Patent · US Expired

Secure online music distribution system

US7263497B1 · kind B1 · utility

272Cited by
18References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 9, 1999
Grant dateAug 28, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 9, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q30/0633
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A secure music distribution system securely distributes digital products such as music, video, and/or computer software along with related media over a public telecommunications network, such as the Internet, employing a client-server architecture. The digital products are stored and controlled by a content manager computer system and are sold by separate merchant computer systems. The secure music distribution system includes a music distribution center which operates with any number of client systems and with any number of merchant systems. The music distribution center includes a content manager and at least one delivery server. The content manager maintains a media information database, a master media file system, and a transaction database. In addition, the music distribution center interfaces with a media licensing center, which in turn communicates with one or more distributed rights agent servers and the merchant servers. The merchant server executes in a merchant computer system, which also includes an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) server. The merchant servers interface with various payment processing systems. The client systems include a media player and a Web browse…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.