PROVIDING CONTENT USING HYBRID MEDIA DISTRIBUTION SCHEME WITH ENHANCED SECURITY

• US 20080115229A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mallinson, Dominic Saul
• Granted Patent: US 8,739,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1083 Partial license transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/065 Encryption by serially and continuously modifying data stream elements, e.g. stream cipher systems, RC4, SEAL or A5/3

Abstract

A method for use in providing content that is made up of data includes providing a first portion of the data making up the content to a user, and making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data making up the content to a device having the first portion of the data. The second portion of the data includes essential information for reconstructing the content from the first portion of the data. Also disclosed are a storage medium storing a computer program for causing a processor based system to assist with providing content, and a system for use in providing content.

Claims

1. A method for use in providing content that is made up of data, comprising:

providing a first portion of the data making up the content to a user; and

making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data making up the content to a device having the first portion of the data;

wherein the second portion of the data includes essential information for reconstructing the content from the first portion of the data.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first portion of the data is provided to the user on a physical storage medium.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first portion of the data is provided to the user by downloading.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first portion of the data is provided to the user via a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing scheme.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data further comprises making such stream available pursuant to a rental arrangement.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the rental arrangement specifies the limited amount of time.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data further comprises making such stream available pursuant to a purchase arrangement.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first portion of the data includes an identification (ID).

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step of making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data further comprises making only one such stream available at a time for a given ID.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an identification (ID) for the first portion of the data; and

using the ID to determine whether streaming the second portion of the data is authorized.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an identification (ID) for the device; and

using the ID to determine whether streaming the second portion of the data is authorized.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an identification (ID) for the user; and

using the ID to determine whether streaming the second portion of the data is authorized.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first portion of the data is given to the user for free.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

presenting an offer to the user for receiving the streamed second portion of the data.

15. A storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor based system, the computer program causing the processor based system to assist with providing content that is made up of data by executing steps comprising:

receiving from a device having a first portion of the data making up the content an indication that the device is attempting to play the content; and

making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data making up the content to the device;

wherein the second portion of the data includes essential information for reconstructing the content from the first portion of the data.

16. A storage medium in accordance with claim 15, wherein the step of making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data further comprises making such stream available pursuant to a rental arrangement.

17. A storage medium in accordance with claim 16, wherein the rental arrangement specifies the limited amount of time.

18. A storage medium in accordance with claim 15, further comprising determining whether streaming the second portion of the data to the device is authorized.

19. A storage medium in accordance with claim 15, further comprising receiving an identification (ID) for the first portion of the data.

20. A storage medium in accordance with claim 19, wherein the step of making available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data further comprises making only one such stream available at a time for a given ID.

21. A storage medium in accordance with claim 15, further comprising receiving an identification (ID) for the device.

22. A storage medium in accordance with claim 15, further comprising receiving an identification (ID) for the user.

23. A storage medium in accordance with claim 15, further comprising sending information to the device for presenting an offer to a user for receiving the streamed second portion of the data.

24. A system for use in providing content that is made up of data, comprising:

means for providing a first portion of the data making up the content to a user; and

a processor based system configured to make available for a limited amount of time an ability to stream a second portion of the data making up the content to a device having the first portion of the data;

wherein the second portion of the data includes essential information for reconstructing the content from the first portion of the data.

25. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the means for providing a first portion of the data comprises a system for providing to the user one or more physical storage mediums that include the first portion of the data.

26. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the means for providing a first portion of the data comprises a system for allowing the user to download the first portion of the data.

27. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the means for providing a first portion of the data comprises a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing scheme.

28. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the processor based system is further configured to make available the ability to stream a second portion of the data pursuant to a rental arrangement.

29. A system in accordance with claim 28, wherein the rental arrangement specifies the limited amount of time.

30. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the processor based system is further configured to make available the ability to stream a second portion of the data pursuant to a purchase arrangement.

31. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the first portion of the data includes an identification (ID).

32. A system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the processor based system is further configured to make available only one stream of the second portion of the data at a time for a given ID.

33. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the processor based system is further configured to receive an identification (ID) for the first portion of the data and to use the ID to determine whether streaming the second portion of the data is authorized.

34. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the processor based system is further configured to receive an identification (ID) for the device and to use the ID to determine whether streaming the second portion of the data is authorized.

35. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the processor based system is further configured to receive an identification (ID) for the user and to use the ID to determine whether streaming the second portion of the data is authorized.

36. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the processor based system is further configured to present an offer to the user for receiving the streamed second portion of the data.