System and methods for managing the distribution of electronic content
First Claim
1. A method of distributing from a sender'"'"'s site to a receiver'"'"'s site a first original electronic work, the first original electronic work having a securely and persistently associated first electronic attribute indicating that it is an original, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) establishing communication between the sender'"'"'s site and the receiver'"'"'s site;
(b) exchanging authentication information between the sender'"'"'s site and the receiver'"'"'s site;
(c) creating, at the sender'"'"'s site, a first copy of the first original electronic work and securely and persistently associating with the first copy a second electronic attribute indicating that it is a copy;
(d) transmitting the first copy from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site;
(e) sending a first acknowledgement from the receiver'"'"'s site to the sender'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement indicating the receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site;
(f) receiving, at the sender'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement, and, responsive thereto, changing the first electronic attribute to indicate that it is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work;
(g) sending an authorization from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site authorizing the receiver'"'"'s site to change the second electronic attribute to indicate that it is an original; and
(h) receiving the authorization at the receiver'"'"'s site, and, responsive thereto, securely changing the second electronic attribute to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the second electronic attribute associated with the first copy of the electronic work is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for transfering electronic information from one location to another such that only one original work exists at a given time. The methods and systems of the present invention allow distribution of originals without requiring a registration authority or other entity to vouch for what constitutes an “original” piece of information, thus reducing (or eliminating entirely) the need to centrally record changes in ownership each time originals change hands.
145 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of distributing from a sender'"'"'s site to a receiver'"'"'s site a first original electronic work, the first original electronic work having a securely and persistently associated first electronic attribute indicating that it is an original, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing communication between the sender'"'"'s site and the receiver'"'"'s site; (b) exchanging authentication information between the sender'"'"'s site and the receiver'"'"'s site; (c) creating, at the sender'"'"'s site, a first copy of the first original electronic work and securely and persistently associating with the first copy a second electronic attribute indicating that it is a copy; (d) transmitting the first copy from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site; (e) sending a first acknowledgement from the receiver'"'"'s site to the sender'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement indicating the receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site; (f) receiving, at the sender'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement, and, responsive thereto, changing the first electronic attribute to indicate that it is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; (g) sending an authorization from the sender'"'"'s site to the receiver'"'"'s site authorizing the receiver'"'"'s site to change the second electronic attribute to indicate that it is an original; and (h) receiving the authorization at the receiver'"'"'s site, and, responsive thereto, securely changing the second electronic attribute to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the second electronic attribute associated with the first copy of the electronic work is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of receiving a first copy of a first original electronic work at a receiver'"'"'s site from a sender'"'"'s site, the first copy having a first electronic attribute securely and persistently associated with it indicating, it is an copy, the first original electronic work being located at the sender'"'"'s site, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing communication, by the receiver'"'"'s site, with a sender'"'"'s site; (b) exchanging authentication information, by the receiver'"'"'s site, with the sender'"'"'s site; (c) receiving, at the receiver'"'"'s site, the first copy from the sender'"'"'s site; (d) sending, by the receiver'"'"'s site, a first acknowledgement to the sender'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement indicating the receipt of the first copy and directing the sender'"'"'s site to change a second electronic attribute securely and persistently associated with the first original electronic work to indicate that is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; (e) receiving, at the receiver'"'"'s site, authorization from the sender'"'"'s site authorizing that the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy be changed to indicate that it is an original; and (f) securely changing, by the receiver'"'"'s site, the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of sending an original electronic work from a sender'"'"'s site to a receiver'"'"'s site, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing communication, by a sender'"'"'s site, with a receiver'"'"'s site; (b) exchanging authentication information, by the sender'"'"'s site, with the receiver'"'"'s site; (c) creating, at the sender'"'"'s site, a first copy of a first original electronic work, and securely and persistently associating a first electronic attribute with the first copy indicating that it is a copy; (d) sending the first copy, by the sender'"'"'s site, to the receiver'"'"'s site; (e) receiving, at the sender'"'"'s site, a first acknowledgement from the receiver'"'"'s site, the first acknowledgement indicating the receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site, and, responsive thereto, changing a second electronic attribute associated with the first original electronic work to indicate that it is a copy, thereby creating a second copy of the first original electronic work; (f) sending, by the sender'"'"'s site, an authorization to the receiver'"'"'s site authorizing and directing the receiver'"'"'s site to securely change the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy to indicate that it is an original, thereby creating a second original electronic work, wherein the first and second copies are prevented from being successfully passed off as original electronic works and the first electronic attribute associated with the first copy is configured to be authenticated independently by the receiver'"'"'s site after receipt of the first copy by the receiver'"'"'s site. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification