Content information sales management method and distribution management method

• US 7,881,947 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takai, Motoyuki, Sako, Yoichiro, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Takehara, Mitsuru, Asukai, Masamichi
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/502,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a content information sales management method including the steps of: causing a distribution source apparatus to distribute trial content information, trial use rules stating trial use conditions, and distribution source identification information for identifying the distribution source apparatus to a distribution destination apparatus; causing the distribution destination apparatus to upload the distribution source identification information corresponding to the trial content information to a sales source apparatus for formal content information when the distribution destination apparatus downloads the formal content information corresponding to the trial content information; and causing the sales source apparatus to update an evaluation value corresponding to the distribution source identification information in accordance with the uploaded distribution source identification information.

Claims

1. A content information sales management method comprising:

causing a distribution source apparatus to distribute trial content information, trial use rules stating trial use conditions, and distribution source identification information for identifying the distribution source apparatus to a distribution destination apparatus;

causing the distribution destination apparatus to upload the distribution source identification information corresponding to the trial content information to a sales source apparatus when downloading formal content information corresponding to the trial content information; and

causing the sales source apparatus to reward a user of the distribution source apparatus at least in part by updating an evaluation value corresponding to the distribution source identification information, in response to the downloading of the formal content information by the distribution destination apparatus.

2. A content information distribution management method comprising:

causing a distribution source apparatus to distribute a combination of trial content information and trial use rules stating trial use conditions for the trial content information to a distribution destination apparatus, wherein the trial use rules state different trial use conditions for different periods during a permitted reproduction period for the trial content information; and

causing the distribution destination apparatus to reproduce the trial content information in accordance with the trial use rules.

3. The content information distribution management method according to claim 2, wherein the trial content information is distributed in combination with distribution source identification information that identifies a distribution source for the trial content information corresponding to the distribution source apparatus.

4. The content information distribution management method according to claim 3, wherein the trial content information is distributed in combination with a comment about the trial content information.

5. A content information sales management method comprising:

configuring a distribution source apparatus to enable the distribution source apparatus to distribute trial content information, trial use rules stating trial use conditions, and distribution source identification information for identifying the distribution source apparatus to a distribution destination apparatus;

configuring the distribution destination apparatus to enable the distribution destination apparatus to upload the distribution source identification information corresponding to the trial content information to a sales source apparatus when downloading formal content information corresponding to the trial content information; and

configuring the sales source apparatus to enable the sales source apparatus to reward a user of the distribution source apparatus at least in part by updating an evaluation value corresponding to the distribution source identification information, in response to the downloading of the formal content information by the distribution destination apparatus.

6. A content information distribution management method comprising:

configuring a distribution source apparatus to enable the distribution source apparatus to distribute a combination of trial content information and trial use rules stating trial use conditions for the trial content information to a distribution destination apparatus, wherein the trial use rules state different trial use conditions for different periods during a permitted reproduction period for the trial content information; and

configuring the distribution destination apparatus to enable the distribution destination apparatus to reproduce the trial content information in accordance with the trial use rules.

7. A content sales management method comprising:

receiving, at a sales source apparatus, a request from a distribution destination apparatus to purchase formal content corresponding to trial content and distribution source identification information identifying a distribution source of the trial content; and

in response to receiving the request and the distribution source identification information, rewarding the distribution source, wherein the rewarding comprises increasing an evaluation score for the distribution source.

8. A content sales management method comprising:

receiving, at a sales source apparatus, a request from a distribution destination apparatus to purchase formal content corresponding to trial content and distribution source identification information identifying a distribution source of the trial content; and

in response to receiving the request and the distribution source identification information, rewarding the distribution source, wherein the rewarding comprises awarding one or more points to the distribution source for use in future purchasing.

9. A content information distribution management method comprising:

receiving, at a distribution destination apparatus, trial content information and trial use rules stating trial use conditions for the trial content information, wherein the trial use rules state different trial use conditions for different periods during a permitted reproduction period for the trial content information; and

reproducing the trial content information in accordance with the trial use rules.

10. The content information distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein the trial content information has a lower data rate and/or a lower bandwidth than formal content information corresponding to the trial content information.

11. The content information distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein the trial use rules permit the trial content information to be reproduced during a first period during the permitted reproduction period, and only a portion of the trial content information to be reproduced during a second period during the permitted reproduction period.

12. The content information distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein the trial use rules permit the trial content information to be reproduced during a second period during the permitted reproduction period only at a lower data rate than during a first period during the permitted reproduction period.