Digital media reproduction and licensing

• US 10,860,691 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2019
• Issued: 12/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Media Chain, LLC
• Original Assignee: Media Chain, LLC
• Inventors: Estes, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn D
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCoy, Richard A
• Application Number:
  US16/731,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20200154169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1015 to users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections

Abstract

Systems and methods for monetizing the reproduction of digital media content for the rights-holders of the digital media content. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to determining whether a user of a media content item has a license to reproduce the media content item. In one embodiment, the media content item may be reproduced when the user is licensed. The user is prompted to select to acquire a license to reproduce the media content item or to decline the license to reproduce the media content item when the user is not licensed. Further embodiments determine whether a user may receive a license when the user wishes to acquire a license. In an embodiment, the user is declined a license when not approved for the license.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for configuring a multimedia hardware device to stream a media content item, comprising:

receiving a first request from a first user to evaluate streaming the media content item and a second request from a second user to evaluate streaming the media content item;

identifying the media content item by determining a media fingerprint that identifies a unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item captured during recorded creation of the media content item, and excluding information introduced to the media content item extraneous to the recorded creation;

extracting first user data specific to the first user when the first user accepts to stream the media content item;

extracting second user data specific to the second user when the second user declines to stream the media content item;

aggregating the extracted first user data into a first statistics record and the extracted second user data into a second statistics record, wherein the first statistics record summarizes the first user data and the second statistics record summarizes the second user data;

storing in a database the first statistics record and the second statistics record so that the summarized first user data and second user data is accessible to a third party online retailer;

retrieving the first statistics record and the second statistics record with the identity of the media content item determined by the media fingerprint;

analyzing the retrieved first statistics record and the retrieved second statistics record to determine a target demographic of the media content item based on a first demographic corresponding to the first user data that accepted to stream the media content item and a second demographic corresponding to the second user data that declined to stream the media content item; and

providing the third party online retailer the target demographic to market the media content item to a plurality of other users corresponding to the target demographic of the media content item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a license to reproduce the media content from a licensing system when at least one of the first request and second request is granted by a licensing system; and

preventing reproduction of the media content item when the first and second requests are declined by the licensing system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

streaming the media content item based on a plurality of streaming parameters in the license that is received from the licensing system.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in a license database the first user data and the second user data that is associated with the respective first user and second user that is attempting to stream the media content item that is accessible to the third party online media retailer that has been selected by a copyright owner to distribute the media content item.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in the license database the first user data and the second user data that is associated with the respective first user and second user that is attempting to reproduce the media content item that is accessible to a hardware device manufacturer that manufacturers hardware that is implemented by the multimedia hardware device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user data and the second user data includes a respective first and second geographic locations of the first user and the second user who are requesting the media content item.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content item is a first version of an audiovisual work and the second media content item is a second version of the audio visual work.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content item is a song, and the unique characteristic inherently resent in the media content item is selected from the group consisting of lyrics included in the song, notes played in the song, and a sampled sound wave included in the song.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content item is a book in digital format, and the unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item is a preselected number of words in the book.

7. A computer implemented method for configuring a media content streaming and verification system to stream media content comprising:

receiving a first request from a first external device associated with a first user to evaluate streaming the media content item and a second request from a second external device associated with a second user to evaluate streaming the media content item;

identifying the media content item by determine a media fingerprint that identifies a unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item captured during recorded creation of the media content item ad excluding information introduced to the media content item extraneous to the recorded creation;

extracting first user data specific to the first user when the user accepts to stream the media content item;

extracting second user data specific to the second user when the second user declines to stream the media content item;

aggregating the extracted first user data into a first statistics record and the extracted second user data into a second statistics record, wherein the first statistics record summarizes the first user data and the second statistics record summarizes the second user data;

storing in a database the first statistics record and the second statistics record so that the summarized fist user data and second user data is accessible to a party other than the first user and the second user,

retrieving the first statistics record and the second statistics record with the identity of the media content item determined by the media fingerprint;

analyzing the retrieved first statistics record and the retrieved second statistics record to determine a target demographic of the media content item based on a first demographic corresponding to the first user data that accepted to stream the media content item and a second demographic corresponding to the second user data that declined to stream the media content item to provide a party other than the first user and the second user the target demographic to market the media content item to a plurality of other users corresponding to the target demographic of the media content item.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating a license record that includes license granting information associated with the license granted to the external device; and

storing the license record in a registered user database that is associated with the user.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the media content item is a song, and the unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item is selected from the group consisting of lyrics included in the song, notes played in the song, and a sampled sound wave included in the song.

