Copyright management apparatus, copyrighted-work distribution apparatus, and copyrighted-work distribution and receiving system

• US 6,928,423 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1999
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdi, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US09/354,608
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 705 51- 59, 380/262, 380/277, 380/201, 713200-201, 709/201, 725/2
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/21 Billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/95 for local area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A TV music broadcasting program is distributed from a distribution apparatus through a ground station and a satellite, and a musical-piece program is also distributed through a plurality of audio channels. A subscriber looks for the desired musical piece from a musical-piece list displayed on the screen of a TV receiver and downloads it into a storage device. A pay-per-view method is employed in which accounting is performed in units of musical pieces. At downloading, a purchase record is stored in an IC card placed in a receiving apparatus and it is periodically sent to a customer management center. The customer management center calculates the viewing fee and issues a bill to the subscriber. A copyright management apparatus in the distribution apparatus obtains the purchase record of a musical piece from the customer management center to calculate a copyright fee to be paid to the copyright holder.

Claims

1. A copyright management apparatus for managing copyrights for copyrighted works in a system comprising a distribution facility and a receiving facility, comprising:

a first memory associated with the distribution facility for storing copyright information related to the copyrighted works, said copyright information including the identities of the copyrighted works, the identities of the owners of the copyrights for the copyrighted works, data related to the costs for downloading the copyrighted works at said receiving facility and program identification information comprising the identity of a broadcasted television program related to the copyright works;

distributing means associated with the distribution facility for broadcasting the copyrighted works through a given transmission path to the receiving facility, the copyrighted works comprising musical pieces and being distributed to the receiving facility as first digital data packets multiplexed with second digital data packets comprising the broadcasted television program, the receiving facility comprising a packet selector in communication with a second memory and a monitor, the packet selector receiving the first and second digital data packets and selecting the first digital data packets for transmission to the second memory for storage and selecting the second digital data packets for transmission to the monitor for displaying the television program;

receiving means associated with the distribution facility for receiving from the receiving facility a purchasing record identifying selected copyrighted works distributed from the distribution facility and selected by the receiving facility for downloading at the receiving facility and storing in the second memory, said purchasing record being stored in a third memory at the time of said downloading and transmitted to said receiving means after said downloading, said third memory being associated with said receiving facility and also storing, in advance of said selecting of said selected copyrighted works by said receiving facility, authorization data for authorizing the downloading of said selected copyright works; and

copyright management means associated with the distribution facility for performing copyright management based upon said purchasing record and the copyright information, said copyright management including calculating a copyright payment due each owner of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works.

2. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said program identification information further includes a broadcasting time for said broadcasted television program and the identities of channels on which said broadcasted copyrighted works are transmitted, and wherein said copyright management means also performs said copyright management based upon said program identification information.

3. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said copyright management means searches the program identification information to obtain the identities of said broadcasted copyrighted works, refers to the copyright information using said identities to obtain the identities of the owners of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works and data related to the costs for downloading the selected copyrighted works at said receiving facility and calculates a copyright fee to be paid to said owners.

4. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the purchasing record is sent from the receiving facility through a predetermined customer management center.

5. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the customer management center calculates a fee to be paid by a customer at the receiving facility on the basis of said purchasing record sent from the receiving facility.

6. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means also receives customer information related to a customer associated with the receiving facility.

7. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second digital data packets comprise MPEG data.

8. A copyright management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the given transmission path is a spatial transmission path in digital satellite broadcasting.

29. A copyright management apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said third memory is a non-volatile, removable memory card.

9. A system for distributing copyrighted works and managing payments owed as a result of the distributing to the owners of the copyrights in the copyrighted works, said system comprising:

a server located at a distribution facility adapted to distribute said copyrighted works through a first transmission system, the copyrighted works comprising musical pieces and being distributed as first digital data packets multiplexed with a broadcasted television program related to the copyrighted works and comprising second digital data packets;

a receiving facility in communication with the transmission system adapted to receive from the server the first and second digital data packets, the receiving facility comprising a packet selector in communication with a first memory and a monitor, the packet selector receiving the first and second digital data packets and selecting the first digital data packets for transmission to the first memory for storage and selecting the second digital data packets for transmission to the monitor for displaying the television program;

a communication interface at said distribution facility adapted to receive through a second transmission system a purchasing record identifying selected copyrighted works distributed from the distribution facility and selected by the receiving facility for downloading at the receiving facility and storing in the first memory, said purchasing record being stored in a second memory at the time of said downloading and transmitted to said communication interface after said downloading, said second memory being associated with said receiving facility and also storing, in advance of said selecting of said selected copyrighted works by said receiving facility, authorization data for authorizing the downloading of said selected copyrighted works;

