System and method for operating a licensing server

• US 20050021473A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schull, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification

Abstract

A method and apparatus of encouraging distribution, registration, and purchase of free copyable software and other digital information which is accessed on a User'"'"'s System via a Programmer'"'"'s Program. Software tools which can be incorporated into a Programmer'"'"'s Program allow the User to access Advanced Features of the Programmer'"'"'s Program only in the presence of a valid Password which is unique to a particular Target ID generated on an ID-Target such as the User'"'"'s System. Advanced features will thus re-lock if the Password is copied to another ID-target. If a valid Password is not present, the User is invited to obtain one, and provided with the means of doing so, and of installing that Password in a place accessible to the User'"'"'s System on subsequent occasions. The present invention also provides Programmers with means to invoke business operations as well as computational operations with their programs, and thus to automatically obtain payment from Users who elect to obtain passwords.

Claims

1-24. -24. (Canceled).

25. A method for operating a licensing server to distribute passwords to a plurality of users to access protected information at remote user digital devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a licensing server, a first identifier associated with a request for access to protected information, the request generated by a first program at a first remote digital device, the first identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of an entity to which access to the protected information is linked, the first identifier being previously unknown to the licensing server;

generating, at the licensing server, a password based at least in part on the first identifier; and

transmitting the password to a first location accessible to the first remote digital device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving the first identifier comprises receiving the first identifier from a user previously unknown to the licensing server.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein generating a password comprises generating a password which may only be validated using at least data accessible to the first program including the first identifier.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein generating a password comprises generating a password using a technique which does not require any additional information that is characteristic of the entity.

29. The method of claim 25, 27, or 28, wherein the request comprises a request including payment information associated with access to the protected information.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the payment information is related to a monetary payment.

31. The method of claim 29, the method further comprising confirming the payment information.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein generating or transmitting the password is contingent upon confirmation of the payment information.

33. The method of claim 29, the method further comprising crediting or transferring, to an account dedicated to a third party, a payment amount based at least in part upon the payment information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the third party comprises a third party associated with programming at least one of the protected information and the first program.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first identifier includes a second identifier identifying the third party.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the second identifier comprises encrypted data.

37. The method of claim 35, the method further comprising using at least the second identifier to transfer at least a portion of the payment.

38. The method of claim 29, the method further comprising processing the payment information to effect a transfer of funds.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein generating or transmitting a password is contingent upon receipt of the payment.

40. The method of claim 38, the method further comprising transferring at least a portion of the payment to a third party.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the third party comprises a third party associated with programming at least one of the protected information and the first program.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the first identifier includes a second identifier identifying the third party.

43. The method of claim 29, wherein the payment information comprises credit card information.

44. The method of claim 29, the method further comprising effecting a payment via a telephone transaction.

45. The method of claim 44, the method further comprising processing a payment at a licensing server.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the telephone transaction comprises a toll call.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the toll call comprises a toll call to a 900 telephone number.

48. The method of claim 25, wherein the request comprises a request including registration information related to the entity.

49. The method of claim 48, the method further comprising accepting the registration information in lieu of a monetary payment.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the registration information includes one or more from the group consisting of:

a name, an address, a telephone, a processor identifier, and a computer system identifier.

51. The method of claim 48, the method further comprising storing the registration information in a database accessible by a third party.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the third party comprises a third party associated with programming at least one of the protected information and the first program.

53. The method of claim 25, wherein the protected information comprises a locked feature of the first program.

54. The method of claim 25, the method further comprising storing the password in the first location accessible to the first program.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein storing the password in a first location accessible to the first program comprises storing the password in a location accessible to a plurality of digital devices in a network.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the location accessible to a plurality of digital devices in a network comprises a shared file directory of a network server.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein storing the password in a first location accessible to the first program comprises communicating the password to a user of the first program.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein communicating the password to a user comprises communicating the password using a telephone.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein communicating the password to a user comprises communicating the password by mail.

