Distribution system and method of operation thereof

• US 20040107168A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GELLINER LIMITED
• Original Assignee: Wraptech Limited
• Inventors: Millner, Gary David
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

A system for administering the distribution of digitally distributable works, comprises an encapsulation facility operable to encapsulate a digitally distributable work with predetermined conditions of use to create an encapsulated work, and distribution means for distributing the encapsulated work from a transferor in possession thereof, to a transferee. The encapsulated work has a state which is alterable between an enabled state in which the digitally distributable work is unconditionally enabled for use, and a disabled state in which the digitally distributable work is disabled for use. The system also has a switching means operable to switch the state of the encapsulated work to be in the disabled state upon transfer of the digitally distributable work form the transferor to a transferee, and to be in the enabled state when the predetermined conditions of use are complied with by the transferee. An administration facility stores distribution data relating to a distribution chain of the digitally distributable work and distributes a portion of a predetermined purchase price paid by the transferee for the digitally distributable work to a number of the preceding transferors in the distribution chain.

Claims

1. A system for administering the distribution of digitally distributable works, comprising:

encapsulating means operable to encapsulate a digitally distributable work with predetermined conditions of use to create an encapsulated work having a state which is alterable between an enabled state in which the digitally distributable work is unconditionally enabled for use, and a disabled state in which the digitally distributable work is disabled for use;

distribution means for distributing the encapsulated work from a transferor in possession thereof, to a transferee;

switching means operable to switch the state of the encapsulated work to be in the disabled state upon transfer of the digitally distributable work, and to be in the enabled state when the predetermined conditions of use are complied with by the transferee; and

an administration facility arranged to store distribution data relating to a distribution chain of the digitally distributable work and to distribute at least a portion of a predetermined purchase price paid by the transferee for the digitally distributable work to a number of the preceding transferors in the distribution chain.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 which includes a register of authorised purchasers of the digitally distributable work.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 in which the conditions of use of the encapsulated work require the transferee to register as an authorised purchaser of the digitally distributable work.

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the distribution data includes an identity and contact details of all preceding transferors in the distribution chain of the digitally distributable work.

5. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the encapsulated work is initially distributed from a distribution facility to a first transferee in the distribution chain.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 in which the remainder of the predetermined purchase price is distributed to an operator of the distribution facility.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which a portion of the amount paid to the operator of the distribution facility is distributed to an owner of the copyright in the digitally distributable work.

8. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the encapsulated work also has a trial state in which the digitally distributable work is enabled for use or a predetermined trial period.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 in which the switching means is operable to also switch the state of the encapsulated work to be in the trial state upon transfer of the digitally distributable work.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 in which the switching means switches the state of the encapsulated work to be in the disabled state when the predetermined conditions of use have not been complied with by the transferee within the predetermined trial period.

11. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the digitally distributable work is digitally encoded.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 in which the digitally distributable work includes any one of a computer program, a sound recording, a literary work, an image or a cinematograph film.

13. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the distribution means is an open communication network.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 in which the open communication network is the World Wide Web of the Internet.

15. A method for administering the distribution of digitally distributable works, comprising the steps of:

encapsulating a digitally distributable work with predetermined conditions of use to create an encapsulated work having a state which is alterable between an enabled state in which the digitally distributable work is unconditionally enabled for use, and a disabled state in which the digitally distributable work is disabled for use;

distributing the encapsulated work from a transferor in possession thereof, to a transferee;

switching the state of the encapsulated work to be in the disabled state upon transfer of the digitally distributable work;

switching the state of the encapsulated work to be in the enabled state when the predetermined conditions of use are complied with by the transferee; and

storing distribution data relating to a distribution chain of the digitally distributable work and distributing at least a portion of a predetermined purchase paid by the transferee for the digitally distributable work to a number of the preceding transferors in the distribution chain.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 which includes the step of establishing a register of authorised purchasers of the digitally distributable work.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the conditions of use of the encapsulated work require the transferee to register as an authorised purchaser of the digitally distributable work.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 which includes the further step of including in the distribution data an identity and contact details of all preceding transferors in the distribution chain of the digitally distributable work.

19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18 in which the encapsulated work is initially distributed from a distribution facility to a first transferee in the distribution chain.

20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 19 in which the remainder of the predetermined purchase price is distributed to an operator of the distribution facility.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which a portion of the amount paid to the operator of the distribution facility is distributed to an owner of the copyright in the digitally distributable work.

22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 21 which includes the step of switching the state of the encapsulated work to be in a trial state upon transfer of the digitally distributable work, in which the digitally distributable work is enabled for use for a predetermined trial period.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 in which the state of the encapsulated work is switched to be in the disabled state when the transferee has not complied with the predetermined conditions of use within the predetermined trial period.

24. A system for administering the distribution of digitally distributable works, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

25. A method for administering the distribution of digitally distributable works, substantially as herein described with reference to in the accompanying drawings.