Music distribution system and associated antipiracy protections
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a communication mechanism configured to communicate with a data transmission device;
a pre-selection mechanism configured to enable a consumer to pre-select, from a transmission of a plurality of music content items, specific music content items for storage at a consumer location;
a first storage medium configured to store music content items before the consumer is charged for the music content items;
a player mechanism configured to play music content items from the first storage medium, wherein the device is configured to initiate a transaction to charge the consumer a fee for one-time play of the music content item in response to a music content item being selected by the consumer for playing; and
a second storage medium configured to store music content items from the first storage medium, wherein the device is configured to initiate a transaction to charge the consumer a one-time fee for unlimited play of the music content item in response to music items being selected by the consumer for storage on the second storage medium.
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Abstract
Music is blanket transmitted (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer'"'"'s computer-based user station. Customers preselect from a list of available music in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay only for music that they choose to have recorded for unlimited playback, for example, by a “CD burner”. An “ID tag” is woven into the recorded music so that any illegal copies therefrom may be traced to the purchase transaction.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a communication mechanism configured to communicate with a data transmission device; a pre-selection mechanism configured to enable a consumer to pre-select, from a transmission of a plurality of music content items, specific music content items for storage at a consumer location; a first storage medium configured to store music content items before the consumer is charged for the music content items; a player mechanism configured to play music content items from the first storage medium, wherein the device is configured to initiate a transaction to charge the consumer a fee for one-time play of the music content item in response to a music content item being selected by the consumer for playing; and a second storage medium configured to store music content items from the first storage medium, wherein the device is configured to initiate a transaction to charge the consumer a one-time fee for unlimited play of the music content item in response to music items being selected by the consumer for storage on the second storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A user station enabling a consumer to store and playback music items at a consumer location, the user station comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive a transmission of a plurality of music content items; a pre-selection mechanism capable of enabling a consumer to pre-select, from the transmission of a plurality of music content items, specific music content items for storage at the consumer location; a first storage medium capable of storing music content items from the transmission before the consumer is charged for the music content items, the music content items including a first music content item and a second music content item; a second storage medium capable of storing the first music content from the first storage medium, such that if the first music content item is selected by the consumer for storage on the second storage medium, a transaction is conducted wherein the consumer is charged a one-time fee for unlimited play of the first music content item and an identification tag associated with the transaction is embedded in the first music content item stored on the first storage medium; a playback selection mechanism capable of enabling said consumer to; playback the first music content item from the second storage medium, wherein the consumer is not charged for playback of the first music content item, and playback the second music content item from the first storage medium, wherein the consumer is charged a fee for one-time playback of the second music content item; and a content access mechanism capable of enabling the user station to access a content library, said content library comprising said music content items stored in the first storage medium and the second storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of distributing music comprising:
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providing information to a user device, the information identifying available music content items to be transmitted; embedding an ID tag in at least one encoded pre-selected music content item, said ID tag comprising data associated with a purchase transaction for the music content item; transmitting the at least one encoded pre-selected music content item to the user device for storage on a first storage medium before the consumer is charged for the at least one encoded pre-selected music content item; and verifying if the at least one encoded pre-selected music content item has been recorded on a second storage medium that is operably coupled to the first storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for distributing music to a plurality of user stations, wherein the user stations are configured to receive a user selection of a transmitted encoded music content item store the selected transmitted encoded music content item, send an indication of the user selection, decode the stored encoded music content item if enabled, receive a key unique to the music content item selected by the user to enable the decoding, embed an ID tag in the decoded music content item, said ID tag comprising data associated with a purchase transaction for the music item, and supply the decoded music content item to the user, the system comprising:
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a transmitter configured to blanket-transmit a plurality of encoded digital music content items to the plurality of user stations; a central controller connectable to the user stations and comprising a first input terminal configured to receive from a user station an indication of a user selection of a transmitted music content item and a first output terminal configured to transmit to the user station a key unique to the selected music content item; and a billing system associated with the central controller configured to bill the user stations, wherein the billing system is further configured to process payment transactions from the user stations and the central controller is further configured to transmit the key only if a payment transaction for the key is completed in advance of the key transmission. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A system for associating a digital music content item with a purchaser, the system comprising:
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a digital music content item embodied in a portable digital storage medium and having an ID tag encoded therein, the ID tag comprising data associated with a purchase transaction for the digital music content item; a case for the portable digital storage medium, the case having indicia of a code corresponding to the ID tag; and a data store for storing information relating a purchaser of the digital music content item to the ID tag and to the indicia of the code corresponding to the ID tag. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. A user station, comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive a user selection of a transmitted encoded music content item; a module configured to store the selected transmitted encoded music content item; an output mechanism configured to send an indication of the user selection; a decoder operable to decode the stored encoded music content item; a receiver configured to receive a key to enable the decoder, wherein the key is unique to the music content item selected by the user; an anti-piracy mechanism configured to embed an ID tag in the decoded music content item, said ID tag comprising data associated with a purchase transaction for the music item; and an output mechanism configured to supply the decoded music content item to the user from the decoder. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification