Online music and other copyrighted work search and licensing system

• US 7,778,929 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricall, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ricall, Inc.
• Inventors: Corbett, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin; Evens J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheung; Calvin K
• Application Number:
  US12/001,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 59
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Search and licensing systems and method for copyrighted works, such as music tracks, images, and video. The system may comprise a database that stores data regarding copyrighted works. The system may also comprise a search engine for allowing a user to search the database for copyrighted works. The system also comprises a licensing module that implements licensing negotiations between the user and a copyright licensor for a selected copyrighted work selected by the user. The licensing module may send an electronic quote request via email to the licensor in response from a license request from the user. The email may contain an activation link to a web site at which the licensor can enter a quote for a license to use the copyrighted work in accordance with use details input by the user. Also disclosed are systems and methods for automating licensing negotiations for copyrighted works detected and recognized in uploaded files (such as video files) to be distributed via the Internet or other communication networks.

Claims

1. A search and licensing system comprising:

a database storing data regarding copyrighted works;

a search engine computer system in communication with the database for searching the database for copyrighted works in response to search criteria input by a user; and

a licensing computer system that implements licensing negotiations between the user and a copyright licensor for a selected copyrighted work selected by the user from results of the searching, wherein the licensing computer system is programmed to;

receive a license request from the user that comprises one or more licensing parameters from the user for a license to use the selected copyrighted work, wherein the one or more licensing parameters comprise an intended usage for the copyrighted work;

in response to the license request from the user, and prior to distribution of the selected copyrighted work to the user with license rights to use the copyrighted work for the intended usage, send an electronic quote request via email to the licensor, the email containing an activation link to a web site at which the licensor can enter a quote for the license to use the copyrighted work in accordance with the intended usage specified by the user in the license request;

provide the user with an electronic unconfirmed quote of the licensor when the licensor enters the unconfirmed quote in response to the quote request;

notify the licensor of the user'"'"'s acceptance of the unconfirmed quote when the user accepts the unconfirmed quote;

send an electronic confirmed quote to the user when the user accepts the unconfirmed quote;

send draft electronic contracts to the user and the licensor when both the licensor and the user accept the confirmed quote; and

notify the user that the licensor has declined to license when the licensor does not respond to the quote request within a specified period of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the copyrighted work is work selected from the group consisting of a music track, an image, and a video.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the licensing computer system is programmed to allow the user to input the use details for a copyrighted work in a production folder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the specified period of time is twenty-four hours.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic contracts comprise terms based on the use details entered by the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the licensing computer system is programmed to calculate whether the unconfirmed quote from the licensor is within a market range for be copyrighted work to the licensed given the use details input by the user.

7. A computer-assisted method for licensing a copyrighted work comprising:

storing data regarding copyrighted works in a database;

searching the database by search engine computer system for copyrighted works in response to search criteria input by a user;

receiving, using a computerized licensing system comprising one or more computer, via an electronic communication network, a license request from the user that comprises one or more licensing parameters from the user for a license to use the selected copyrighted work, wherein the one or more licensing parameters comprise an intended usage for the copyrighted work;

in response from a license request from the user, by the computerized licensing system, and prior to distribution of the selected copyrighted work to the user with license rights to use the copyrighted work for the intended usage, sending an electronic quote request via email to a licensor of the copyrighted work, the email containing an activation link to a web site at which the licensor can enter a quote for the license to use the copyrighted work in accordance with the intended usage specified by the user in the license request,

providing the user with an electronic unconfirmed quote of the licensor when the licensor enters the unconfirmed quote in response to the quote request;

notifying the licensor of the user'"'"'s acceptance of the unconfirmed quote when the user accepts the unconfirmed quote;

sending an electronic confirmed quote to the user when the user accepts the unconfirmed quote;

sending draft electronic contracts to the user and the licensor when both the licensor and the user accept the confirmed quote; and

notifying, by the computerized licensing system, the user that the licensor has declined to license when the licensor does not respond to the quote request within a specified period of time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the electronic contracts comprise terms based on the use details entered by the user.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining whether the unconfirmed quote from the licensor is within a market range for the copyrighted work to be licensed given the use details input by the user.

10. A search and licensing system comprising:

a database storing data regarding copyrighted works;

one or more processors in communication with the database;

a memory in communication with the one or more processors, the memory storing software which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

search the database for copyrighted works in response to search criteria input by a user;

receive a license request from the user that comprises one or more licensing parameters from the user for a license to use the selected copyrighted work, wherein the one or more licensing parameters comprise an intended usage for the copyrighted work;

in response to a license request from the user, and prior to distribution of the selected copyrighted work to the user with license rights to use the copyrighted work for the intended usage, send an electronic quote request via email to the licensor, the email containing an activation link to a web site at which the licensor can enter a quote for the license to use the copyrighted work in accordance with the intended usage specified by the user in the license request;

provide the user with an electronic unconfirmed quote of the licensor when the licensor enters the unconfirmed quote in response to the quote request;

notify the licensor of the user'"'"'s acceptance of the unconfirmed quote when the user accepts the unconfirmed quote;

send an electronic confirmed quote to the user when the user accepts the unconfirmed quote;

send draft electronic contracts to the user and the licensor when both the licensor and the user accept the confirmed quote; and

notify the user that the licensor has declined to license when the licensor does not respond to the quote request within a specified period of time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic contracts comprise terms based on the use details entered by the user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises software which when executed by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to calculate whether the unconfirmed quote from the licensor is within a market range for the copyrighted work to be licensed given the use details input by the user.