ON-LINE CONTENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of distributing media content comprising:
- providing an account database associating users with account data;
providing a content database storing a plurality of media files;
receiving a download request from a user for a media file stored in the content database wherein said download request includes data identifying a media file stored in the content database and status data indicative of either a first status or a second status;
updating the account data associated with a user making the request on the basis of the status information included in the request;
transmitting data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to a user;
inhibiting the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said first status; and
permitting utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said second status.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An on-line content distribution system comprises a number of user terminals operable to enable a user to generate a request for a media file and associate the request with status data indicative of either a first status or a second status. An account database responds to receipt of a request from a user terminal to update account data, based on status data associated with the request. A content database stores media files and is configured to transmit data corresponding to the media file identified in a request by a user. The transmitted data may be formatted to inhibit the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database. If the download request includes certain status data, it may permit utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database.
17 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of distributing media content comprising:
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providing an account database associating users with account data; providing a content database storing a plurality of media files; receiving a download request from a user for a media file stored in the content database wherein said download request includes data identifying a media file stored in the content database and status data indicative of either a first status or a second status; updating the account data associated with a user making the request on the basis of the status information included in the request; transmitting data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to a user; inhibiting the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said first status; and permitting utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said second status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19)
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14. A method of distributing media content comprising:
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providing an account database associating users with account data; providing a content database storing a plurality of media files; receiving a play list from a first user, identifying a second user and one or more media files stored in the content database wherein each of said one or more media files is identified with status data indicative of either a first status or a second status; updating account data associated with the first user on the basis of the status data associated with media files in the playlist; transmitting data identifying the one or more media files in the play list to the second user; responding to a down load request from the second user for a media file included in the play list by; transmitting data corresponding to the media file identified in the request; inhibiting the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if a media file is associated with status data indicative of said first status; and permitting utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if a media file is associated with status data indicative of said second status.
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15. An on-line method of distributing media content comprising:
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providing an account database associating users with account data; providing a content database storing a plurality of media files; receiving a download request from a user for a media file stored in the content database; updating the account data associated with a user; transmitting data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to a user; and inhibiting the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database.
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16. A computer network comprising:
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a user terminal operable to enable a user to generate a request for a media file and associate the request with status data indicative of either a first status or a second status; an account database associating users with account data and responsive to receipt of a request from a user terminal to update account data associated with a user making the request on the basis of the status data associated with the request; a content database storing a plurality of media files; and a communications system operable to transmit data between said user terminal; said account database and said content database, wherein the content database is responsive to receipt of a request from a user terminal and the updating of the account database to transmit data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to a user, the data transmitted being such to inhibit the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if a download request includes status data indicative of said first status; and
permit utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said second status. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer network comprising:
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a user terminal operable to enable a user to generate a request for a media file; an account database associating users with account data and responsive to receipt of a request from a user terminal to update account data associated with a user making the request; a content database storing a plurality of media files; and a communications system operable to transmit data between said user terminal;
said account database and said content database, wherein the content database is responsive to receipt of a request from a user terminal and the updating of the account database to transmit data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to a user, the data transmitted being such to inhibit the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database.
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25. A computer system comprising:
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a control module operable to receive a request for a media file from a user, said request being associated with either a first status or a second status; an account database associating users with account data, responsive to receipt of a request for a media file from a user to update account data associated with the user making the request on the basis of the status data associated with the request; and a content database storing a plurality of media files;
wherein the content database is responsive to receipt of a request for a media file and the updating of the account database to cause data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to be transmitted to a user, the data transmitted being such to inhibit the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if a download request includes status data indicative of said first status; and
permit utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said second status. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer interpretable instructions which when interpreted by a programmable computer cause the computer to become configured as:
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a control module operable to receive a request for a media file from a user, said request being associated with either a first status or a second status; an account database associating users with account data, responsive to receipt of a request for a media file from a user to update account data associated with the user making the request on the basis of the status data associated with the request; and a content database storing a plurality of media files;
wherein the content database is responsive to receipt of a request for a media file and the updating of the account database to cause data corresponding to the media file identified in the received request to be transmitted to a user, the data transmitted being such to inhibit the utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if a download request includes status data indicative of said first status; and
permit utilization of the transmitted media file more than a predetermined number of times without updating the account database if the download request includes status data indicative of said second status. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification