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`US009715581Bl
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Estes
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 9,715,581 Bl
`Jul. 25, 2017
`
`(54) DIGITAL MEDIA REPRODUCTION AND
`LICENSING
`
`(71) Applicant: Christopher Estes, Nashville, TN (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventor: Christopher Estes, Nashville, TN (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`9,148,706
`2002/0032905
`
`2002/0154157
`
`2003/0149884
`
`2003/0220883
`
`2004/0039916
`
`Bl*
`Al*
`
`H04N 21/812
`9/2015 Shin.
`3/2002 Sherr ...................... G06F 21/10
`725/38
`Al* 10/2002 Sherr ...................... G06F 21/10
`715/716
`8/2003 Hernandez .............. G06F 21/10
`713/193
`Al* 11/2003 Block ................... G06F 21/105
`705/59
`2/2004 Aldis ...................... G06F 21/10
`713/177
`
`Al*
`
`Al*
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/667,629
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 2, 2012
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60)
`
`Provisional application No. 61/555,810, filed on Nov.
`4, 2011.
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`Int. Cl.
`G06F 21100
`G06F 21110
`G06Q 30102
`U.S. Cl.
`CPC ............ .
`
`(2013.01)
`(2013.01)
`(2012.01)
`
`G06F 21110 (2013.01); G06Q 30102
`(2013.01)
`
`Field of Classification Search
`None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,920,567 Bl*
`
`7,676,437 B2 *
`
`8,151,194 Bl*
`
`8,745,647 Bl*
`
`7/2005 Doherty .................. G06F 21/10
`707 /999 .104
`3/2010 Satkunanathan ....... G06F 21/10
`705/56
`4/2012 Chan ................. G06F 17/30817
`709/224
`H04N 21/442
`725/10
`
`6/2014 Shin.
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`"Online Video Analytics: YouTube Insight-Advanced Techniques"
`by Greg Habermann, May 17, 2000 retrieved from http://
`searchenginewatch.com/sew/news/2067016/online-video-analyt-
`ic s-youtube-insight -advanced-techniques.*
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner - Dede Zecher
`Assistant Examiner - Richard A McCoy
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - Wood Herron & Evans
`LLP
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Systems and methods for monetizing the reproduction of
`digital media content for the rights-holders of the digital
`media content. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate
`to determining whether a user of a media content item has
`a license to reproduce the media content item. In one
`embodiment, the media content item may be reproduced
`when the user is licensed. The user is prompted to select to
`acquire a license to reproduce the media content item or to
`decline the license to reproduce the media content item
`when the user is not licensed. Further embodiments deter(cid:173)
`mine whether a user may receive a license when the user
`wishes to acquire a license. In an embodiment, the user is
`declined a license when not approved for the license.
`
`32 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`Load Digital Media for
`Reproduction
`
`122
`
`126
`
`y
`
`132
`
`Initialize
`Reproduction
`
`Initialize Licensing
`Interface
`
`138
`
`140
`
`142
`
`Transmit Licensing
`Request to Licensing
`System
`
`136
`
`N
`Refuse to Reproduce - - - - -<
`
`137
`
`Transmit Statistics
`Data for Statistics
`Record
`
`EX1001
`Roku V. Media Chain
`U.S. Patent No. 9,715,581
`
`

