DIGITAL MEDIA REPRODUCTION AND LICENSING
`
`Cross-Reference
`
`[0001]
`
`The present application is a continuation application of United States
`
`Patent Application No. 15/898,978, filed February 19, 2018, and claims the benefit of
`
`United States Patent No. 9,898,590, filed July 25, 2017, and claims the benefit of United
`
`States Patent No. 9,715,581, filed November 2, 2012, and claims the benefit of United
`
`States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/555,810, filed November 4, 2011, which
`
`a r e incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
`
`Technical Field
`
`[0002]
`
`Embodiments relate to licensing digital media for reproduction, and more
`
`specifically
`
`to
`
`a
`
`digital media
`
`licensing
`
`system for
`
`licensing
`
`and enabling
`
`reproduction of digital media on a reproduction device.
`
`Background
`
`[0003]
`
`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 physicalmedia 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.
`
`235786691
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`1
`
`
`
`Cross-Reference
`
`[0001]
`
`The present application is a continuation application of United States
`
`Patent Application No. 15/898,978, filed February 19, 2018, and claims the benefit of
`
`United States Patent No. 9,898,590, filed July 25, 2017, and claims the benefit of United
`
`States Patent No. 9,715,581, filed November 2, 2012, and claims the benefit of United
`
`States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/555,810, filed November 4, 2011, which
`
`a r e incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
`
`Technical Field
`
`[0002]
`
`Embodiments relate to licensing digital media for reproduction, and more
`
`specifically
`
`to
`
`a
`
`digital media
`
`licensing
`
`system for
`
`licensing
`
`and enabling
`
`reproduction of digital media on a reproduction device.
`
`Background
`
`[0003]
`
`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 physicalmedia 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.
`
`235786691
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`
`
`[0004]
`
`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 media content as
`
`compared to the distributionof 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 the digital media content. As a result, the actual-rights holder of the
`
`digital media content cannot monetize the unauthorized distribution of the digital media
`
`content.
`
`[0005]
`
`The inability of rights-holders of digital media content to monetize the
`
`unauthorized distribution of the digital media 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 digital mediacontent which discourages creation of digital media content.
`
`Brief §ummam
`
`[0006]
`
`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 filethat
`
`includes a media content
`
`item may be loaded for
`
`reproduction. The digital media file may be analyzed to identify digital media
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`235786691
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`
`
`information associated with the media content item. A license database may be
`
`accessed to determine whether a user is licensed toreproduce 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 when the user
`
`is not licensed to reproduce the media content item to prompt
`
`the user to select to
`
`acquire a license to reproduce the media content item or to decline the license to
`
`reproduce the media content item.
`
`[0007]
`
`In another embodiment, a system provides a media content licensing and
`
`verification system to license media content for
`
`reproduction. A transceiver may
`
`receivea media licensing request from an external device associated with a user.
`
`The medialicensing request may include digital media information associated with a
`
`media contentitem included in a digital media file. A processor may access a media
`
`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
`
`record stored in the media
`
`catalog database that is associated withthe media content item. The processor may
`
`grant
`
`the media licensing request for theexternal device when the media content
`
`record associated with the media content
`
`itemverifies the granting of the license for
`
`the media content
`
`item 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 grantingof the license for
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`
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`the media content item to the external device.
`
`[0008]
`
`Further embodiments, features, and advantages, as well as the structure
`
`and operation of
`
`the various embodiments,
`
`are described in detail below with
`
`reference to theaccompanying drawings.
`
`Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`[0009]
`
`Embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
`
`In the drawings,
`
`like reference numbers may indicate identical or functionally similar
`
`elements.
`
`[0010]
`
`FIG.
`
`1
`
`illustrates a digital media file licensing and authorized reproduction
`
`system, according to an embodiment;
`
`[0011]
`
`FIG. 2 illustrates a second digital media file licensing and authorized
`
`reproduction system, according to an embodiment;
`
`[0012]
`
`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;
`
`[0013]
`
`FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart illustrating an exemplary aspect of operation
`
`for the external multimedia hardware device, according to an embodiment;
`
`[0014]
`
`FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart illustrating an exemplary 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;
`
`[0015]
`
`FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart illustrating an exemplary aspect of operation
`
`for
`
`the media content
`
`licensing and verification
`
`system to receive
`
`licensing
`
`information froma third party media retailer, according to an embodiment; and
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`[0016]
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`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 licensing statistics.
