Content distribution systems and methods

• US 20050190616A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mo-DV, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MMC Entertainment Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Germeraad, Paul, Widergren, Robert D.
• Application Number:
  US10/970,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190616A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1014 to tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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

An electronic device comprises a first interface operable to receive from a user a selection of a first data set and a processor coupled to the first interface. The processor is operable to access the selected first data set, determine if the user is authorized to receive the first data set, and store the first data set on a memory device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first interface operable to receive from a user a selection of a first data set; and

a processor coupled to the first interface and operable to access the selected first data set, the processor further operable to determine if the user is authorized to receive the first data set, the processor further operable to store the first data set on a memory device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a supply unit operable to store at least one dispensable memory device.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein:

the processor is further operable to store the selected data set on the at least one dispensable memory device; and

the supply unit is further operable to dispense to the user the at least one dispensable memory device on which the selected data set is stored.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second interface coupled to the processor and operable to couple to the memory device.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the second interface is operable to lock the memory device into a locked position.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the second interface is operable to release the memory device into an unlocked position in response to receiving an unlock authorization.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a key receiver and wherein receiving an unlock authorization comprises receiving a key in the key receiver.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein receiving an unlock authorization comprises receiving via the first interface an identification code.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is operable to store the data set on the memory device via a wireless communication signal.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the data set comprises an audio file.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the data set comprises a video file.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the first data set is encoded; and

the processor is further operable to store on the memory device a second data set that, when executed, is operable to decode the first data set.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the first data set comprises content, the first data set further comprising a third data set, wherein alteration of the third data set causes alteration of the content.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a storage device operable to store the first data set.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the memory device is a flash memory device.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second interface, and wherein the processor is further operable to generate to the second interface a description of at least one apparatus on which the first data set can be stored.

21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second interface operable to enable the user to pay to receive the first data set.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the second interface comprises at least one of a coin slot, currency accepter, credit-card reader, smart-card reader, and radio-frequency-identification device.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving from a user a selection of a first data set;

determining that the user is authorized to receive the first data set;

accessing the selected first data set; and

storing the selected first data set on a memory device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein determining that the user is authorized comprises determining that the user has paid to receive the first data set.

19. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

receive from a user a selection of a first data set;

determine that the user is authorized to receive the first data set;

access the selected first data set; and

store the selected first data set on a memory device.

20. The article of claim 19 wherein the medium comprises a modulated carrier signal.