`

`US 9,715,581 Bl
`Page 2
`
`2011/0213721 Al*
`
`2012/0010931 Al*
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`2012/0096339 Al*
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`2012/0109834 Al*
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`2012/0123831 Al*
`
`2012/0123916 Al*
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`2012/0124638 Al*
`
`2013/0047271 Al *
`
`2013/0051772Al*
`
`2014/0108029 Al*
`
`2015/0040002 Al*
`
`1/2012 Mehra .
`
`9/2011 Raley ...................... G06F 21/10
`705/310
`G06Q 10/107
`705/14.16
`4/2012 Cohen ..................... H04L 67/06
`715/221
`G06Q 30/018
`705/317
`G06Q 30/0274
`705/14.7
`G06Q 30/0251
`705/30
`G06Q 10/101
`726/1
`2/2013 Tang ....................... G06F 21/ 10
`726/30
`H04N21/25875
`386/291
`G06Q 50/22
`705/2
`2/2015 Kannan ................. G06F 3/0482
`715/246
`
`5/2012 Bongiovanni
`
`5/2012 King .
`
`5/2012 Shintani .
`
`5/2012 King .
`
`2/2013 Ramaswamy
`
`4/2014 Kim .
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`NPL: "Online Video Analytics: YouTube Insight-Advanced Tech(cid:173)
`niques" by Greg Habermann, May 17, 2000 hereinafter referred as
`"Habermann".*
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`2008/0243694 Al * 10/2008 Johnson .
`
`2009/0210245 Al*
`
`8/2009 Wold
`
`2011/0051914 Al*
`
`3/2011 Neuman
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2005/0004873 Al*
`
`2005/0060701 Al*
`
`3/2005 Murase
`
`2005/0114265 Al*
`
`2005/0177844 Al*
`
`8/2005 Levi .
`
`2006/0031785 Al *
`
`2007/0055439 Al*
`
`2008/0027742 Al*
`
`1/2005 Pou ......................... G06F 21/10
`705/51
`G06Q 30/06
`717/178
`5/2005 Satkunanathan ....... G06F 21/10
`705/59
`G06Q 30/02
`725/30
`2005/0223415 Al* 10/2005 Oho ...................... G06F 21/606
`726/27
`2/2006 Raciborski ........ G06F 17 /30041
`715/859
`3/2007 Denker ................. G0lS 5/0036
`701/532
`2007/0241176 Al* 10/2007 Epstein ................... G06F 21/10
`235/375
`1/2008 Maeda .................. G06F 21/105
`705/1.1
`G06Q 30/0603
`705/52
`G06Q 10/10
`700/300
`2010/0324983 Al* 12/2010 Etchegoyen ............ G06F 21/10
`705/14.23
`H04M 19/04
`379/93.17
`
`

`

`10
`
`External l
`
`Multimedia
`Hardware
`Device
`
`/
`
`' -
`
`30
`
`Media ~ 18
`
`Content
`Rights-
`Holders
`System
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I Third Party L
`
`Online Media
`Retailers
`System
`
`I
`
`20
`
`Hardware L22
`
`Device
`Manufacturers
`System
`
`I
`
`Media
`Content
`Licensing
`and
`Verification
`System
`
`16
`
`FIG. 1
`
`e
`•
`00
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`~
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`

`

`10
`
`95
`
`Processor 40
`
`Media Recognition
`
`TX/RX
`
`1/0 Interface
`
`Memory 52
`
`Digital Media
`Application 54 I
`
`OS
`
`56 1
`
`Mass Storage 60
`License Database 1111
`License Record
`
`License Record
`
`Digital Media File
`
`Digital Media File
`
`62
`
`64
`
`58
`
`90 - F-[\_
`
`88 User Record
`f!!HLicense Recordl
`
`IIHLicense Recordl
`
`88 User Record
`!License Record!
`
`!License Record!
`
`HMI
`
`Reproduction
`
`48
`
`50
`
`84 - ~~
`
`Digital Media Catalog Database 82
`I Media Record I
`H Media Record I
`I Media Record I
`H Media Record I
`
`N
`'"Ul
`N
`
`0 ....
`
`-....J
`
`('D
`('D
`
`rJJ =(cid:173)
`.....
`N
`0 ....
`
`-....J
`
`16 -I
`I
`
`'-I'\
`
`...
`
`TX/RX
`
`68 1 I 70 1/0 Interface
`
`Processor 66 11 7 4 Mass Storage
`
`I
`I
`
`Memory
`
`Application I I
`
`76
`
`OS
`
`80 1
`
`Registered User Database
`
`86
`
`e •
`
`00
`•
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`2' :-'
`
`H Statistics
`9 - s-N
`
`Record
`
`I
`
`I
`
`Licensing Statistics Database 92
`Statistics
`Record
`
`I
`
`FIG. 2
`
`i HMI
`
`I
`
`d r.,;_
`
`'"'-.0
`-....l
`"""' UI
`tit
`00
`
`"""' = """'
`
`

