Methods and apparatus for a title transaction network
First Claim
1. A computer program product comprising a digital bearer instrument stored in a computer-readable medium, the digital bearer instrument including title data representing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the digital bearer instrument to a title-enabled process in a network, the title data also identifying a resource to which each right pertains, the digital bearer instrument further including at least one stub object having a stub state associated therewith which corresponds to an externally stored state, validity of the digital bearer instrument being determined by comparison of the stub state and the externally stored state, the stub state of the stub object being operable to change to reflect each transaction in the network involving the digital bearer instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A title management apparatus is resident on a computer server and includes a memory for storing a control program and data, and a processor for executing the control program and for managing the data. The computer memory has user data resident including user security indicia. A plurality of title objects are resident in the memory, where each title object includes a content element, attributes, and security indicia. An authorization structure is configured to selectively grant access to users based at least in part of the user security indicia. A title management structure configured to associate a user with particular title objects based at least in part of the user data and the title attributes, and the title management structure is configured to support the exchange of title objects between users. Advantages of the invention include the ability to manage titles over a network such as the Internet.
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Citations
34 Claims
- 1. A computer program product comprising a digital bearer instrument stored in a computer-readable medium, the digital bearer instrument including title data representing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the digital bearer instrument to a title-enabled process in a network, the title data also identifying a resource to which each right pertains, the digital bearer instrument further including at least one stub object having a stub state associated therewith which corresponds to an externally stored state, validity of the digital bearer instrument being determined by comparison of the stub state and the externally stored state, the stub state of the stub object being operable to change to reflect each transaction in the network involving the digital bearer instrument.
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14. A network for facilitating transactions among a plurality of entities, comprising:
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at least one data store for storing a plurality of title objects associated with the plurality of entities, each title object being a self-authenticating digital bearer instrument expressing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object in the network, each title object having a state associated therewith;
at least one network device for facilitating transfer of the title objects among the entities to effect the transactions; and
a state process which includes an entry for each title object which indicates validity of the corresponding title object when the entry is synchronized with the state of the corresponding title object;
wherein the state associated with each title object and the corresponding entry associated with the state process are operable to change to reflect each transaction in the network involving the corresponding title object. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for enabling a transaction using a title object, the title object being a self-authenticating digital bearer instrument expressing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object in the system, the title object having a state associated therewith, comprising:
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a state server which includes an entry for the title object which indicates validity of the title object when the entry is synchronized with the state of the title object; and
a title-enabled process which is operable to determine the validity of the title object with reference to the state of the title object and the entry on the state server, and to facilitate redemption of the at least one right where the title object is valid;
wherein the state of the title object and the entry on the state server are changed to reflect each transaction involving the title object.
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27. A computer-implemented method for facilitating transactions among a plurality of entities in a network, comprising:
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storing a plurality of title objects in the network, each title object being a self-authenticating digital bearer instrument expressing at least one right which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object in the network, each title object having a state associated therewith;
associating at least one of the title objects with each of the plurality of entities;
facilitating transfer of the title objects among the entities to effect the transactions;
maintaining a state process which includes an entry for each title object which indicates validity of the corresponding title object when the entry is synchronized with the state of the corresponding title object; and
changing the state associated with each title object and the corresponding entry associated with the state process to reflect each transaction in the network involving the title object. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification