Method and system for purchasing broadcast content

• US 20040006541A1
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Corporation (Kleangas Energy Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nuttal, Mark Patrick, Loose, David Carl, Huddelston, Brant
• Application Number:
  US10/192,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006541A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00

Abstract

A system and method of making broadcast content selectively available to users in different forms, including a system for charging and collecting compensation for at least one form. Broadcast content such as digital music or other information or entertainment is sent out in a protected form and receiving devices may be provided with different keys to unlock the content for long-term storage. The receiver also includes a system for requesting additional rights (such as permanent storage and playing of the content) and for compensating for that additional set of rights. When the user'"'"'s request is received with the necessary compensation, the user is provided a permission for the greater rights and a method of accessing those rights; otherwise, the content is provided in an ephemeral form and ceases to exist on the users machine.

Claims

1. A content rendering system which receives content from a broadcasting system which distributes content in an unusable form, the rendering system comprising:

a storage which stores the content in short term memory as distributed in unusable form;

a first converter coupled to the storage which converts at least a portion of content from the unusable form into content in a usable form for a limited purpose; and

a second converter which selectively converts at least a portion of the unusable content into usable content, said second converter including;

an identification system for identifying selected content;

a selector for selecting the selected content;

a transmitter for sending an identification of the selected content to a controller responsible for the selected content;

a receiver which receives approval information from the controller for the selected content; and

a decoder which makes the selected content usable in response to the approval information from the controller for the selected content.

2. A system of the type described in claim 1 wherein the content is music which is broadcast and the decoder includes a system for playing the music.

3. A system of the type described in claim 1 wherein the first converter performs the content substantially in real time as the content is received and the second converter provides a long term storage which allows the content to be recalled upon user command.

4. A system of the type described in claim 3 where the content is music and the first converter plays the music promptly after it is received.

5. A system of the type described in claim 4 wherein the music content is stored in long term memory by the second converter and may be played as permitted by digital rights which are provided with the content.

6. A system of the type described in claim 5 wherein the digital rights are provided separate from the transmission of the content.

7. A system of the type described in claim 6 wherein the digital rights are provided in response to a user request requesting rights for long-term storage.

8. A system of the type described in claim 7 wherein the user request includes a payment and, in response to the payment, the user receives a message with appropriate token to use the content in a long-term storage.

9. A system of the type described in claim 7 wherein the system provides different keys for using the content, a first key for using the content as it is received using the first converted and a second key which enables the second converter to store the content in a long-term storage.

10. A method of distributing digital content to a user for rendering where the user can use the content without compensation when converted into a first form and can use the content when converted into a second form only with compensation, the steps of the method comprising:

broadcasting the content in a protected form with an identifier;

allowing conversion of the content into the first form without consideration and allowing conversion of the content into the second form only upon payment of consideration;

receiving a request from the user for a license to use to desired content for consideration, including an identifier of the content desired;

returning a message to the user originating the request with a token which allows the desired content to be converted into the second form.

11. A method including the steps of claim 10 wherein the content is music and the first form is playing of the content substantially contemporaneously with its transmission.

12. A method including the steps of claim 11 wherein the second form for the content is storing the music in a long term storage for playing it upon command.

13. A method including the steps of claim 12 wherein the step of converting the content into the second form includes the step of including rights which govern the use of the content.

14. A method including the steps of claim 11 wherein the step of converting the content into the second form includes the step of authorizing the making of one or more copies of the content.

15. A method including the steps of claim 14 wherein the step of providing a token includes the step of associating the token with the user.

16. A method of providing broadcast music to users including the steps of:

broadcasting the music in a protected format;

providing a rendering system which receives the music in a protected format and plays the music once without the user purchasing additional rights;

allowing a user to identify music which the user wishes to purchase and to send a message indicating that desire;

receiving the message with the identification of the music which the user wishes to purchase and sending an authorization to the user;

in response to the authorization, the user'"'"'s system allows the identified music to be played more than the once the music could otherwise be played.

17. A method including the steps of claim 16 wherein the step of sending a message by the user includes sending information from which compensation is made for the authorization.

18. A method including the steps of claim 16 wherein the step of sending an authorization to the user includes the identification of the user authorized to play the music.

19. A method including the steps of claim 16 wherein the step of identifying music which the user wishes to purchase includes the step of providing the request through a user interface.

20. A method of providing broadcast content to some users without charge in a first usable form and to other users in a second usable form upon payment by the other users, the steps of the method comprising:

broadcasting the content in a protected form;

permitting some users to use the broadcast without charge by providing a first method of converting the content in the protected form into the first usable form;

receiving a request to purchase selected content from a requesting user along with compensation;

distributing to the requesting user a token which will allow the selected content to be converted into the second usable form to make the selected content available in the second protected form.

21. A method including the steps of claim 20 and further including the step of a user identifying the content which he wishes to purchase, sending a message identifying that music to another system and receiving an authorization from the other system allowing use of the identified music.

22. A method including the steps of claim 21 wherein the step of identifying the selected content the user wishes to purchase includes the step of selecting the content using the buttons on the user'"'"'s radio.

23. A method including the steps of claim 22, wherein the steps of the method further comprise the step of entering payment information using the radio buttons.

24. A method including the steps of claim 23 wherein the step of entering payment information includes using the user input device includes the step of identifying a credit card number.

25. A method including the steps of claim 24 wherein the method includes using a short-term storage with a rendering device for rendering content contemporaneously with its receipt and a long-term storage system for storing and retrieving the content upon command from a long-term store and the step of transferring music from the short term storage to long-term storage occurs in response to receiving an authorization from the other system.

26. A method including the steps of claim 20 wherein the step of distributing a token includes the step of providing usage conditions wherein the converter enforces the usage conditions.

27. A method including the steps of claim 26 wherein the step of providing usage conditions includes providing a time period during which content may be used.

28. A method including the steps of claim 27 wherein the step of providing usage conditions includes the step of allowing or denying copying the content to another device.

29. A method including the steps of claim 26 wherein the step of providing a token includes the step of providing a token which is usable only on one selected system.

30. A program product which facilitates the receipt and processing of digital content in different modes, the program product comprising:

a first module which receives digital content and stores it in a temporary storage;

a second module coupled to the first module which renders the digital content for a user;

a third module which receives conditions associated with the digital content and controls the use of the second module;

a fourth module which receives a user input and transmits a request for additional rights in the digital content; and

a fifth module which receives a response for additional rights and updates the conditions associated with the third module.

31. A program product of the type described in claim 30 wherein the product further includes a module for receiving a user input with charge information and the fourth module includes a program element for transmitting the charge information.

32. A program product of the type described in claim 30 wherein the content is music and the second module includes a radio system similar to that which is mounted in a motor vehicle and the fourth module for receiving a user input is coupled to push buttons on the radio system, with the push buttons on the radio system being used by the user to select the particular music which the user wishes to acquire long-term rights and the radio system includes a temporary storage for playing the music contemporaneously with the transmission and also includes a long-term storage and the fifth module controls the transfer of music to the long-term storage.