MULTILEVEL DISTRIBUTION OF DIGITAL CONTENT

• US 20080195546A1
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lilley, Andrea
• Application Number:
  US11/673,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195546A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• 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: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for earning award points for distributing electronic digital content between electronic equipment. Digital content (protected and un-protected) is stored on a remote distribution server for transmission to receiving electronic equipment (e.g., portable communications devices including mobile telephones, computers, etc.). The digital content generally includes a header having one or more digital rights management fields for allowing access to the digital content based upon a content provider'"'"'s preferences. Prior to the operator of the receiving electronic equipment distributing the digital content to one or more other electronic equipment, a unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment is inserted in one or more of the digital rights management fields of the digital content. The digital content is then distributed containing the unique identifier. An identification associated with the digital content and the unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment is transmitted to a provider upon distribution of the license for maintaining at least an awards program based on distribution of the digital content.

Claims

1. A method for earning an award for distributing electronic content between electronic equipment, the method comprising:

receiving digital content from an associated electronic source by a receiving electronic equipment, wherein the digital content includes a header having one or more digital rights management fields;

inserting a unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment in one or more of the digital rights management fields of the digital content;

distributing the digital content containing the unique identifier to one or more electronic equipment;

transmitting an identification associated with the digital content and the unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment to a provider upon distribution of the digital content, wherein the provider maintains a record of a number of times the digital content was distributed and the unique identifier associated with distributing the digital content for an awards program based at least in part on distribution of the digital content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a music file, an image file, a video file, an electronic book file, an electronic video game, a ring tone file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is an advertisement for a product and/or a service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is a voucher.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving electronic equipment is a mobile telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management fields includes a tag level and lock field in the header of the digital content to prevent further distribution of the digital content after the digital content has been forwarded a predetermined number of times and/or to prevent the user acquiring additional licenses for the media.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital rights management fields includes a tag level and delete field in the header of the digital content to delete the digital content after the digital content has been forwarded a predetermined number of times and/or exceeded an expiration date.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein award points are accumulated for selection of an award.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the award is selected from the group consisting of reduced wireless telephony service fees or reduced cost for digital content downloads.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein digital content distributed by the receiving electronic equipment and later purchased by a second receiving electronic equipment earns more awards points for the receiving electronic equipment than digital content distributed by the receiving electronic equipment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the header of the digital content includes a plurality of unique identifiers associated with electronic equipment that distributed the digital content.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the electronic equipment identified in the header earn reward points based at least on distribution of the digital content.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of unique identifiers accumulates award points based on location of the unique identifier in the header of the digital content.

14. A system for earning an award for distributing electronic content between electronic equipment, the system comprising:

a server for storing digital content, wherein the digital content includes a header having one or more digital rights management fields;

a plurality of electronic equipment for receiving digital content from the server, wherein at least of the plurality of electronic equipment is capable of inserting a unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment in one or more of the digital rights management fields of the digital content; and

a provider server communicatively coupled to the server and at least one of the electronic equipment for maintaining a record of a number of times the digital content was distributed and the unique identifier associated with distributing the digital content for an awards program based at least in part on distribution of the digital content.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital rights management fields includes a tag level and lock field in the header of the digital content to prevent further distribution of the digital content after the digital content has been forwarded a predetermined number of times.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital rights management fields includes a tag level and delete field in the header of the digital content to delete the digital content after the digital content has been forwarded a predetermined number of times.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein award points are accumulated for selection of an award.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the header of the digital content includes a plurality of unique identifiers associated with electronic equipment that distributed the digital content.

19. A method for earning an award for distributing electronic content between electronic equipment, the method comprising:

receiving digital content from an associated electronic source by a receiving electronic equipment, wherein the digital content includes a header having one or more digital rights management fields;

appending a unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment in one or more of the digital rights management fields of the digital content;

distributing the digital content containing the unique identifier to one or more electronic equipment;

transmitting an identification associated with the digital content and the unique identifier associated with the receiving electronic equipment to a provider upon distribution of the digital content, wherein the provider maintains a record of a number of times the digital content was distributed and the unique identifier associated with distributing the digital content for an awards program based at least in part on distribution of the digital content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the digital rights management fields includes a tag level and lock field in the header of the digital content to prevent further distribution of the digital content after the digital content has been forwarded a predetermined number of times.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the digital rights management fields includes a tag level and lock field in the header of the digital content to delete the digital content after the digital content has been forwarded a predetermined number of times.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the awards program includes awarding a predetermined amount of award points for distribution of digital content, wherein award points are accumulated for selection of an award.