`
`Detailed Description
`
`[0017]
`
`The digital media file licensing and authorized reproduction 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
`
`option to obtain such a license.
`
`In the Detailed Description herein, references to
`
`"one embodiment", "an embodiment", an "example embodiment", etc., indicate that
`
`the embodiment 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, structure, or
`
`characteristic may be described in connection with an embodiment,
`
`it may be
`
`submitted that it may be within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such
`
`feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether
`
`or not explicitly described.
`
`Overview
`
`[0018]
`
`FIG.
`
`1
`
`illustrates a digital media file
`
`licensing and authorized
`
`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
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`
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`content licensing and verification system 16, a media content rights-holders system
`
`18, a third party online media retailers system 20, and a hardware device
`
`manufacturers system 22.
`
`[0019]
`
`System 30 may monetize the reproduction of a media content item
`
`included within a digital media file. Reproduction 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
`
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`
`[0020]
`
`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 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 content 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.
`
`[0021]
`
`A digital media file may represent a MPEG Layer 3 (MP3)
`
`file, a
`
`RealAudio (RA) file, a raw sample (RAW) file, a Microsoft wave (WAV) file, a
`
`V\findows 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 media content
`
`item may include any
`
`235786691
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`
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`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 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.
`
`[0022]
`
`However, the user may not have a license that authorizes the user to
`
`reproduce the media content
`
`item. The digital media file including the media
`
`content item may have been procured from various sources that are not licensed to
`
`reproduce the media content item and do not collect licensing 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
`
`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.
`
`[0023]
`
`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
`
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`
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`identifying characteristics may be an identifying characteristic 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 characteristic after
`
`the media
`
`content
`
`item is
`
`initially
`
`recorded. The
`
`plurality
`
`of
`
`identifying
`
`characteristics can represent a fingerprint, 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 inthe digital mediafile.
`
`[0024]
`
`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
`
`themedia content item. Device 10 may refuse to play the digital media file and query
`
`the userto determine whether the user wishes to purchase the appropriate license
`
`when the userdoes not have the appropriate
`
`license.
`
`[0025]
`
`Device 10 may communicate with media content
`
`licensing 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 purchasethe appropriate license. Licensing system 16 may identify the
`
`media content item based on the received fingerprint. Licensing system 16 may
`
`transmit back to device10 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 withdevice 10 to conduct the licensing transaction
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`
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`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 commencereproduction of the media content item. Moreover,
`
`licensing system 16 may store arecord of the transaction for statistical purposes,
`
`and/or store a copy of the licensein a database under a user record associated
`
`with the user of device 10.
`
`[0026]
`
`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-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-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 be apparent to those
`
`skilled in the relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the
`
`disclosure.
`
`[0027]
`
`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 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 via rights-holders system 18.
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`
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`[0028]
`
`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 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.
`
`[0029]
`
`The data provided by device 10 and licensing system 16 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 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 on line media retailer may be received from the user
`
`via device 10 and licensing system 16. Payments may also be distributed to the
`
`third party online media retailer via r etailers system 20.
`
`[0030]
`
`Device 10 and licensing system 16 may also provide data associated
`
`with the use of the media content item to hardware 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
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`
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`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 implemented in device 10 by the
`
`user of device 10 may also be distributed to the hardware device manufacturer via
`
`manufacturers system 20.
`
`[0031]
`
`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 lEEE 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 connection that will be apparent to those skilled in
`
`the relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`
`[0032]
`
`Licensing system 16 may be configured to engage in communication
`
`with network 12. As such, device 10 may 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
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`
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`system 20, and/or manufacturers system 22 may engage in communication with
`
`network 12 via a communication connection similar to connection 14.
