Method and system for ensuring royalty payments for data delivered over a network
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method of delivering data over a communication network, comprising the steps of:
- generating a partially-degraded version of the data by altering a portion of the data to reduce its perceived quality when utilized;
providing the partially-degraded version of the data over the network to a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; and
providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, wherein the step of providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network includes transmitting remaining data to the customer such that the remaining data and the partially-degraded version of the data together provide the higher quality version of the data.
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Abstract
A method and system for delivering data over a communication network which ensures proper payment of royalties while preserving free access to data for purposes such as browsing or research. An exemplary method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of providing a partially-degraded version of the data over the network, without payment of a royalty fee, to a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; and providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version. The determination as to whether the customer is so entitled may be made by, for example, determining if a royalty fee payment has been received. The partially-degraded version of the data is substantially recognizable when displayed, printed, played, run or otherwise utilized by the customer at the user terminal, and may be generated by, for example, deleting or encrypting a portion of the undegraded data. The higher quality version may be provided by transmitting the complete higher quality version, or transmitting remaining data such as the deleted portion or a decryption key, to the user terminal.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of delivering data over a communication network, comprising the steps of:
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generating a partially-degraded version of the data by altering a portion of the data to reduce its perceived quality when utilized; providing the partially-degraded version of the data over the network to a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; and providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, wherein the step of providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network includes transmitting remaining data to the customer such that the remaining data and the partially-degraded version of the data together provide the higher quality version of the data.
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2. A method of delivering data over a communication network, comprising the steps of:
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generating a partially-degraded version of the data by altering a portion of the data to reduce its perceived quality when utilized; providing the partially-degraded version of the data over the network to a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; and providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, wherein the step of providing a higher quality version of the data includes the steps of; providing the customer with an option to select from a plurality of increasingly higher quality versions of the data; and providing the selected higher quality version to the customer over the network upon payment of a royalty fee in an amount corresponding to the selected data quality.
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3. A method of delivering data over a communication network, comprising the steps of:
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generating a partially-degraded version of the data by altering a portion of the data to reduce its perceived quality when utilized; providing the partially-degraded version of the data over the network to a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; and providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, said method further including the steps of; receiving a request for the data from the customer at the user terminal; retrieving the requested data from an information database; partially degrading the data to produce the partially-degraded version; transmitting the partially-degraded version to the customer over the communication network; and determining whether the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version of the data. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for delivering data to a user terminal over a communication network, comprising:
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a provider database connected to the network and containing the data; a digital data processor connected to the provider database for processing a request for the data from a customer at the user terminal, such that a partially-degraded version of the data is generated by altering a portion of the data to reduce its perceived quality when utilized, and provided over the network to the customer, and a higher quality version of the data is provided to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, said system further including temporary storage in which remaining data is stored for a predetermined period of time after the partially-degraded version of the data is provided to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of delivering data over a communication network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for the data from a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; determining if the customer is entitled to receive a higher quality version of the data; generating a partially-degraded version of the data by altering a portion of the data; providing the partially-degraded version of the data to the customer if the customer is not entitled to receive the higher quality version of the data; and providing the higher quality version of the data to the customer if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, wherein the step of providing the higher quality version includes the steps of; retrieving remaining data from an information database; and transmitting the remaining data to the user terminal over the network. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of delivering data over a communication network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for the data from a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; determining if the customer is entitled to receive a higher quality version of the data; generating a partially-degraded version of the data by altering a portion of the data; providing the partially-degraded version of the data to the customer if the customer is not entitled to receive the higher quality version of the data; and providing the higher quality version of the data to the customer if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version, wherein the step of providing the higher quality version includes the steps of; retrieving the higher quality version from an information database; and transmitting the higher quality version to the user terminal over the network.
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Specification