`Exhibit  1  
`
`Exhibit 1
`
`

`

`(12)Un1ted States Patent
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,799,084 132
`
`Grobler
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Sep. 28, 2004
`
`USOO6799084B2
`
`(54) DATA VENDING SYSTEM
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: Benjamin Filmalter Grobler, 92
`Southpansberg Rd., Riviera; Pretoria
`0084 (ZA)
`.
`.
`.
`.
`Subject. to any dlsclalmer; the term of thls
`Pate“t 15 mended 0r adJuSted under 35
`U~S-C~ 154(b) by 0 daYS-
`
`.
`.
`( * ) Notlce.
`
`8/1998 Kassatly ...................... 348/13
`5,790,177 A *
`9/1998 Schelberg, Jr. et al.
`.. 379/9312
`5,812,643 A *
`1/1999 Smlth ......................... 101/494
`5,860,362 A *
`
`5/1999 Katayama ......
`434/307
`5,902,115 A *
`
`6/1999 Bernard et al.
`5,918,213 A *
`..... 705/26
`5,993,216 A * 11/1999 Stogner
`.........
`434/29
`6,086,380 A *
`7/2000 Chu et al.
`......
`434/307
`6,118,860 A *
`9/2000 Hillson et a1.
`379/155
`
`6,134,593 A * 10/2000 Alexander et al.
`...... 709/229
`............. 369/2006
`6,587,404 B1 *
`7/2003 Keller et al.
`
`(21) Appl. No. 09/773,170
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(22)
`
`(65)
`
`(63)
`
`(30)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jan. 31, 2001
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2001/0027357 A1 Oct. 4, 2001
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`Continuation—in—part of application No. PCT/ZA99/00056,
`filed on Jul. 29, 1999.
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Jul. 31, 1998
`
`(ZA)
`
`.............................................. 98/6868
`
`Int. Cl.7 ................................................ G07F 17/00
`(51)
`(52) US. Cl.
`....................... 700/235; 700/237; 700/241;
`700/234
`
`(58) Field of Search ................................. 700/237; 241;
`700/235; 234
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,528,643 A
`7/1985 Freeny, Jr.
`4,674,055 A *
`6/1987 Ogaki et al.
`................ 364/479
`4,695,903 A *
`9/1987 Serap .................. 358/355
`
`4,725,977 A *
`..... 364/900
`2/1988 Izumi et al.
`.
`
`4,787,050 A * 11/1988 Suzuki ................ 364/479
`
`4,789,907 A * 12/1988 Fischetti et al.
`360/33.1
`
`5/1995 Scheffler ............... 360/13
`5,418,654 A *
`
`4/1997 Veeneman ......
`5,625,562 A *
`364/479.05
`........... 380/4
`5,757,908 A *
`5/1998 Cooper et al.
`..
`
`5/1998 Olsen .................... 395/187.01
`5,758,069 A *
`
`EP
`EP
`
`GB
`WO
`
`0 649 121 A2
`852349 A2 *
`
`4/1995
`7/1998
`
`............. G06F/1/00
`
`2 305 339 A
`WO97/30425
`
`4/1997
`8/1997
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—Donald P. Walsh
`Assistant Examiner—Michael E. Butler
`
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Akerman Senterfitt
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The invention provides a data vending system 10 including
`the storing data such as digitised music and/or video and/or
`computer programs on one or more main computer i.e. the
`data depot 12 and dispensing the data to a uniquely identi-
`fiable data carrier 30. The data on the data depot 12 includes
`a database which maintains owner and/or possessor records
`for each said data carrier 30; the data being selected from the
`group including ownership or possession history of the data
`carrier; personal details of the past and present owner and/or
`possessor of the data carrier; demographic data about the
`user/owner of the data carrier; data recorded onto the data
`carrier at an authorised data dispensing device (either cumu-
`latively or periodically; by title; by artist; etc); data rented
`and the rental period (either cumulatively or periodically; by
`title; by artist; etc);
`the user’s normal requirements;
`the
`user’s payment records; royalties paid to the copyright
`owner by the user; and favourite data of the user.
`
`8 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
`
`
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`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 28, 2004
`
`US 6,799,084 B2
`
`
`
`
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`k~—~————
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`

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`US 6,799,084 B2
`
`1
`DATA VENDING SYSTEM
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of PCT/ZA99/
`00056. Filed Jul. 29, 1999.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to a data vending system.
`
`BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
`
`The inventor is aware that presently copyright royalty
`losses are incurred due to unauthorised copying of data, such
`as music, videos, computer programs, and the like. This
`copying usually takes the form of one or more unauthorised
`copies being made from an original or authorised copy.
`One of the reasons for the unauthorised copying is that
`consumers are unable to purchase just the data they want,
`and are often offered either a bundle including the data they
`require or they must do without.
`A further reason for the copying is that recording media
`are freely available and that any person may record data on
`such media, without prior authorisation by the copyright
`owner or his licensee(s).
`Yet a further reason for the unauthorised copying is the
`availability of data of the type mentioned above over the
`internet, for example, from music sites which allow the
`downloading of particular tracks of music either for free or
`for payment. Once the music has been downloaded from the
`internet by a user neither the internet site operator nor the
`owner of the copyright in such data has any control over its
`further copying.
`In addition to the above problems, the authorised end user
`is also limited by present data distribution systems in that if
`the data is lost or damaged the authorised user has to again
`purchase an authorised copy from the copyright owner or a
`licensed vendor. This problem is particularly acute with data
`carried on magnetic or optical media such as tapes, diskettes,
`compact disks (CD’s) and Digital Video Disks (DVD’s),
`which are prone to loss and/or damage.
`The inventor is aware of EP 0 649 121 A2 to international
`
`Business Machines Corporation. This system provides for
`distribution of remotely stored digitised information, which
`information may be previewed in real time, and product
`incorporating selected digitised information can be manu-
`factured on-site and within a short response time to a
`customers request at a point of sale location. The system also
`provides management reporting and a marketing system
`collects and maintains data useful to the retailer and the
`
`content owners such as record companies. This system,
`however, does not address the end user’s ownership of
`digitised data nor the license held by the end user of the
`digitised data as the system is supplier orientated and not end
`user orientated. There is thus little incentive for a user to
`
`accept the system as a sole unified information sales system.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is
`provided a data vending system including:
`a data depot for storing one or more data type selected
`from the group comprising digitised or analogue music,
`video, games, information, and computer programs;
`a data dispensing device in communication with the data
`depot;
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`a uniquely identifiable recordable data carrier configured
`for recording data from the data dispensing device; and
`a database for keeping a record of the data recorded by a
`user onto said data carrier, at least a part of which
`database is stored remotely from said data carrier.
`The database may also maintain owner and/or possessor
`records for each said data carrier selected from the group
`including ownership or possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owner and/or pos-
`sessor of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the
`user/owner of the data carrier, data recorded onto the data
`carrier at an authorised data dispensing device (either cumu-
`latively or periodically, by title, by artist, etc), data rented
`and the rental period (either cumulatively or periodically, by
`title, by artist, etc),
`the user’s normal requirements,
`the
`user’s payment records, royalties paid to the copyright
`owner by the user, and favourite data of the user.
`The database may link the record of the user to any
`number of said data carriers and to the data recorded onto
`said data carriers thereby to collate all data recorded by the
`user onto any number of data carriers.
`The database may be stored in whole or in part on the data
`depot, on the data dispenser, on the data carrier, or on a
`combination of any of the aforementioned i.e. a decentra-
`lised database.
`The data depot may include a computer located at a
`remote location on which data to be vended is stored or from
`which data to be vended is routed.
`The data depot may have the data stored thereon indexed.
`The indexing may be by index number, name of author,
`name of producer, title, content, cost, duration, theme, or the
`like.
`The index may be searchable from the data dispensing
`device and/or from the data carrier.
`The data depot may be a store of digitised or analogue
`music, video, games, information, or computer programs.
`The data dispensing device may be in the form of a
`computer terminal in data transfer communication with the
`depot. Conveniently such data transfer may be by dedicated
`data lines, optic fibre cables, telephone lines, satellite link-
`up, radio transmission, or the like.
`The computer terminal may be provided with localised
`data storage for storing an index of available data. The index
`may be a copy of a portion of the data depot index at a given
`time.
`
`The index on the computer terminal may be updated
`periodically from the data depot,
`typically when data is
`transferred between the computer data depot and the com-
`puter terminal to complete a data vending transaction.
`The computer terminal may be provided with data writing
`means for writing data to a data carrier. The computer
`terminal may be configured to download data from the depot
`and transfer the data to the data carrier with or without
`
`storing it locally for later retrieval.
`The computer terminal may include payment means for
`processing payment of a transaction amount for the data
`vending transaction.
`Aroyalty payment to the copyright owner and/or licensee
`may be included in the transaction amount, which royalty
`payment may either be transferred automatically to the
`copyright owner and/or licensee, or credited to an account
`for later transfer, in either event accurate and rapid royalty
`accounting is made possible.
`The payment means may include a key pad configured to
`accept an identification code linked to an account to which
`the transaction may be debited.
`The computer terminal may include a card reader for
`accepting payment by banking cards, such as credit cards,
`debit cards, savings cards, and the like.
`
`

`

`US 6,799,084 B2
`
`3
`The data carrier may be a single or multiple use record-
`able data carrier.
`The data carrier may include key means, for example, a
`hardware or software key linked to a microprocessor. The
`data carrier may thus be activated and deactivated for
`receiving data and/or releasing data by means of the key
`means.
`
`The data dispensing device may be provided with a
`verification mechanism for verifying the authenticity of the
`key means.
`The key means may be located on the data dispensing
`device and a code may be required to authenticate a user.
`The key means may be in the form of a code at a remote
`location, the data dispensing device being communicable
`with the remote location for verification of the code input by
`a user at the data dispensing device.
`Equally the verification mechanism and/or the key means
`may be at least partially located on the data depot.
`The recordable data carrier may be configured to receive
`data only from a data dispensing device authorised for a
`particular data carrier or a particular class of data carrier.
`The recordable data carrier may be configured to be read
`by a data carrier reader authorised for a particular data
`carrier or a particular class of data carrier.
`However, the recordable data carrier may be configured
`for receiving data from certain authorised data dispensing
`devices but to be read by any suitable reader, for example,
`a home entertainment centre.
`The recordable data carrier may be configurable, through
`the data recorded thereon or otherwise, to permit reading of
`the data stored thereon for a predetermined period of time
`only, whereafter the data is either marked as stale and later
`deleted, or deleted immediately.
`The above function may be controlled from a remote
`location by radio, satellite, data or telephone cable, or the
`like. This functionality will permit the so called renting of
`data, rather than purchasing the use thereof for an indefinite
`period, and is particularly suited to games, music and video
`data.
`
`According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
`provided a method of vending data, the method including:
`storing data to be vended;
`dispensing desired data packages from the depot;
`recording the dispensed data to a data carrier; and
`databasing details of the record carrier.
`According to a further aspect of the invention there is
`provided a vending booth including a data dispensing device
`in communication with a data depot, the data dispensing
`device being configured for dispensing data to a recordable
`data carrier configured for recording data from the data
`dispensing device and for exchanging data regarding the
`dispensed data with a database for storing user information
`for each recordable data carrier.
`
`The booth may include electronic payment means in the
`form of a card or token reader configured to debit an account
`of a user responsive to the dispensing of data from the data
`dispensing device on the recordable data carrier.
`The booth may be in the form of a vending machine type
`apparatus, similar to those currently used for other transac-
`tions.
`
`The data dispensing device of the booth may be in the
`form of a computer terminal having a user interface, a data
`writer configured for use with the data carrier, and a com-
`munication device for permitting data transfer communica-
`tion with the data depot by means of one or more data
`transfer means selected from the group comprising of dedi-
`cated data lines, optic fibre cables, telephone lines, satellite
`link-up, radio transmission, or broadband cable.
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`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The invention will now be described, by way of example
`only, with reference to the accompanying flow diagram.
`A data vending system 10, broadly in accordance wit the
`invention, includes the storing data, such as digitised music
`and/or video and/or computer programs on one or more
`main computer i.e. the data depot 12. The data on the data
`depot 12 being indexed to be searchable in terms of index
`number, name of author, name of producer, title, content,
`cost, duration, theme, or the like.
`The data on the data depot 12 includes a database 40
`which maintains owner and/or possessor records for each
`said data carrier 30, the data being selected from the group
`including ownership or possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owner and/or pos-
`sessor of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the
`user/owner of the data carrier, data recorded onto the data
`carrier at an authorised data dispensing device (either cumu-
`latively or periodically, by title, by artist, etc), data rented
`and the rental period (either cumulatively or periodically, by
`title, by artist, etc),
`the user’s normal requirements,
`the
`user’s payment records, royalties paid to the copyright
`owner by the user, and favourite data of the user.
`One or more vendors 14, 16, 18, at locations remote to the
`main computer of the data depot 12, are provided with data
`dispensing devices 20, 22, 24, able to communicate with the
`main computer by satellite link-up, by telephone or data line,
`by radio, or the like 21. The dispensing devices will typically
`be in the form of a local file server having a number of server
`stations 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3,
`or terminals where a customer can search the depot 12 index
`and select data of his or her choice. Each item selected will
`
`have a code and a price.
`In another version, the index of the depot 12 is searchable
`from the data carrier 30 by providing the data carrier 30 with
`a search engine which interfaces with the index of the depot
`12.
`
`Thus a list of selections will have an overall price,
`including royalties, taxes, etc, which the user tenders.
`The terminal may include payment means such as a card
`reader 26 for accepting payment by banking cards, such as
`credit cards, debit cards, savings cards, and the like.
`The terminal 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2,
`24.3, is provided with data writing means 28 for writing data
`to a data carrier 30.
`
`The terminal 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2,
`24.3, is configured to download data from the depot 12 and
`transfer them to the data carrier 30 with or without storing
`it locally on the terminal 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3,
`24.1, 24.2, 24.3, for later retrieval.
`The data carrier 30 may be a single or multiple use
`recordable data carrier, such as a removable hard disk, a
`CD-ROM, a DVD, flash memory, an eeeprom, or the like.
`One envisaged embodiment is a cassette holding a num-
`ber of CD-ROMs and a controller for performing the other
`functions, and managing the data on the CD-ROMs.
`The data carrier 30 includes key means 32, for example,
`a hardware or software key linked to a microprocessor. The
`data carrier 30 is thus activated and deactivated for receiving
`data by means of the key means 32. Typically this function-
`ality will be performed with the use of PIN (Personal
`Identification Numbers) or passwords, or the like, cell-phone
`fashion.
`
`The data dispensing device 20, 22, 24 and/or the data
`depot 12 is provided with a verification mechanism for
`verifying the authenticity of the key 32.
`
`

`

`US 6,799,084 B2
`
`5
`The recordable data carrier 32 is configured to receive
`data only from a data dispensing device 20, 22, 24, autho-
`rised for a particular data carrier 32 i.e. at the premises of an
`authorised vendor 14, 16, 18, and to be read by any suitable
`reader, for example, a home entertainment centre 34.
`Once a selection has been paid for the data corresponding
`to that selection is downloaded from the main computer of
`the data depot 12, via the terminal 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1,
`22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, onto the data carrier 30 and a
`royalty payment to the copyright owner and/or licensee,
`which is included in the transaction amount, is transferred to
`or credited to the account of said copyright owner and/or
`licensor either automatically at the time of the transaction or
`later.
`
`The vendor 14, 16, 18 thus does not require large data
`storage facilities, nor as with conventional record bars, video
`shops and software outlets, large stock holding tying up floor
`space and capital. A vendor 16 may provide one or more
`vending booths 16.1, which may be in the form of a vending
`machine type apparatus, similar to those currently used for
`other transactions. The booth can include the data dispensing
`device and payment means.
`The recordable data carrier 30 is configurable, through the
`data recorded thereon or otherwise, to permit reading of the
`data stored thereon for a predetermined period of time only,
`whereafter the data is either marked as stale and later
`
`deleted, or deleted immediately. The above function is
`monitored from the dispensing terminal 20.1, 20.2, 20.3,
`22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, and requires periodic
`communication with a terminal 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2,
`22.3, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, to keep the data carrier alive. This
`permits tight control to be exercised over the copyright in the
`data on the data carrier 30 as any unauthorised data on the
`data carrier 30 can be deleted by the terminal 20.1, 20.2,
`20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, during the periodic
`communication.
`
`This functionality permits the so called renting of data,
`rather than purchasing the use thereof for an indefinite
`period, and is particularly suited to music and video data as
`well as ensuring regular contact between the vendor and the
`user for sales purposes.
