Digital work identification and licensing method

• US 20050097059A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Application Number:
  US10/999,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097059A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system are provided for facilitating the purchase of a license for a downloaded file of a copyrighted work. In one embodiment, a method for licensing a digital copy of a copyrighted work includes determining an identity of the digital copy by using at least one computer program, calculating a fee for a license for the digital copy by the at least one computer program. The step of calculating includes the step of measuring at least one metric of the digital copy. A license is then provided for the copy after receiving payment of the fee.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method for identifying an unidentified digital work on a remote client of a wide area network, the method comprising:

distributing an application from a host to a remote client, the application operable to scan files on a storage media operated by the remote client, to read a predetermined portion of each file, and to calculate a checksum value for each file, the checksum value determined by each corresponding predetermined file portion;

receiving the checksum value from the remote client for each of at least selected ones of the files;

comparing each checksum value against a database of checksum values each associated with an identifier for a digital copy of a known work; and

providing data identifying at least one file on the remote client for which a checksum value has been calculated that matches a record in the database of checksum values.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the comparing step further comprises comparing against a database indicating whether each known work is copyrighted.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the comparing step further comprises comparing against a database indicating whether a license is available for each copyrighted work.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising notifying the remote client that at least one of the files scanned by the application has been associated with a copyrighted work.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the distributing step further comprises distributing the application comprising a function of determining whether each scanned file is marked as authorized by a copyright holder for storage on the storage media.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising notifying the remote client that at least one file scanned by the application is an unauthorized copy of a copyrighted work.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising inviting the remote client to acquire a license for the unauthorized copy.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising determining a fee for obtaining a license for the unauthorized copy based at least in part on a measured quality of the unauthorized copy.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising electronically collecting a licensing fee for the unauthorized copy from the remote client.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising instructing the application to calculate a second checksum for a selected file, wherein the second checksum is to be determined by a substantially larger portion of the selected file than the checksum value for the selected file received in the receiving step.

39. A system for identifying an unidentified digital work on a remote client of a wide area network, the system comprising:

an application in a memory connected to a network-connected host, the application configured for distributing to a remote client and operable to scan files on a storage media operated by the remote client, to read a predetermined portion of each file, and to calculate a checksum value for each file, the checksum value determined by each corresponding predetermined file portion; and

further software operable by the host in cooperation with instances of the application on remote clients to perform the functions of;

receiving the checksum value from the remote client for each of at least selected ones of the files;

comparing each checksum value against a database of checksum values each associated with an identifier for a digital copy of a known work; and

providing data identifying at least one file on the remote client for which a checksum value has been calculated that matches a record in the database of checksum values.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the comparing function further comprises comparing against a database indicating whether each known work is copyrighted.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the comparing function further comprises comparing against a database indicating whether a license is available for each copyrighted work.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the further software further comprises a function for notifying the remote client that at least one of the files scanned by the application has been associated with a copyrighted work.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises a function of determining whether each scanned file is marked as authorized by a copyright holder for storage on the storage media.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the further software further comprises a function for notifying the remote client that at least one file scanned by the application is an unauthorized copy of a copyrighted work.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the further software further comprises a function for inviting the remote client to acquire a license for the unauthorized copy.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the further software further comprises a function for determining a fee for obtaining a license for the unauthorized copy based at least in part on a measured quality of the unauthorized copy.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the further software further comprises a function for electronically collecting a licensing fee for the unauthorized copy from the remote client.

48. The system of claim 39, wherein the further software further comprises a function for instructing the application to calculate a second checksum for a selected file, wherein the second checksum is to be determined by a substantially larger portion of the selected file than the checksum value for the selected file received by the receiving function of the further instructions.