`
`[0033]
`
`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 reproduce 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
`
`configuration, 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
`
`[0034]
`
`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. External multimedia hardware device 10
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`
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`includes a processor 40, a transceiver 44, an input/output interface 46, a memory
`
`52, 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 microcontroller, a special purpose microcontroller and/or any other
`
`controller that will be apparent
`
`to those skilled in the relevant art(s) without
`
`departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`
`[0035]
`
`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 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 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.
`
`[0036]
`
`Memory 52 includes a digital media file 58, an application 54, and an
`
`operating system (08) 56. Memory 52 may be 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 08 56 may include program code
`
`including one or more instructions,
`
`that when executed by processor 40 cause
`
`device 10 to perform the 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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`
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`[0037]
`
`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 license records 64.
`
`In an embodiment,
`
`license database 62 includes license records 64, where license records 64 indicate
`
`a media content item that a user of the device may be licensed to reproduce.
`
`[0038]
`
`Media content
`
`licensing and verification system 16 includes a
`
`transceiver 68, a processor 66, an input/output interface 70, a mass storage 74, a
`
`memory 76, and a HMI 72. Memory 76 includes an application 78, an OS 80, a
`
`registered user database 86, a digital media catalog database 82, and a licensing
`
`statistics database 92. Application 78 and/or the OS 80 may include program
`
`code including one or more instructions configured to be executed by processor 66
`
`to cause licensing system 16 to perform steps necessary to perform embodiments
`
`of the disclosure.
`
`[0039]
`
`Registered user database 86 includes a user record 88. User record
`
`88 includes a license record 90. Digital media catalog database 82 includes a
`
`media record 84. Each media record 84 includes data associated with a unique
`
`mediacontent item loaded into the licensing system 16. As such, a rights-holder
`
`or contentcreator may load a catalog of media content items that may include but
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`235786691
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`
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`not limited to a song, a movie, a television show, a novel, and/or any other media
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`content
`
`item into licensing system 16. Licensing system 16 may analyze each
`
`media content item in the catalog, and generate a media record corresponding to
`
`each media content item.|n some embodiments, each media record may include
`
`data indicating various information of
`
`the corresponding media content
`
`item,
`
`including but not limited to the rights-holder of the media content item, the title of
`
`the media content item, the plurality of identifying characteristics, and/or any other
`
`information associated with the corresponding media content
`
`item that will be
`
`apparent to the those skilled in the relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit
`
`and scope of the disclosure.
`
`[0040]
`
`Each user record 88 may be associated with a unique user and indicates
`
`all media content items the user has purchased a license for. Each user record 88 may
`
`include one or more license records 90, where each license record may include
`
`dataindicating a media content item that the user is licensed to reproduce.
`
`[0041]
`
`Licensing statistics database 92 includes a statistics record 94. Each
`
`statistics record 94 may include data indicating a license purchased by a user
`
`connecting to licensing system 16. The data may include, for example, whether a
`
`user that purchased a license for a particular media content item, how many users
`
`refused to license a particular media content item, the rights-holder of the media
`
`content
`
`item for which the license was purchased, the title of the media content
`
`item, demographic information for the user that may include but is not limited to
`
`age, gender, location, and/or any other data that may be associated with the user
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`235786691
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`1 5
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`
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`and/or license obtained by the user that will be apparent to those skilled in the
`
`relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
`
`[0042]
`
`Embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented on any
`
`type of processing (or computing) device having one or more processors. For
`
`example, embodiments can be implemented on a workstation, mobile device,
`
`computer, cluster of computers, set-top box, or other devices having at least one
`
`processor.
`
`In an embodiment, multiple modules may be implemented on the same
`
`processing device. Software can include one or more applications and an operating
`
`system.Hardware can include, but may not be limited to, a processor, memory,
`
`and/or graphical user interface display.
`
`Method 100
`
`[0043]
`
`FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary method 100 of processing a
`
`digital media catalog for use in a media content licensing and verification system. At
`
`step 102,the media content
`
`licensing and verification system receives digital media
`
`catalog. At step 104, each media content
`
`item of the received catalog may be
`
`analyzed.
