U.S. patent application number 13/025174 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-09 for methods for distributions of digital files.
This patent application is currently assigned to MEDIA PATENTS, S.L.. Invention is credited to Alvaro Fernandez.
Application Number | 20110137754 13/025174 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38763960 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110137754 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fernandez; Alvaro |
June 9, 2011 |
Methods for distributions of digital files
Abstract
The invention relates to a process for distributing files,
having the steps of receiving at least one digital file,
transmitting the digital file to a location, and selecting at least
one content provider. The process also has the steps of updating a
content of the content provider to provide a reference to the
digital file at the location, generating an updated digital file by
adding information which identifies the content provider to the
digital file when the reference to the digital file is selected at
the content provider, and transmitting at least a portion of the at
least one updated digital file to a client network.
Inventors: |
Fernandez; Alvaro;
(Barcelona, ES) |
Assignee: |
MEDIA PATENTS, S.L.
Barcelona
ES
|
Family ID: |
38763960 |
Appl. No.: |
13/025174 |
Filed: |
February 11, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12786257 |
May 24, 2010 |
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13025174 |
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12107028 |
Apr 21, 2008 |
7747466 |
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12786257 |
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PCT/EP2007/005049 |
Jun 7, 2007 |
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12107028 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/27.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0273 20130101;
G06Q 30/0641 20130101; G06Q 30/0601 20130101; G06Q 30/0248
20130101; G06Q 30/0277 20130101; G06Q 30/0241 20130101; G06Q
30/0603 20130101; G06Q 30/0253 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/27.1 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 4, 2007 |
ES |
200700900 |
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. An electronically-implemented method comprising: determining if
a right to play a first type of digital file in a mobile phone
exists by use of a first application forming a part of a multimedia
player installed in the mobile phone, the first type of digital
file being an audio or audiovisual content file originating from a
first vendor site; determining if a right to use a second type of
digital file in the mobile phone exists by use of a second
application, the second type of digital file being a software
product originating from the first vendor site and comprising a
design time incorporated software component, the design time
incorporated software component comprising the second application;
the first application establishing electronic communication between
the mobile phone and the first vendor site for the purpose of
initiating a first purchase transaction for the right to play the
first type of digital file in the mobile phone; and the second
application establishing electronic communication between the
mobile phone and the first vendor site for the purpose of
initiating a second purchase transaction for the right to use the
second type of digital file in the mobile phone.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the multimedia player
comprises a digital rights management system that comprises the
first application.
19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first type of
digital file and the second type of digital file comprise first
identifying data of the first vendor site, the first application
using the first identifying data to establish electronic
communication between the mobile phone and the first vendor site,
the second application using the first identifying data to
establish electronic communication between the mobile phone and the
first vendor site.
20. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first application
transmits identifying data of the mobile phone to the first vendor
site and the second application transmits identifying data of the
mobile phone to the first vendor site.
21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the first application
transmits identifying data of the mobile phone to the first vendor
site and the second application transmits identifying data of the
mobile phone to the first vendor site.
22. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first application
produces a first graphical interface in a display device of the
mobile phone useable by a user of the mobile phone to participate
in the first purchase transaction.
23. A method according to claim 17, wherein the second application
produces a graphical interface in a display device of the mobile
phone useable by a user of the mobile phone to participate in the
second purchase transaction.
24. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first application
produces a first graphical interface in a display device of the
mobile phone useable by a user of the mobile phone to participate
in the first purchase transaction and the second application
produces a graphical interface in a display device of the mobile
phone useable by a user of the mobile phone to participate in the
second purchase transaction.
25. A mobile phone comprising: a first application comprising
executable instructions that when executed in the mobile phone
determine if a right to play a first type of digital file in the
mobile phone exists, the first application forming a part of a
multimedia player installed in the mobile phone, the first type of
digital file being an audio or audiovisual content file originating
from a first vendor site; a second application comprising
executable instructions that when executed in the mobile phone
determine if a right to use a second type of digital file in the
mobile phone exists, the second type of digital file being a
software product originating from the first vendor site and
comprising a design time incorporated software component, the
design time incorporated software component comprising the second
application; the first application comprising executable
instructions that when executed in the mobile phone establish
electronic communication between the mobile phone and the first
vendor site for the purpose of initiating a first purchase
transaction for the right to play the first type of digital file in
the mobile phone; and the second application comprising executable
instructions that when executed in the mobile phone establish
electronic communication between the mobile phone and the first
vendor site for the purpose of initiating a purchase transaction
for the right to use the second type of digital file in the mobile
phone.
26. A mobile phone according to claim 25, wherein the multimedia
player comprises a digital rights management system that comprises
the first application.
27. A mobile phone according to claim 25, wherein the first type of
digital file comprising first identifying data of the first vendor
site, the second type of digital file comprising first identifying
data of the first vendor site, the first application adapted to
using the first identifying data to establish electronic
communication between the mobile phone and the first vendor site,
the second application adapted to using the first identifying data
to establish electronic communication between the mobile phone and
the first vendor site.
28. A mobile phone according to claim 25, wherein the first
application is adapted to transmit identifying data of the mobile
phone to the first vendor site and the second application is
adapted to transmit identifying data of the mobile phone to the
first vendor site.
29. A mobile phone according to claim 27, wherein the first
application is adapted to transmit identifying data of the mobile
phone to the first vendor site and the second application is
adapted to transmit identifying data of the mobile phone to the
first vendor site.
30. A mobile phone according to claim 25, wherein the first
application is adapted to produce a first graphical interface in a
display device of the mobile phone useable by a user of the mobile
phone to participate in the first purchase transaction.
31. A mobile phone according to claim 25, wherein the second
application is adapted to produce a graphical interface in a
display device of the mobile phone useable by a user of the mobile
phone to participate in the second purchase transaction.
32. A mobile phone according to claim 25, wherein the first
application is adapted to produce a first graphical interface in a
display device of the mobile phone useable by a user of the mobile
phone to participate in the first purchase transaction and the
second application is adapted to produce a graphical interface in a
display device of the mobile phone useable by a user of the mobile
phone to participate in the second purchase transaction.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to and claims the benefit
as a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/786,257,
filed May 24, 2010, which is related to and claims the benefit as a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/107,028, filed
Apr. 21, 2008, which is related to and claims the benefit as a
continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2007/005049, filed on
Jun. 7, 2007, which claims priority to and the benefit of Spanish
Patent Application No. ES 200700900, which was filed on Apr. 4,
2007, which is entitled "PROCESS FOR THE ON-LINE DISTRIBUTION,
THROUGH A DATA NETWORK, OF DIGITAL FILES PROTECTED BY INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM CONTAINING A PROGRAM
FOR CARRYING OUT SAID PROCESS," the disclosures of which are herein
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates generally to a method for distributing
digital files in which a digital file is stored at a predetermined
location, and then updated to comprise information to identify a
content provider when a user selects a reference, e.g., a link, to
the digital file at the content provider, e.g., at a web site of
the content provider.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Vendor companies that sell products through the Internet
network try to increase the likelihood that their webpage readily
may be found by a user that is browsing the network and is
interested in such products. A known method associated with
obtaining this objective includes advertising the products on
content web pages that attract users who are interested in a
specific type of subject matter. These content web pages may be
thematic pages about video games, cinema, music, computer programs,
and the like. The advertisements are provided in the form of a link
pointing to the vendor company's webpage, such that when a user
selects one of the links, the user is redirected to the vendor
company's webpage and the latter pays a fee to the content provider
of the web pages. The fee is a function of the number of selections
associated with the links. Nevertheless, for this method to be
effective, the vendor companies are in contact with the content web
pages, and these two entities organize the manner in which the
content web pages include the advertisement links, and the manner
in which the fee per user selection is paid by the vendor.