a third memory associated with said server adapted to store copyright information corresponding to each of said distributed copyrighted works, said copyright information providing the identity of the distributed copyrighted works, the identity of the owners of the copyrights for the distributed copyrighted works, data relating to the costs for downloading the distributed copyrighted works by said receiving facility and the identity of the broadcasted television program;

a processor associated with said server, in communication with said third memory, adapted to calculate, based upon said purchasing record and said copyright information, a copyright payment due each owner of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said first transmission system and said second transmission system comprise the same transmission system.

11. A system as in claim 9, wherein said first transmission system comprises a satellite broadcasting system and said second transmission system comprises the public switched telephone network.

12. A system as in claim 9, wherein said copyright information further provides a copyright fee ratio.

13. A system as in claim 9, further comprising a server adapted to serve graphical data through said first transmission system to said receiving facility, said graphical data being displayed by said receiving facility on said monitor during said television program for use in selecting said selected copyrighted works.

14. A system as in claim 9, wherein said third memory is further adapted to store additional information corresponding to said television program, said additional information providing the identity of transmission channels transmitting said distributed copyrighted works to said receiving facility.

15. A system as in claim 14, wherein said processor is adapted to use said additional information to calculate said payment.

16. A system as in claim 9, wherein said second transmission system comprises a customer management center for receiving data from said receiving facility corresponding to the purchase of said selected copyrighted works and for transmitting said purchasing record to said communication interface.

17. A system as in claim 9, wherein said first and second digital data packets comprise MPEG data.

18. A system as in claim 9, wherein said processor is further adapted to store data identifying said copyright payment in said third memory.

30. A system as in claim 9, wherein said second memory is a non-volatile, removable memory card.

19. A method for distributing copyrighted works and managing payments owed as a result of the distributing to the owners of the copyrights in the copyrighted works, said method comprising:

distributing from a server located at a distribution facility said copyrighted works through a first transmission system, the copyrighted works comprising musical pieces and being distributed as first digital data packets multiplexed with a broadcasted television program related to the copyrighted works and comprising second digital data packets;

receiving at a receiving facility in communication with the transmission system the first and second digital data packets distributed from the server, the receiving facility comprising a packet selector in communication with a first memory and a monitor, selecting with the packet selector the first digital data packets for transmission to the first memory for storage and the second digital data packets for transmission to the monitor for displaying the television program;

receiving at a communication interface at said distribution facility through a second transmission system a purchasing record identifying selected copyrighted works distributed from the distribution facility and selected by the receiving facility for downloading at the receiving facility and storing in the first memory, said purchasing record being stored in a second memory at the time of said downloading and transmitted to said communication interface after said downloading, said second memory being associated with said receiving facility and also storing, in advance of said selecting of said selected copyrighted works by said receiving facility, authorization data for authorizing the downloading of said selected copyrighted works;

storing in a third memory associated with said server copyright information corresponding to each of said distributed copyrighted works, said information providing the identity of the distributed copyrighted works, the identity of the owners of the copyrights for the distributed copyrighted works, data relating to the costs for downloading the copyrighted works by said receiving facility and the identity of the broadcasted television program;

calculating with a processor associated with said server, in communication with said third memory, based upon said purchasing record and said copyright information, a copyright payment due each owner of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works.

20. A method as in claim 19, wherein said first transmission system and said second transmission system comprise the same transmission system.

21. A method as in claim 19, wherein said first transmission system comprises a satellite broadcasting system and said second transmission system comprises the public switched telephone network.

22. A method as in claim 19, wherein said copyright information further provides a copyright fee ratio.

23. A method as in claim 19, further comprising serving from a server graphical data through said first transmission system to said receiving facility, said graphical data being displayed by said receiving facility on said monitor during said television program for use in selecting said selected copyrighted works.

24. A method as in claim 19, further comprising storing in said third memory additional information corresponding to said television program, said additional information providing the identity of transmission channels transmitting said distributed copyrighted works to said receiving facility.

25. A method as in claim 24, further comprising calculating with said processor said payment using said additional information.

26. A method as in claim 19, wherein said second transmission system comprises a customer management center for receiving data from said receiving facility corresponding to the purchase of said selected copyrighted works and further comprising transmitting said purchasing record to said communication interface from said customer management center.

