Method and apparatus for codec distribution and licensing

• US 20020087957A1
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ganesan, Ramanan V., Norris, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,785,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

A method for licensing codecs in accordance with the invention includes initiating a call from a first endpoint, the first endpoint identifying a preferred codec, receiving the call at a second endpoint wherein a licensed copy of the preferred codec is not included, and generating a codec license request from the second endpoint to the first endpoint and/or at least one third party codec provider.

Claims

1. A method for licensing codecs comprising:

initiating a call from a first endpoint, said first endpoint identifying a preferred codec;

receiving said call at a second endpoint, wherein a licensed copy of said preferred codec is not included in said second endpoint; and

generating a codec license request from said second endpoint to at least one of said first endpoint and at least one third party codec provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said call comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said call comprises a direct digital connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said call comprises an audio/visual (AV) conference call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating said codec license request comprises requesting a copy of said preferred codec.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating a codec license grant from at least one of said first endpoint and said at least one third party provider to said second endpoint; and

providing said preferred codec for download by said second endpoint from at least one of said first endpoint and said at least one third party provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating said codec license request comprises identifying a codec vendor for said preferred codec and;

identifying said preferred codec.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating said codec license request further comprises indicating that an unlicensed copy of said preferred codec exists on said second endpoint.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a codec license grant from at least one of said first endpoint and said at least one third party provider.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said codec license grant comprises an unlimited use license grant.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said codec license grant comprises a time limited license grant.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said codec license grant further comprises specifying a time duration for said time limited license grant.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said codec license grant comprises a single use license grant.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said codec license grant comprises a secure use license grant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said codec license grant further comprises identifying an authentication mechanism for said secure use license grant.

17. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for receiving a codec license grant for unlimited use.

18. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for receiving a codec license grant for single use.

19. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for receiving a codec license grant for time-limited use.

20. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for receiving a codec license grant for secure use.

21. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for downloading said preferred codec from at least one of said first endpoint and said at least one third party provider.

16. An article comprising:

a storage medium having a plurality of machine-readable instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a computing system, the instructions provide for receiving a call from a first endpoint by a second endpoint, wherein said first endpoint identifies a preferred codec for use during said call; and

generating a codec license request from at least one of said first endpoint and at least one third party provider.

22. An article comprising:

a storage medium having a plurality of machine-readable instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a computing system, the instructions provide for a receiving a codec license request for a preferred codec from a requesting endpoint;

generating a codec license grant; and

transmitting said codec license grant to said requesting endpoint.

23. The article of claim 22, further comprising instructions for providing said preferred codec for download by said requesting endpoint.

24. The article of claim 23, further comprising instructions for generating a codec license grant for said preferred codec and transmitting said codec license grant to said requesting endpoint.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said second endpoint is further capable of communicating said codec license request to at least one of said first endpoint and at least one third party provider.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said first endpoint and said at least one third party codec provider are capable of generating a codec license grant for said preferred coded and providing said preferred codec for download by said second endpoint.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said codec license request comprises communicating whether a copy of said preferred codec is present at said second endpoint.

25. A system comprising:

a first endpoint including a preferred codec and a second endpoint;

said first endpoint being capable of initiating a call to said second endpoint with said preferred codec identified; and

said second endpoint being capable of generating a codec license request for said preferred codec.