the customer a player program for accessing and metering access to the received data files as limited by the authorization. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification