Media validation system

• US 8,473,514 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DigiMedia Tech, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Schust Development LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US13/523,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-899
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A media validation system including a plurality of media storage devices which contain a quantity of content thereon, a user computer processor assembly structured to operatively access a select media storage device, a verification module, and a communicative link between the verification module and the user computer processor assembly. Each of the media storage devices includes a unique unit identifier, the verification module identifying the unique unit identifier of the select media storage device and receiving user information associated therewith. The verification module is also structured to apply a reward credit in association with only a first user whose user information is associated with the unique unit identifier for the select media storage device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

validating a storage device having primary content stored thereon by associating the storage device to a unique identifier and to information identifying an initial user of the storage device; and

applying a reward credit to the initial user or allowing access to supplemental content associated with the primary content based at least in part on validating the storage device;

wherein the reward credit comprises points or value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary content stored on the storage device comprises publicly accessible content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content comprises encrypted content supplemental to the primary content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises a compact disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a smart card, memory module, a memory card, or hard disk drive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises name, user identification, random identification number, email address, or password.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising restricting access to the supplemental content to a user other than the initial user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising restricting access to the supplemental content based at least in part on a user other than the initial user attempting to copy the primary content stored on the storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising making at least a portion of the supplemental content inaccessible before validating the storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the supplemental content is stored remote from the storage device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the reward credit further comprises:

identifying an affiliation of the storage device; and

applying the reward credit based at least in part on the affiliation.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions; and

a processing device configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to;

validate a storage device having primary content stored thereon by associating the storage device to a unique identifier and by associating the storage device to information corresponding to an initial user of the storage device;

apply a reward credit to the initial user based at least in part on validation of the storage device; and

allow access to supplemental content corresponding to the primary content exclusively to the initial user based at least in part on validation of the storage device;

wherein the reward credit comprises points or value.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the primary content stored on the storage device comprises publicly accessible content.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the supplemental content comprises encrypted content supplemental to the primary content.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the storage device comprises a compact disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a smart card, memory module, a memory card, or hard disk drive.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the information comprises name, user identification, random identification number, email address, or password.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising restricting access to the supplemental content to a user other than the initial user.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to restrict access to the supplemental content to a user other than the initial user.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to restrict access to the supplemental content based at least in part on a user other than the initial user attempting to copy the primary content stored on the storage device.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to restrict access to at least a portion of the supplemental content inaccessible before validating the storage device.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the supplemental content is stored in a remote storage device located remotely from the storage device.

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to:

identify an affiliation of the storage device; and

apply the reward credit based at least in part on the affiliation.