Delivering digital content to a mobile device via a digital rights clearing house

• US 9,838,869 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Bye, Stephen James, Paczkowski, Lyle W., Schlesener, Matthew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obeid, Mamon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oussir, El Mehdi
• Application Number:
  US13/860,338
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to methods and systems for delivering digital or media content to a mobile device and associating the digital rights for the content with an identifier of the mobile device or user of the mobile device. In some embodiments, a clearing house may store the digital rights for the content and provide authorization for delivery requests from the mobile device. In some embodiments, the mobile device may receive the content via communication with one or more of: the clearing house, a media provider, and/or a transport provider.

Claims

1. A method for selecting and delivering digital content to a mobile device by a clearing house for digital content distribution that is independent of a media provider, wherein the method is bifurcated to include authorization for access to the digital content and a separate transport of the digital content to the mobile device, the method comprising:

creating, by the clearing house of a digital content distribution system that is independent of the media provider, and storing, in a non-transitory memory of the clearing house, a plurality of digital rights keys and their associations with a plurality of identifiers of a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of digital rights keys is associated with a corresponding digital right to access a corresponding digital content;

completing a payment transaction with a first mobile device for a right to access digital content by billing a communications service subscription account associated with the first mobile device for the right to access digital content;

receiving, by the clearing house, a request from the first mobile device for delivery of the digital content, wherein the request comprises an identifier including one or more of an identification of a subscriber, an access token, or an identity of the first mobile device;

verifying, by the clearing house, that delivery of the digital content is authorized by determining that the identifier is associated with a digital rights key for the digital content stored in the non-transitory memory of the clearing house;

in response to the clearing house verifying that delivery of the digital content is authorized;

determining, by the clearing house or a transport provider, one or more digital content transport options for the first mobile device;

providing, by the clearing house or the transport provider, the digital content transport options to the first mobile device;

receiving, by the clearing house or the transport provider, a selection of at least one of the digital content transport options from the first mobile device;

completing a payment transaction with the first mobile device for transport of the digital content to the first mobile device via the at least one of the digital content transport options separately from the payment transaction for the right to access the digital content by billing the communications service subscription account for the transport of the digital content via the at least one of the digital content transport options; and

subsequently transporting, via a network based on the at least one of the digital content transport options, the digital content from the media provider to the first mobile device separately from the previously purchased right to access the digital content;

receiving, by the clearing house, a request for delivery of the digital content to a second mobile device;

verifying, by the clearing house, authorization for delivery of the digital content to the second mobile device;

transporting the digital content from the media provider to the second mobile device; and

additionally billing the communications service subscription account for transport to the second mobile device, wherein the additional billing is separate from the billing for the right to access the digital content and the billing for the transport of the digital content to the first mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the clearing house, the media provider, or the transport provider, a preferred procedure for delivering the digital content, wherein the procedure includes source, path, format, cost, and time frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transporting the digital content to the first mobile device is completed through a communication between the first mobile device and a digital content data store of the media provider without involving the clearing house or the transport provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content transport options comprise media providers, transport providers, cost associated with delivery, form of delivery, and time frame associated with delivery.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first mobile device selects the media provider and a transport provider from the digital content transport options, and wherein the first mobile device communicates with the selected media provider via the selected transport provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein billing the communications service subscription account for transport to the first mobile device provides one or more of:

a one-time transport, a set number of transports to the first mobile device, or a set time frame for transports to the first mobile device.

7. A method for selecting and delivering media content to a mobile device by a clearing house for digital content distribution that is independent of a media provider, wherein the method is bifurcated to include authorization for access to the digital content and a separate transport of the digital content to the mobile device, the method, comprising:

completing, by a first mobile device, a purchase transaction for a right to access media content;

requesting, by the first mobile device, delivery of the media content from the clearing house of a digital content distribution system that is independent of the media provider, wherein the clearing house stores a plurality of digital rights keys and their associations with a plurality of identifiers of a plurality of mobile devices in a non-transitory memory of the clearing house, and wherein each of the plurality of digital rights keys is associated with a corresponding digital right to access corresponding media content;

providing, by the first mobile device, an identifier associated with the first mobile device to the clearing house;

verifying, by the clearing house, that the delivery of the media content is authorized by determining that the identifier is associated with a digital rights key for the media content stored in the non-transitory memory of the clearing house;

