Method of using a computerised administration system to administer licensing of use of copyright material

• US 20020173976A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society Limited
• Original Assignee: Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society Limited
• Inventors: Martin, Christopher Vandeleur, Schonleber, Christina Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/186 Estate planning

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of using a computerised administration system to administer licensing of use of copyright material. The method comprises an administrator storing in a database of the computerised administration system information regarding copyright material available for license, said information having been supplied by a plurality of licensors and said information including identification information identifying the copyright material and associated licensors and licence information specifying terms and conditions of licenses offered in respect of the copyright material by the licensors. The method further comprises a plurality of applicants for licences to use the copyright material each using licensee computer apparatus to access and interrogate the database of the computerised administration system to determine what licence(s) is/are required for a particular use of copyright material and what terms and conditions are attached to the relevant licence(s).

Claims

1. A method of using a computerised administration system to administer licensing of use of copyright material, the method comprising:

an administrator storing in a database of the computerised administration system information regarding copyright material available for license, said information having been supplied by a plurality of licensors and said information including identification information identifying the copyright material and associated licensors and licence information specifying terms and conditions of licenses offered in respect of the copyright material by the licensors; and

a plurality of applicants for licences to use the copyright material each using licensee computer apparatus to access and interrogate the database of the computerised administration system to determine what licence(s) is/are required for a particular use of copyright material and what terms and conditions are attached to the relevant licence(s).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of licensors each use licensor computer apparatus to transmit digitally via a telecommunications network to the computerised administration system information regarding copyright material available for licence and the computerised administration system stores in the database the transmitted information.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the computerised administration system is physically remote from the licensor computer apparatus.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computerised administration system is physically remote from the licensee computer apparatus and wherein the licensee computer apparatus and the computerised administration system communicate via a telecommunications network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an applicant for a licence uses the licensee computer apparatus thereof to submit an application for a licence to the computerised administration system with each licence application specifying a use of copyright material and for some uses the computerised administration system informs the licence applicant that a plurality of licences are required.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the licence applicant in a single application for licence conducted by exchange of digital information between the licensee computer apparatus and the computerised administration system acquires the plurality of licenses required for the specified use of copyright material and wherein the computerised administration system allocates a unique identifier to the licence application and records in a database of issued licences in respect of each unique identifier details of the licensee, the plurality of licences issued and the relevant licensors.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the licence applicant makes available the licensed copyright material to consumers by delivering the copyright material digitally via the telecommunications network to the consumers and the licence applicant includes the unique identifier in the digitally delivered copyright material.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein a computerised monitoring system is used to track use of the licensed copyright material by the consumers and relays information regarding the tracked use digitally to the computerised administration system, such information including details of unique identifiers associated with the tracked copyright material, and wherein the computerised administration system uses the received unique identifiers to determine which licences are relevant to the tracked use and therefore which licensors are relevant and then the computerised administration system notifies the relevant licensors of the tracked use by making such information accessible via a telecommunications network to licensor computer apparatus of the licensors.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, makes available to the consumers digital file downloads containing the copyright material for storage in memory means of consumer computer apparatus.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein each downloaded digital file becomes inactive after a period specified by the licence applicant.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein each downloaded digital file become inactive after the file has been accessed a number of times specified by the licence applicant.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, broadcasts the copyright material digitally across the telecommunications network, such broadcast being receivable by consumers using consumer computer apparatus.

13. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, delivers the copyright material digitally to consumer computer apparatus for immediate use without the possibility of storage of delivered copyright material on the consumer computer apparatus.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the copyright material is delivered by the licence applicant to the consumer when demanded by the consumer sending a request digitally to the licence applicant via the telecommunications network.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the applicants for licences enters into a licence with a licensor by reviewing the terms and conditions stored in the database of the computerised administration system and then agreeing to take a licence under a set of terms and conditions by communicating acceptance of the terms and conditions digitally via the telecommunications network to the computerised administration system.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the computerised administration system records acceptance of terms and conditions by a licence applicant, allocates a unique identifier to the resulting licence and records in a database of licences details of the licensor, the licensee, the terms and conditions of the licence and the unique identifying number.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein a licence applicant makes available licensed copyright material to consumers by delivering the copyright material digitally via the telecommunications network to the consumers and the licence applicant includes the unique identifier in the copyright material delivered digitally.

18. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein a computerised monitoring system is used to track use of the licensed copyright material by the consumers and relays information regarding the tracked use digitally to the computerised administration system, such information including details of unique identifiers associated with the tracked copyright material, and wherein the computerised administration system uses the received unique identifiers to determine which licences are relevant to the tracked use and therefore which licensors are relevant and then the computerised administration system notifies the relevant licensors of the tracked use by making such information accessible via a telecommunications network to licensor computer apparatus of the licensors.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, makes available digital file downloads containing the copyright material to consumers who are permitted to retain indefinitely the digital file downloads in memory means of consumer computer apparatus.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, makes available to consumers digital file downloads containing the copyright material for storage in memory means of consumer computer apparatus, the downloaded digital files becoming inactive after a time period specified by the licence applicant.

21. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, makes available to consumers digital file downloads containing the copyright work for storage on memory means of consumer computer apparatus, each downloaded digital file becoming inactive after the file has been accessed a number of times specified by the licence applicant.

22. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, broadcasts the copyright material digitally across the telecommunications network, such broadcast being receivable by consumers using consumer computer apparatus.

23. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the licence applicant, when licensed to do so, delivers the copyright material digitally to consumer computer apparatus of a consumer for immediate use, without the possibility of storage of delivered copyright material on the consumer computer apparatus.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the copyright material is delivered by the licence applicant to the consumer when demanded by the consumer sending a request digitally to the licence applicant via the telecommunications network.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the copyright material comprises musical works and the applicants for licences apply for licences to deliver digital sound files including the musical work to consumers.

26. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the telecommunications network used is an open telecommunications network.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the computerised administration system is connected to a website on the Internet and licence applicants each use the licensee computer apparatus thereof to access the website in order to access and interrogate the database and submit requests for licences.

29. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the computerised administration system is connected to a website on the Internet and the licensors each use the licensor computer apparatus thereof to access the website in order to transmit digitally the information regarding the copyright material.

30. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet, the computerised administration system is connected to a website on the Internet and the licensors each use licensor computer apparatus thereof to access the website in order to obtain information regarding the use of licensed material under each licence.

31. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet, the computerised administration system is connected to a website in the Internet and the licensors each use licensor computer apparatus thereof to access the website in order to obtain information regarding use of licensed copyright material under each licence.

32. Use of computer apparatus as the licensor computer apparatus in the method of claim 2.

33. Use of computer apparatus as the computerised administration system in the method of claim 1.

34. Use of computer apparatus as the licensee computer apparatus in the method of claim 1.