60. The method of claim 25, wherein the request comprises a telephone request from a user of the first program.

61. A system for operating a licensing server to distribute passwords to a plurality of users to access protected information at remote user digital devices, the system comprising:

means for receiving, at a licensing server, a first identifier associated with a request for access to protected information, the request generated by a first program at a first remote digital device, the first identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of an entity to which access to the protected information is linked, the first identifier being previously unknown to the licensing server;

means for generating, at the licensing server, a password based at least in part on the first identifier; and

means for transmitting the password to a first location accessible to the first remote digital device.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the first identifier comprises a first identifier from a user previously unknown to the licensing server.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the password comprises a password which may only be validated using at least data accessible to the first program including the first identifier.

64. The system of claim 61, wherein means for generating a password comprises means for generating a password using a technique which does not require any additional information that is characteristic of the entity.

65. The system of claim 61, 63, or 64, wherein the request comprises a request including payment information associated with access to the protected information.

66. The system of claim 65, the system further comprising means for effecting a payment via a telephone transaction.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein the payment information comprises registration information related to the entity.

68. The system of claim 67, the system further comprising means for accepting the registration information in lieu of a monetary payment.

69. The system of claim 61, wherein the protected information comprises a locked feature of the first program.

70. The system of claim 61, the system further comprising means for storing the password in the first location accessible to the first program.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein means for storing the password in a first location accessible to the first program comprises means for storing the password in a location accessible to a plurality of digital devices in a network.

72. The system of claim 70, wherein means for storing the password in a firs location accessible to the first program comprises means for communicating the password to a user of the first program.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein means for communicating the password to a user comprises means for communicating the password using a telephone.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein means for communicating the password to a user comprises means for communicating the password by mail.

75. The system of claim 61, wherein the request comprises a telephone request from a user of the first program.

76. A computer usable medium or media storing program code which, when executed on one or more computerized devices, causes the one or more computerized devices to execute a method for operating a licensing server to distribute passwords to a plurality of users to access protected information at remote user digital devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a licensing server, a first identifier associated with a request for access to protected information, the request generated by a first program at a first remote digital device, the first identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of an entity to which access to the protected information is linked, the first identifier being previously unknown to the licensing server;

generating, at the licensing server, a password based at least in part on the first identifier; and

transmitting the password to a first location accessible to the first remote digital device.

77. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, wherein the method of receiving the first identifier comprises receiving the first identifier from a user previously unknown to the licensing server.

78. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, wherein the method of generating a password comprises generating a password which may only be validated using at least data accessible to the first program including the first identifier.

79. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, wherein the method of generating a password comprises generating a password using a technique which does not require any additional information that is characteristic of the entity.

80. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, 78, or 79, wherein the request comprises a request including payment information associated with access to the protected information.

81. The computer usable medium or media of claim 80, wherein the method further comprises effecting a payment via a telephone transaction.

82. The computer usable medium or media of claim 80, wherein the payment information comprises registration information related to the entity.

83. The computer usable medium or media of claim 82, wherein the method further comprises accepting the registration information in lieu of a monetary payment.

84. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, wherein the protected information comprises a locked feature of the first program.

85. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, wherein the method further comprises storing the password in the first location accessible to the first program.

86. The computer usable medium or media of claim 85, wherein the method of storing the password in a first location accessible to the first program comprises storing the password in a location accessible to a plurality of digital devices in a network.

87. The computer usable medium or media of claim 85, wherein the method of storing the password in a first location accessible to the first program comprises communicating the password to a user of the first program.

88. The computer usable medium or media of claim 87, wherein the method of communicating the password to a user comprises communicating the password using a telephone.

89. The computer usable medium or media of claim 87, wherein the method of communicating the password to a user comprises communicating the password by mail.

90. The computer usable medium or media of claim 76, wherein the request comprises a telephone request from a user of the first program.