Integrated media management and rights distribution apparatus

• US 7,099,849 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rightsline, Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Rightsline
• Inventors: Reeder, Russell P., Haynes, Ramond M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US10/035,347
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705/44, 705 50- 59, 705 74- 79, 380201-203, 713151-158, 707 9- 10, 707100-104
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

The present invention advantageously provides an integrated rights management and licensing system for storing, researching, buying, and selling intellectual property rights. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a rights owner application, a central repository, and a licensing application to integrate the management, researching and licensing of intellectual property. Accordingly, the present invention optionally allows intellectual property owners and consumers to conduct real-time licensing transactions over a network. Furthermore, the data repository optionally determines availability of intellectual property rights through bi-directional hierarchical navigation and implied data relations.

Claims

1. A media rights licensing apparatus, comprising:

a rights owner application stored in computer readable memory and configured to execute on a computer configured to receive pricing rules, payment rules, and a license request template defined by a rights owner;

a repository database stored in computer readable memory and coupled to the rights owner application, wherein the repository is configured to store the pricing rules and license request templates defined by the rights owner; and

a rights exchange application stored in computer readable memory and coupled to the repository database, the rights exchange application configured to;

receive a licensing request manually provided by a potential human licensee related to a first media property;

conduct a licensing transaction of at least a first right associated with the first media property by determining rights available for the first media property by searching the repository database;

cause a first license template defined by the rights owner to be visually presented to the potential human licensee;

receive first license template entries manually provided by the potential licensee;

transmit in real-time the first license template entries to be visually presented to the rights owner;

receive from the rights owner approval of a license for the first right, and to transmit the approval to the potential licensee.

2. The media rights licensing apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a rights search engine wherein the rights owner can configure which system entities and which attributes for the system entities can be used as searchable parameters by the search engine.

3. The media rights licensing apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a license request template stored in computer readable memory and defined by the rights owner.

4. The media rights licensing apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rules stored in computer readable memory and defined by the rights owner, the rules configured to define which media rights licensing apparatus users are authorized to perform predefined actions.

5. The media rights licensing apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the predefined actions include one or more of accepting a licensing request, denying a licensing request, and negotiating a licensing request.

6. The media rights licensing apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of notifications stored in computer readable memory and defined by the rights owner, the plurality of notifications configured to be issued during the licensing process in response to criteria specified by the rights owner.

7. A system for managing intellectual property rights, comprising:

a first module configured to receive over a network information related to intellectual property rights available for at least a first property from a first intellectual property rights licensor and for at least a second property from a second intellectual property owner;

a repository coupled to the first module, wherein the repository is configured to store the information related to the intellectual rights for the first property and the second property; and

a second module configured to;

visually present to a first potential licensee a first license form including license terms defined by the first intellectual property rights licensor;

receive data entered into the first license form by the first potential licensee, the data including a request to license a first right;

determine if the first right is available, and if the first right is available, to submit the first license request, including at least a portion of the received data, for approval;

transmit a first license approval to the first potential licensee;

visually present to a second potential licensee a second license form including license terms defined by the second intellectual property rights licensor;

receive data entered into the second license form by the second potential licensee, the data including a request to license a second right;

determine if the second right is available, and if the second right is available, to submit the second license request, including at least a portion of the received data, for approval;

transmit a second license approval to the second potential licensee.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein the license approval is provided by the licensor after the received data is transmitted to the licensor.

9. The system as defined in claim 7, the repository is configured to indicate when the first right has been licensed to the potential licensee in real time.

10. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein the repository is configured to determine the availability of intellectual property rights through bi-directional hierarchical navigation and implied data relations.

11. A method of managing and licensing rights associated with media, the method comprising:

electronically receiving from a rights licensor of a first media an instruction defining which system entities and entity attributes can be used as search parameters by a search engine;

electronically receiving from the rights licensor a definition of information types that a potential licensee is to provide in a license request submission for at least a first right for the first media;

electronically receiving from the rights licensor instructions as to what human perceptible notifications are to be provided to the rights licensor and to the potential licensee during the licensing transaction;

electronically receiving from the rights licensor authorizing instructions configured to specify which person is authorized to perform predetermined acts during the licensing transaction; and

conducting, using a computer system, the licensing transaction in accordance with the rights licensor'"'"'s notification instructions, and authorizing instructions.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, further comprising receiving a licensing request over the Internet from the potential licensee.

13. The method as defined in claim 11, further comprising electronically receiving from the rights licensor pricing, payment and delivery rules.

14. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the system entities include one or more of properties, rights, requests, agreements, licenses, quotes, agents, licensees, and licensors.

15. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the system attributes include one or more of a rating, a genre, a territory, a language, a term start, and a term end.

16. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the rights licensor uses a license template stored in computer readable memory to define the information types that the potential licensee is to provide.

17. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the rights licensor specifies how the notifications are to be provided and such licensor specification on how the notifications are to be provided is stored in computer readable memory.

18. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein at least one of the notifications includes status information on the licensing transaction.

19. The method as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

providing over a network a licensing form to the potential licensee requesting the information as defined by the rights licensor;

receiving over the network the requested information, including an indication as to what right the potential licensee wants to license, from the potential licensee;

determining, using a computer system, if the right the potential licensee wants to license is available;

transmitting over the network at least a portion of the received requested information to the rights licensor;

receiving from the rights licensor a communication indicating if the potential licensee is granted the right the potential licensee wants to license, where such indication is stored in computer readable memory; and

electronically transmitting information related to the grant to the potential licensee.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein if the response from the rights licensor is a license approval, further comprising updating in real time a database stored in computer readable memory and used to store right status information.

21. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the first media is a movie.

22. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the first media is a musical performance.

23. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the first media is a photograph.

24. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the first media is a document.

25. An apparatus for managing licensing transactions related to media rights, the apparatus comprising instructions stored in computer readable memory configured to:

transmit over a network to a first user first licensing terms defined by a licensor for a first media property;

receive over a network a license inquiry from first user regarding at least a first right for the first media property;

receive a response from the first user to the first licensing terms, the first user response including a license acceptance, a counteroffer, or an indication that the first user is not proceeding with the licensing transaction;

set a first status in real-time related to the first right at least partly in response to the first user response;

to transmit a notification relating to the user response to a recipient designated by the licensor;

to receive an instruction from the licensor after transmitting the notification, and at least partly in response to the instruction, to set a second status related to the first right;

transmit over a network to a second user second licensing terms defined by a licensor for a second media property;

receive over a network a license inquiry from the second user regarding at least a second right for the second media property;

receive a response from the second user to the second licensing terms, the second user response including a license acceptance, a counteroffer, or an indication that the second user is not proceeding with the licensing transaction;

set a second status in real-time related to the second right at least partly in response to the second user response;

transmit a notification relating to the user response to a recipient designated by the licensor; and

receive an instruction from the licensor after transmitting the notification, and at least partly in response to the instruction, to set a second status related to the second right.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the user inquiry specifies a license time period.

27. The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the user inquiry specifies a territory for the license, including a governmental and/or a geographic regional territory.

28. The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the user inquiry specifies a media language that is a human language.

29. The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the licensing terms include a payment due date.