System and method for processing protected audio information
First Claim
1. An audio processing system, comprising:
- a first receiver receiving one or more items of audio information;
a processor processing the received one or more items of audio information;
a generator generating an identifier, the identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the audio processing system, such one or more characteristics excluding any characteristic of the generator, different such one or more characteristics being usable to link access to different ones of the one or more items of audio information;
a transmitter transmitting the identifier from the generator to a licensing processor;
a second receiver receiving a password, based at least in part on the identifier, that links access to the one or more items of audio information to the audio processing system, the password generated using a technique which does not use any additional characteristic of the audio processing system; and
a password validator accessing the identifier from the generator to validate the password, and permitting access to a selected one of the one or more items of audio information when the password is validated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus of encouraging distribution, registration, and purchase of free copyable software and other digital information which is accessed on a User'"'"'s System via a Programmer'"'"'s Program. Software tools which can be incorporated into a Programmer'"'"'s Program allow the User to access Advanced Features of the Programmer'"'"'s Program only in the presence of a valid Password which is unique to a particular Target ID generated on an ID-Target such as the User'"'"'s System. Advanced features will thus re-lock if the Password is copied to another ID-target. If a valid Password is not present, the User is invited to obtain one, and provided with the means of doing so, and of installing that Password in a place accessible to the User'"'"'s System on subsequent occasions. The present invention also provides Programmers with means to invoke business operations as well as computational operations with their programs, and thus to automatically obtain payment from Users who elect to obtain passwords.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An audio processing system, comprising:
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a first receiver receiving one or more items of audio information; a processor processing the received one or more items of audio information; a generator generating an identifier, the identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the audio processing system, such one or more characteristics excluding any characteristic of the generator, different such one or more characteristics being usable to link access to different ones of the one or more items of audio information; a transmitter transmitting the identifier from the generator to a licensing processor; a second receiver receiving a password, based at least in part on the identifier, that links access to the one or more items of audio information to the audio processing system, the password generated using a technique which does not use any additional characteristic of the audio processing system; and a password validator accessing the identifier from the generator to validate the password, and permitting access to a selected one of the one or more items of audio information when the password is validated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling access to one or more items of audio information in an audio processing system, the method comprising:
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receiving one or more items of audio information; processing the received one or more items of audio information; generating an identifier, the identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of an entity to which access to the audio information is linked, such one or more characteristics excluding any characteristic of a generator generating the identifier, different such one or more characteristics being usable to link access to different ones of the one or more items of audio information; transmitting the identifier to a licensing processor; receiving a password, based at least in part on the identifier, that links access to the one or more items of audio information to the entity, the password generated using a technique which does not use any additional characteristic of the entity; and invoking a password validator to access the identifier to validate the password, and to permit access to a selected one of the one or more items of audio information when the password is validated. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for operating a licensing server, the licensing server communicating over a communications network with one or more programs residing on one or more remotely located user audio processing systems, to distribute passwords to a plurality of users to access one or more audio recordings at the remotely located user audio processing systems, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a licensing server, an identifier previously unknown to the licensing server and associated with a request to access one or more audio recordings, the request having been generated by a program at a remotely located audio processing system, the identifier being based at least in part on one or more characteristics of an entity to which access to the audio recording is linked, such one or more characteristics excluding any characteristic of a generator generating the identifier, different such one or more characteristics being usable to link access to different ones of the one or more audio recordings; generating, at the licensing server, a password, based at least in part on the identifier, that links access to the one or more audio recordings to the entity; and transmitting the password over a communications network to a location accessible to the remotely located audio processing system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for enabling access to one or more audio recordings using an audio processing system, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to access a first program; enabling access to the first program using the audio processing system; receiving a request to access an audio recording while the first program is being accessed; in response to the request to access the audio recording, awakening a second program from a dormant state, the second program performing the steps of; checking the audio processing system for a password; and when the audio processing system does not include the password, generating an identifier based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the audio processing system, such one or more characteristics excluding any characteristic of a generator generating the identifier, different such one or more characteristics being usable to link access to different ones of the one or more audio recordings, and transmitting the identifier to a licensing system to request the password, based at least in part on the identifier, that links access to the one or more audio recordings to that audio processing system; and providing the audio recording in response to the password being received from the licensing system. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for distributing one or more audio recordings created by a creator, the one or more audio recordings accessible only with a password, the method comprising:
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providing an audio processing system to a user, the audio processing system processing the one or more audio recordings, the audio processing system provided through a first distribution channel comprising a first set of one or more distribution methods; providing the one or more audio recordings to a user through a second distribution channel comprising a second set of one or more distribution methods; and providing the password to access the one or more audio recordings to the user through an authorization channel comprising a third set of one or more distribution methods, the authorization channel being distinct from the second distribution channel, the authorization channel excluding participation by the creator, the password being provided after receiving an identifier based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the audio processing system, such one or more characteristics excluding any characteristic of a generator generating the identifier, different such one or more characteristics being usable to link access to different ones of the one or more audio recordings. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification