Authorized distribution of digital content over mobile networks

• US 7,139,372 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: July Systems, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chakravorty, Jyotirmoy, Reddy, Rajesh T. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US10/383,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.01, 379/93.02, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/420, 455/158.5, 455/566, 709/217, 709/219, 709/231, 713/200
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for authorized distribution of digital content amongst a plurality of mobile devices, under the mobile service provider'"'"'s control. A mobile subscriber requests for services (digital content/applications) to a mobile service provider. The mobile service provider then sends a download descriptor to the mobile device through an SMS message. The download descriptor includes a link to the actual digital content hosted by a content provider. The user is then able to read, delete, forward the download descriptor to other mobile users or download the content on his/her mobile device at any point of time. The user also gets notified about any changes such as a new service or a version upgrade according to his/her preferences. The invention enables the mobile service provider to implement payment, licensing, copyright and other digital rights management policies while enabling a user to distribute the content to other users.

Claims

1. A method for super-distribution of digital content among users with mobile devices without the digital content being directly transferred from user to user, the method comprising the steps of:

a. sending an identifier of a mobile device and a description of a digital content to a mobile service provider, the identifier and the description of the digital content being sent by a first user, the mobile device belonging to a second user, wherein the first user wants to forward the digital content to the mobile device of the second user via the mobile service provider;

b. the mobile service provider sending a download descriptor, based on the identifier of the mobile device and the description of the digital content, to the mobile device of the second user, the download descriptor being sent by the mobile service provider if the second user is authorized to receive the digital content;

c. receiving the download descriptor on the mobile device of the second user;

d. requesting the mobile service provider to provide the digital content, the request being made by the mobile device of the second user if the second user wants to accept the digital content;

e. a download server of the mobile service provider intermediating the download of the digital content and prompting the second user regarding a payment as per a digital policy associated with the digital content;

f. the download server providing the digital content to the second user in response to the payment, the digital content being provided if it is compatible with the mobile device of the second user; and

g. storing the digital content on the mobile device of the second user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the download descriptor on the mobile device of the second user comprises:

a. providing the second user of the mobile device an option of storing the download descriptor in a virtual vault present in the mobile device;

b. providing the second user of the mobile device an option of reading the content of the download descriptor present in the mobile device;

c. providing the second user of the mobile device an option of forwarding the download descriptor present in the mobile device via the mobile service provider to another user; and

d. providing the second user of the mobile device an option of deleting the download descriptor from the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of requesting the mobile service provider to provide the digital content comprises the step of downloading the digital content stored at a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) provided in the download descriptor.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the step of downloading the digital content stored at the URL provided by the download descriptor onto the mobile device comprises the steps of:

a. invoking a browser to download the digital content; and

b. providing the URL name as a parameter for the download.

5. The system method as recited in claim 1 wherein the download server comprises:

a. a profiles repository for storing user profiles and preferences;

b. a policies repository for storing licensing and payment policies determining licensing, distribution and management of service related to the provision of the digital content; and

c. links to the digital content available for download by any user with a mobile device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the download descriptor comprises:

a. a name of the digital content;

b. a version number of the digital content;

c. a description of the digital content;

d. a URL from which the digital content can be downloaded; and

e. size of the digital content to be downloaded.

7. A method for super-distribution of digital content among users with mobile devices without the digital content being directly transferred from user to user, the method comprising the steps of:

a. requesting a mobile service provider to provide details of a digital content to a first mobile device, the first mobile device belonging to a first user, the first user wanting to obtain the digital content from the mobile service provider;

b. sending a download descriptor to the first mobile device of the first user, the download descriptor containing the details of the digital content, the download descriptor being sent to the first mobile device of the first user by a download server associated with the mobile service provider;

c. receiving the download descriptor, the download descriptor being received by the first mobile device of the first user;

d. requesting the mobile service provider to provide the digital content corresponding to the download descriptor, the request being made by the first user if the first user wants to accept the digital content;

e. the download server intermediating the download of the digital content to prompt the first user regarding a payment the first user needs to make as per a digital policy associated with the digital content, the download server intermediating to prompt the first user regarding the payment;

f. providing the digital content to the first mobile device of the first user in response to the payment, wherein the digital content is provided to the first user by the download server, the digital content being provided if it is compatible with the first mobile device of the first user;

g. the first user sending an identifier of a second mobile device and a description of the digital content to the mobile service provider, the second mobile device belonging to a second user, wherein the first user wants to forward the digital content to the second user via the mobile service provider as the first user is not capable of forwarding the digital content directly to the second user;

h. the download server sending the download descriptor to the second mobile device based on the identifier of the mobile device and the description of the digital content, the download descriptor being sent by the download server if the second user is authorized to receive the digital content;

i. receiving the download descriptor by the second mobile device of the second user,

j. the second user requesting the mobile service provider to provide the digital content, the request being made by the mobile device if the second user wants to accept the digital content;

k. the download server intermediating the download of the digital content to prompt the second user regarding the payment the second user needs to make as per the digital policy associated with the digital content;

l. the download server providing the digital content to the second user in response to the payment, the digital content being provided if it is compatible with the second mobile device of the second user; and

storing the digital content on the second mobile device of the second user.