`

`100
`
`102
`
`104
`
`106
`
`108
`
`110
`
`e •
`
`00
`•
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`2' :-'
`
`N
`'"Ul
`N
`
`0 ....
`
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`
`rJJ =-('D
`.....
`0 ....
`
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`
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`"'""' UI
`tit
`00
`
`"'""' = "'""'
`
`Receive Media Content
`
`Analyze Media Content
`
`'
`
`Determine Media Content
`Natural Media Fingerprint
`, '
`Generate Media Record
`
`, '
`Store Media Record in
`Digital Media Catalog
`Database
`
`FIG. 3
`
`

`

`Load Digital Media for
`Reproduction
`
`Analyze Digital Media
`
`Determine Digital Media
`Information
`
`122
`
`124
`
`126
`
`Access License Database
`
`128
`
`120
`
`y
`
`N
`
`~oe~134
`
`y
`
`User
`Want to
`License?
`
`/
`
`FIG. 4
`
`132
`
`Initialize
`Reproduction
`
`Initialize Licensing
`Interface
`
`138
`
`Transmit User
`Identification Data
`
`140
`
`Transmit Licensing
`Request to Licensing
`System
`
`142
`
`136-------j Refuse to Reproduce
`
`N
`
`r
`Transmit Statistics
`137-----j Data for Statistics
`Record
`
`I
`
`e •
`
`00
`•
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`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`2'
`
`:-'
`N
`'"Ul
`N
`
`0 ....
`
`-....J
`
`('D
`('D
`
`.i;...
`
`rJJ =(cid:173)
`.....
`0 ....
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`
`d r.,;_
`
`_."-0
`-....l
`"""' UI
`tit
`00
`
`"""' = """'
`
`

`

`Receive and Confirm User of Device
`
`161
`
`Receive Digital Media
`Licensing Request
`
`Access Digital Media Catalog
`Database to Identify Digital
`Media
`
`162
`
`164
`
`160
`
`169
`
`166
`
`y
`
`Digital
`Media
`Identified?
`
`168
`
`Transmit No License
`Required Data to Device
`
`N
`
`177
`
`Generate Statistics
`Record
`
`Licensing
`Transaction
`Confirmed?
`
`/
`
`'
`
`I N
`
`172
`
`174
`
`176
`
`178
`
`Process Licensing Transaction
`Including Requesting Payment
`Information
`
`Transmit No
`170 ----l License Data
`
`I
`
`Transmit License to Device
`
`Generate Statistiscs and
`License Record
`
`Store Records in Databases
`
`177
`
`Generate
`Statistics
`Record
`
`FIG. 5
`
`e •
`
`00
`•
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`d r.,;_
`_."-0
`-....l
`"'""' UI
`tit
`00
`
`"'""' = "'""'
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 25, 2017
`Jul. 25, 2017
`
`Sheet 6 of 7
`Sheet 6 of 7
`
`US 9,715,581 Bl
`US 9,715,581 B1
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`200
`
`202
`
`204
`
`Store Transaction Record in
`Licensing Statistics Database
`
`Dynamically Aggregate
`Transaction Records based
`on Transaction Record Field
`
`Receive Third Party Statistics r 206
`
`Request
`
`Generate Third Party
`Statistics Report
`
`L
`
`20a
`
`Transmit Third Party
`Statistics Report
`
`210
`
`FIG. 7
`
`e •
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`00
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`~ = ~
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`N
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`

`

`US 9,715,581 Bl
`
`1
`DIGITAL MEDIA REPRODUCTION AND
`LICENSING
`
`FIELD
`
`Embodiments relate to licensing digital media for repro(cid:173)
`duction, and more specifically to a digital media licensing
`system for licensing and enabling reproduction of digital
`media on a reproduction device.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`2
`reproduce the media content item or to decline the license to
`reproduce the media content item.
`In another embodiment, a system provides a media con(cid:173)
`tent licensing and verification system to license media
`5 content for reproduction. A transceiver may receive a media
`licensing request from an external device associated with a
`user. The media licensing request may include digital media
`information associated with a media content item included
`in a digital media file. A processor may access a media
`10 catalog database that includes a plurality of media content
`records where a media content record from the plurality of
`media content records is associated with the media content
`item. The processor may also determine whether the media
`licensing request is to be granted based on the media content
`15 record stored in the media catalog database that is associated
`with the media content item. The processor may grant the
`media licensing request for the external device when the
`media content record associated with the media content item
`verifies the granting of the license for the media content item
`20 to the external device. The processor may also decline the
`media licensing request for the external device when the
`media content record associated with the media content item
`does not verify the granting of the license for the media
`content item to the external device.
`Further embodiments, features, and advantages, as well as
`the structure and operation of the various embodiments, are
`described in detail below with reference to the accompany(cid:173)
`ing drawings.
`
`25
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE
`DRAWINGS/FIGURES
`
`Conventionally, the distribution of media content, such as
`music, movies, and books for example, is in large part
`controlled by owners who are the rights-holders of the media
`content. In conventional systems, the media content is
`incorporated into a physical media such as a compact disk
`(CD), a digital video disk (DVD), a printed publication,
`and/or any other physical media. In such conventional
`systems, the rights-holders of the media content are able to
`control licensing of the media content, the production of
`physical media copies of the media content, and/or the
`distribution of the media content to customers and/or third
`party retailers and thereby monetize the media content.
`There has been a dramatic shift in the marketplace away
`from media content distributed on physical media to digital
`media content that may be distributed via the internet.
`Conventionally, rights-holders of digital media content have
`significantly less control over the distribution of such digital 30
`media content as compared to the distribution of physical
`media. For example, a party that does not hold rights of the
`digital media content may reproduce the digital media
`content and then distribute the digital media content via the
`internet without the permission of the actual rights-holder of 35
`the digital media content. As a result, the actual-rights holder
`of the digital media content cannot monetize the unauthor(cid:173)
`ized distribution of the digital media content.
`The inability of rights-holders of digital media content to
`monetize the unauthorized distribution of the digital media 40
`content limits the financial gain that rights-holders of the
`digital media content obtain in creating the original digital
`media content. Often times such unauthorized distribution of
`the digital media content prohibits the rights-holders of the
`digital media from covering the costs of creating the original 45
`digital media content which discourages creation of digital
`media content.
`
`Embodiments are described with reference to the accom(cid:173)
`panying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers
`may indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
`FIG. 1 illustrates a digital media file licensing and autho(cid:173)
`rized reproduction system, according to an embodiment;
`FIG. 2 illustrates a second digital media file licensing and
`authorized reproduction system, according to an embodi(cid:173)
`ment;
`FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart illustrating an exemplary
`aspect of operation for the media content licensing and
`verification system to analyze a received catalog of media
`content and manage the catalog of media content, according
`to an embodiment;
`FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart illustrating an exemplary
`aspect of operation for the external multimedia hardware
`device, according to an embodiment;
`FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart illustrating an exemplary
`50 aspect of operation for the media content licensing and
`verification system to receive a payment for a license to
`reproduce a digital media file, according to an embodiment;
`FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart illustrating an exemplary
`aspect of operation for the media content licensing and
`55 verification system to receive licensing information from a
`third party media retailer, according to an embodiment; and
`FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart illustrating an exemplary
`aspect of operation for the media content licensing and
`verification system to receive a third-party request for
`60 licensing statistics.
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY
`
`Embodiments relate to monetizing the reproduction of
`digital media content for the rights-holder of the digital
`media content. In an embodiment, a computer implemented
`method provides a multimedia hardware device a capability
`to generate an authorized reproduction of a media content
`item included in a digital media file. A digital media file that
`includes a media content item may be loaded for reproduc(cid:173)
`tion. The digital media file may be analyzed to identify
`digital media information associated with the media content
`item. A license database may be accessed to determine
`whether a user is licensed to reproduce the media content
`item based on the digital media information. The media
`content item may be reproduced when the user is licensed to
`reproduce the media content item based on the digital media
`information. A licensing query may be provided to the user 65
`when the user is not licensed to reproduce the media content
`item to prompt the user to select to acquire a license to
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`The digital media file licensing and authorized reproduc(cid:173)
`tion system provides a capability to ensure that a user
`possesses a license to reproduce a digital media file and if
`the user does not have a license, providing to the user the
`
`

