Distribution system of contents embedding license machine ID

• US 8,086,537 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Ogai, Yoichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US10/387,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,211 Days
• Field of Search: 705/59, 705/51, 709/219, 726/29
• US Class Current: 705/59
• 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: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A server apparatus operates a content sale site for selling a digital content and connects communicably via a communication network to a client apparatus which may purchase a digital content for use in an electronic music apparatus. In the server apparatus, a communicating section communicates with the client apparatus for receiving therefrom order information specifying a digital content to be purchased, and machine ID information designating machine IDs of electronic music apparatuses which are intended to use the specified digital content. A licensing section embeds the received machine ID information in the digital content specified by the client apparatus so as to license the specified digital content to the electronic music apparatuses designated by the client apparatus. A providing section provides the digital content embedded with the machine ID information to the client apparatus such that the provided digital content is made available exclusively by the designated electronic musical apparatuses according to the embedded machine ID information.

Claims

1. A server apparatus operating a content sale site for selling a digital content and connecting communicably via a communication network to a client apparatus which may purchase a digital content for use in an electronic music apparatus, the server apparatus comprising:

a communicating section communicable with the client apparatus for receiving therefrom order information specifying a digital content to be purchased, and machine ID information designating machine IDs of electronic music apparatuses which are intended to use the specified digital content;

a licensing section that embeds the received machine ID information in the digital content specified by the client apparatus so as to license the specified digital content to the electronic music apparatuses designated by the client apparatus;

a providing section that provides the digital content embedded with the machine ID information to the client apparatus such that the provided digital content is made available exclusively by the designated electronic musical apparatuses according to the embedded machine ID information;

a charging section that charges the client apparatus for the specified digital content provided to the client apparatus; and

a registering section that registers the embedded machine ID information in connection with the specified digital content,

wherein the communicating section receives from the client apparatus new order information specifying the same digital content accompanied by new machine ID information designating machine IDs,

wherein the charging section compares the machine ID contained in the new machine ID information with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information to determine whether the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information,

wherein the charging section reduces a charge to the client apparatus in response to determining that the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information, and

wherein the charging section subtracts an amount already charged in association with the registered machine ID information from a charge computed for the new order information.

2. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communicating section notifies the client apparatus of a repeat order when the client apparatus sends new order information specifying the same digital content accompanied by new machine ID information designating machine IDs and when the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information.

3. A computer-readable medium containing a program for use in a server apparatus operating a content sale site for selling a digital content and being communicably connected via a communication network to a client apparatus which may purchase a digital content for use in an electronic music apparatus, the program being executable by the server apparatus for causing the content sale site to perform a method comprising the steps of:

communicating with the client apparatus to receive therefrom order information specifying a digital content to be purchased, and machine ID information designating machine IDs of electronic music apparatuses which are intended to use the specified digital content;

embedding the received machine ID information in the digital content specified by the client apparatus so as to license the specified digital content to the electronic music apparatuses designated by the client apparatus;

providing the digital content embedded with the machine ID information to the client apparatus such that the provided digital content is made available exclusively by the designated electronic musical apparatuses according to the embedded machine ID information;

charging the client apparatus for the specified digital content provided to the client apparatus; and

registering the embedded machine ID information in connection with the specified digital content,

communicating with the client apparatus to receive therefrom new order information specifying the same digital content accompanied by new machine ID information designating machine IDs,

wherein the charging step includes comparing the machine ID contained in the new machine ID information with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information to determine whether the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information,

wherein the charging step includes reducing a charge to the client apparatus in response to determining that the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information, and

wherein the charging step includes subtracting an amount already charged in association with the registered machine ID information from a charge computed for the new order information.

4. A network system comprising:

a server apparatus operating a content sale site for selling digital content; and

a client apparatus operatively coupled to the server apparatus via a communication network for purchasing digital content to be used in an electronic music apparatus, said server apparatus comprising;

a communication section communicable with the client apparatus that receives therefrom order information specifying a digital content to be purchased, and machine ID information designating machine IDs of at least one electronic music apparatus usable with the digital content;

a licensing section that embeds the received machine ID information in the digital content specified by the client apparatus so as to license the specified digital content to the electronic music apparatuses designated by the client apparatus;

a providing section that provides the digital content embedded with the machine ID information to the client apparatus such that the provided digital content is made available exclusively by the designated electronic musical apparatuses according to the embedded machine ID information;

a charging section that charges the client apparatus for the specified digital content provided to the client apparatus; and

a registering section that registers the embedded machine ID information in connection with the specified digital content,

wherein the communicating section receives from the client apparatus new order information specifying the same digital content accompanied by new machine ID information designating machine IDs,

wherein the charging section compares the machine ID contained in the new machine ID information with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information to determine whether the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information,

wherein the charging section reduces a charge to the client apparatus in response to determining that the machine IDs contained in the new machine ID information overlap with the machine IDs contained in the registered machine ID information, and

wherein the charging section subtracts an amount already charged in association with the registered machine ID information from a charge computed for the new order information.