Method and system for delivering digital products electronically

• US 7,174,455 B1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cybersource Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cybersource Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arnold, Thomas A., Pettitt, John Philip, Lewis, Robert Lincoln Jr., Rendleman, Jesse Noel Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Poltorak; Peter
• Application Number:
  US09/798,574
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 705/59, 705/76, 380/231, 380/240, 717/177, 717/172, 713/156, 713/157, 726/2, 726/17
• US Class Current: 713/156
• 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]

Abstract

A system and method for delivering a digital product electronically is disclosed. The system and method comprises providing an electronic license certificate (ELC) from an end-user to a server and then validating the ELC by the server. Finally, the method and system includes sending the digital product from the server to the user based upon validation of the electronic license certificate by the server. Accordingly, a digital product delivery system that is based on the concept of an active license (AL) which contains a plurality of active license objects (ALPOs) is disclosed. An ALPO is a software program that contains a digitally signed certificate document that may entitle the holder to receive, possess, and use a specific product. In essence, this certificate is a software application program that contains three major components: an electronic license certificate (ELC), a certificate viewer, and application functions to perform operations as granted by the license certificate, for example, retrieving and installing digital products.

Claims

1. A method of delivering digital products, the method comprising the steps of:

generating an object specifically configured to participate in delivering a specific digital product over a network, wherein said object includes;

a digital certificate that may be used to verify that a user is entitled to use a set of one or more digital products that include said specific digital product but not said object, and

first executable code for execution by a client to cause delivery of a copy of said digital certificate to a server via the network; and

causing delivering of said object to said client via said network.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said object includes at least one other digital certificate that may be used to verify that said user is entitled to download and use a set of one or more other digital products that include at least one other digital product but not said object and said specific digital product;

wherein the method further includes the step of;

said server receiving said copy of said digital certificate from said client in conjunction with a request to deliver said specific digital product to said client,

determining whether said copy of said digital certificate verifies that said user is entitled to download said specific digital product, and

causing delivery of said specific digital product when said copy of said digital certificate verifies that said user is entitled to download said specific digital product; and

wherein said object is generated in response to receiving, from the client on behalf of the user, data that indicates that said user has acquired a right to posses said specific digital product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of:

said server receiving said copy of said digital certificate from said client in conjunction with a request to deliver said specific digital product to said client;

determining whether said copy of said digital certificate verifies that said user is entitled to download said specific digital product; and

causing delivery of said specific digital product when said copy of said digital certificate verifies that said user is entitled to download said specific digital product.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said specific digital product is configured to run on said client without any participation by said object once said specific digital product is installed on said client.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said specific digital product is delivered to said client in an unencrypted form.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said specific digital product is delivered said to client in a compressed form.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said object is generated in response to receiving, from the client on behalf of the user, data that indicates that said user has acquired a right to posses said specific digital product.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said object includes second code that invokes an user interface for delivery of said specific digital product to said client.

9. The method of claim 1, further including limiting how many times said specific digital product may be downloaded to any client using said digital certificate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said object is configured to participate in the delivery of at least one other digital product.

11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 1.

12. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 2.

13. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 3.

14. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 4.

15. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 5.

16. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 6.

17. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 7.

18. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 8.

19. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 9.

20. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 10.

21. A computer-readable medium carrying an object that includes one or more sequences of instructions for participating in delivery of digital products, wherein

said object is specifically configured to participate in the delivery of a specific digital product over a network;

said object includes a digital certificate that may be used to verify that a user is entitled to use a set of one or more digital products that include said specific digital product but not said object;

wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors on a client causes the one or more processors to perform steps that include causing delivery of a copy of said digital certificate to a server via the network to verify that said user is entitled to download and use said set of one or more digital products.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein said object further includes instructions for causing said client to interact with said server to deliver said specific digital product to said client via a particular network, wherein the step of causing said client to interact includes the step of delivering said copy.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein said specific digital product is configured to run on said client without any participation by said object once said specific digital product is installed on said client.