Distributing digital-works and usage-rights to user-devices

• US 8,370,952 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synergy Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: James W. Wieder
• Inventors: Wieder, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEARSON, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US13/194,506
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1014 to tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1015 to users
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/901 Digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/902 Licensing digital content

Abstract

Method and apparatus for automatically distributing, as needed, a user'"'"'s digital-works and usage-rights to one or more user-devices. A definition of the usage-rights for a digital-work may be stored at one or more locations on a network. A version of said digital-work suitable for a user-device may be provided by one or more locations on said network. When a user who is authorized to utilize said digital-work is active at a user-device, a version of said digital-work and authorization to utilize is automatically transferred when needed to a user-device. The digital-work and authorization may be automatically transferred as needed to any user-device where an authorized user is active. The usage-rights may only be valid for one or more specific users. The usage authorization at each user-device may be less than defined in the full usage-rights maintained on the network. Authorization to utilize said digital-work at a user-device may be extended from time to time by exchanging user-device status across the network. Digital-works are automatically provided as needed to any user-device that an authorized user is using.

Claims

1. An apparatus-implemented method of distributing a digital-work, the method comprising:

storing a definition of usage-rights for said digital-work in one or more memories;

wherein said definition of usage-rights authorizes said digital-work for use by a user, at a plurality of different user-devices;

wherein said usage-rights for said digital-work are usable with a plurality of experience-providers;

determining, with one or more processors, when the user who is authorized to utilize said usage-rights is present at one of the user-devices; and

sending onto a network to said user-device, a format of said digital-work that is compatible with said user-device and an authorization for the user to utilize the format of the digital-work.

2. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said definition of usage-rights authorizes a plurality of different formats of said digital-work.

3. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the authorization sent to the user-device, expires after a time period, unless appropriate feedback on the usage of the digital-work has been sent by the user-device.

4. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein a plurality of experience-providers access said usage-rights of the user.

5. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein, when said user switches to another experience-provider of said plurality of experience-providers, said usage-rights are also used with said another experience-provider of said plurality of experience-providers.

6. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein at least one of said plurality of experience-providers access said usage-rights at a usage-rights repository.

7. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said usage-rights are defined by a standard for usage-rights that is used by said plurality of experience-providers.

8. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said usage-rights are issued by a usage-rights authority that is recognized by said plurality of experience-providers.

9. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said usage-rights are issued by a composition-provider and stored in a usage-rights repository; and

wherein the usage-rights in said repository are used by said plurality of experience-providers.

10. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said authorization is sent to said user-device by one experience-provider of said plurality of experience-providers, and is utilized at the user-device with another experience-provider of said plurality of experience-providers.

11. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the authorization sent to the user-device expires, unless the authorization sent to the user-device is renewed from time to time.

12. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein, based on a history and/or context of the user, said format and said authorization are sent to said user-device before being needed or requested by the user.

13. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein after determining the user is present at the user-device;

determining that a digital-work, for which the user has usage-rights, is expected to be used at a future time, by the user at the user-device;

determining if the digital-work and authorization is already available, for use by the user at the user-device; and

if the selected format and/or authorization is not already available at the user-device, automatically without needing user action or initiation, sending the selected format and/or the authorization to the user-device before being needed by the user at the user-device.

14. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein after determining the user is present at the user-device;

determining, automatically without needing user initiation or action, that a digital-work for which the user has usage-rights, is not configured for use by the user at the user-device; and

sending the selected format and/or the authorization for use by the user, to the user-device before being needed by the user at the user-device.

15. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

when a network connection is not available to the user-device, allowing the digital-work to be used at the user-device by the user, by utilizing the digital-work and the authorization that was previously sent to the user-device.

16. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the user is able to use the digital-work and the authorization that was previously received at the user-device, during times when a network connection is not available to the user-device.

17. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein an actual identity of the user remains unknown to experience-providers, digital-work providers and usage-rights repositories.

18. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the definition of usage-rights for the digital-work is stored at one or more locations on the network; and

wherein the definition of usage-rights is accessed, across the network, by a plurality of different experience-providers.

19. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein a version indicator or characteristics of the user-device, are sent across the network to one of said experience-providers, automatically without needing user action or initiation; and

wherein said format of the digital-work and said authorization, that is most appropriate for the user-device, is sent across the network to the user-device.

20. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

further comprising;

using said authorization to enable, said format of the digital-work, to be used at said user-device.

21. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the definition of usage-rights includes a right to use formats that already exist, and formats that are developed or released at a future time.

22. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a most appropriate format for a second user-device which is different from the format selected for a first user-device; and

sending onto a network to the second user-device, the format and authorization which was most appropriate for the second user-device.

23. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said usage-rights are used by said plurality of experience-providers.

24. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said plurality of experience-providers access said usage-rights across a network.

25. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said authorization sent to the user-device by one of said experience-providers, expires before the definition of usage-rights expires.

26. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said authorization, sent to the user-device by one of said experience-providers, expires after a time period that is less than the definition of usage-rights.

27. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said authorization sent to the user-device by one of said experience-providers, expires after an amount of usage, that is less than the definition of usage-rights.

28. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the authorization sent to the user-device by one of said experience-providers, expires after a number of times used, that is less than the definition of usage-rights.

29. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein a duration or amount of usage of said authorization, is less than said usage-rights; and

wherein the duration or amount of usage, authorized by said authorization, is based upon an indicator of trust worthiness of said user.

30. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein said usage-rights include a right to use future formats of said digital-work that did not exist when said usage-rights were originally obtained for said user.

31. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the definition of usage-rights are accessed by a plurality of different experience-providers.

32. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the definition of usage-rights are authorized for use with a plurality of different experience-providers.

33. An apparatus-implemented method as in claim 1:

wherein the definition of usage-rights are authorized for use with all experience-providers.

34. Apparatus for distributing a digital-work, comprising:

one or more memories that store a definition of usage-rights for said digital-work;

wherein said definition of usage-rights authorizes said digital-work for use by a user, at a plurality of different user-devices;

wherein said usage-rights for said digital-work are usable with a plurality of experience-providers;

one or more processors to determine when the user who is authorized to utilize said usage-rights is present at one of the user-devices; and

to send onto a network to said user-device;

a format of said digital-work that is compatible with said user-device and an authorization for the user to utilize the format of said digital-work.

35. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein said definition of usage-rights authorizes a plurality of different formats of said digital-work.

36. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein said format and said authorization are sent to the user-device, in anticipation of future use, by the user, of the digital-work at said user-device.

37. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein after determining the user is present at the user-device;

determining, automatically without needing user initiation or action, that a digital-work for which the user has usage-rights, is not configured for use by the user at the user-device; and

sending the selected format and/or the authorization, to the user-device before being needed by the user at the user-device.

38. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein said usage-rights of said user are used by said plurality of experience-providers.

39. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein at least one of said plurality of experience-providers access said usage-rights across a network.

40. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein the authorization sent to the user-device by one of said plurality of experience-providers, expires before the definition of usage-rights expires.

41. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein said authorization is sent to said user-device by one experience-provider of said plurality of experience-providers, and is utilized at said user-device with another experience-provider of said plurality of experience-providers.

42. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein the definition of usage-rights is accessed by said plurality of experience-providers.

43. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein the definition of usage-rights authorizes use by said plurality of experience-providers.

44. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein the definition of usage-rights authorizes use by all experience-providers.

45. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein said plurality of experience-providers access said usage-rights across a network.

46. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein the definition of usage-rights for the digital-work is stored at one or more locations on the network; and

wherein the definition of usage-rights is accessed, across the network, by a plurality of different experience-providers.

47. Apparatus as in claim 34:

wherein at least one of said plurality of experience-providers access said usage-rights at a usage-rights repository.

48. One or more computer-readable memories or storage media, not including carrier-waves, having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processing devices, implement a method of distributing a digital-work, the method comprising:

storing a definition of usage-rights for said digital-work in one or more memories;

wherein said definition of usage-rights authorizes said digital-work for use by a user, at a plurality of different user-devices;

wherein said usage-rights for said digital-work are usable with a plurality of experience-providers;

determining, with one or more processors, when the user who is authorized to utilize said usage-rights is present at one of the user-devices; and

sending onto a network to said user-device, a format of said digital-work that is compatible with said user-device and an authorization for the user to utilize the format of the digital-work.

49. One or more computer-readable memories or storage media, not including carrier-waves, as in claim 48:

wherein said definition of usage-rights authorizes a plurality of different formats of said digital-work.

50. One or more computer-readable memories or storage media, not including carrier-waves, as in claim 48:

wherein the definition of usage-rights is accessed by said plurality of experience-providers.

51. One or more computer-readable memories or storage media, not including carrier-waves, as in claim 48:

wherein said definition of usage-rights is authorized for use with all experience-providers.