[0006] A known system addresses this issue by allowing any web page
to include advertisers' advertisements and to receive a fee for it.
Advertisers using this system may place advertisements in web pages
of a "search network," e.g., Google's.TM. search network, or the
"content network." The "search network" is formed by web pages, for
example, Google's.TM. search box, in which a search may be
conducted in the same manner as on Google's.TM. webpage. When a
search is conducted, normal or "organic" results appear as well as
advertisements in the form of "sponsored links." The "content
network" is formed by web pages in which advertisements of certain
advertisers whose products are content-related appear. A known
system analyzes the content of the web pages that want to host
advertisements and decides which are the most appropriate for each
advertisement. The advertisements contain a link to the
advertiser's webpage. Each time a user selects one of these
advertisements using a link, the owner of the webpage hosting the
advertisement obtains a fee from the advertiser.
[0007] Nevertheless, known systems cannot effectively prevent
fraudulent selections that occur when the owners of the web pages
hosting the advertisements themselves select the advertisements of
their own page, for the purpose of increasing the fee that the
advertiser will pay the owner. Another type of fraudulent
selections include a company dedicating itself to repeatedly
clicking on another company's advertisement for the sole purpose of
quickly reaching the maximum budget established for the
advertisement, and causing the automatic deactivation thereof,
thereby denying potential customers from seeing the advertisement.
The problem with fraudulent selections jeopardizes both the
advertisers paying for useless selections and the owners of the web
pages hosting the advertisements. Consequently, many advertisers
refuse to use this system or limit the amount of money they are
willing to pay for the advertisements to insubstantial amounts.
[0008] Another disadvantage of known systems is that they may not
respond to the specific problems involved with the sale of digital
files protected by intellectual property rights. In the case of
computer programs sold on-line through the Internet, a user
interested in acquiring a program normally will first download a
free demonstration, e.g., trial, version of the program that the
user may freely use during a trial period, and then the user
acquires a use license if the user chooses to purchase a license
for the product. The vendor company only earns money if the user
acquires a license. If its webpage receives many user visits
re-sent from other web pages in which the vendor company has an
advertisement, and the users download the digital files, but then
choose not to acquire a license, the vendor company must compensate
the advertisers for the selection despite not making a sale.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, a need has arisen for methods for distributing
digital files in which an advertiser is compensated based on the
sales of licenses actually made, and not based on advertising
selections. A need also has arisen for methods that generally may
be applied to any vendor that wants to sell its digital files
through content web pages, which can be any web pages, without the
vendor company being related with content web pages.
[0010] In an embodiment of the invention, a process for
distributing files, the process comprising the steps of receiving
at least one digital file, transmitting the at least one digital
file to a predetermined location, selecting at least one content
provider, updating a content of the at least one content provider
to provide a reference to the at least one digital file at the
predetermined location, generating at least one updated digital
file by adding information which identifies the at least one
content provider to the at least one digital file when the
reference to the at least one digital file is selected at the
content provider, and transmitting at least a portion of the at
least one updated digital file to a client network.
[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, a process for
distributing files comprises the steps of receiving at least one
digital file, transmitting the at least one digital file to a
predetermined location, selecting at least one content provider,
and updating a content of the at least one content provider to
provide a reference to the at least one digital file at the
predetermined location, wherein the reference is configured, such
that when the reference is selected by a client network, the
reference activates a program which causes at least one updated
digital file to be generated by adding information identifying the
at least one content provider to the at least one digital file, and
the updated digital file to be transmitted to the client
network.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
the needs satisfied thereby, and the objects, features, and
advantages thereof, reference now is made to the following
descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for carrying
out the distribution of files, according to an embodiment of the
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating, at a high level, an
algorithm executed by a download application in a download site
from which a file is downloaded, after a link to the file in a
content provider has been activated.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for distributing files,
according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention and their advantages
may be understood by referring to FIGS. 1-3, like numerals being
used for like corresponding parts in the various drawings.
[0017] The block diagram of FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a
system for applying a process of distributing digital files
according to an embodiment of the invention. The system may
comprise an equipment 5 of a user, an intermediary site 2, at least
one content provider, e.g., referring site 9, which may be
associated with intermediary site 2, and at least one vendor site
3. The system also may comprise at least one download site 4, and,
optionally, one or more licensing sites 8. One or more of sites 2,
3, 4, 8 and 9 may be network websites, e.g., Internet network
sites. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a single referring site
9, a single vendor site 3, a single licensing site 8, and a single
download site 4 are depicted. Nevertheless, the process may use a
system which may comprise a substantial number of referring sites
9. For example, having a substantial number of referring sites 9
substantially may increase the number of Internet users attracted
to referring sites 9, which may increase the number of digital
downloads of files, and thereby may increase the number of
purchases for the user.
[0018] According to an embodiment of the invention, and as shown in
FIG. 1, sites 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and user equipment 5 may be in on-line
communications with each other, via connections, e.g., connections
152, 153, 154, 158, 159, 192, 132, 182, and 124.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows two digital files, 1aand 1b, which may be
protected by intellectual property rights, and which may be
distributed on-line as described further herein. In an embodiment
of the invention, file 1a may comprise an audiovisual content file,
and file 1b may comprise a software product. File 1a may comprise
music, video, image or text content in digital format, or any
combination thereof This content may be protected by copyright, and
may be accessed, e.g., played or viewed, in the appropriate
hardware or software, e.g., equipment 5 of a user. Files 1a and 1b
may be any type of digital file which may be transferred over a
network.
[0020] Equipment used by a user, e.g., equipment 5, may be a
computer having a network, e.g., an Internet, connection.
Nevertheless, equipment 5 could be any other equipment which may be
configured to be connected to a data network, e.g., mobile
telephones, digital players with the capability of connecting to a
data network, or the like.
[0021] Equipment 5 also may comprise an operating system 51, in
which a digital player 52a may be installed. Digital player 52a may
comprise a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. The DRM system
may form a control application 53a which may be configured to
detect whether the content of file 1a is protected by intellectual
property rights. Control application 53a may check whether the user
has a license for accessing the content and whether a user may use
the license to allow a playing of the content of file 1a. In the
DRM system, the content of the file may be encrypted, and the
player may decrypt the content at the time the user plays the
content. Specific functionalities of the control application 53a
according to the invention will be explained in more detail further
herein.
[0022] File 1b may be a file comprising a software product, e.g., a
set of instructions which may be loaded into the memory of a
computer and may be executed individually or in combination with
another software product. File 1b may be any type of computer
program, e.g., an installation program installing a program in a
computer, a computer program update package, an installing file
downloading a computer program on-line or an update thereof, a
computer program library, other software products, or the like. In
an embodiment of the invention, file 1b may be an executable file
for installing a computer program 52b. The file 1b may be executed
in the operating system 51 of the equipment 5, and may be
configured to install program 52b. File 1b may include a component
of a program 52b, forming a control application 53b which may be
capable of detecting that the use of the program 52b is protected
by intellectual property rights, checking that the user has the
suitable license for using program 52b, and using the license to
allow the user to use the program.
[0023] A component may be understood as an encapsulated set of
classes and processes, with their corresponding properties,
allowing, by means of its integration in the application of a third
party and within the execution environment of said application, the
execution of certain functionalities that are pre-defined in the
component. It is presented in the form of an executable file or a
dynamic library which is included or called from the application of
third party, in the design time of said application. The ways of
including a component within an application can vary according to
the programmer or environment within which the application is
programmed. A usual way of including the component consists of
doing so from a graphical menu. The programmer drags the component
(or its graphical representation) from the toolbox of the
programming environment and inserts it in the form of the
application. From this time onwards, the programmer can access its
properties and modify them and/or call the methods which have been
described in the component. Another usual way of including the
component consists of inserting a source code. The programmer
includes the necessary code lines for calling the component (either
in the form of a library or executable) within the source code
block belonging to a form of the application. From this time
onwards, the programmer can access its properties and modify them
and/or call the methods which have been described in the component.
The process for both including and using a component described
herein are easily recognizable and are generally known by any
programmer, therefore it is not considered necessary to describe
them in further detail.
[0024] In an embodiment of the invention, vendor site 3, which may
be considering marketing digital files 1a, 1b, may register on-line
132 in an intermediary site 2. During the registration process 132,
vendor site 3 may introduces identifying data, e.g., vendor name,
address, e-mail, and/or the like. Vendor site 3 then may send files
1a, 1b to be marketed to the intermediary site 2 for distribution.
Intermediary site 2 may have an intermediation application 20,
e.g., a web interface, which may carry out the registration process
and may store the registration information of vendor site 3 in a
database 21. During the registration process, vendor site 3 also
may provide intermediary site 2 with commercial information 11a,
11b. Commercial information 11a, 11b may be related to files 1a and
1b, respectively. Commercial information 11a, 11b may include,
e.g., the sale price of each file 1a, 1b, the percentages or
commissions that the vendor site 3 will pay for each sale, the
category that each file 1a, 1b belongs to, e.g., software, music,
movies, and the like. Commercial information 11a, 11b also may
include a series of keywords associated with each file 1a, 1b,
indicating the content of the file, and which may be used by
intermediary site 2 to select referring sites 9 for each file 1a,
1b. Intermediary site 2 may store this information 11a, 11b in
database 21.
[0025] Intermediary site 2 may enter contracts or agreements, or
both, with one or more referring sites 9 and download sites 4,
which may be interested in participating in the on-line
distribution of digital files. Referring sites 9 and download sites
4 may receive a commission or percentage of the sale price of each
file in return for participating in the distribution. Although FIG.
1 shows a single referring site 9 and a single download site 4 to
facilitate the description, other embodiments of the invention may
comprise a plurality of referring sites 9 or a plurality of
download sites 4, or both. Referring site 9 may be configured to
attract a group of users browsing the Internet, e.g., users who may
be interested in the content 91 offered by referring site 9. The
users visiting a webpage of referring site 9 may view
advertisements 110a, 110b. By selecting the respective links 100a
and 100b, users may download versions, e.g., trial or demonstration
versions, of files 1a and 1b. Links 100a, 100b, may be a Uniform
Resource Locator ("IRL"), and may link to an Internet site, e.g., a
world wide web page.
[0026] Intermediary site 2 may select one or more referring sites 9
which may advertise the different files 1a, 1b to be marketed.
Candidate sites, e.g., referring sites 9, may communicate on-line
with intermediary site 2, and may carry out an on-line registration
process. The on-line registration process may comprise the steps of
providing referring site identifying information, e.g., name,
address, telephone, e-mail, or the like, and of providing the
Uniform Resource Locator ("URL") address of the referring site.
During the registration process of referring site 9, intermediary
site 2 optionally may request that referring site 9 provide a
series of words or descriptions that may describe the content 91 of
the referring site 9.
[0027] When referring site 9 ends the registration process in
intermediary site 2, intermediary site 2 may provide referring site
9 with the code of an advertisement and link management application
92. Referring site 9 may add the advertisement code to its own
webpage via a variety of methods, e.g., copying and pasting from
the intermediary site 2, or the like, for example by by copying
(Control+C in the Microsoft.RTM. Windows environment) the code text
from the webpage of the intermediary site 2 and pasting it
(Control+V in Windows in the Microsoft.RTM. Windows environment) in
the HTML content of a webpage of the referring site 9. Link
management application 92 may be, e.g., a code in Javascript, PHP,
ASP.NET, or any other language capable of communicating with the
intermediary site 2 by means of web services, e.g., collection of
protocols and standards that are useful for exchanging data between
websites through Internet. Advertisement and link management
application 92 also may allow intermediary site 2 to modify, e.g.,
update, remove, or change, advertisements 110a, 110b and links
100a, 100b for the purpose of updating them. This may optimize the
efficiency of the referring sites 9 in terms of the number of
downloads of files and of the number of sales.
