System and method for controlled viral distribution of digital content in a social network

• US 20080059992A1
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qurio Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Qurio Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Amidon, Christopher, Walsh, Richard, Issa, Alfredo, Stafford, Sid
• Granted Patent: US 7,992,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A controlled content distribution system (CCDS) employs a peer-level application into which a content producer can import digital content (e.g., video, audio, graphic, image, text, code files, etc.) The content producer identifies distribution parameters including an initial distribution list and a level limit representing the maximum number of levels, or degrees of separation for allowed distribution in a FOAF social network. Distribution parameters also include an alteration definition for one or more allowable levels in the network. Alteration definitions may identify a file degradation characteristic, file augmentation, or deletion parameter for altering the digital content from its original form. Alteration definitions often vary at each level. A distribution package is created by the CCDS and includes the digital content, a configuration data file, a key ID and a license key seed. The distribution package is processed at a FOAF license server before being sent to additional content recipients.

Claims

1. A method for distributing digital content among one or more levels within a dynamically created social network, comprising the following steps:

obtaining access to digital content provided by a content producer;

identifying one or more distribution parameters that establish limitations on how the digital content is to be distributed to one or more content recipients, wherein the distribution parameters include a level number (n) representative of the maximum number of separation levels allowed between the content producer and any content recipient, and also at least one alteration definition for one or more of the n allowable levels in the social network; and

creating a distribution package for subsequent relay across a network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating step is performed each time the digital content is passed from one allowable level to the next in the social network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more distribution parameters from said identifying step are received as input from the content producer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of saving a profile of selected distribution parameters identified by the content producer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating step comprises preparing a configuration data file identifying the distribution parameters per level selected by the content producer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuration data file is prepared using a rights expression language (REL) format.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said creating step further comprises generating a unique key ID for identifying the distribution package and digital content therein.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said creating step further comprises encrypting the digital content using a license key seed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the distribution package includes the encrypted digital content, the configuration data file, the key ID and license key seed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selected alteration definitions identify a degradation characteristic for applying to the digital content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said degradation characteristic comprises number of frames per second, file resolution, file size, file length, color, or bit rate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein selected alteration definitions identify an augmentation file for incorporating into and altering the digital content.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the augmentation file comprises a visible watermark, an invisible watermark, an advertisement, a portion of text, or an additional video or audio segment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises one or more of a video, audio, photo, text or graphic file.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution parameters further comprise an initial distribution list of content recipients.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution parameters further comprise a maximum number of content recipients.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the maximum number is number of total content recipients.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the maximum number is defined per level.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of sending the distribution package to content recipients.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said sending step comprises:

inviting one or more content recipients as designated in an initial distribution list to view the digital content;

verifying authenticity of each content recipient who subsequently requests access to the digital content; and

initiating playback of an altered form of the digital content as defined by the alteration definition for the given level.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of sending notification to the content producer each time a content recipient views a form of the digital content.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of sending notification to the content producer each time a content recipient further distributes a form of the digital content.

23. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium embodying program instructions for directing a computing device to:

import digital content for controlled distribution from a content producer to one or more levels of content recipients within a dynamically created social network;

receive input from the content producer, wherein the input corresponds to one or more distribution parameters that establish limitations on how the digital content is to be distributed to one or more content recipients, wherein the distribution parameters include a level number (n) representative of the maximum number of separation levels allowed between the content producer and any content recipient, and also at least one alteration definition for one or more of the n allowable levels in the social network; and

create a distribution package for subsequent relay across a network.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to save a profile of selected distribution parameters identified by the content producer.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to prepare a configuration data file using a rights expression language (REL) to identify the distribution parameters per level identified by the content producer.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to generate a unique key ID for identifying the distribution package and digital content therein.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to encrypt the digital content using a license key seed.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to send notification to the content producer each time a content recipient views or further distributes a form of the digital content.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to track viewing and usage of the digital content as it propagates through a network.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for directing a computing device to interface with a media playback device for viewing an altered form of the digital content.