`
`[0044]
`
`At step 106, a plurality of identifying characteristics associated with the
`
`media content item may be determined. For example, the fingerprint of the media
`
`content
`
`item may be determined. Determining a media content fingerprint may
`
`include one or more steps for analyzing the digital file including the media content
`
`item to determine one or more characteristics that uniquely identify the media
`
`content item stored therein. For example,
`
`if the media content item were a book
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`235786691
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`
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`stored in a digital text file, the natural media fingerprint may be determined to be a
`
`predefined number of words from the beginning of the text file.
`
`[0045]
`
`In another exemplary embodiment, the media content item may be a
`
`song stored in a digital music file, and the system may determine the natural media
`
`fingerprint by analyzing the digital music file to identify lyrics included in the song,
`
`notes played in the song, and/or a sampled sound wave included in the song.
`
`These characteristics may be considered individually or in various combinations to
`
`uniquely identify the song. Moreover,
`
`in many digital media file formats, one or
`
`more information fields related to the media content item stored in the file are
`
`included in metadata of the file. In an embodiment of the invention, the system may
`
`analyze metadata included in the digital media file to identify the media content
`
`item stored thereon.
`
`[0046]
`
`In step 108,
`
`the system generates a media record for each media
`
`content item, where the media record includes data indicating the fingerprint, rights-
`
`holder information, title, and/or any other media content item data.
`
`In step 110, the
`
`media record is stored in a digital media catalog database accessible by the
`
`system.
`
`[0047]
`
`Embodiments can work with software, hardware, and/or operating
`
`system implementations other
`
`than those described herein. Any software,
`
`hardware, and operating system implementations suitable for performing the
`
`functions described herein can be used.
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`Method 120
`
`[0048]
`
`FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary method 120 of verifying that a
`
`digital media file has been licensed prior
`
`to reproduction and facilitating the
`
`purchase ofa license if the digital media file has not been properly licensed prior to
`
`reproduction. At step 122, a digital media file is
`
`loaded for
`
`reproduction on the
`
`external multimedia hardware device. At step 124,
`
`the device analyzes the digital
`
`media file.
`
`[0049]
`
`At
`
`step 126,
`
`information associated with the digital media file
`
`is
`
`determined. Information associated with the digital media file may include afingerprint
`
`associated with the media content item included in the digital media file,
`
`the rights-
`
`holder of the media content item, the title of the media content item, and/or any other
`
`digit al media file information that will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant
`
`art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, as
`
`described above with respect to FIG. 3, the device may analyze the digital media
`
`file to determine one or more characteristics of the media content item stored
`
`thereon, where the characteristics may be utilized alone and/or
`
`in various
`
`combinations to identify the media content item.
`
`[0050]
`
`The selected characteristics may be referred to as the natural media
`
`fingerprint
`
`of
`
`the media content
`
`item. Advantageously,
`
`the natural media
`
`fingerprint identifies a media content
`
`item, even considering the possibility of
`
`different versionsof the same media content item. For example, multiple versions
`
`of a song are recorded at various times and may be stored as digital music files,
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`235786691
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`
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`such as a live version and a studio version. However, by analyzing the
`
`characteristics of a media content item, different versions of the same song may be
`
`consistently identified. For example,
`
`analyzing
`
`characteristics may include
`
`analyzing word recognition of
`
`lyrics,the occurrence of various frequencies at
`
`particular points in time in relation to theoccurrence of the lyrics, and/or any
`
`other media content item characteristic that willbe apparent to those skilled in the
`
`relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit andscope of the disclosure.
`
`[0051]
`
`At step 128, the device accesses a license database. At step 130,
`
`whether a user of the device has a license for the digital media file may be
`
`determined based on the natural media fingerprint and/or other digital media
`
`information, such as metadata, included in the digital media file. At
`
`step 132, the
`
`device initializes
`
`reproduction of
`
`the digital media file
`
`in
`
`response to the
`
`determining that the user has the appropriate license.
`
`[0052]
`
`At step 134,
`
`the device generates a display query asking the user
`
`whether the user would like to purchase a license for the digital media file in
`
`response todetermining that the user does not have the appropriate license. The
`
`device generates a display query asking the user whether the user would like
`
`to purchasea license for the digital media file.
`
`[0053]
`
`At step 136, the device indicates to the user that the
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