Method and apparatus for trading digital items in a network data processing system

• US 20050049929A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Peter Y., Hsu, Jimmy Ming-Der
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for transferring a unique digital item between a first party and a destination party in a network data processing system. A request to transfer a unique digital item in an account of the first party is received. Responsive to receiving the request, a retrieval tag is associated with the unique digital item. The retrieval tag is generated by a server process, such as one on which the unique digital item is located. The unique digital item is transferred from the source account to a temporary storage account in association with the retrieval tag. The unique digital item is listed on a trusted third-party server. A second party may inspect the unique digital item and agree to exchange something in return for the first party'"'"'s listed unique digital item. The transfer occurs after all parties have committed to the transaction. Responsive to a redemption request initiated by the trusted third-party, the unique digital item is transferred from the temporary storage account to an account of the second party.

Claims

1. A method in a network data processing system for transferring a unique digital item between a source party and a destination party, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the source party to list a unique digital item in an account of the source party;

responsive to receiving the request, generating a retrieval tag for the unique digital item, wherein the retrieval tag is used to identify the unique digital item;

sending the retrieval tag to a trusted third-party;

transferring the unique digital item from the source account to a storage in association with the retrieval tag; and

responsive to receiving a redemption request from the trusted third-party to transfer the unique digital item from the storage to a destination account for the destination party, transferring the unique digital item from the storage to the destination account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieval tag is generated by a server on which the unique digital item is located.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trusted third-party sends the redemption request when a transaction between the source party and the destination party for the unique digital item has been confirmed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage is located in a server on which the unique digital item is used.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique digital item is one of a character, castle, ring, armor, or weapon in an online game.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage is located at trusted third party service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected condition is selected from one of a payment of money, a transfer of another unique digital item, or a performance of a selected action.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination account is located on a different data processing system from that of the account of the source party.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique digital item is a digital right and wherein the destination of the digital right is on a different issuer from that of the source issuer, which issued the digital right.

10. A method in a data processing system for transferring a unique digital item, the method comprising:

receiving a request to escrow a unique digital item, wherein the request includes a selection of an escrow service;

obtaining service description information for the escrow service;

generating a retrieval tag for the unique digital item;

sending a listing request for the unique digital item to the escrow service using the service description information, wherein the listing request includes the retrieval tag; and

placing the unique digital item into an escrow storage.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

responsive to receiving a redemption request to transfer the unique digital item to a destination in which the request includes the retrieval tag, performing the authentication process on the retrieval tag; and

responsive to authenticating the retrieval tag, transferring the unique digital item to the destination.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data includes at least one of a digital item ID, a digital item descriptor, a digital property type, and metadata.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sending a digital signature with the data for use in authenticating the data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the destination is selected from one of a client computer or a user account on a server.

15. A data processing system for transferring a unique digital item between a source party and a destination party, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request from the source party to list a unique digital item in an account of the source party;

generating means, responsive to receiving the request, for generating a retrieval tag for the unique digital item, wherein the retrieval tag is used to identify the unique digital item;

sending means for sending the retrieval tag to a trusted third-party;

first transferring means for transferring the unique digital item from the source account to a storage in association with the retrieval tag; and

second transferring means, responsive to receiving a redemption request from the trusted third-party to transfer the unique digital item from the storage to a destination account for the destination party, for transferring the unique digital item from the storage to the destination account.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the retrieval tag is generated by a server on which the unique digital item is located.

17. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the trusted third-party sends the redemption request when a transaction between the source party and the destination party for the unique digital item has been confirmed.

18. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the storage is located in a server on which the unique digital item is used.

19. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the unique digital item is one of a character, castle, ring, armor, or weapon in an online game.

20. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the storage is located at a trusted third party service.

21. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the selected condition is selected from one of a payment of money, a transfer of another unique digital item, or a performance of a selected action.

22. A data processing system for transferring a unique digital item, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request to escrow a unique digital item, wherein the request includes a selection of an escrow service;

obtaining means for obtaining service description information for the escrow service;

generating means for generating a retrieval tag for the unique digital item;

sending means for sending a listing request for the unique digital item to the escrow service using the service description information, wherein the listing request includes the retrieval tag; and

placing means for placing the unique digital item into an escrow storage.

23. The data processing system of claim 22 further comprising:

performing means, responsive to receiving a redemption request to transfer the unique digital item to a destination in which the request includes the retrieval tag, for performing the authentication process on the retrieval tag; and

transferring means, responsive to authenticating the retrieval tag, for transferring the unique digital item to the destination.

24. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the data includes at least one of a digital item ID, a digital item descriptor, a digital property type, and metadata.

25. The data processing system of claim 22 further comprising:

sending means for sending a digital signature with the data for use in authenticating the data.

26. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the destination is selected from one of a client computer or a user account on a server.

27. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a request from a source party to list a unique digital item in an account of the source party;

generate a retrieval tag for the unique digital item, wherein the retrieval tag is used to identify the unique digital item in response to the request;

send the retrieval tag to a trusted third-party;

transfer the unique digital item from the source account to a storage in association with the retrieval tag; and

transfer the unique digital item from the storage to the destination account in response to receiving a redemption request from the trusted third-party to transfer the unique digital item from the storage to a destination account for a destination party.

28. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a request to escrow a unique digital item, wherein the request includes a selection of an escrow service;

obtain service description information for the escrow service;

generate a retrieval tag for the unique digital item;

send a listing request for the unique digital item to the escrow service using the service description information, wherein the listing request includes the retrieval tag; and

place the unique digital item into an escrow storage.

29. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for transferring a unique digital item between a source party and a destination party, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a request from the source party to list a unique digital item in an account of the source party;

second instructions, responsive to receiving the request, for generating a retrieval tag for the unique digital item, wherein the retrieval tag is used to identify the unique digital item;

third instructions for sending the retrieval tag to a trusted third-party;

fourth instructions for transferring the unique digital item from the source account to a storage in association with the retrieval tag; and

fifth instructions, responsive to receiving a redemption request from the trusted third-party to transfer the unique digital item from the storage to a destination account for the destination party, for transferring the unique digital item from the storage to the destination account.

30. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for transferring a unique digital item, the method comprising:

first instructions for receiving a request to escrow a unique digital item, wherein the request includes a selection of an escrow service;

second instructions for obtaining service description information for the escrow service;

third instructions for generating a retrieval tag for the unique digital item;

fourth instructions for sending a listing request for the unique digital item to the escrow service using the service description information, wherein the listing request includes the retrieval tag; and

fifth instructions for placing the unique digital item into an escrow storage.