Even more subscription media on demand
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for on-demand distribution of data files over a communications network, comprising:
- a memory;
a processor in data communication with the memory;
a network interface in data communication with the processor;
at least one catalog stored in the memory;
wherein the at least one catalog is configured to reference at least a first data file and a second data file, wherein the first data file comprises at least a portion of a first work, wherein the second data file comprises at least a portion of a second work, wherein the first work is different from the second work, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is capable of transmission to a user device over the communications network, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is selectable by a user from the at least one catalog, and wherein either;
the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one musical recording, orthe first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one moving image; and
wherein the processor is configured to;
require at least a first authorization in order to permit at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file, wherein the first authorization is configured to expire if a predetermined act is not performed by or on behalf of the user on or before a predetermined date, which predetermined date comprises at least one of a predetermined calendar date or passage of a predetermined period of time, wherein the first authorization is usable across at least two logon sessions prior to the predetermined date, and wherein the at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file is at least one of limited or inhibited after the expiration of the first authorization;
require at least a second authorization in order to permit play of at least a portion of at least one of the first data file or the second data file, wherein the second authorization comprises decryption data; and
generate at least one instruction to transmit to the user device at least a portion of at least one of the first data file or the second data file.
1 Assignment
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic media distribution/play system includes a service facility that has a communications network interface and maintains a data file catalog. The catalog is sent over the network to requesting users, and the system processes payments from customers in establishing file access authorizations. Encrypted user-selected files and a player program are transmitted to each customer for metered access to received data files as limited by the authorization, and customers can make additional selections and play the encrypted files freely while the authorization remains established. The system can transmit the data files from local storage, and also provide links to encrypted files that are stored at remote vendor facilities. Authorizations can be for selected portions or class levels of the catalog, and for terms measured as calendar time, play time, and collective number of plays. Also disclosed is a method for facilitating the distribution and accessing of electronic files.
84 Citations
81 Claims
-
1. A system for on-demand distribution of data files over a communications network, comprising:
-
a memory; a processor in data communication with the memory; a network interface in data communication with the processor; at least one catalog stored in the memory; wherein the at least one catalog is configured to reference at least a first data file and a second data file, wherein the first data file comprises at least a portion of a first work, wherein the second data file comprises at least a portion of a second work, wherein the first work is different from the second work, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is capable of transmission to a user device over the communications network, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is selectable by a user from the at least one catalog, and wherein either; the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one musical recording, or the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one moving image; and wherein the processor is configured to; require at least a first authorization in order to permit at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file, wherein the first authorization is configured to expire if a predetermined act is not performed by or on behalf of the user on or before a predetermined date, which predetermined date comprises at least one of a predetermined calendar date or passage of a predetermined period of time, wherein the first authorization is usable across at least two logon sessions prior to the predetermined date, and wherein the at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file is at least one of limited or inhibited after the expiration of the first authorization; require at least a second authorization in order to permit play of at least a portion of at least one of the first data file or the second data file, wherein the second authorization comprises decryption data; and generate at least one instruction to transmit to the user device at least a portion of at least one of the first data file or the second data file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method of on-demand distribution of data files over a communication network, the method comprising:
-
receiving a first request from a user device to access at least one catalog stored in a memory, wherein the at least one catalog is configured to reference at least a first data file and a second data file, wherein the first data file comprises at least a portion of a first work, wherein the second data file comprises at least a portion of a second work, wherein the first work is different from the second work, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is capable of transmission to a user device over the communications network, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is selectable by a user from the at least one catalog, and wherein either; the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one musical recording, or the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one moving image; returning the access to the at least one catalog in response to the first request; receiving a second request from the user device for at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file; requiring at least a first authorization and a second authorization in order to permit at least one of the activities covered by the second request; and generating at least one instruction to transmit to the user device at least a portion of at least one of the first data file or the second data file; wherein the first authorization is configured to expire if a predetermined act is not performed by or on behalf of the user on or before a predetermined date, which predetermined date comprises at least one of a predetermined calendar date or the passage of a predetermined period of time, wherein the first authorization is usable across at least two logon sessions prior to the predetermined date, wherein the at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file is at least one of limited or inhibited after the expiration of the first authorization, and wherein the second authorization comprises decryption data. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method of accessing data files by a user device in a data communication network, the method comprising:
-
requesting, in a first request, access to at least one catalog stored in a memory of a remote computing device, wherein the at least one catalog is configured to reference at least a first data file and a second data file, wherein the first data file comprises at least a portion of a first work, wherein the second data file comprises at least a portion of a second work, wherein the first work is different from the second work, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is capable of transmission to a user device over the communications network, wherein each of the first data file and the second data file is selectable by a user from the at least one catalog, and wherein either; the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one musical recording, or the first data file and the second data file each comprises at least one moving image; receiving the access to the at least one catalog in response to the first request; transmitting to a service facility a second request for at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file; receiving a requirement for at least a first authorization and a second authorization in order to permit at least one of the activities covered by the second request, wherein the first authorization is configured to expire if a predetermined act is not performed by or on behalf of the user on or before a predetermined date, which predetermined date comprises at least one of a predetermined calendar date or passage of a predetermined prior of time, wherein the first authorization is usable across at least two logon sessions prior to the predetermined date, and wherein the second authorization comprises decryption data; and receiving, at the user device, at least a portion of at least one of the first data file or the second data file; wherein the at least one of transmission or play of at least a portion of each of the first data file and the second data file is at least one of limited or inhibited after the expiration of the first authorization. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
-
Specification