in response to the clearing house verifying that delivery of the digital content is authorized;

determining and providing, by the clearing house or a transport provider to the first mobile device, media content transport options for the first mobile device;

presenting, by the first mobile device, the media content transport options for delivery of the media content, wherein the media content transport options comprise one or more of;

media providers,

transport providers, cost associated with delivery, form of delivery, or time frame associated with delivery;

receiving, by the first mobile device, a selection of at least one of the media content transport options for delivery of the media content;

completing, by the first mobile device, a purchase transaction for transport of the media content to the first mobile device via the selected at least one of the media content transport options separately from the purchase transaction for the right to access the digital content; and

subsequently transporting, via a network based on the selected at least one of the media content transport options, the media content from the media provider to the first mobile device separately from the previously purchased right to access the media content;

receiving, by the clearing house, a request for delivery of the digital content to a second mobile device;

verifying, by the clearing house, authorization for delivery of the digital content to the second mobile device;

transporting the digital content from the media provider to the second mobile device; and

additionally billing a communications service subscription account associated with the first mobile device for transport to the second mobile device, wherein the additional billing is separate from the purchase transaction for the right to access the digital content and the purchase transaction for the transport of the digital content to the first mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, after receiving the selection of the at least one of the media content transport options for delivery, the clearing house directs the first mobile device to a provider for the selected at least one of the media content transport options to complete the transport of the media content.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the form of delivery comprises downloading or streaming the media content to the first mobile device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mobile device selects the media provider and a transport provider from the media content transport options, and wherein the first mobile device communicates with the selected media provider via the selected transport provider.

11. A method for selecting and delivering digital content to a mobile device by a clearing house for digital content distribution that is independent of a media provider, wherein the method is bifurcated to include authorization for access to the digital content and a separate transport of the digital content to the mobile device, the method comprising:

completing, by a first mobile device, a purchase transaction for a right to access digital content;

receiving, by a distributor, a request for delivery of the digital content to the first mobile device, wherein the request comprises an identifier;

providing, by the distributor, the identifier to the clearing house of a digital content distribution system that is independent of the media provider, wherein the clearing house stores a plurality of digital rights keys and their associations with a plurality of identifiers of a plurality of mobile devices in a non-transitory memory of the clearing house, and wherein each of the plurality of digital rights keys is associated with a corresponding digital right to access corresponding digital content;

confirming, by the clearing house, that the delivery of the digital content is authorized by determining that the identifier is associated with a digital rights key for the digital content stored in the non-transitory memory of the clearing house;

in response to the clearing house confirming that delivery of the digital content is authorized;

communicating, by the clearing house, a token to the distributor;

sending, by the distributor, a transport request and the token to a transport provider;

in response to receiving the token, determining and providing, by the transport provider, digital content transport options for the first mobile device;

presenting, by the first mobile device from the distributor, the digital content transport options for delivery of the digital content, wherein the digital content transport options comprise one or more of;

media providers, transport providers, cost associated with delivery, form of delivery, or time frame associated with delivery;

receiving, by the first mobile device, a selection of at least one of the digital content transport options for delivery of the digital content, wherein the distributor facilitates payment associated with the at least one of the digital content transport options;

completing, by the first mobile device, a purchase transaction for transport of the digital content to the first mobile device via the selected at least one of the digital content transport options separately from the purchase transaction for the right to access the digital content; and

subsequently transporting, via a network based on the selected at least one of digital content transport options, the digital content from the media provider to the first mobile device separately from the previously purchased right to access the digital content, wherein the distributor facilitates the transport process;

receiving, by the clearing house, a request for delivery of the digital content to a second mobile device;

verifying, by the clearing house, authorization for delivery of the digital content to the second mobile device;

transporting the digital content from the media provider to the second mobile device; and

additionally billing a communications service subscription account associated with the first mobile device for transport to the second mobile device, wherein the additional billing is separate from the purchase transaction for the right to access the digital content and the purchase transaction for the transport of the digital content to the first mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, further confirming:

receiving, by the distributor, verification from the clearing house that the identifier is associated with the digital rights key.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the distributor accesses information including location and personal credentials from the first mobile device to determine the digital content transport options for delivery of the digital content.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the distributor comprises a communication service provider for the first mobile device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the distributor comprises one of:

the media provider, a transport provider, or the clearing house.