`Thus, a copyright owner 42 may access the database 40 to
`determine the royalties collected so far and due to him, the
`client base he has, changing trends, and the like.
`Likewise a user of the system who owns or is in autho-
`rised posession of one or more data carrier 30 may access the
`data base 40 determine which data he has paid for and is
`entitled to, how his preferences have changed with time, and
`the like. This is possible even if there are several data
`carriers 30 linked to the single user since the database 40
`links the data carriers of a user to that user. Furthermore, in
`the event of theft or loss of one or more data carrier, the
`system will allow the lost or stolen data carrier to be
`scrambled, deleted, disabled, or otherwise made inoperative
`from a remote location or when such a data carrier 30 is next
`
`presented for recording of further data at a terminal 20.1,
`20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, while the
`rightful owner or possessor is able to re-record the lost data
`at said terminal without further payment or at reduced cost.
`The database 40 may be stored on the data depot 12, on
`the data dispenser 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 24,1,
`24.2, 24.3, on the data carrier 30, or on a combination of any
`of the aforementioned i.e. a decentralised database.
`
`The inventor envisages that the system could be operated
`as a franchise operation with a main computer operator i.e.
`the wholesaler, and a number of vendors i.e. the retailer,
`much like present record bars and the like.
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`The inventor believes that the invention is advantageous
`in that it will permit a user who has once purchased some
`data, and has subsequently lost the data carrier or who has
`deleted the relevant data,
`to re-record the data without
`repurchasing it.
`Furthermore, the inventor believes that it is an advantage
`of the invention that a user can purchase or rent the data e.g.
`music, video etc. for a predetermined period of time, and pay
`therefor accordingly with the copyright owner being cred-
`ited with royalties accordingly.
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. A data vending system including:
`a data depot for storing one or more data types selected
`from the group consisting of digitized music, analog
`music, video, games, information, and computer pro-
`grams;
`
`a data dispensing device in communication with the data
`depot;
`a uniquely identifiable recordable data carrier configured
`for recording data from the data dispensing device;
`a database for keeping a record of the data recorded by a
`user onto said data carrier, at least a part of which
`database is stored remotely from said data carrier,
`wherein the database also maintains at least one of owner
`
`and possessor records for each said data carrier selected
`from the group consisting of ownership history of the
`data carrier, possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owner and
`possessor of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the user and owner of the data carrier, data recorded
`onto the data carrier at an authorized data dispensing
`device, data rented and the rental period, the user’s
`normal requirements, the user’s payment records, roy-
`alties paid to the copyright owner by the user, and
`favorite data of the user;
`wherein the data carrier is a multiple use recordable data
`carrier which includes key means for at
`least one
`function selected from activating the data carrier for
`receiving data, deactivating the data carrier for receiv-
`ing data, activating the data carrier for releasing data,
`and deactivating the data carrier for releasing data,
`wherein the key means includes at
`least one of a
`hardware key and a software key linked to a micro-
`processor operatively associated with a data carrier;
`and
`
`wherein the data dispensing device is provided with a
`verification mechanism for verifying the authenticity of
`the key means.
`2. A data vending system including:
`a data depot for storing one or more data types selected
`from the group consisting of digitized music, analog
`music, video, games, information, and computer pro-
`grams;
`
`a data dispensing device in communication with the data
`depot;
`a uniquely identifiable recordable data carrier configured
`for recording data from the data dispensing device;
`a database for keeping a record of the data recorded by a
`user onto said data carrier, at least a part of which
`database is stored remotely from said data carrier,
`wherein the database also maintains at least one of owner
`
`and possessor records for each said data carrier selected
`from the group consisting of ownership history of the
`data carrier, possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owner and
`
`

`

`US 6,799,084 B2
`
`7
`possessor of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the user and owner of the data carrier, data recorded
`onto the data carrier at an authorized data dispensing
`device, data rented and the rental period, the user’s
`normal requirements, the user’s payment records, roy-
`alties paid to the copyright owner by the user, and
`favorite data of the user;
`wherein the recordable data carrier is configured to be
`read only by a data carrier reader authorized for a
`particular data carrier or a particular class of data
`carrier.
