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Method of administering licensing of use of copyright works

  • US 7,343,321 B1
  • Filed: 09/01/1999
  • Issued: 03/11/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of administering licensing of use of copyright works comprising the steps of:

  • a plurality of owners of copyright in a plurality of musical works using computer equipment to transmit via a communication network a plurality of first digital signals containing information regarding the musical works to physically remote computer equipment of a licensing administrator, the licensing administrator being independent of the owners of copyright in the plurality of musical works;

    the licensing administrator using the computer equipment thereof to receive the first digital signals sent by the copyright owners and to automatically store the information contained in the first digital signals digitally in an electronic database;

    a plurality of creation providers producing sound recordings incorporating the musical works;

    when each creation provider wishes to produce a sound recording including one of the musical works and needs a license from the owner of copyright in the musical work then prior to the production for sale of the sound recordings the creation provider applies to the licensing administrator for a license to copy the musical work using computer equipment of the creation provider to transmit to the physically remote computer equipment of the licensing administrator via the communication network a second digital signal containing a request for a license;

    the licensing administrator using the computer equipment thereof;

    to receive the second digital signal;

    to automatically process the second digital signal in conjunction with the digitally stored information regarding the musical work in order to automatically generate a license to copy the musical work; and

    to automatically send a third digital signal to the creation provider to confirm granting of the license;

    wherein;

    the licensing administrator stores information regarding the plurality of musical works digitally in the electronic database thereof and the method includes the step of each creation provider interrogating the electronic database of the licensing administrator for details of the musical works stored therein in order to select the musical work to be licensed;

    the creation provider produces the sound recording for sale which incorporates the licensed musical work and which is distributed to physically remote end users digitally as digital sound files transmitted via the communication network, the sound recording comprising a new sound recording of the musical work that does not include sound recordings of the musical work produced before the new sound recording was produced;

    the creation provider incorporates in the distributed digital sound files digital code containing information regarding the license granted in respect of the musical work by the licensing administrator;

    the licensing administrator is a collecting society which represents the plurality of owners of copyright in the musical works and the licensing administrator is independent of all of the creation providers and issues licenses to the creation providers on behalf of the owners of copyright in the musical works; and

    the third digital signal sent by the licensing administrator incorporates details of the granted license, including the license terms, without incorporating the licensed musical work.

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