Method and device for promotion and sale of media files on ad hoc mobile device networks

• US 8,050,623 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Singer, Howard, Sadan, Yariv, Popkin, Laird
• Primary Examiner(s): DEAN, RAYMOND S
• Application Number:
  US11/002,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20060039304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 707/1, 707/10, 455/41.2, 455518-519, 455/517, 709204-207, 705/26
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1065 Discovery involving distributed pre-established resource-based relationships among peers, e.g. based on distributed hash tables [DHT] pre-configuration of logical or physical connections H04L67/1053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A method and apparatus for distributing a media content file wherein a file is received in a node. The received file is then shared with a recognized neighbor node. Once the file is provided by a distributor node to a neighbor node, the distributor node claims an incentive for sharing the file with the neighbor node.

Claims

1. A method for the promotion and sale of media files over ad-hoc mobile device networks, the method comprising:

accessing, at a first mobile device, a file to promulgate;

recognizing a second mobile device;

establishing an ad-hoc network connecting the first mobile device with the second mobile device;

receiving a user identifier from the second mobile device;

conveying a file identification field associated with the file to the second mobile device;

receiving a parameter from the second mobile device indicating whether the file is already stored in the second mobile device;

conveying at least a first portion of the file and a preview digital rights certificate to the second mobile device when the user identifier indicates membership in a media club and the received parameter indicates that the file corresponding to the file identification field is not stored in the recognized second mobile device;

conveying a purchase price associated with the file to the second mobile device;

receiving a purchase request for the file from the second mobile device; and

establishing a connection with a distributing source, the distributing source conveying to the second mobile device (i) a purchase digital rights certificate associated with the file upon confirmation of the second mobile device purchasing the file, and (ii) a second portion of the file upon confirmation of the second mobile device purchasing the file, wherein the second portion comprises the remainder of the purchased file having media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying a purchase price comprises:

conveying a purchase price that reflects a group rate for the media club.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveying at least a first portion of the file comprises:

conveying a further portion of the file to the second mobile device, wherein the further portion includes media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the second mobile device; and

conveying an updated temporary digital rights certificate associated with the further portion of the file to the second mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the conveying at least a first portion of the file comprises:

receiving from the second mobile device a request for a further portion of the file;

conveying a further portion of the file to the second mobile device, wherein the further portion includes media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the second mobile device; and

conveying an updated temporary digital rights certificate associated with the further portion of the file to the second mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

conveying, from the first mobile device, a provider identifier to the second mobile device;

conveying, from the second mobile device, the provider identifier to the distributing source; and

conveying, from the distributing source, an incentive to a person identified by the provider identifier upon confirmation of the second mobile device purchasing the file.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying the preview digital rights certificate comprises:

conveying a preview digital rights certificate to limit access rights to the at least a first portion of the file.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying the preview digital rights certificate comprises:

conveying a preview digital rights certificate to limit a period of time for accessing the at least a first portion of the file.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying the preview digital rights certificate comprises:

conveying a preview digital rights certificate to include a play count for limiting a quantity of times for accessing the at least a first portion of the file.

6. A wireless file distribution system for the promotion and sale of media files over ad-hoc mobile device networks, the system comprising:

a first mobile device comprising;

a processor capable of executing an instruction sequence;

a wireless interface capable of interacting with a wireless network enabling peer-to-peer connections amongst a plurality of mobile devices;

a memory capable of storing a file cache and one or more instruction sequences including;

a peer-to-peer module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to;

recognize a neighbor mobile device from a plurality of mobile devices; and

establish a first connection with a distributing source and a second connection with a recognized neighbor mobile device using the wireless interface;

a file reception module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to receive a file into the memory by means of a first communications connection;

a conveyance module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to;

receive into the memory a user identifier by way of the second connection;

convey from the file cache to the second connection a file identification field associated with the file;

receive from the second connection a parameter indicating whether the file is already stored in the recognized neighbor mobile device;

convey to the second connection at least a first portion of the file received into the memory and a preview digital rights certificate when the received user identifier indicates membership in a media club and the received parameter indicates that the file corresponding to the file identification field is not stored in the recognized neighbor mobile device;

create a file-provided record in the memory that reflects the conveyance of the at least a first portion of the file to the second connection; and

convey to the second connection a purchase price associated with the file; and

a distributing source comprising a distributing processor capable of executing an instruction sequence, wherein detection of a purchase request for the file from the recognized neighbor mobile device causes the distributing processor to convey to the recognized neighbor mobile device (i) a purchase digital rights certificate associated with the file upon confirmation of the recognized neighbor mobile device purchasing the file, and (ii) a second portion of the file upon confirmation of the recognized neighbor mobile device purchasing the file, wherein the second portion comprises the remainder of the purchased file having media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the recognized neighbor mobile device.

7. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, comprising:

an incentive module that, when executed by the processor, minimally causes the processor to;

generate an incentive request according to the file-provided record stored in the memory; and

convey the incentive request to the distributing source using the wireless interface.

8. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, wherein the file reception module minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection the preview digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to convey the at least a first portion of the file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection the preview digital rights certificate; and

convey to the second connection a provider identifier.

9. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, wherein the file reception module minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection the preview digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to convey the at least a first portion of the file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection the preview digital rights certificate; and

receive into the memory a user identifier by way of the second connection.

10. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to convey the at least a first portion of the file by minimally causing the processor to:

determine a price based on a membership rate when the received user identifier indicates membership in the media club.

11. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, wherein the file reception module minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection the purchase digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to convey the at least a first portion of the file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a first portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the second connection a further portion of the file, the further portion having media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the second connection; and

convey from the memory to the second connection the purchase digital rights certificate.

12. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, wherein the file reception module minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection the preview digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to convey the at least a first portion of the file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a first portion of the file;

receive by way of the second connection a request for a further portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the second connection the further portion of the file, the further portion having media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the second connection; and

convey from the memory to the second connection the preview digital rights certificate.

13. The wireless file distribution system of claim 6, wherein the file reception module further minimally causes the processor to receive into the memory by way of the first connection the purchase digital rights certificate and wherein the conveyance module causes the processor to convey the at least a first portion of the file by minimally causing the processor to:

convey from the memory to the second connection a first portion of the file;

convey from the memory to the second connection a purchase price;

convey from the memory to the second connection a further portion of the file, the further portion having media content distinct from media content in the first portion of the file and yet to be conveyed to the second connection; and

convey from the memory to the second connection the purchase digital rights certificate.

14. The wireless file distribution system of claim 7, wherein the incentive module causes the processor to generate an incentive request by minimally causing the processor to:

store in the memory the user identifier received by means of the second connection; and

store in the memory a provider identifier, wherein the provider identifier is stored in association with the user identifier.

15. The wireless file distribution system of claim 7, wherein the incentive module causes the processor to generate an incentive request by minimally causing the processor to store a file identifier in association with the user identifier.