`

`US 9,715,581 Bl
`
`3
`option to obtain such a license. In the Detailed Description
`herein, references to "one embodiment", "an embodiment",
`an "example embodiment", etc., indicate that the embodi(cid:173)
`ment described may include a particular feature, structure, or
`characteristic, by every embodiment may not necessarily
`include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic.
`Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the
`same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, struc(cid:173)
`ture, or characteristic may be described in connection with
`an embodiment, it may be submitted that it may be within 10
`the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature,
`structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodi(cid:173)
`ments whether or not explicitly described.
`Overview
`FIG. 1 illustrates a digital media file licensing and autho- 15
`rized reproduction system 30 in which embodiments or
`portions thereof, may be implemented. Digital media file
`licensing and authorized reproduction system 30 includes an
`external multimedia hardware device 10, a network 12, a
`media content licensing and verification system 16, a media 20
`content rights-holders system 18, a third party online media
`retailers system 20, and a hardware device manufacturers
`system 22.
`System 30 may monetize the reproduction of a media
`content item included within a digital media file. Reproduc- 25
`tion of a media content item may include reproducing sound
`from a digital audio file, reproducing video from a digital
`video file, reproducing text from a digital text file, and/or
`any other reproduction of a digital media file that will be
`apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) without 30
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`Reproduction may be defined as a first use by a user of the
`media content item. For example, reproduction of the media
`content item may include when a user first accesses a media
`content item where the user obtained the media content item 35
`from an outside source, such as but not limited to a third
`party online media distributor. Reproduction may also be
`defined as further distribution of the media content item by
`the user after the user has initially accessed the media
`content item. For example, reproduction of the media con- 40
`tent item may include when the user distributes the media
`content item to other parties after the user has obtained the
`media content item from the third party online media
`distributor.
`A digital media file may represent a MPEG Layer 3 (MP3) 45
`file, a RealAudio (RA) file, a raw sample (RAW) file, a
`Microsoft wave (WAY) file, a Windows Media Audio
`(WMA) file, and/or any other suitable digital media file that
`will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) without
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The 50
`media content item may include any portion of data included
`in the digital media file. A user of external multimedia
`hardware device 10 may reproduce the media content item
`with external multimedia hardware device 10. Device 10
`may represent a smart phone, a smart tablet, a mobile
`telephone, a television, an audio system, a personal music
`player, a portable computing device, other computing
`devices such as a personal computer, a laptop, or a desktop
`computer, computer peripheral such as a printer, a portable
`audio/or a video player, and/or any other suitable electronic 60
`device that can reproduce a media content item that will be
`apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) without
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`However, the user may not have a license that authorizes
`the user to reproduce the media content item. The digital 65
`media file including the media content item may have been
`procured from various sources that are not licensed to
`
`4
`reproduce the media content item and do not collect licens(cid:173)
`ing fees for use of the media content item. As such, when the
`user loads the digital media file for reproduction, device 10
`may analyze the digital media file to determine the media
`5 content item included in the file and determine whether the
`user of device 10 is authorized. For example, the device may
`analyze a digital music file to identify the song and artist of
`the media content item that may be a track included in the
`digital music file. The user may be authorized when the user
`has a license to load and/or reproduce a media content item
`included in the digital media file.
`In an embodiment, device 10 may analyze a plurality of
`identifying characteristics associated with the media content
`item to identify the media content item and to determine
`whether the user of device 10 is authorized. The plurality of
`identifying characteristics may be an identifying character(cid:173)
`istic associated with the media content item inherently
`present in the media content item such that the media content
`item is not remastered to include the identifying character(cid:173)
`istic after the media content item is initially recorded. The
`plurality of identifying characteristics can represent a fin(cid:173)
`gerprint, digital watermarking, and/or any other suitable
`algorithm to identify copyright ownership of the media
`content item included in the digital media file that will be
`apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) without
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In an
