SYSTEM, METHOD AND ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURING FOR AUTHORIZING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC CONTENT UTILIZING A LASER-CENTRIC MEDIUM AND A NETWORK SERVER

• US 20030133702A1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Research Investment Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Research Investment Network Incorporated
• Inventors: COLLART, TODD R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,665,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/125
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture is provided for tracking the distribution of content electronically. First, an electronic storage medium tracking identifier is incorporated onto an electronic storage medium and stored on a database. Next, a package tracking identifier is situated onto a package in which the electronic storage medium is stored. The electronic storage medium is then tracked while being shipped between various entities using the tracking identifier on the package. Further, the electronic storage medium may be identified using the tracking identifier on the electronic storage medium in order to afford authorized use of the information contained on the electronic storage medium.

Claims

1. A method for tracking the distribution of content electronically, comprising the steps of:

(a) incorporating an electronic storage medium tracking identifier onto an electronic storage medium;

(b) incorporating a package tracking identifier onto a package in which the electronic storage medium is stored;

(c) storing the tracking identifiers in a database;

(d) detecting the tracking information when the package is coupled with a computer;

(e) transmitting the tracking information to a server computer; and

(f) authorizing playback of information from the package based on processing of the tracking information at the server computer.

2. A method for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 1, wherein the server computer performs a table lookup to determine one or more authorized genres.

3. A method for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 1, wherein the server computer performs a table lookup to determine one or more authorized titles.

4. A method for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 1, wherein the server computer initiates authorized playback of authorized information utilizing a transaction from the server computer.

5. A method for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 1, wherein a transaction is written to a database memorializing processing.

6. apparatus for tracking the distribution of content electronically, comprising;

(a) an optical disc electronic storage medium having a burst cut area; and

(b) a digital code stored in the burst cut area;

(c) the digital code representative of an identifier of content on the optical disc electronic storage medium;

(d) the apparatus including logic that detects the tracking information when the electronic storage medium is coupled with a computer;

(e) the apparatus including logic that transmits the tracking information to a server computer; and

(f) the apparatus including logic that receives authorization from the server computer to playback of information from the electronic storage medium based on processing of the tracking information at the server computer.

7. An apparatus for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 6, wherein the server computer performs a table lookup to determine one or more authorized genres.

8. An apparatus for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 6, wherein the server computer performs a table lookup to determine one or more authorized titles.

9. An apparatus for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 6, wherein the server computer initiates authorized playback of authorized information utilizing a transaction from the server computer.

10. An apparatus for tracking the distribution of content electronically as recited in claim 6, wherein a transaction is written to a database memorializing processing.

11. A program embodied on a computer readable medium for identifying and providing a response to the use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon, the program comprising:

(a) a code segment that reads the identifier of the electronic storage medium upon being input into a computer by a user;

(b) a code segment that detects the tracking information when the package is coupled with a computer;

(c) a code segment that transmits the tracking information to a server computer; and

(d) a code segment that authorizes playback of information from the package based on processing of the tracking information at the server computer.

12. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, wherein the server computer performs a table lookup to determine one or more authorized genres.

13. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, wherein the server computer performs a table lookup to determine one or more authorized titles.

14. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, wherein the server computer initiates authorized playback of authorized information utilizing a transaction from the server computer.

15. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, wherein a transaction is written to a database memorializing processing.

16. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, including a code segment that receives live update information from the server computer.

17. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, including a code segment that initiates playback of a video, wherein said playback may include logic that unlocks a secure connection.

18. The program for identifying and providing a response to use of an electronic storage medium having an identifier incorporated thereon as recited in claim 11, including a code segment that posts indicia of video, user information, and a suitable player to a database.