SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A FLEXIBLE LICENSING SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL CONTENT

• US 20070198422A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag, Prahlad, Anand, Kavuri, Srinivas, Muller, Marcus, Ali-Ali, Muath, Madeira, Andre
• Application Number:
  US11/612,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1014 to tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A system and method for providing a flexible licensing system for digital content is described. In some cases, the system utilizes tokens or other valuations to facilitate the purchase or exchange of content.

Claims

1. A method of providing a user with rights to use digital content, the method comprising:

receiving a request for multiple copies of an item of digital content from the user, wherein the request for multiple copies of the item of digital content at least contains information identifying the user and information identifying the requested item of digital content;

identifying rights for the user that indicate a number of tokens associated with the user, each of the tokens having a certain value;

comparing a collective value for the number of tokens associated with the user to a value of tokens associated with the multiple copies of the item of requested digital content; and

authorizing the user to receive the requested multiples copies of the item of digital content when the comparison determines that the collective value equals or exceeds a threshold value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content to the user; and

deducting a group of tokens from the tokens associated with the user that equal the value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the user is an authorized user of the requested item of digital content based on the information identifying the user;

transmitting the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content to the user; and

removing a group of tokens from the tokens associated with the user that equals the value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the user is an authorized user of the requested item of digital content based on the information identifying the requested digital content;

transmitting the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content to the user; and

accepting a group of tokens from the tokens associated with the user that equals the value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the comparison determines that the collective value is below the value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content, querying the user for purchase of additional tokens;

receiving a purchase of additional tokens from the user;

transmitting the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content to the user; and

redeeming a group of tokens from the tokens associated with the user that equals the value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tokens relate to a type of use of the requested digital content, and wherein the method further comprises:

comparing the tokens of the same type of use of the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content to the value of the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content; and

authorizing the user to receive the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content when the comparison determines that the collective value of tokens of the same type as the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content equals or exceeds the threshold value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying rights for the user includes reviewing a token association table related to the user;

the method further comprising;

transmitting the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content to the user; and

removing a group of tokens from tokens located on the reviewed token association table that equal the value of tokens associated with the requested multiple copies of the item of digital content

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the item of digital content is a licensed software product.

9. A computer memory containing a data structure representing a list of tokens associated with a selected user, the data structure comprising fields for a plurality of digital objects available to the selected user, each field including information identifying digital content of the digital object and information indicating a value of the digital content, the value of the digital content being a value of the digital content in token, the tokens representing an increment of assignable rights to the selected user for the digital content.

10. The computer memory of claim 9, wherein each field further comprises information indicating a type of the digital content.

11. A method of providing a digital object to a user in a token-based digital rights management system, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the user to obtain the digital object, wherein the request contains information identifying the user and information identifying the digital object;

identifying one or more tokens associated with the user that apply to the requested digital object;

determining that there are a sufficient number of tokens associated with the user that apply to the requested digital content; and

providing the digital content to the user in exchange for a number of tokens that apply to the requested digital content when the number of tokens that apply to the requested digital content equals or exceeds a value in tokens of the requested digital object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying tokens associated with the user further comprises:

reviewing a data structure, wherein the data structure contains information indicating a number of tokens associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

deducting from the user the number of tokens that apply to the requested digital content that equal the value in tokens of the requested digital content.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of the identified one or more tokens are specific tokens only applicable to the requested digital content.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of the identified one or more tokens are generic tokens applicable to more than one type of digital content.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the identified one or more tokens comprises one token having a value equal or greater to the value in tokens of the requested digital content.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the identified one or more tokens comprises a plurality of tokens that have a collective value equal or greater to the value in tokens of the requested digital content.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the requested digital object is a licensed software product.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the requested digital object is a feature of a licensed software product.

20. A digital rights management system, comprising:

means for receiving a request from a user to obtain a digital object, wherein the request contains information identifying the user and information identifying the digital object;

means for identifying one or more tokens associated with the user that apply to the requested digital object;

means for determining that there are a sufficient number of tokens associated with the user that apply to the requested digital content; and

means for providing the digital content to the user in exchange for a number of tokens that apply to the requested digital content when the number of tokens that apply to the requested digital content equals or exceeds a value in tokens of the requested digital object.