Method and system for managing rights for digital music

• US 20050065624A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catch Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Catch Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Ben-Yaacov, Yaacov, Ben-Yaacov, Boaz
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• 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 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 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: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/02 with automatic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/025 Portable cases
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

A method is described for managing rights for digital music, including registering music players, from among a plurality of music players, with digital archives that store songs, from among a plurality of digital archives, wherein songs can be copied from digital archives to music players, and from music players to digital archives, permitting a music player to copy a song from a digital archive for which it is registered, permitting a digital archive to copy a song from a music player that is registered with the digital archive, restricting a music player from copying a song from a digital archive for which it is not registered, and restricting a digital archive from copying a song from a music player that is not registered with the digital archive. A system and a computer-readable storage medium are also described.

Claims

7. A method for managing rights for digital music, comprising:

maintaining, by a digital archive of songs, for a song stored in the digital archive, a maximum number of permitted copies of the song;

tracking, within the digital archive, for the song, a count of music players that copied the song from the digital archive;

permitting a music player to copy the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has not reached the maximum number of permitted copies for the song; and

restricting a music player from copying the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has reached the maximum number of permitted copies for the song.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

erasing a song from the music player, by a digital archive that stores the song; and

reducing the count for the song within the digital archive.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

adding a new song and meta-data therefor into the digital archive;

initializing the maximum number of permitted copies of the new song to one; and

initializing the count for the new song to zero.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said adding comprises recording the new song from a music channel broadcast.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said adding comprises copying the new song from the music player.

12. A method for managing rights for digital music, comprising:

registering groups of digital audio devices from among a plurality of digital audio devices with one another, the digital audio devices being able to store digital songs and to copy digital songs from one to another;

labeling digital songs stored within digital audio devices according to copyright privileges;

determining whether or not a song may be copied from a source digital audio device to a target digital audio device; and

prescribing the label of a song within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, wherein said determining and said prescribing are based on the source digital audio device, the target digital audio device and the label of the song within the source digital audio device, and also based on whether or not the source and target digital audio devices are registered with one another.

1. A method for managing rights for digital music, comprising:

registering music players, from among a plurality of music players, with digital archives that store songs, from among a plurality of digital archives, wherein songs can be copied from digital archives to music players, and from music players to digital archives;

permitting a music player to copy a song from a digital archive for which it is registered;

permitting a digital archive to copy a song from a music player that is registered with the digital archive;

restricting a music player from copying a song from a digital archive for which it is not registered; and

restricting a digital archive from copying a song from a music player that is not registered with the digital archive.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a music player is registered with at most one digital archive.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said restricting a music player comprises enabling the music player to purchase the song.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said restricting a music player comprises permitting the music player to copy a promotional version of the song.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining, by a digital archive for a song stored in the digital archive, a maximum number of permitted copies for the song;

tracking within the digital archive a count of music players registered with the digital archive that copied the song from the digital archive; and

preventing a music player registered with the digital archive from copying the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has reached the number of permitted copies for the song.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

instructing a music player to erase the song; and

reducing the count for the song within the digital archive.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said prescribing preserves the label of the song within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, if the source and target audio digital devices are registered with one another.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein labels of songs include a trial version label, and wherein said prescribing labels the song with a trial version label within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, if the source and target audio devices are not registered with one another.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the digital audio devices include digital audio recorders and digital audio players.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein labels of songs include a recorded version label.

14-1. The method of claim 12 wherein labels of songs include an owned version label.

