MANAGING ACCESS TO DIGITAL CONTENT ITEMS
First Claim
1. A method for managing access to digital content items, the method comprising:
- storing first ownership data that indicates that a first user is authorized to access a digital content item;
storing transfer restriction data that indicates one or more conditions that must be satisfied before ownership of the digital content item can be transferred from the first user;
receiving, at a particular entity, transfer request data that indicates a request for authorized access to the digital content item to be transferred from the first user to a second user that is different than the first user, wherein the second user is not authorized to access the digital content item prior to the particular entity granting the request;
in response to receiving the transfer request data, the particular entity determining whether the one or more conditions are satisfied;
in response to determining that the one or more conditions are satisfied, storing second ownership data that (a) authorizes the second user to access the digital content item and (b) revokes authorization of the first user to access the digital content item; and
based on the second ownership data, the particular entity preventing the first user from further accessing the digital content item;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are provided for managing access to a digital content item (such as an ebook, music, movie, software application) to be transferred from one user to another. The transferor is prevented from accessing the digital content item after the transfer occurs. The entity that sold the digital content item to the transferor enforces the access rights to the digital content item by storing data that establishes which user currently has access to the digital content item. After the change in access rights, only the transferee is allowed access to the digital content item. As part of the change in access rights, the transferee may pay to obtain access to the digital content item. A portion of the proceeds of the “resale” may be paid to the creator or publisher of the digital content item and/or the entity that originally sold the digital content item to the original owner.
100 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for managing access to digital content items, the method comprising:
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storing first ownership data that indicates that a first user is authorized to access a digital content item; storing transfer restriction data that indicates one or more conditions that must be satisfied before ownership of the digital content item can be transferred from the first user; receiving, at a particular entity, transfer request data that indicates a request for authorized access to the digital content item to be transferred from the first user to a second user that is different than the first user, wherein the second user is not authorized to access the digital content item prior to the particular entity granting the request; in response to receiving the transfer request data, the particular entity determining whether the one or more conditions are satisfied; in response to determining that the one or more conditions are satisfied, storing second ownership data that (a) authorizes the second user to access the digital content item and (b) revokes authorization of the first user to access the digital content item; and based on the second ownership data, the particular entity preventing the first user from further accessing the digital content item; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27)
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19. A method for managing access to digital content items, the method comprising:
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storing transfer restriction data that indicates one or more conditions that must be satisfied before a first user is allowed to transfer ownership of a digital content item; receiving, at a device used by the first user to consume the digital content item, first input that indicates a request for authorized access to the digital content item to be transferred from the first user to a second user that is different than the first user, wherein the second user is not authorized to access the digital content item prior to the device receiving the first input; in response to receiving the first input, the device determining whether one or more conditions are satisfied; wherein the one or more conditions are conditions, specified in the transfer restriction data, that govern transfer of the digital content item; in response to determining that the one or more conditions are satisfied, storing ownership data that (a) indicates that authorized access to the digital content item has been transferred to the second user, and (b) revokes authorization of the first user to access the digital content item; and based on the ownership data, the device preventing the first user from using the first device to consume the digital content item; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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20. A method comprising:
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storing, at a particular entity, first data that authorizes a first user to access a digital content item; receiving, at the particular entity, second data that indicates a request for authorized access to the digital content item to be transferred from the first user to a second user that is different than the first user, wherein the second user is not authorized to access the digital content item prior to the particular entity granting the request; in response to receiving the second data, the particular entity storing third data that authorizes the second user to access the digital content item; after storing the third data, the particular entity tracking how much time has elapsed since the second user was authorized to access the digital content item; in response to the particular entity determining that the amount of elapsed time exceeds a particular threshold, the particular entity storing fourth data that revokes authorization of the second user to access the digital content item; and based on the fourth data, the particular entity preventing the second user from further accessing the digital content item; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (21, 29)
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22. A method comprising:
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storing, at the particular entity, first data that authorizes a first user to access a digital content item; receiving, at the particular entity, second data that indicates a request for authorized access to a first portion of the digital content item to be transferred from the first user to a second user that is different than the first user, wherein the second user is not authorized to access the first portion of the digital content item prior to the particular entity granting the request, wherein the portion is less than all of the digital content item; in response to receiving the second data, the particular entity storing third data that (a) authorizes the second user to access the first portion of the digital content item and (b) revokes authorization of the first user to access the first portion of the digital content item; after storing the third data, the particular entity allowing the first user to access a second portion of the digital content item, wherein the second portion is different than the first portion; and based on the third data, the particular entity preventing the first user from further accessing the first portion of the digital content item; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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23. A method comprising:
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storing ownership data that indicates whether a current owner of a digital content item is the initial purchaser of the digital content item; based on the ownership data, performing at least one of; displaying a visual representation of the digital item whose appearance is based, at least in part, on whether the current owner is the initial purchaser of the digital content item;
orcausing the digital content item to sound audibly different based, at least in part, on whether the current owner is the initial purchaser of the digital item; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 31)
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Specification