[0028] Once the referring site 9 is registered, the intermediary
site 2 may conduct analysis of referring site 9 in order to
determine whether advertisement and link management application 92
may operate correctly, and also to analyze content 91 of referring
site 9. The intermediary site 2 may count a number of times that
each word appears in content 91 of referring site 9, and may select
words which appear more times than a predetermined number of times,
or as a higher percentage of total words than a predetermined
percentage. This information may be stored by intermediary site 2
in its database 21.
[0029] Intermediary site 2 then may choose files 1a, 1b which may
be most related to content 91 of referring site 9, according to the
information in database 21. For example, a referring site related
to video games may be particularly suitable for providing downloads
of files containing video games. Another referring site which may
be related to the accounting industry may be particularly suitable
for providing downloads of accounting programs, and another
referring site 9 related to music may be particularly suitable for
providing music downloads. To chose which are the most suitable
files 1a, 1b for each referring site 9, the intermediary site 2
compares the content information of the referring site 9 which it
has stored in its database 21 with the commercial information 11a,
11b of the files 1a, 1b provided by the vendor site 3, and chooses,
for each referring site 9, the files having the greatest degree of
coincidence with the content information of the referring site
9.
[0030] When advertisement and link management application 92 is
executed in a webpage of referring site 9, it may display
advertisements 110a, 110b together with links 100a, 100b. When a
visitor of the webpage of referring site 9 activates one of links
100a, 100b, a download of one or more files 1a, 1b, respectively,
to user equipment 5, may occur. To optimize the number of downloads
of files 1a, 1b and their possible sales, the intermediary site 2
may vary links 100a, 100b of each referring site 9. Further,
intermediary site 2 may perform a statistical tracking and analysis
of which sites may generate the most downloads and the most sales.
The intermediary site 2 may track downloads of files 1a, 1b in each
referring site 9 and of the purchases of use licenses for each
file. This statistical information may be stored in database 21 of
intermediary site 2. As will be discussed in more detail further
herein, intermediary site 2 thus may relate historic sales with
selected key words of each referring site 9, to establish for which
files 1a, 1b a use license thereof may be more likely to be
purchased.
[0031] For example, by multiplying the sale price of the use
licenses for file 1a, 1b by the percentage of commission that
referring site 9 may charge, and by accounting for a percentage of
users who download a file and subsequently decide to purchase a use
license for the file, intermediary site 2 may obtain a statistical
estimation of a profit associated with referring site 9 with each
selection of a link or each viewing of an advertisement of a file.
Intermediary site 2 thus may update the links of a referring site 9
such that they advertise and point to files which may generate high
earnings.
[0032] Another method that intermediary site 2 may use to select
suitable files for each referring site 9 may include choosing files
similar to those which are the most successful in another referring
site 9 having a similar content 91. These selections may be
manually executed, e.g., by a person carrying out statistical
analysis, or by an algorithm which automatically tracks and updates
the data.
[0033] When a user accesses a webpage of referring site 9
containing the advertisement and link management program 92 and
activates one of links 100a, 100b, the download of associated file
1a, 1b, respectively, may start from a download site 4,
respectively. Therefore, links 100a, 100b may contain a URL address
pointing to the corresponding file 1a, 1b in download site 4. Files
1a, 1b previously may have been delivered to download sites 4 by
intermediary site 2. In order to receive files 1a, 1b provided by
the intermediary site 2 on-line, download sites 4 may use, e.g.,
FTP protocol. To that end, each download site 4 may receive a key
for receiving files, e.g., a user name and a password or access key
authorizing download site 4 to receive files from intermediary site
2.
[0034] In an embodiment, download sites 4 preferably may be
different from referring sites 9, which may allow a user to
download files 1a, 1b from a download site 4 without placing undue
burden on bandwidth or communication transmission rate of referring
sites 9, and without affecting other users who may want to see
content 91 of referring sites 9. Nevertheless, in another
embodiment of the invention, download site 4 may be the same site
as referring site 9, if referring site 9 has sufficient bandwidth
for allowing users, e.g., Internet users, to consult its content 91
and at the same time download the files 1a, 1b.
[0035] In an embodiment of the invention, download identifying data
may be incorporated into to files 1a, 1b before they are downloaded
by a user from an equipment 5, or at the time in which the download
starts. The incorporation of download identifying data to files 1a,
1b may be carried out in different ways. In an embodiment of the
invention, download identifying data may be included as metadata of
the files 1a, 1b. The metadata may be added prior to the download,
or at the time of the download, and may be carried out in
intermediary site 2 or partially in intermediary site 2 and in each
download site 4, as will be discussed in more detail herein. The
link 100a may be configured to cause the adding of identifying
information of referring site 9 to the digital file.
[0036] The metadata of a file may be data containing formal file
information, e.g., the name, the size, the type of file,
modification date, proprietor, and the like. Many files may have
fields, e.g., reserved portions of the file, which may be empty,
and which may be used as metadata-free fields to house the download
identifying data. In other embodiments of the invention, new
metadata fields or properties may be identified or added to a file,
e.g., using a Dynamically Linked Library ("DLL"), e.g., the
Microsoft DSOFile.dll library, and housing download identifying
data therein. Download identifying data incorporated to files 1a,
1b may comprise at least identifying data 19 of the referring site
9 in which the user has activated the link 100a, 100b which led to
the download. The identifying data 19, which may include the URL
address of referring site 9, will allow the referring site 9 to be
determined, in order to compensate referring site 9 for its
participation in a download that resulted in a sale of a use
license for the downloaded file 1a, 1b.
[0037] Furthermore, download identifying data also may comprise
identifying data 12 of the intermediary site 2, identifying data 13
of the vendor site 3 in which the user may purchase on-line use
licenses for the content of files 1a, 1b, identifying data 14 of
the download site 4 from which the file 1a, 1b has been downloaded,
and identifying data 18 of a licensing site 8 in which the user may
activate the use licenses the user has purchased on-line. As shown
in FIG. 1, identifying data 12, 13, 14 and 18 may comprise URL
addresses of the intermediary site 2, of the vendor site 3, of the
download site 4 and of the licensing site 8, respectively.
[0038] In an embodiment of the invention, before providing the
files 1a, 1b to download site 4, intermediary site 2 may
incorporate all the download identifying data into files 1a, 1b.
Intermediary site 2 then may deliver these files 1a, 1b to download
site 4 and also may send advertisements 110a, 110b in the form of
text or images relating to the files 1a, 1b to the referring site
9, as well as links 100a, 100b that the referring site 9 may
publish in its webpage. When advertisement and link management
program 92 of the referring site 9 receives advertisements and
links, advertisement and link management program 92 may display the
links on the web page.
[0039] Any user accessing referring site 9 through Internet may
view advertisements 110a, 110b of files 1a and 1b. When one of
links 100a, 100b is selected in referring site 9, the download of
corresponding file 1a, 1b from the download site 4 may start, at
which time file 1a, 1b may incorporate download identifying data
into itself in the form of metadata. In this embodiment,
intermediary site 2 may deliver each of files 1a, 1b with
incorporated download identifying data, e.g., with identifying data
12, 13, 14, 18 and 19, to the download site 4. As an example, if
10,000 referring sites advertise a file 1a, and file 1a may have a
size of 50 megabytes, intermediary site 2 may incorporate download
identifying data to 10,000 files, and send each of these files to
the download site 4, which may store all of the files, which may
occupy a space of 500 gigabytes.
