Secure online music distribution system
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, comprising:
- a content manager that transmits validation data uniquely associated with a purchase of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
the media player, storing encryption data assigned specifically to the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data; and
the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and securely transmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the audio data of the selected media data file encrypted using the encryption data of the media player, the media player adapted to decrypt the audio data of the selected media data file using the encryption data, and playback resulting decrypted audio data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer implemented online music distribution system provides for the secure delivery of audio data and related media, including text and images, over a public communications network. The online music distribution system provides security through multiple layers of encryption, and the cryptographic binding of purchased audio data to each specific purchaser. The online music distribution system also provides for previewing of audio data prior to purchase. In one embodiment, the online music distribution system is a client-server system including a content manager, a delivery server, and an HTTP server, communicating with a client system including a Web browser and a media player. The content manager provides for management of media and audio content, and processing of purchase requests. The delivery server provides delivery of the purchased media data. The Web browser and HTTP server provide a communications interface over the public network between the content manager and media players. The media player provides for encryption of user personal information, and for decryption and playback of purchased media data. Security of purchased media data is enhanced in part by the use of a personal, digital passport in each media player. The digital passport contains identifying information that identifies the purchaser, along with confidential information, such as credit card number, and encryption data, such as the media player'"'"'s public and private keys. The media player encryption data is used to encrypt purchased media data, which is decrypted in real time by the media player. The media player also displays confidential information, such as the purchaser'"'"'s credit card number, during playback.
414 Citations
92 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, comprising:
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a content manager that transmits validation data uniquely associated with a purchase of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
the media player, storing encryption data assigned specifically to the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data; and
the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and securely transmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the audio data of the selected media data file encrypted using the encryption data of the media player, the media player adapted to decrypt the audio data of the selected media data file using the encryption data, and playback resulting decrypted audio data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, comprising:
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a content manager that (i) stores a plurality of media data files, each media data file including at least one encrypted high quality full length audio data file and at least one unencrypted low quality audio data file, and (ii) transmits validation data uniquely associated with a preview of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the previewed media data file;
the media player that receives the validation data from the content manager and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data; and
the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager to validate the preview of the media data file by the media player and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and retransmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the unencrypted low quality audio data, the media player adapted to playback the unencrypted low quality audio data as the preview of the selected media data file as the unencrypted audio data is received.
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12. A method for distributing digital content through a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to authorize delivery of one or more purchased items of digital content to a purchaser;
sending voucher data which authorizes delivery of the one or more purchased items of digital content to the purchaser and identifies a delivery server to conduct the delivery;
receiving a verification request from the delivery server to verify the voucher data;
verifying that the voucher data represents delivery to the purchaser; and
sending authorization to the delivery server to deliver the one or more purchased items of digital content to the purchaser after the delivery server verifies validation data received from a media player using a content manager and receives the one or more purchased items from the content manager, the delivery server securely retransmitting the one or more purchased items to the media payer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for distributing digital content through a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving a delivery request to deliver one or more items of digital content to a purchaser wherein the delivery request includes transaction data which represents a transaction in which the purchaser purchased the one or more items of digital content;
submitting the transaction data to a content manager for verification of the authority of the purchaser to receive the one or more items of digital content; and
upon receiving the verification from the content manager, verifying validation data received from a media player using the content manager and receiving the one or more items of digital content from the content manager, and sending the one or more items of digital content to the purchaser. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for distributing digital content through a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to authorize delivery of one or more preview items of digital content to a user;
sending voucher data which authorizes delivery of the one or more preview items of digital content to the user and identifies a delivery server to conduct the delivery;
receiving a verification request from the delivery server to verify the voucher data;
verifying that the voucher data represents delivery to the user; and
sending authorization to the delivery server to deliver the one or more preview items of digital content to the user, after the delivery service verifies validation data received from a media player using a content manager and receives the one or more preview items of digital content from the content manager, the delivery server retransmitting the one or more preview items of digital content to the media player. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method for distributing digital content through a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving a delivery request to deliver one or more items of digital content to a user wherein the delivery request includes transaction data which represents a transaction in which the user has requested preview of the one or more items of digital content;
submitting the transaction data to a content manager for verification of the authority of the user to preview the one or more items of digital content;
upon receiving the verification from the content manager, verifying validation data received from a media player using the content manager and receiving the preview data of one or more items of digital content from the content manager, and sending preview data of the one or more items of digital content to the user. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by:
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receiving a request to authorize delivery of one or more purchased items of digital content to a purchaser;