`embodiment, device 10 may analyze metadata included in
`the loaded digital media file to identify the media content
`item included in the digital media file.
`System 30 may query a license database locally and/or
`remotely located to system 30 to determine whether the user
`of device 10 has the appropriate license for the media
`content item. Device 10 may refuse to play the digital media
`file and query the user to determine whether the user wishes
`to purchase the appropriate license when the user does not
`have the appropriate license.
`Device 10 may communicate with media content licens(cid:173)
`ing and verification system 16 over network 12 and transmit
`the fingerprint of the media content item to media content
`licensing and verification system 16 when the user selects to
`purchase the appropriate license. Licensing system 16 may
`identify the media content item based on the received
`fingerprint. Licensing system 16 may transmit back to
`device 10 the title and/or other information associated with
`the identified media content item and request the user to
`confirm purchase of the license. The user may interface with
`device 10 to conduct the licensing transaction with licensing
`system 16, and after purchasing the license, licensing system
`16 may transmit a license to device 10. After receiving the
`license from licensing system 16, device 10 may commence
`reproduction of the media content item. Moreover, licensing
`system 16 may store a record of the transaction for statistical
`purposes, and/or store a copy of the license in a database
`55 under a user record associated with the user of device 10.
`Device 10 and licensing system 16 may provide data
`associated with the use of the media content item to media
`content rights-holders system 18 over network 12. Rights(cid:173)
`holders system 18 may be accessed by an owner of a
`copyright for the media content item. For example, device
`10 and licensing system 16 may provide data to rights(cid:173)
`holders system 18 that includes the user who is accessing the
`media content item, the geographic location of the user who
`is accessing the media content item, other media content
`items that the user may be accessing, the quantity of times
`the media content item is accessed, and/or any other data
`associated with the use of the media content item that will
`
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`US 9,715,581 Bl
`
`5
`be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) without
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`The data provided by device 10 and licensing system 16
`to rights-holders system 18 for the media content item may
`be used by the copyright owner to develop future licensing 5
`agreements that may be provided to the user of device 10 by
`licensing system 16 for future use of the media content item.
`Payments for the license to use the media content item may
`be received from the user via device 10 and licensing system
`16. Payments may also be distributed to the copyright owner 10
`via rights-holders system 18.
`Device 10 and licensing system 16 may also provide data
`associated with the use of the media content item to third
`party online media retailers system 20. The data provided to
`retailers system 20 may be similar to the data provided to 15
`rights-holders system 18. However, retailers system 20 may
`be accessed by third party online media retailers who have
`been selected by the copyright owner of the media content
`item to distribute the media content item via the Internet.
`The data provided by device 10 and licensing system 16 20
`to retailers system 20 for the media content item may be
`used by the third party online retailers to develop future
`pricing for their online media content item distribution
`including which media content items to distribute in the
`future. The data provided to retailers system 20 may also be 25
`used to help third party online media retailers target the
`marketing of the media content item to demographics that
`have shown a trend of interest in the media content item.
`Payments for the distribution of the media content item by
`the third party online media retailer may be received from 30
`the user via device 10 and licensing system 16. Payments
`may also be distributed to the third party online media
`retailer via retailers system 20.
`Device 10 and licensing system 16 may also provide data
`associated with the use of the media content item to hard- 35
`ware device manufactures system 22. The data provided to
`manufactures system 22 may be similar to the data provided
`to rights-holders system 18 and retailer system 20. However,
`manufactures system 22 may be accessed by hardware
`device manufacturers who manufacture the hardware that
`may be implemented in device 10 that provides device 10
`with the capabilities to limit reproduction of the media
`content item to when the user has a license to reproduce the
`media content item. Payments for use of the hardware
`provided by the hardware device manufacturers imple(cid:173)
`mented in device 10 by the user of device 10 may also be
`distributed to the hardware device manufacturer via manu(cid:173)
`facturers system 20.
`Device 10 may be configured to connect to network 12.
`Network 12 may include one or more networks, such as the
`Internet. In some examples, network 12 may include one or
`more network technologies such as Ethernet, Fast Ethernet,