27. A method as in claim 19, wherein said first and second digital data packets comprise MPEG data.

28. A method as in claim 19, further comprising storing data identifying said copyright payment in said third memory.

31. A method as in claim 19, wherein said second memory is a non-volatile, removable memory card.

32. A method for managing copyrights for copyrighted works in a system comprising a distribution facility and a receiving facility, comprising:

storing in a first memory associated with the distribution facility copyright information related to the copyrighted works, said copyright information including the identities of the copyrighted works, the identities of the owners of the copyrights for the copyrighted works, data related to the costs for downloading the copyrighted works at said receiving facility and program identification information comprising the identity of a broadcasted television program related to the copyright works;

distributing from the distribution facility the copyrighted works through a given transmission path to the receiving facility, the copyrighted works comprising musical pieces and being broadcasted as first digital data packets multiplexed with second digital data packets comprising the broadcasted television program;

receiving at the receiving facility over the transmission path the first and second digital data packets distributed from the distribution facility, the receiving facility comprising a packet selector in communication with a second memory and a monitor, selecting with the packet selector the first digital data packets for transmission to the second memory for storage and the second digital data packets for transmission to the monitor for displaying the television program;

receiving at the distribution facility a purchasing record identifying selected copyrighted works distributed from the distribution facility and selected by the receiving facility for downloading at the receiving facility and storing in said second memory, said purchasing record being stored in a third memory at the time of said downloading and transmitted to said distribution facility after said downloading, said third memory being associated with said receiving facility and also storing, in advance of said selecting of said selected copyrighted works by said receiving facility, authorization data for authorizing the downloading of said selected copyright works; and

performing copyright management based upon said purchasing record and the copyright information, said copyright management including calculating a copyright payment due each owner of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said program identification information further includes a broadcasting time for said television program and the identities of channels on which said broadcasted copyrighted works are transmitted, and further comprising performing said copyright management based upon said program identification information.

34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising searching the program identification information to obtain the identities of said broadcasted copyrighted works, and referring to the copyright information using said identities to obtain the identities of the owners of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works and data related to the costs for downloading the selected copyrighted works at said receiving facility.

35. A method according to claim 32, further comprising sending the purchasing record from the receiving facility through a predetermined customer management center.

36. A method according to claim 35, further comprising calculating at the customer management center a fee to be paid by a customer at the receiving facility on the basis of said purchasing record sent from the receiving facility.

37. A method according to claim 32, further comprising receiving at the distribution facility customer information related to a customer associated with the receiving facility.

38. A method according to claim 32, wherein said first and second digital data packets comprise MPEG data.

39. A method according to claim 32, wherein the given transmission path is a spatial transmission path in digital satellite broadcasting.

40. A copyright management system for managing copyrights for copyrighted works comprising:

a distribution facility, said distribution facility comprising,

a first memory for storing copyright information related to the copyrighted works, said copyright information including the identities of the copyrighted works, the identities of the owners of the copyrights for the copyrighted works, data related to the costs for downloading the copyrighted works at a receiving facility and the identity of a broadcasted television program related to the copyrighted works,

distributing means for distributing the copyrighted works through a given transmission path to said receiving facility, the copyrighted works comprising musical pieces and being distributed as first digital data packets multiplexed with second digital data packets comprising the broadcasted television program,

a communication interface for receiving from the receiving facility a purchasing record identifying selected copyrighted works distributed from the distribution facility and selected by the receiving facility for downloading at the receiving facility and storing in a second memory, said purchasing record being stored in a third memory at the time of said downloading and transmitted to said communication interface after said downloading, said third memory also storing, in advance of said selecting of said selected copyrighted works by said receiving facility, authorization data for authorizing the downloading of said selected copyright works, and

copyright management means for performing copyright management based upon said purchasing record and the copyright information, said copyright management including calculating a copyright payment due each owner of the copyrights for the selected copyrighted works,

and said receiving facility comprising,

the second and third memories,

a communication interface for receiving the first and second digital data packets distributed from the distribution facility and the authorization data,

selecting means for selecting the selected copyrighted works,

a packet selector in communication with the second memory and a monitor, the packet selector receiving the first and second digital data packets and selecting the first digital data packets for transmission to the second memory for storage and selecting the second digital data packets for transmission to the monitor for displaying the television program, and

a transmitter for transmitting the purchasing record to the distribution facility.

41. A system as in claim 40, wherein the third memory is a non-volatile, removable memory card.