Electronic Content Distribution and Exchange System

• US 20110047601A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M.
• Application Number:
  US12/916,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 : Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An electronic content distribution and exchange system provides authenticated, reliable content downloads and tracking capabilities. Content is distributed to users through the invention'"'"'s architecture. A user registers for the purchase of content through an interface on a client system or via a Web site. The purchase is for a license to the content, not for the content itself. A list of available content is displayed to the user through the client system or the Web site. The invention'"'"'s central servers log the purchase of the content into a license database. The user accesses content through the client system'"'"'s user interface where the user plays the content and controls its playback.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a particular device for an electronic content;

identifying a registered owner of the particular device;

determining whether the registered owner, of the particular device, is also a registered owner of a license for the electronic content;

in response to determining that the registered owner, of the particular device, is also the registered owner of the license for the electronic content, making the electronic content available for download by the particular device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

registering a user as the registered owner of the particular device and as the registered owner of a second device;

sending the particular device authentication information for the second device;

responsive to authenticating the second device by the particular device, sending the electronic content from the particular device to the second device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the electronic content to the particular device by a server.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein sending the electronic content to the particular device is performed by a second device, and wherein the registered owner of the particular device is also a registered owner of the second device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

registering a user as the owner of the particular device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

registering a user as the owner of the license for the electronic content.

7. An apparatus comprising one or more devices and configured to perform steps comprising:

receiving a request from a particular device for an electronic content;

identifying a registered owner of the particular device;

determining whether the registered owner, of the particular device, is also a registered owner of a license for the electronic content;

in response to determining that the registered owner, of the particular device, is also the registered owner of the license for the electronic content, making the electronic content available for download by the particular device.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further configured to perform:

registering a user as the registered owner of the particular device and as the registered owner of a second device;

sending the particular device authentication information for the second device;

responsive to authenticating the second device by the particular device, sending the electronic content from the particular device to the second device.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further configured to perform sending the electronic content to the particular device by a server.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein sending the electronic content to the particular device is performed by a second device, and wherein the registered owner of the particular device is also a registered owner of the second device.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further configured to perform:

registering a user as the owner of the particular device.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further configured to perform:

registering a user as the owner of the license for the electronic content.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which when executed by one or more processors, cause steps comprising:

receiving a request from a particular device for an electronic content;

identifying a registered owner of the particular device;

determining whether the registered owner, of the particular device, is also a registered owner of a license for the electronic content;

in response to determining that the registered owner, of the particular device, is also the registered owner of the license for the electronic content, making the electronic content available for download by the particular device.

14. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the steps further comprising:

registering a user as the registered owner of the particular device and as the registered owner of a second device;

sending the particular device authentication information for the second device;

responsive to authenticating the second device by the particular device, sending the electronic content from the particular device to the second device.

15. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is further configured to perform sending the electronic content to the particular device by a server.

16. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein sending the electronic content to the particular device is performed by a second device, and wherein the registered owner of the particular device is also a registered owner of the second device.

17. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the steps further comprising:

registering a user as the owner of the particular device.

18. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the steps further comprising:

registering a user as the owner of the license for the electronic content.