`Gigabit Ethernet, a variant of the IEEE 802.11 standard such
`as WiFi, and the like. Communication over network 12 takes
`place using one or more network communication protocols
`including reliable streaming protocols such as transmission
`control protocol (TCP). These examples are illustrative and
`not intended to limit the present disclosure. As shown in
`FIG. 1, device 10 may engage in communication with
`network 12 via connection 14, where connection 14 may be
`a wireless, wired, a secured communication connection, any
`combination thereof, and/or any other communication con(cid:173)
`nection that will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant
`art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the
`disclosure.
`Licensing system 16 may be configured to engage in
`communication with network 12. As such, device 10 may
`
`6
`communicate with licensing system 16 via network 12.
`Additionally, rights-holders system 18, retailers system 20,
`and/or manufacturers system 22 may also communicate with
`licensing system 16 and device 10 via network 12. Licensing
`system 16, rights-holders system 18, retailers system 20,
`and/or manufacturers system 22 may engage in communi(cid:173)
`cation with network 12 via a communication connection
`similar to connection 14.
`Device 10, licensing system 16, rights-holders system 18,
`retailers system 20, and/or manufacturers system 22 may
`have a cloud computing configuration. Device 10, licensing
`system 16, rights-holders system 18, retailers system 20,
`and/or manufacturers system 22 may share resources via
`network 12. For example, device 10 may retrieve licensing
`information for the user of device 10 who wishes to repro(cid:173)
`duce the media content item via network 12. Licensing
`system 16 may also update rights-holders system 18 with the
`user information for the user who wishes to reproduce the
`media content item. Based on the cloud computing configu(cid:173)
`ration, the interaction between device 10, licensing system
`16, and rights-holders system 18 may not be limited to a
`single external multimedia hardware device. A plurality of
`external multimedia hardware devices may update licensing
`system 16 and rights-holders system 18 via network 12 with
`user information of users wishing to reproduce the media
`content item. Licensing system 16 may provide each of these
`updates for the user information to any media content
`rights-holders system that requests the user information.
`Digital Media File Licensing and Authorized Reproduction
`System
`FIG. 2 illustrates a second digital media file licensing and
`authorized reproduction system 95 in which embodiments or
`portions thereof, may be implemented. Digital media file
`licensing and authorized reproduction system 95 includes
`external multimedia hardware device 10, media content
`licensing and verification system 16, and network 12. Exter(cid:173)
`nal multimedia hardware device 10 includes a processor 40,
`a transceiver 44, an input/output interface 46, a memory 52,
`40 a mass storage 60, a human machine interface (HMI) 48 and
`a reproduction module 50. Processor 40 may be a hardware
`based processor that includes a general purpose microcon(cid:173)
`troller, a special purpose microcontroller and/or any other
`controller that will be apparent to those skilled in the
`45 relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of
`the disclosure.
`Processor 40 includes a media recognition module 42.
`Media recognition module 42 may be configured to analyze
`a loaded digital media file to identify the media content item
`50 included in the digital media file and/or determine an
`identifying characteristic, such as a fingerprint for example,
`of the media content item. In an embodiment, the media
`recognition module 40 may include hardware based circuitry
`configured to analyze a loaded digital media file. In an
`55 embodiment, the media recognition module 42 may include
`program code executing on the processor 40 configured to
`cause the processor 40 to analyze a loaded digital media file.
`Memory 52 includes a digital media file 58, an application
`54, and an operating system (OS) 56. Memory 52 may be
`60 accessed by processor 40, such that processor 40 may read
`data from memory 52 and write data to memory 52. In some
`embodiments, application 54 and/or OS 56 may include
`program code including one or more instructions, that when
`executed by processor 40 cause device 10 to perform the
`65 steps necessary to execute steps or elements embodying the
`various aspects of the disclosure. Furthermore, digital media
`file 58 may be loaded for reproduction.
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`US 9,715,581 Bl
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`7
`Mass storage 60 includes a license database 62 and digital
`media file 58. License database 62 includes a license record
`64. Mass storage 60 may be utilized in addition to memory
`52, or may not be included at all, in which case the data
`elements illustrated as stored on mass storage 60 would be
`stored in memory 52. For exemplary purposes, mass storage
`60 includes digital media files 58, illustrating that one or
`more digital media files 58 may be stored in mass storage 60
`of device 10. Moreover, mass storage 60 includes a license
`database 62, where license database 62 includes one or more 10
`license records 64. In an embodiment, license database 62
`includes license records 64, where license records 64 indi(cid:173)
`cate a