SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING THE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRONIC CONTENT
First Claim
1. A method of distributing a first original electronic work from a sender'"'"'s site to a receiver'"'"'s site, the first original electronic work having a securely and persistently associated first electronic attribute indicating that it is an original, the method comprising:
- establishing communication, by the sender'"'"'s site, between the sender'"'"'s site and the receiver'"'"'s site;
sending, from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site, first authentication information certifying at least one aspect of the sender'"'"'s site;
receiving, at the senders'"'"' site from the receiver'"'"'s site, second authentication information certifying at least one aspect of the receiver'"'"'s site;
creating, by the sender'"'"'s site, a first copy of the first original electronic work and securely and persistently associating with the first copy a second electronic attribute indicating that it is a copy;
transmitting, from the sender'"'"'s site, the first copy to the receiver'"'"'s site;
receiving, at the sender'"'"'s site from the receiver'"'"'s site, a first acknowledgement indicating receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site, and, responsive thereto, changing the first electronic attribute to indicate that it is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; and
sending, from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site, an authorization authorizing the receiver'"'"'s site to change the second electronic attribute to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work,wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the second electronic attribute associated with the first copy of the electronic work is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for transferring electronic information from one location to another such that only one original work exists at a given time. The methods and systems of the present invention allow distribution of originals without requiring a registration authority or other entity to vouch for what constitutes an “original” piece of information, thus reducing (or eliminating entirely) the need to centrally record changes in ownership each time originals change hands.
81 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of distributing a first original electronic work from a sender'"'"'s site to a receiver'"'"'s site, the first original electronic work having a securely and persistently associated first electronic attribute indicating that it is an original, the method comprising:
-
establishing communication, by the sender'"'"'s site, between the sender'"'"'s site and the receiver'"'"'s site; sending, from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site, first authentication information certifying at least one aspect of the sender'"'"'s site; receiving, at the senders'"'"' site from the receiver'"'"'s site, second authentication information certifying at least one aspect of the receiver'"'"'s site; creating, by the sender'"'"'s site, a first copy of the first original electronic work and securely and persistently associating with the first copy a second electronic attribute indicating that it is a copy; transmitting, from the sender'"'"'s site, the first copy to the receiver'"'"'s site; receiving, at the sender'"'"'s site from the receiver'"'"'s site, a first acknowledgement indicating receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site, and, responsive thereto, changing the first electronic attribute to indicate that it is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; and sending, from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site, an authorization authorizing the receiver'"'"'s site to change the second electronic attribute to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the second electronic attribute associated with the first copy of the electronic work is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a sender'"'"'s site, are configured to cause the processor to perform a method for sending an original electronic work from the sender'"'"'s site to a receiver'"'"'s site, the method including:
-
establishing communication with the receiver'"'"'s site; exchanging authentication information with the receiver'"'"'s site; generating a first copy of a first original electronic work, and securely and persistently associating a first electronic attribute with the first copy indicating that it is a copy; sending the first copy to the receiver'"'"'s site; receiving a first acknowledgement from the receiver'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement indicating the receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site, and, responsive thereto, changing a second electronic attribute associated with the first original electronic work to indicate that it is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; sending, by the sender'"'"'s site, an authorization to the receiver'"'"'s site authorizing and directing the receiver'"'"'s site to securely change the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a receiver'"'"'s site, are configured to cause the processor to perform a method for receiving an original electronic work from a sender'"'"'s site, the method including:
-
establishing communication with the sender'"'"'s site; exchanging authentication information with the sender'"'"'s site; receiving a first copy of a first original electronic work from the sender'"'"'s site, the first copy having a first electronic attribute securely and persistently associated with it indicating it is an copy, the first original electronic work being located at the sender'"'"'s site; sending a first acknowledgement to the sender'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement indicating the receipt of the first copy and directing the sender'"'"'s site to change second electronic attribute securely and persistently associated with the first original electronic work to indicate that is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; receiving, at the receiver'"'"'s site, authorization from the sender'"'"'s site authorizing that the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy be changed to indicate that it is an original; and securely changing the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification