Digital media asset identification system and method

• US 8,626,838 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Content Technologies LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Lambert, Edward, Dunkeld, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US13/603,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20130007898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 705/29, 709/204, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for identifying and transferring digital media assets within a system through the use of identification data. The identification data is applied to each transferred copy and includes data specific to the customer and digital media asset. To facilitate transfers and ease of use the digital media assets can be made DRM-free.

Claims

1. A system for managing the transfer of digital assets over a network, comprising:

one or more computing devices; and

at least one memory operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more computing devices and having code stored therein that, when executed by at least one of the one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to;

receive from a user an acceptance of terms of use of digital assets;

before a transfer of a digital asset from a first computing device to a second computing device, generate a second instance of the digital asset corresponding to a first instance of the digital asset, the first instance of the digital asset including digital content and a first unique identifier associated with the first instance of the digital asset, the second instance of the digital asset including digital content and at least one other portion that does not include the digital content;

embed, in the at least one other portion of the second instance of the digital asset, a second unique identifier that is different from the first unique identifier, wherein other instances of the digital asset have unique identifiers embedded therein and the unique identifiers are used to track instances of the digital asset;

participate in transfer of the second instance of the digital asset from the first computing device to the second computing device; and

credit a rights holder account and debit an account of the user related to the transfer of the second instance of the digital media asset to the user,

wherein the second instance of the digital asset has no copy protection and can be transferred from the second computing device to a third computing device without requiring authorization from an authorizing computing device, and wherein the authorizing computing device is not the second computing device and is not the first computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices is operable to store user account information and an authorization for playing of the digital asset on the second computing device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transfer of the second instance of the digital asset is in a peer to peer manner over the network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a third instance of the digital asset having a third unique identifier can be created and the third instance of the digital asset is transferred from the second computing device to the third computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second unique identifier is based on combining information from at least two of the following:

a first id for the first computing device, a second id for the second computing device, an asset id for the digital asset, a user id, a randomly generated number and a time of the transfer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a catalog of available digital assets is maintained by at least one of the one or more computing devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein transaction account information is maintained by a digital asset management system separate from the first computing device and the second computing device, the transaction account information including an identifier for a user of the second computing device, identifiers for any transfers performed by users, and billing information associated with the transfers.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first computing device controls the transfer to the second computing device in cooperation with the digital asset management system, such that the digital asset management system provides the second unique identifier.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first computing device provides authorization for the digital asset management system to track all transfers of digital assets from the first computing device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second instance of the digital asset is created in accordance with distribution rules in place at the time of the creation of the second instance of the digital asset.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second unique identifier includes information relating to a user of the second computing device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one network accessible location of the first instance of the digital asset is identified using an index.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a catalog of available digital assets by at least one of the one or more computing devices.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein authorization is required from the first computing device and/or the second computing device to transfer the second instance of the digital asset from the second computing device to the third computing device.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the other portion is an unused portion of the digital asset.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the other portion is a header of the digital asset.

13. A system for managing the transfer of digital assets over a network, comprising:

one or more computing devices; and

at least one memory operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more computing devices and having code stored therein that, when executed by at least one of the one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to;

transmit an acceptance of terms of use of digital assets;

request a digital asset;

receive a second instance of the digital asset, the second instance of the digital asset being generated corresponding to a first instance of the digital asset that includes digital content and a first unique identifier associated with the first instance of the digital asset, the second instance of the digital asset including digital content, at least one other portion that does not include the digital content, and a second unique identifier embedded in the at least one other portion, the second unique identifier being different from the first unique identifier, and being embedded before a transfer of the second instance of the digital asset to a second computing device, wherein other instances of the digital asset have unique identifiers embedded therein and the unique identifiers are used to track instances of the digital asset; and

transfer the second instance of the digital asset to the second computing device,

wherein the second instance of the digital asset has no copy protection and can be transferred from the second computing device to a third computing device without requiring authorization from an authorizing computing device, and wherein the authorizing computing device is not the second computing device and is not the system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transfer of the second instance of the digital asset is in a peer to peer manner over the network.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a third instance of the digital asset having a third unique identifier can be created and the third instance of the digital asset is transferred from the second computing device to a third computing device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second unique identifier is based on combining information from at least two of the following:

a first id for at least one of the one or more computing devices, a second id for the second computing device, an asset id for the digital asset, a user id, a randomly generated number and a time of the transfer.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein transaction account information is maintained by digital asset management system separate from the one or more computing devices and the second computing device, the transaction account information including an identifier for a user of the second computing device, identifiers for any transfers performed by users, and billing information associated with the transfers.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the digital asset management system is operable to store user account information and an authorization for playing of the digital asset on the second computing device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices controls the transfer to the second computing device in cooperation with the digital asset management system, such that the digital asset management system provides the second unique identifier.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices provides authorization for the digital asset management system to track all transfers of digital assets from at least one of the one or more computing devices.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the second instance of the digital asset is created in accordance with distribution rules in place at the time of the creation of the second instance of the digital asset.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the second unique identifier includes information relating to a user of the second computing device.

32. The system of claim 13, wherein authorization is required from the system and/or the first computing device to transfer the second instance of the digital asset from the external computing device to the third computing device.

38. The system of claim 13, wherein the other portion is an unused portion of the digital asset.

39. The system of claim 13, wherein the other portion is a header of the digital asset.

23. A method implemented by one or more computing devices for managing the transfer of digital assets over a network, comprising:

receiving an acceptance, from a user, of terms of use of digital assets;

before a transfer of a digital asset from a first computing device to a second computing device, generating a second instance of the digital asset corresponding to a first instance of the digital asset, the first instance of the digital asset including digital content and a first unique identifier associated with the first instance of the digital asset, the second instance of the digital asset including digital content and at least one other portion that does not include the digital content;

embedding, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, in the at least one other portion of the second instance of the digital asset, a second unique identifier that is different from the first unique identifier, wherein other instances of the digital asset have unique identifiers embedded therein and the unique identifiers are used to track instances of the digital asset;

participating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, in transfer of the second instance of the digital asset from a first computing device to a second computing device; and

crediting a rights holder account and debiting an account of the user related to the transfer of the second instance of the digital media asset to the user,

wherein the second instance of the digital asset has no copy protection and can be transferred from the second computing device to a third computing device without requiring authorization from an authorizing computing device, and wherein the authorizing computing device is not the second computing device and is not the first computing device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices is operable to store user account information and an authorization for playing of the digital asset on the second computing device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the transfer of the second instance of the digital asset is in a peer to peer manner over the network.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein a third instance of the digital asset having a third unique identifier can be created and the third instance of the digital asset is transferred from the second computing device to the third computing device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the second unique identifier is based on combining information from at least two of the following:

a first id for the first computing device, a second id for the second computing device, an asset id for the digital asset, a user id, a randomly generated number and a time of the transfer.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein authorization is required from the first computing device and/or the second computing device to transfer the second instance of the digital asset from the second computing device to the third computing device.

40. The method of claim 23, wherein the other portion is an unused portion of the digital asset.

41. The method of claim 23, wherein the other portion is a header of the digital asset.

29. One or more non-transitory, tangible, computer readable media having instructions recorded thereon which, when executed by one or more processors cause at least one of the one or more processors to:

receive an acceptance, from a user, of terms of use of digital assets;

before a transfer of a digital asset from a first computing device to a second computing device, generate a second instance of the digital asset corresponding to a first instance of the digital asset, the first instance of the digital asset including digital content and a first unique identifier associated with the first instance of the digital asset, the second instance of the digital asset including digital content and at least one other portion that does not include the digital content;

embed, in the at least one other portion of the second instance of the digital asset, a second unique identifier that is different from the first unique identifier, wherein other instances of the digital asset have unique identifiers embedded therein and the unique identifiers are used to track instances of the digital asset;

participate in transfer of the second instance of the digital asset from the first computing device coupled to the network to the second computing device; and

credit a rights holder account and debit an account of the user related to the transfer of the second instance of the digital media asset to the user,

wherein the second instance of the digital asset has no copy protection and can be transferred from the second computing device to a third computing device without requiring authorization from any an authorizing computing device, and wherein the authorizing computing device that is not at least one of the second computing device and is not the first computing device.

30. The media of claim 29, wherein the transfer of the second instance of the digital asset is in a peer to peer manner over the network.

34. The media of claim 29, wherein authorization is required from the first computing device and/or the second computing device to transfer the second instance of the digital asset from the second computing device to the third computing device.

42. The media of claim 29, wherein the other portion is an unused portion of the digital asset.

43. The media of claim 29, wherein the other portion is a header of the digital asset.

35. A system for managing the transfer of digital assets over a network, comprising:

one or more computing devices having code stored therein that, when executed by at least one of the one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to;

store user account information and user authorization information;

receive an acceptance, from a user, of terms of use of digital assets;

before a transfer of the second instance of the digital asset from a first computing device coupled to the network to a second computing device coupled to the network, generate a second instance of the digital asset corresponding to a first instance of the digital asset, the first instance of the digital asset including digital content and a first unique identifier associated with the first instance of the digital asset, the second instance of the digital asset including digital content and at least one other portion that does not include the digital content;

embed, in the at least one other portion of the second instance of the digital asset, a second unique identifier that is different from the first unique identifier, and wherein other instances of the digital asset have unique identifiers embedded therein and the unique identifiers are used to track instances of the digital asset;

monitor a transfer of the second instance of the digital asset from the first computing device to the second computing device;

store transaction information including identifiers of transfers requested by users; and

credit a rights holder account and debit an account of the user related to the transfer of the second instance of the digital media asset to the user,

wherein the second instance of the digital asset has no copy protection and can be transferred from the second computing device to a third computing device without requiring authorization from any an authorizing computing device, and wherein the authorizing computing device that is not at least one of the second computing device and is not the first computing device.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the other portion is an unused portion of the digital asset.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the other portion is a header of the digital asset.