22. The method of claim 7, wherein the media content item is a book in digital format, and the unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item is a preselected number of words in the book.

9. A system for configuring a multimedia hardware device to generate an authorized reproduction of a media content item included in a digital media file, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive a first request from a first user to evaluate streaming the media content item and a second request from a second user to evaluate streaming the media content item,

identify the media content item by determining a media fingerprint that identifies a unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item captured during recorded creation of the media content item and excluding information introduced to the media content item extraneous to the recorded creation,

extract first user data specific to the first user when the user accepts to stream the media content item,

extract second user data specific to the second user when the second user declines to stream the media content item,

aggregate the extracted first user data into a first statistics record and the extracted second user data into a second statistics record, wherein the first statistics record summarizes the first user data and the second statistics record summaries the second user data,

store in a database the first statistics record and the second statistics record so that the summarized first user data and the second user data is accessible to a third party online retailer, and

retrieve the first statistics record and the second statistics record with the identity of the media content item determined by the media fingerprint;

analyze the retrieved first statistics records and the second retrieved statistics record to determine a target demographic of the media content item based on a first demographic corresponding to the first user data that accepted to stream the media content item and a second demographic corresponding to the second user data that declined to stream the media content item to provide the third party online retailer the target demographic to market the media content item to a plurality of other users corresponding to the target demographic of the media content item.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a license to reproduce the media content item from a licensing system when the at least one of the first request and second request is granted by the licensing system; and

prevent reproduction of the media content item when the first and second requests are declined by the licensing system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to reproduce the media content item based on a plurality of reproduction parameters included in the license that is received from the licensing system.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to store in the license database the first user data that is associated with the first user that is accepting to stream the media content item and the second user data that is associated with the second user that is declining to stream the media content item that is accessible to the third party online media retailer that has been selected by a copyright owner to distribute the media content item.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to store in the license database the first user data that is associated with the first user that is accepting to stream the media content item and the second user data that is associated with the second user that is declining to stream the media content item that is accessible to a hardware device manufacturer that manufacturers hardware that is implemented by the multimedia hardware device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first user data and the second user data includes a quantity of times that the first user and the second user has previously accessed the media content item and additional media content items.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the media content item is a song, and the unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item is selected from the group consisting of lyrics included in the song, notes played in the song, and a sampled sound wave included in the song.

23. The method of claim 9, wherein the media content item is a book in digital format, and the unique characteristic inherently present in the media content item is a preselected number of words in the book.

15. A computer implemented method for configuring a multimedia hardware device to stream a plurality of media content items, comprising:

receiving a first request from a user to evaluate streaming a first media content item and a second request from the user to evaluate streaming a second media content item;

identifying the first media content item by determining a first media fingerprint that identifies a first unique characteristic inherently present in the first media content item captured during recorded creation of the first media content item, and excluding information introduced to the first media content item extraneous to the recorded creation;

identifying the second media content item by determining a second media fingerprint that identifies a second unique characteristic inherently present in the second media content item captured during recorded creation of the second media content item, and excluding information introduced to the second media content item extraneous to the recorded creation;

extracting first user data specific to the user when the user accepts to stream the first media content item;

extracting second user data specific to the user when the user declines to stream the second media content item;

aggregating the extracted first user data into a first statistics record and the extracted second user data into a second statistics record, wherein the first statistics record summarizes the first user data and the second statistics record summarizes the second user data;

storing in a database the first statistics record and the second statistics record so that the summarized first user data and second user data is accessible to a third party online retailer;

retrieving the first statistics record and the second statistics record with the identity of the first and second media content items determined by the first and second media fingerprints;

analyzing the retrieved first statistics record and the retrieved second statistics record to determine a target demographic of the first and second media content items based on the first user data that accepted to stream the first media content item and the second user data that declined to stream the second media content item; and

providing the third party online retailer the target demographic to market the first and second media content items to a plurality of other users corresponding to the target demographic of the first and second media content items.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second user data includes geographic location of the user who is requesting the first and second media content items.