Electronic tracking tag

• US 20030191720A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wibisono, Himgan
• Application Number:
  US10/404,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191720A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An electronic tag for content distributed within a peer-to-peer network is created. The tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content. The tag is associated with the content. In one aspect, the credits are allocated based on the transactional data.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

creating an electronic tag for content distributed within a peer-to-peer network, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content; and

associating the tag with the content.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the content at a peer;

detecting that the tag is associated with the content; and

sending the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

3. The computerized method of claim 2, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use or a purchase.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the transactional data from a peer; and

allocating the credits based on the transactional data.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

6. A computerized method comprising:

receiving content associated with an electronic tag at a peer, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content;

detecting that the tag is associated with the content; and

sending the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

7. The computerized method of claim 6, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

8. The computerized method of claim 6, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use, or a purchase.

9. The computerized method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving the transactional data; and

allocating credits among peers based on the transactional data.

10. A machine-readable medium having executable instructions to a cause a device to perform a method comprising:

creating an electronic tag for content distributed within a peer-to-peer network, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content; and

associating the tag with the content.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the content at a peer;

detecting that the tag is associated with the content; and

sending the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use or a purchase.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the transactional data from a peer; and

allocating the credits based on the transactional data.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

15. A machine-readable medium having executable instructions to a cause a device to perform a method comprising:

receiving content associated with an electronic tag at a peer, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content;

detecting that the tag is associated with the content; and

sending the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use, or a purchase.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the transactional data; and

allocating credits among peers based on the transactional data.

19. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory through a bus; and

a system process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to create an electronic tag for content distributed within a peer-to-peer network, and associate the tag with the content, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the system process executed by the processor from the memory further causes the processor to receive the content at a peer, detect that the tag is associated with the content, and send the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use or a purchase.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the system process executed by the processor from the memory further causes the processor to receive the transactional data from a peer, and allocate the credits based on the transactional data.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

24. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory through a bus; and

a system process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to receive content associated with an electronic tag at a peer, detect that the tag is associated with the content, and send the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use, or a purchase.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the system process executed by the processor from the memory further causes the processor to receive the transactional data, and allocate credits among peers based on the transactional data.

28. An apparatus comprising:

means for creating an electronic tag for content distributed within a peer-to-peer network, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content; and

means for associating the tag with the content.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, comprising:

means for receiving the content at a peer;

means for detecting that the tag is associated with the content; and

means for sending the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use or a purchase.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, comprising:

means for receiving the transactional data from a peer; and

means for allocating the credits based on the transactional data.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

33. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving content associated with an electronic tag at a peer, wherein the tag comprises credits for allocation among peers based on transactional data that tracks the distribution of the content;

means for detecting that the tag is associated with the content; and

means for sending the transactional data upon an occurrence of a qualifying event at the peer.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the transactional data is distribution data, usage data, or sales data.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the qualifying event is a distribution, a use, or a purchase.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, comprising:

means for receiving the transactional data; and

means for allocating credits among peers based on the transactional data.