Pay per record system and method

• US 6,460,076 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Thiru
• Primary Examiner(s): WILEY, DAVID ARMAND
• Application Number:
  US09/217,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/231, 709/329, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 711/218, 711/161, 711/154, 369/32, 369/47
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC

Abstract

An apparatus and method provides for the downloading and recording of data files over a data network such as the world wide web. A server connected to the world wide web includes a data base which includes a number of different data files such as music, video, and software that it wishes to sell to its customers. A web page is provided on the server for customers to access and view the products that are for sale. A system for billing the customers is also incorporated into the server such that when a system user logs in there is either a confirmation that the user has an account with the service provider or credit card information is provided in which charges may be made against. Through use of the web browser, the system user makes selections and begins the download of information into a memory in the user interface. Connected to the user interface is a recorder for recording the information upon a portable media such as an optical disk. Once the information is downloaded over the data network into the memory, the plugin in the web browser decompresses an unencrypts the file and begins the transfer process to the media recorder. Upon completion of the recording, (a) confirmation message is sent to the server (b) system user is billed for the download. After the billing process is complete, the plugin will delete the file from the computer memory and unlock the portable media so that the system user may play this information on another device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for downloading and recording selected multimedia data over a data network comprising:

a personal computer connectable to the data network said personal computer comprising;

a web browser with plug-in resident on the personal computer and configurable to connect to the data network such that at least one location on the data network may be accessed and at least one data file selected and downloaded;

a memory in connection with the data network access device which configurable to receive and store the at least one data file;

a recording device which under direction from plug-in of the web browser accesses the at least one data file in the memory and records the at least one data file on a portable media, wherein upon the successful recording of the multimedia data upon the portable media, the plug-in provides indication to the location and the at least one data file is automatically deleted from the memory; and

said web browser plug in is further configured to monitor and provide status information to the at least one location for the recording of the at least one data file in the memory and upon the portable media, and to include access information during the recording which controls access to the at least one data file as recorded on the portable media.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data network access device further comprises a billing module which performs automated billing functions upon the successful recording of the multimedia data upon the portable media.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one data file may include at least one of:

audio information, video information, and software.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable media comprises at least one of:

CD-Recordable, CD-ReWritable, DVD-Recordable, DVD-RAM, and DVD-ReWritable.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one location is a web page which includes a least one listing of the at least one data file.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plug in is further configured to include locking and unlocking functions with regards to the portable media.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plugin further includes functionality to unencrypt and decompress the at least one data file received from the at least one location.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plug in includes functionality to delete the at least one data file from the memory and the portable media upon interruption ofthe receiving of the at least one data file from the at least one location.

9. A method of employing a web browser in a personal computer to download multimedia data over a data network comprising:

installing a specially configured plug in the web browser for initiating and controlling the downloading and copying of the multimedia data;

establishing a connection from the personal computer using a web browser with plug-in with at least one location over the data network;

accessing at least one data file resident at the at least one location;

initiating and performing a download of the at least one data file over the data network to a local memory;

copying the at least one data file from the memory and recording the at least one data file on a portable media, wherein the recording includes access information which controls access to the at least one data file on the portable media;

periodically providing status information to the at least one location for the recording of the at least one data file in the memory and upon the portable media, and to include access information during the recording which controls access to the at least one data file as recorded on the portable media; and

upon completion of the recording of the at least one data file on the portable media, deleting the at least one data file from the memory.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one data file is accessible through use of a web page incorporated into a network server.

11. The method of claim 9 further including the step of providing information for a party requesting access to the at least one data file and performing an authorization check on prior to providing access to the at least one data file.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of automatically billing the party upon successful transfer of the at least one data file to the portable media.

17. The method of claim 12 further including the step of denying access to the portable media during the steps of downloading and recording the at least one data file, and providing access to the portable media upon completion of the automated billing process.

13. The method of 9 further including the step of deleting the at least one data file from the memory and the portable media if the transfer of the at least one data file to the portable media is unsuccessful.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of automatically deleting the multimedia data from the memory if the portable media is inaccessible for the transfer of the at least one data file.

15. The method of claim 13 further including the step of automatically providing notification to the party relating to progress of the download and the transfer of the at leasat one data file.

16. The method of claim 13 further including the step of automatically deleting all portions of the at least one data file from the memory and the portable media if the downloading and/or recording of the at least one data file is interrupted.