MICRO-LICENSING OF COMPOSITE CONTENT

• US 20090210333A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Lili, Multerer, Boyd C., Porter, Erik, Booth, Ernest A., Titus, Tobin R.
• Application Number:
  US12/031,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210333A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for compensating multiple contributing participants in a virtual world. A license associated with a composite content item is received upon a sale, rental, or lease of the composite content item to a purchasing participant in the virtual world. At least a first contributing participant and a second contributing participant are identified in a participant list within the license. Compensation is provided to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list.

Claims

1. A method for compensating multiple contributing participants in a virtual world, the method comprising:

receiving a license associated with a composite content item upon a sale, rental, or lease of the composite content item to a purchasing participant in the virtual world;

identifying at least a first contributing participant and a second contributing participant in a participant list within the license; and

providing compensation to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying an allocation guideline within the license;

and

wherein providing compensation to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list comprises;

providing compensation to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list and the allocation guideline.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the allocation guideline identifies a first value associated with the first contributing participant and a second value associated with the second contributing participant;

and

wherein providing compensation to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list and the allocation guideline comprises;

providing a first amount of compensation to the first contributing participant in accordance with the first value; and

providing a second amount of compensation to the second contributing participant in accordance with the second value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first value and the second value comprises one of a percentage or a predetermined amount.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises source code written in a markup language.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises source code written in a high-level programming language.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the license comprises machine-readable object code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite content item comprises a first portion generated by the first contributing participant and a second portion generated by the second contributing participant.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite content item comprises a first portion maintained by the first contributing participant and a second portion maintained by the second contributing participant.

10. A method for compensating multiple contributing participants in a virtual world, the method comprising:

receiving a micro-licensing portion of a license associated with a composite content item upon a sale, rental, or lease of the composite content item to a purchasing participant in the virtual world, the micro-licensing portion comprising a participant list and an allocation guideline;

identifying at least a first contributing participant and a second contributing participant in the participant list;

identifying an allocation guideline for the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant; and

providing compensation to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list and the allocation guideline.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the allocation guideline identifies a first value associated with the first contributing participant and a second value associated with the second contributing participant;

and

wherein providing compensation to the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list and the allocation guideline comprises;

providing a first amount of compensation to the first contributing participant in accordance with the first value; and

providing a second amount of compensation to the second contributing participant in accordance with the second value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first value and the second value comprises one of a percentage or a predetermined amount.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the micro-licensing language comprises source code written in a markup language.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the micro-licensing language comprises source code written in a high-level programming language.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the micro-licensing language comprises machine-readable object code.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the composite content item comprises a first portion generated by the first contributing participant and a second portion generated by the second contributing participant.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the composite content item comprises a first portion maintained by the first contributing participant and a second portion maintained by the second contributing participant.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

providing a composite content item for sale, rental, or lease, the composite content item comprises a first portion associated with a first contributing participant and a second portion associated with a second contributing participant;

upon the sale, rental, or lease of the composite content item to a purchasing participant of a virtual world, receiving a micro-licensing portion of a license associated with the composite content item, the micro-licensing portion comprising a participant list and an allocation guideline;

identifying at least a first contributing participant and a second contributing participant in the participant list;

identifying the allocation guideline for the first contributing participant and the second contributing participant, the allocation guideline specifying a first value associated with the first contributing participant and a second value associated with the second contributing participant;

providing a first amount of compensation to the first contributing participant in accordance with the participant list and the first value; and

providing a second amount of compensation to the second contributing participant in accordance with the participant list and the second value.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first portion is generated by the first contributing participant and the second portion is generated by the second contributing participant.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first portion is maintained by the first contributing participant and the second portion is maintained by the second contributing participant.