System, method and apparatus for controlling the dissemination of digital works

• US 20060080741A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Nair
• Original Assignee: Mark Nair
• Inventors: Nair, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• 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 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/30 for musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00231 wherein the key is obtained from a local external medium, e.g. a card
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00536 wherein encrypted content data is subjected to a further, iterated encryption, e.g. interwoven encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00855 involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/16 Storage of analogue signals in digital stores using an arrangement comprising analogue/digital [A/D] converters, digital memories and digital/analogue [D/A] converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction

Abstract

A system, business methodology and apparatus for facilitating controlled dissemination of digital works is disclosed. An audio and video organizer, entertainment, and communication unit that plays back audio and video media content received from a central storage server. The unit relies on a smartcard, which has a personalized key that unlocks encrypted content. Using the unit, a user can purchase music or other types of media using a appropriate ordering method. The central storage server then transmits a double-encrypted, compressed audio file to the unit, where it is decrypted based on the smartcard key, and available for listening.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the usage of digital media files, said system comprising:

a player unit having a memory therein for storing a plurality of digital media files thereon, said player unit only outputs analog representations of said digital media files stored in said memory; and

a modem for connecting said player unit to a network and for downloading said digital media files to said player unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said player unit further comprises a card reader unit, said player unit is adapted to retrieve an electronic value from a card inserted in said card reader unit, said electronic value being used to generate said analog representations of said digital media files.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein all of said digital media files stored in said memory are encrypted.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said player unit decrypts a selected one of said digital media files according to an electronic value.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said player unit is a portable player unit or a desktop player unit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said player unit further comprises browsing means for browsing digital media files on said network.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said player unit further comprises selecting means for selecting one of said digital media files from a site within said network.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said selecting means is selected from the group consisting of:

a remote control unit, a voice command unit, a keypad and a television interface controller.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a stereo component connected to said player unit for playing said digital media files.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter for selectively transmitting said analog representations of said digital media files over a wireless channel.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising headphones being connected to said player unit for receiving and playing said analog audio representations of said digital media files.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said player unit comprises:

a digital video interface for capturing digital video images.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said digital video interface connecting a digital camera and said player unit is an IEEE-1394 connector interface.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said modem is an Ethernet card for providing/establishing a broadband connection with said network.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said digital media files are encoded according to an MP3 format.

16. A player unit for facilitating digital media files playback, said player unit comprising:

a storage unit for storing downloaded digital media files;

a media processing element for generating only analog versions of selected media files of the stored digital media files and outputting only said analog versions; and

a card reader for retrieving an electronic value from a card inserted in said card reader, said electronic value being used to generate said analog versions of said digital media files.

17. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising:

navigation means for navigating through said digital media files on said storage unit; and

user-manipulated control devices for controlling said navigation means by a user.

18. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising a video output port for outputting a video signal representative of a navigation operation of said player unit.

19. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising an interface for interfacing said player unit with a digital camera and receiving digital video signals therefrom.

20. The player unit according to claim 16, wherein said player unit is a desktop player unit.

21. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising a modem for downloading digital media files from a network.

22. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising a remote transceiver for transceiving optical signals between said player unit and a remote control, said optical signals controlling said player unit.

23. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen for visually displaying an operation performed by said player unit.

24. The player unit according to claim 16, wherein said player unit is a portable player unit.

25. The player unit according to claim 24, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting said analog versions of said selected digital media files over a wireless channel.

26. The player unit according to claim 24, further comprising an interface for interfacing with a docking station for downloading said digital media files.

27. The player unit according to claim 16, further comprising a touch screen for visually displaying information relating to the operation of said player unit and selecting functions performed by said player unit.

28. A method for controlling the playback of digital media files on a player unit, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting an encrypted digital media file from a plurality of encrypted digital media files;

retrieving a decrypting key;

decrypting the selected encrypted digital media file based upon the retrieved decrypting key; and

generating only an analog audio signal from the decrypted digital media file.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said step of decrypting comprises at least two separate decryption operations, one of said decryption operations being based on said retrieved decryption key.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein said step of decrypting comprises a second decryption operation based on an identification key corresponding to said player unit.

