Content Distribution System

• US 20080216106A1
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Ian Shaw Burnett
• Original Assignee: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Ian Shaw Burnett
• Inventors: Maxwell, Ian Andrew, Burnett, Ian Shaw
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation

Abstract

A content distribution system, including: a registration module for receiving registration data for a digital item accessible, on a communications network such as a peer to peer (P2P) network, using a digital item client, such as a P2P client, on a first device; an activity module for receiving a request for content of the digital item from the client on a second device; and a transaction module for registering download of the content to the second device, for processing payment transactions with the second device, and for processing remuneration transactions with at least the first device. The system also has a search module for receiving queries for digital items and ranking results based on a user selected ranking criteria including at least one of: review of said digital items; use of said digital items; and purchase of said digital items. The digital item and a declaration for the item may comply with MPEG-21.

Claims

1. A content distribution system, including:

a registration module for receiving registration data for a digital item accessible, on a communications network, using a digital item client on a first device;

an activity module for receiving a request for content of said digital item from said client on a second device; and

a transaction module for registering download of said content to said second device, for processing payment transactions with said second device, and for processing remuneration transactions with at least said first device.

2. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital item is accessible on a P2P network.

3. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital item client is a P2P client.

4. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital item references said content for access by said second device without payment, such as by streaming.

5. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital item includes by reference said content for download and other content accessible by said second device without payment.

6. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said remuneration transactions include storing credit data for a user of said first device.

7. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said credit data represents credits that can be used for payment of requested content.

8. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least said digital item client on said first device includes a creator module for authoring digital items, said creator module generating interfaces for:

(i) adding and editing of content for a digital item;

(ii) editing and establishing a digital item declaration for said digital item; and

(iii) adding buy data for said digital item by including resources or metadata in said digital item declaration.

9. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said digital item and digital item declaration complies with MPEG-21.

10. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, including a search module for generating a search interface to a search engine for processing search queries in relation to content on said network, and providing responses with references to digital items.

11. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said responses are ranked based on a ranking criteria selected by a user of said search interface, and the ranking criteria includes at least one of:

(i) reviews for a digital item;

(ii) reviews for an author of a digital item;

(iii) level of access of a digital item; and

(iv) level of purchase of a digital item.

12. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital item includes buy data used to generate a buy button for said content, which on selection by a user on said second device, generates said request.

13. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said content is downloaded from a location referenced, directly or indirectly, by said digital item.

14. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital item references an unauthorised copy of said content and includes buy data for an authorised copy of said content.

15. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said remuneration transactions include storing said credit data representing a percentage of remuneration for said user of said first device, and storing credit data representing a percentage of said remuneration for a publisher or creator of said content.

16. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said digital item references said content available on a site of an affiliate, and said remuneration transactions include storing said credit data representing a payment from said affiliate.

17. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said payment transactions include obtaining payment from the user of said second device for said remuneration.

18. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said digital item client is adapted to place a number of digital items on said P2P network, and said digital items include or reference one or more content elements, such as audio, video, images, text or graphic elements, and the content elements are public domain, unauthorised, or authorised elements.

19. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said client is adapted to present advertising information based on advertising data served to said client, said advertising data being based on demographic data stored by said system for a user of said client.

21. A content distribution process as claimed in claim 19, including acceptance of registration data when a user of said first device has contributed content, metadata or a digital item declaration for said digital item.

20. A content distribution process, including:

receiving registration data for a digital item accessible, on a communications network, using a digital item client on a first device;

receiving a request for content of said digital item from said client on a second device;

registering download of said content to said second device;

processing payment transactions with said second device; and

processing remuneration transactions with at least said first device.

22. A content distribution system including a search module for receiving queries for digital items and ranking results based on a user selected ranking criteria including at least one of:

(i) review of said digital items;

(ii) use of said digital items; and

(iii) purchase of said digital items.

23. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said results are ranked based on a weighted combination of said criteria, and the weight applied to each selected criteria is selected by said user.

24. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 22, including a browse interface for filtering links to digital items based on genre.

25. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 22, including an access interface for accessing referenced content of a digital item, said interface including:

(i) play buttons for playing respective content of said digital item; and

(ii) buy buttons for submitting requests to purchase respective content of said digital item.

26. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 25, said access interface including a ranking tool for submitting a review ranking level for said digital item.

27. A P2P client including a search interface for submitting queries for digital items and selecting a result ranking criteria based on at least one of:

(i) review of said digital items;

(ii) use of said digital items; and

(iv) purchase of said digital items.

28. A P2P client as claimed in claim 27, including a browse interface for filtering links to digital items based on genre.

29. A P2P client as claimed in claim 27, including an access interface for accessing referenced content of a digital item, said interface including:

(i) play buttons for playing respective content of said digital item; and

(ii) buy buttons for submitting requests to purchase respective content of said digital item.

30. A P2P client as claimed in claim 29, said access interface including a ranking tool for submitting a review ranking level for said digital item.

32. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 29, including a first one of said client on another device for creating and providing access to the digital item on said network, and a second one of said client for accessing and downloading said content.

31. A content distribution system, including:

means for referencing a digital item accessible, over a communications network, using a digital item client on a device, wherein complete content of said digital item is accessible, without payment using said client; and

means for processing payment transactions with said client to enable said client to download said content to said device.

33. A content distribution system including a search module for receiving queries for digital items, obtaining results ranked based on different search criteria, and returning said results to a device of a user based on a weighted combination of said criteria.

34. A content distribution system as claimed in claim 33, wherein the weighting applied to said criteria of said combination is selected by said user.