Remote Storage of Acquired Data at Network-Based Data Repository

• US 20120310762A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robbin, Jeffrey L., Wadycki, Andrew, Gautier, Patrice, Alsina, Thomas, Chu, Michael Kuohao, Newman, Lucas C., Kelly, Sean B., Heller, David, Shenoy, Arvind
• Application Number:
  US13/488,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Improved techniques and systems for storage, delivery and acquisition of digital assets are disclosed. The techniques and systems are suitable and useful for storing, delivering and accessing digital assets (e.g., media assets) that have been acquired from online stores to electronic devices. The techniques and systems are also suitable and useful for storing, delivering and accessing digital assets that have been acquired from other than from online stores. The digital assets can include media assets and/or non-media assets.

Claims

1. A system for providing a remote data repository accessible by client device via a network, the system comprising:

an online store, operatively connected to the network, for acquisition of digital assets via the network;

cloud storage, operatively connected to the network, configured to remotely store digital data for a plurality of account holders; and

at least one processor operatively connected to the network, the at least one processor being configured to;

assign a cloud identifier for a digital asset purchased from the online store.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the cloud identifier is assigned at approximately the time of purchase of the digital asset.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the cloud identifier is an identifier for use by a particular one of the account holders that has purchased the digital asset.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the cloud identifier is provided to the client device along with other information about the digital asset on purchase of the digital asset.

5. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein the client device is associated with the particular one of the account holders.

6. A method for accessing remotely stored data by client device via a network, the method comprising:

providing access to online store via the network to acquire a digital asset via the network;

providing access to cloud storage via the network to remotely store digital data for a plurality of account holders;

initiating purchase of a digital asset acquired from the online store for a user;

assigning a cloud identifier for the digital asset purchased from the online store; and

storing the cloud identifier for the digital asset purchased from the online store to a cloud data repository in association with a user account associated with the user.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the method comprises:

providing the cloud identifier to at least one client device associated with the user account associated with the user

8. A method as recited in claim 6,

wherein the online store comprises or couples to a data repository that stores a plurality of digital assets that are available for acquisition from the online store, and

wherein the cloud identifier assigned and stored in the cloud data repository serves to point to digital data for the digital asset that is resident at the data repository.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the digital asset for the digital asset is resident at the data repository but not resident at the cloud data repository.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

storing digital data for the digital asset acquired from the online store in the cloud data repository.

11. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

storing digital data for the digital asset acquired from the online store in the cloud data repository in association with the user account associated with the user.

12. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the method comprises:

providing the cloud identifier to at least one client device associated with the user account associated with the user.

13. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the method comprises:

subsequently receiving a download request including the cloud identifier for the digital asset previously acquired from the online store;

locating digital data for the digital asset at the cloud data repository or a data repository associated with the online store; and

downloading the digital data for the digital asset to the client device.

14. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the method comprises:

subsequently receiving, from the client device, a download request including the cloud identifier for the digital asset previously acquired from the online store;

confirming that the client device is authorized to receive the digital data associated with the cloud identifier;

locating digital data for the digital asset at the cloud data repository or a data repository associated with the online store; and

downloading the digital data for the digital asset to the client device, provided that it is confirmed that the client device is authorized to receive the digital data associated with the cloud identifier.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium for accessing remotely stored data by client device via a network, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for providing access to online store via the network to acquire a digital asset via the network;

computer program code for providing access to cloud storage via the network to remotely store digital data for a plurality of account holders;

computer program code for initiating purchase of a digital asset acquired from the online store for a user;

computer program code for assigning a cloud identifier for the digital asset purchased from the online store; and

computer program code for storing the cloud identifier for the digital asset purchased from the online store to a cloud data repository in association with a user account associated with the user.

16. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code for providing the cloud identifier to at least one client device associated with the user account associated with the user

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15,

wherein the online store comprises or couples to a data repository that stores a plurality of digital assets that are available for acquisition from the online store, and

wherein the cloud identifier assigned and stored in the cloud data repository serves to point to digital data for the digital asset that is resident at the data repository.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the digital asset for the digital asset is resident at the data repository but not resident at the cloud data repository.

19. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for storing digital data for the digital asset acquired from the online store in the cloud data repository.

20. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for storing digital data for the digital asset acquired from the online store in the cloud data repository in association with the user account associated with the user.

21. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code for providing the cloud identifier to at least one client device associated with the user account associated with the user.

22. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code for subsequently receiving a download request including the cloud identifier for the digital asset previously acquired from the online store;

computer program code for locating digital data for the digital asset at the cloud data repository or a data repository associated with the online store; and

computer program code for downloading the digital data for the digital asset to the client device.

23. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code for subsequently receiving, from the client device, a download request including the cloud identifier for the digital asset previously acquired from the online store;

computer program code for confirming that the client device is authorized to receive the digital data associated with the cloud identifier;

computer program code for locating digital data for the digital asset at the cloud data repository or a data repository associated with the online store; and

computer program code for downloading the digital data for the digital asset to the client device, provided that it is confirmed that the client device is authorized to receive the digital data associated with the cloud identifier.