31. The method according to claim 28, further comprising, prior to said step of selecting, the step of:

searching said encrypted digital media files.

32. The method according to claim 28, further comprising, prior to said step of selecting, the steps of:

downloading at least one of said encrypted digital media files; and

storing said at least one of said encrypted digital media files.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising, prior to said step of downloading, the steps of:

browsing digital media files on a network; and

choosing the digital media files to be downloaded from said network.

34. The method according to claim 28, further comprising the step of:

transmitting said analog audio signal over an air interface.

35. The method according to claim 28, wherein each said encrypted digital media file is in an MP3 encoded format.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of:

decoding said digital media file.

37. A method for providing digital media files, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a user two encryption keys;

double encrypting digital media files based on said two encryption keys; and

transmitting to said user the encrypted digital media files,

wherein a first of said encryption keys is associated with said user and the second of said encryption keys is associated with a user device to which said encrypted digital media files are transmitted.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein said receiving step further comprises the step of:

receiving identification of said digital media files.

39. The method according to claim 37, further comprising, prior to said transmitting step, the step of:

storing said encrypted digital media files in a staging server, said digital media files awaiting a connection by said user to be transmitted.

40. The method according to claim 37, further comprising, prior to said step of transmitting, the steps of:

encoding said digital media files; and

compressing said digital media files.

41. The method according to claim 37, wherein said step of encrypting comprises:

performing a first encryption operation on said digital media files based upon a first of said encryption keys; and

performing a second encryption operation on said digital media files based upon a second of said encryption keys.

42. (canceled)

43. A system for providing digital media files, said system comprising:

a receiver for receiving from a user at least two encryption keys;

an encrypter for double encrypting a digital media file based on said at least two encryption keys and

a transmitter for transmitting to said user the encrypted digital media file,

wherein a first of said at least one encryption key is associated with said user and a second of said at least one encryption key is associated with a user device to which said encrypted digital media file is transmitted.

44. The system according to claim 43, further comprising:

an encoder for encoding said digital media file; and

a compressor for compressing said digital media file.

45. The system according to claim 43, further comprising:

a staging server for storing said encrypted digital media file until a connection is available to transmit said encrypted digital media file.

46. The system according to claim 43, further comprising:

a digital media file library containing a plurality of said digital media files.

47. The system according to claim 43, wherein said encrypter performs a first encryption operation on said digital media file based upon a first of said at least one encryption key and a second encryption operation on said digital media file based upon a second of said at least one encryption key.

48. (canceled)

49. A player unit for facilitating digital media files playback, said player unit comprising:

a storage unit, said storage unit storing downloaded digital media files;

a media processing element, said media processing element generating only analog versions of said downloaded digital media files; and

an output port, said output port outputting only said analog versions of said downloaded digital media files.

50. The player unit according to claim 49, further comprising:

a display, said display providing a visual indication of files on the player unit.

51. The player unit according to claim 50, further comprising:

a navigator, said navigator providing a user a way to navigate on the display through the files on the player unit.

52. The player unit according to claim 50, wherein said display is a touch screen device, whereby a user can touch navigate through the files stored on the player unit or elsewhere through a network connection.

53. The player unit according to claim 49, wherein media output from said output port are selected from the group consisting of:

audio, video, data and combinations thereof.

54. The player unit according to claim 49, wherein said analog versions are stored on said storage unit.

55. The player unit according to claim 49, further comprising:

a decryptor for decrypting said downloaded digital media files.

56. The player unit according to claim 55, wherein said decryptor employs at least two decryption keys.

57. The player unit according to claim 56, wherein one of said decryption keys corresponds to the user of said player unit and the other said decryption key corresponds to the player unit.

58. The player unit according to claim 49, further comprising:

a connector, said connector connecting said player unit to a content provider.

59. The player unit according to claim 58, wherein said connector is selected from the group consisting of:

the Internet, Ethernet, a modem, a wireless transceiver, docketing station, computer and television.

60. The player unit according to claim 49, wherein said player unit is selected from the group consisting of:

a portable player unit, a desktop player unit, and a car player unit.