15-2. The method of claim 12 wherein labels of songs include a purchased version label.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a device to perform a method comprising:

registering music players, from among a plurality of music players, with digital archives that store songs, from among a plurality of digital archives, wherein songs can be copied from digital archives to music players, and from music players to digital archives;

permitting a music player to copy a song from a digital archive for which it is registered;

permitting a digital archive to copy a song from a music player that is registered with the digital archive;

restricting a music player from copying a song from a digital archive for which it is not registered; and

restricting a digital archive from copying a song from a music player that is not registered with the digital archive.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a device to perform a method comprising:

maintaining, by a digital archive of songs, for a song stored in the digital archive, a maximum number of permitted copies of the song;

tracking, within the digital archive, for the song, a count of music players that copied the song from the digital archive;

permitting a music player to copy the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has not reached the maximum number of permitted copies for the song; and

preventing a music player from copying the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has reached the maximum number of permitted copies for the song.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a device to perform a method comprising:

registering groups of digital audio devices from among a plurality of digital audio devices with one another, the digital audio devices being able to store digital songs and to copy digital songs from one to another;

labeling digital songs stored within digital audio devices according to copyright privileges;

determining whether or not a song may be copied from a source digital audio device to a target digital audio device; and

prescribing the label of a song within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, wherein said determining and said prescribing are based on the source digital audio device, the target digital audio device and the label of the song within the source digital audio device, and also based on whether or not the source and target digital audio devices are registered with one another.

20. A system for managing rights for digital music, comprising:

a plurality of digital archives that store songs;

a plurality of music players at least some of which are registered with digital archives, wherein songs can be copied from digital archives to music players, and from music players to digital archives; and

a rights manager housed within a digital archive permitting a music player to copy a song from the digital archive if the music player is registered with the digital archive, permitting the digital archive to copy a song from a music player if the music player is registered with the digital archive, restricting a music player from copying a song from the digital archive if the music player is not registered with the digital archive, and restricting the digital archive from copying a song from a music player if the music player is not registered with the digital archive.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein a music player is registered with at most one digital archive.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said rights manager enables a music player to purchase the song when the music player is not registered with the digital archive.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein said rights manager permits a music player to copy a promotional version of the song when the music player is not registered with the digital archive.

24. The system of claim 20 further comprising a database manager within a digital archive for maintaining a maximum number of permitted copies for a song stored within the digital archive, and for tracking a count of music players that copied the song from the digital archive, and wherein said rights manager prevents a music player from copying the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has reached the number of permitted copies for the song.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the digital archive instructs the music player to erase the song from the music player, and wherein said database manager reduces the count for the song.

26. A system for managing rights for digital music, comprising:

a digital archive of songs comprising;

a database manager for maintaining a maximum number of permitted copies of a song, for a song stored within the digital archive, and for tracking a count of music players that copied the song from the digital archive; and

a rights manager for permitting a music player to copy the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has not reached the maximum number of permitted copies for the song, and for restricting a music player from copying the song from the digital archive if the count for the song has reached the maximum number of permitted copies for the song.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said digital archive erases a song from a music player, and wherein said database manager reduces the count for the song within the digital archive.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein said database manager adds a new song and meta-data therefor into the digital archive, initializes the maximum number of permitted copies of the new song to one, and initializes the count for the new song to zero.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said digital archive records the new song from a music channel broadcast.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein said digital archive copies the new song from the music player.

31. A system for managing rights for digital music, comprising:

a plurality of audio devices, each being able to store digital songs and to copy digital songs from one to another, wherein groups of the digital audio devices are registered with one another; and

a database manager for labeling digital songs stored within digital audio devices according to copyright privileges, for determining whether or not a song may be copied from a source digital audio device to a target digital audio device, and for prescribing the label of a song within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, wherein said determining and said prescribing are based on the source digital audio device, the target digital audio device and the label of the song within the source digital device, and also based on whether or not the source and target digital audio devices are registered with one another.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said database manager preserves the label of the song within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, if the source and target audio devices are registered with one another.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein labels of songs include a trial version label, and wherein said database manager labels the song with a trial version label within the target digital audio device when the song is copied from the source digital audio device to the target digital audio device, if the source and target audio devices are not registered with one another.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein the digital audio devices include digital audio recorders and digital audio players.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein labels of songs include an owned version label.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein labels of songs include a purchased version label.

37. The system of claim 31 wherein labels of songs include a recorded version label.