Digital Media Asset Conversion System and Method

• US 20080215633A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Content Technologies LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Lambert, Edward M., Dunkeld, Bryan C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for identifying and converting digital media assets within a system through the use of identification data. A client device is examined to detect media assets lacking such identification data; the identification data is then applied to each detected asset with data specific to the customer and digital media asset. To facilitate transfers and ease of use the digital media assets can be made DRM-free.

Claims

1. A system for distributing digital media assets across a network to customers comprising:

a digital media asset management server coupled to the network for servicing transfers to customers, said digital media asset management server including;

(a) a first software routine adapted to transfer a first digital media asset over the network for a first customer to a first client device and to generate a transaction record associated with said transfer;

wherein said first digital media asset is configured by said first software routine to include identification data for such asset and said first customer on said first client device, including at least a customer identification and an asset identification;

(b) a second software routine adapted to detect one or more second digital media assets stored on said first client device which do not have identification data for said first customer;

said second software routine being further adapted to convert said one or more second digital media assets by adding a customer identification and an asset identification information for the first customer to each of said one or more second digital media assets.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a third software routine adapted to secure an authorization for a transfer of said first digital media asset over the network to said customer and such that further authorizations are not required by said customer for any and all such transfers of said first digital media asset.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a third software routine adapted to secure an authorization for a transfer of said first digital media asset over the network to said customer and such that further authorizations are not required by said customer for any transfers of other digital media assets from said digital media asset management server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein without said identification data said one or more second digital media assets cannot be transferred by said first customer.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said single authorization permits said user to transfer a digital media asset to one or more separate client devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said digital management server configures each digital media asset on said client device to have a unique identification code based on said identification data for such asset.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a modification is made to said digital media asset for each transfer, said modification being used by said third management server for generating said tracking records.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein said modification does not alter user-perceptible content of said digital media asset.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said first digital media asset can be played on a second client device, including a hand held playback device that is not connected to said network.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said digital media asset server causes said second digital media assets to be transferred from a separate computing device coupled to said network, including a host server and/or a second client device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein each transfer of a digital media asset is associated with corresponding identification data embedded in a different location within said asset.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said identification data is coded to include a complete list of all transfers of any digital media asset.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said identification data is placed in a position in said digital media asset based on an offset provided by said second software routine.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said identification data is embedded within least significant bits of content of said digital media asset.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said digital media asset consists of at least two separate products which are combined in such asset, at least one product which is a playable media file.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product includes human readable content.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product is an advertisement.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product is content for a webpage.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product is instructions for a computer program.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product includes an electronic proxy representing a tangible good.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product includes an electronic proxy representing a right to use product.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product includes an electronic proxy representing a subscription product.

23. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product includes an electronic proxy representing a financial product.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one product includes an electronic proxy representing a service product.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein said second software routine is adapted to transfer different types of content in the form of digital media assets.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said digital media assets can include both audio and video files.

27. A system for distributing digital media assets across a network comprising:

(a) a client device adapted to store and play digital media assets;

wherein said digital media assets are machine readable music files;

(b) a digital media asset management server coupled to the network, said digital media asset management server including;

i) a first software routine adapted to track a transfer of a first digital media asset over the network to said client device and to generate a transaction record associated with said transfer;

wherein said first digital media asset is configured by said first software routine to include identification data for such asset, including at least a customer identification and an asset identification;

ii) a second software routine adapted to identify one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device;

wherein said one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device lack said identification data for such assets;

said second software routine being further adapted to convert said one or more second digital media assets by adding a customer identification and an asset identification information to each of said one or more second digital media assets.

28. A system for distributing digital media assets across a network comprising:

(a) a client device adapted to store and play digital media assets;

wherein said digital media assets are machine readable music files;

(b) a digital media asset management server coupled to the network, said digital media asset management server including;

i) a first software routine adapted to track a transfer of a first digital media asset over the network to said client device and to generate a transaction record associated with said transfer;

wherein said first digital media asset is configured by said first software routine to include identification data for such asset, including at least a customer identification and an asset identification;

said first digital media asset being further configured without watermarks or encryption to prevent playback on at least some other client devices;

ii) a second software routine adapted to identify one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device;

wherein said one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device lack said identification data for such assets;

said second software routine being further adapted to convert said one or more second digital media assets by adding a customer identification and an asset identification information to each of said one or more second digital media assets.

29. A method of distributing digital media assets across a network to customers comprising:

providing a digital media asset management server coupled to the network for servicing transfers to customers, said digital media asset management server including one or more software routines adapted to;

(a) transfer a first digital media asset over the network for a first customer to a first client device and to generate a transaction record associated with said transfer;

wherein said first digital media asset is configured to include identification data for such asset and said first customer on said first client device, including at least a customer identification and an asset identification;

(b) detect one or more second digital media assets stored on said first client device which do not have identification data for said first customer;

(c) convert said one or more second digital media assets by adding a customer identification and an asset identification information for the first customer to each of said one or more second digital media assets.

30. A method of distributing digital media assets across a network comprising:

(a) providing a client device adapted to store and play digital media assets;

wherein said digital media assets are machine readable music files;

(b) a providing a digital media asset management server coupled to the network for servicing transfers to customers, said digital media asset management server including one or more software routines adapted to;

i) track a transfer of a first digital media asset over the network to said client device and to generate a transaction record associated with said transfer;

wherein said first digital media asset is configured to include identification data for such asset, including at least a customer identification and an asset identification;

ii) identify one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device;

wherein said one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device lack said identification data for such assets;

iii) convert said one or more second digital media assets by adding a customer identification and an asset identification information to each of said one or more second digital media assets.

31. A method of distributing digital media assets across a network comprising:

(a) providing a client device adapted to store and play digital media assets;

wherein said digital media assets are machine readable music files;

(b) providing a digital media asset management server coupled to the network for servicing transfers to customers, said digital media asset management server including one or more software routines adapted to;

i) track a transfer of a first digital media asset over the network to said client device and to generate a transaction record associated with said transfer;

wherein said first digital media asset is configured to include identification data for such asset, including at least a customer identification and an asset identification;

said first digital media asset being further configured without watermarks or encryption to prevent playback on at least some other client devices;

ii) identify one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device;

wherein said one or more second digital media assets stored on said client device lack said identification data for such assets;

iii) convert said one or more second digital media assets by adding a customer identification and an asset identification information to each of said one or more second digital media assets.