sending voucher data which authorizes delivery of the one or more purchased items of digital content to the purchaser and identifies a delivery server to conduct the delivery;
receiving a verification request from the delivery server to verify the voucher data;
verifying that the voucher data represents delivery to the purchaser; and
sending authorization to the delivery server to deliver the one or more purchased items of digital content to the purchaser after the delivery server verifies validation data received from a media player using a content manager and receives the one or more purchased items from the content manager, the delivery server securely retransmitting the one or more purchased items to the media payer. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by:
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receiving a delivery request to deliver one or more items of digital content to a purchaser wherein the delivery request includes transaction data which represents a transaction in which the purchaser purchased the one or more items of digital content;
submitting the transaction data to a content manager for verification of the authority of the purchaser to receive the one or more items of digital content; and
upon receiving the verification from the content manager, verifying validation data received from a media player using the content manager and receiving the one or more items of digital content from the content manager, and sending the one or more items of digital content to the purchaser. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured, to cause the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by:
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receiving a request to authorize delivery of one or more preview items of digital content to a user, sending voucher data which authorizes delivery of the one or more preview items of digital content to the user and identifies a delivery server to conduct the delivery;
receiving a verification request from the delivery server to verify the voucher data;
verifying that the voucher data represents delivery to the user, and sending authorization to the delivery server to deliver the one or more preview items of digital content to the user, after the delivery service verifies validation data received from a media player using a content manager and receiving the one or more preview items of digital content from the content manager and retransmitting the one or more preview items of digital content to the media player. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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64. A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by:
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receiving a delivery request to deliver one or more items of digital content to a user herein the delivery request includes transaction data which represents a transaction in which the user has requested preview of the one or more items of digital content;
submitting the transaction data to a content manager for verification of the authority of the user to preview the one or more items of digital content;
upon receiving the verification from the content manager, verifying validation data received from a media player using the content manager and receiving the one or more items of digital content from the content manager receiving preview data of the one or more items of digital content; and
sending preview data of the one or more items of digital content to the user. - View Dependent Claims (65)
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66. A computer system comprising:
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a processor;
a memory operatively coupled to the processor; and
a content manager (i) which executes in the processor from the memory and {ii) which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by;
receiving a request to authorize delivery of one or more purchased items of digital content to a purchaser;
sending voucher data which authorizes delivery of the one or more purchased items of digital content to the purchaser and identifies a delivery server to conduct the delivery;
receiving a verification request from the delivery server to verify the voucher data;
verifying that the voucher data represents delivery to the purchaser; and
sending authorization to the delivery server to deliver the one or more preview items of digital content to the user, after the delivery service verifies validation data received from a media player using a content manager and receiving the one or more preview items of digital content from the content manager and retransmitting the one or more preview items of digital content to the media player. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A computer system comprising:
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a processor;
a memory operatively coupled to the processor, and a delivery server (i) which executes in the processor from the memory and (ii) which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by;
receiving a delivery request to deliver one or more items of digital content to a purchaser wherein the delivery request includes transaction data which represents a transaction in which the purchaser purchased the one or more items of digital content;
submitting the transaction data to a content manager for verification of the authority of the purchaser to receive the one or more items of digital content; and
upon receiving the verification from the content manager, verifying validation data received from a media player using the content manager and receiving the one or more items of digital content from the content manager, and sending the one or more items of digital content to the purchaser. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A computer system comprising:
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a processor;
a memory operatively coupled to the processor; and
a content manager (i) which executes in the processor from the memory and (ii)which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by;
receiving a request to authorize delivery of one or more preview items of digital content to a user;
sending voucher data which authorizes delivery of the one or more preview items of digital content to the user and identifies a delivery server to conduct the delivery;
receiving a verification request from the delivery server to verify the voucher data;
verifying that the voucher data represents delivery to the user; and
sending authorization to the delivery server to deliver the one or more preview items of digital content to the user, after the delivery service verifies validation data received from a media player using a content manager and receiving the one or more preview items of digital content from the content manager and retransmitting the one or more preview items of digital content to the media player. - View Dependent Claims (90)
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91. A computer system comprising:
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a processor, a memory operatively coupled to the processor; and
a delivery server (i) which executes in the processor from the memory and (ii) which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to distribute digital content through a computer network by;
receiving a delivery request to deliver one or more items of digital content to a user wherein the delivery request includes transaction data which represents a transaction in which the user has requested preview of the one or more items of digital content;
submitting the transaction data to a content manager for verification of the authority of the user to preview the one or more items of digital content;
upon receiving the verification from the content manager, verifying validation data received from a media player using the content manager and receiving the one or more items of digital content from the content manager receiving preview data of the one or more items of digital content; and
sending preview data of the one or more items of digital content to the user. - View Dependent Claims (92)
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Specification