`
`3. A data vending system including:
`a data depot for storing one or more data types selected
`from the group consisting of digitized music, analog
`music, video, games, information, and computer pro-
`grams;
`
`a data dispensing device in communication with the data
`depot;
`a uniquely identifiable recordable data carrier configured
`for recording data from the data dispensing device;
`a database for keeping a record of the data recorded by a
`user onto said data carrier, at least a part of which
`database is stored remotely from said data carrier,
`wherein the database also maintains at least one of owner
`
`and possessor records for each said data carrier selected
`from the group consisting of ownership history of the
`data carrier, possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owner and
`possessor of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the user and owner of the data carrier, data recorded
`onto the data carrier at an authorized data dispensing
`device, data rented and the rental period, the user’s
`normal requirements, the user’s payment records, roy-
`alties paid to the copyright owner by the user, and
`favorite data of the user;
`wherein the recordable data carrier is configured to permit
`or prohibit the reading of data recorded thereon or the
`recording of data thereon by a code which is altered
`periodically when the data carrier is in data communi-
`cation with the data depot or the data dispensing device.
`4. A data vending system including:
`a data depot for storing one or more data types selected
`from the group consisting of digitized music, analog
`music, video, games, information, and computer pro-
`grams;
`
`a data dispensing device in communication with the data
`depot;
`a uniquely identifiable recordable data carrier configured
`for recording data from the data dispensing device;
`a database for keeping a record of the data recorded by a
`user onto said data carrier, at least a part of which
`database is stored remotely from said data carrier,
`wherein the database also maintains at least one of owner
`
`and possessor records for each said data carrier selected
`from the group consisting of ownership history of the
`data carrier, possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owner and
`possessor of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the user and owner of the data carrier, data recorded
`onto the data carrier at an authorized data dispensing
`device, data rented and the rental period, the user’s
`
`8
`normal requirements, the user’s payment records, roy-
`alties paid to the copyright owner by the user, and
`favorite data of the user;
`wherein the recordable data carrier is configurable to
`permit reading of the data stored thereon for a prede-
`termined period of time only, whereafter the data is
`processed in at least one way selected from marked as
`stale and later deleted, deleted immediately, and
`scrambled.
`
`5. A data vending system as claimed in claim 4, wherein
`the processing of the data is initiated from a remote location
`by at least one of radio, satellite, data cable, and telephone
`cable.
`
`6. A vending booth for use with a data vending system
`comprising:
`a data depot for storing one or more data types selected
`from the group consisting of digitized music, analog
`music, video, games, information, and computer pro-
`grams;
`
`a data dispensing device in communication with the data
`depot;
`a uniquely identifiable recordable data carrier configured
`for recording data from the data dispensing device;
`a database for keeping a record of the data recorded by a
`user onto said data carrier, at least a part of which
`database is stored remotely from said data carrier;
`wherein the database also maintains at least one of
`
`owner and possessor records for each said data carrier
`selected from the group including ownership history of
`the data carrier, possession history of the data carrier,
`personal details of the past and present owners and
`possessors of the data carrier, demographic data about
`the users and owners of the data carrier, data recorded
`onto the data carrier at an authorized data dispensing
`device, data rented and the rental period, the user’s
`normal requirements, the user’s payment records, roy-
`alties paid to the copyright owner by the user, and
`favorite data of the user,
`the vending booth including a data dispensing device in
`communication with the data depot, the data dispensing
`device being configured for dispensing data to an
`authorized recordable data carrier configured for
`recording data from the data dispensing device and for
`exchanging data regarding the dispensed data with a
`database for storing user information for each record-
`able data carrier.
`
`7. A vending booth as claimed in claim 6, wherein the
`booth includes electronic payment means in the form of a
`card or token reader configured to debit an account of a user
`responsive to the dispensing of data from the data dispensing
`device on the recordable data carrier.
`
`8. Avending booth as claimed in claim 6, wherein the data
`dispensing device is in the form of a computer terminal
`having a user interface, a data writer configured for use with
`the data carrier, and a communication device for permitting
`data transfer communication with the data depot by means
`of one or more data transfer means selected from the group
`consisting of dedicated data lines, optic fiber cables, tele-
`phone lines, satellite link-up, radio transmission, and broad-
`band cable.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`