[0040] In another embodiment of the invention, identifying data 19
of the referring site may not be incorporated into files 1a, 1b by
intermediary site 2, but rather by download site 4. In this
embodiment of the invention, when a user activates one of links
100a, 100b in the referring site 9, the link may include a URL
address redirecting to download site 4, and the link also may
include the URL address of referring site 9 itself, which may be
transmitted to download site 4. This process may be executed, for
example, by passing the information of the URL address of referring
site 9 as a parameter in the URL address which directs the system
from the webpage of referring site 9 to the webpage of download
site 4. At download site 4, a download management application 40
may receive identifying data 19 of referring site 9, and may
incorporate the identifying data into file 1a, 1b, e.g., by adding
the identifying data 19 as metadata, such that the updated digital
file may be downloaded by the user.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, a user may access referring site 9,
which may be referring site number 5,000 (of 10,000, for example).
The user may activate link 100a to download file 1a. Link 100a,
which may have been prepared by intermediary site 2 and installed
in referring site 9 by advertisement and link management program
92, may contain the URL address:
[0042] http://www.download-site.com/referring-site-5000/f1a.mp4
[0043] The first part "www.download-site.com" may identify the URL
address of download site 4. The second part, "referring-site-5000"
may be a parameter identifying the URL address of the referring
site number 5,000. The third and last part "f1a.mp4" may identify
the file 1a to be downloaded. Download site 4 may receive the
download request for downloading the file 1a. Download site 4 then
may execute download management program 40, which may examine the
URL address. Download management program 40 may detect that the URL
address comes from referring site 9 number 5,000. Upon making this
determination, download management program 40 may add the following
information to the metadata of the file 1a as identifying data 19
of referring site 9:
[0044] URL9=http://www.referring-site-5000.com
[0045] In this example, URL9 may be a label included in the
metadata inserted into file 1a, which may allow other applications
to obtain the URL address of the referring site 9 by reading the
address from the metadata of file 1a. The URL9 label may be created
in the metadata of file 1a by intermediary site 2, and download
management application 40 may copy the URL address of the referring
site 9 "http://www.referring-site-5000.com" into the URL9
label.
[0046] In this embodiment, intermediary site 2 may deliver a single
copy of each file 1a, 1b to the download site 4, and may not need
to send a plurality of files 1a, 1b equal to the number of
referring sites 9 that may link to the file. Further, intermediary
site 9 may not need to include identifying data 19 of referring
site 9 in the download identifying data. Rather, this data may be
inserted by download management application 40 at the time the data
is inserted.
[0047] When download site 4 receives a redirection from a link
100a, 100b of a referring site 9, download management application
40 of referring site 9 may have prepared different copies of
corresponding file 1a, 1b which was delivered by the intermediary
site 2. Download management application 40 may have multiple copies
of downloaded files 1a, 1b prepared. The reason that the download
management application 40 has several copies of the downloaded
files 1a, 1b prepared is that, while one of the files is being
downloaded, a process which may last a few seconds or a few
minutes, the download management application 40 may not be able to
modify the properties of the file being downloaded in order to
accommodate a second download request, which may arrive before the
completion of the first download of the file. If download
management application 40 modifies the metadata of a file which is
being downloaded to include the referring site for a second
download before the first download has ended, this may cause the
first download to fail, or a file with erroneous data may be
downloaded.
[0048] If the size of the file is relatively small, the download
management application 40 may make a copy of the file when the
download request is made, modify the metadata of the copy, and send
the file with the updated metadata. Nevertheless, if the file size
is relatively large, the download management application 40 may
take several seconds or minutes to make a copy of the file to
modify the metadata. This copying process may induce a slowdown
resulting from large overhead in copying the files.
[0049] In most modern operating systems, moving a file from one
directory to another directory within the same disc may be a nearly
instantaneous process which may require modifying the directory
structure. This process of moving a file may be faster than
creating a copy of the file at the time of the download. It
therefore may be convenient for the download management application
40 to have several copies of the files 1a, 1b prepared beforehand.
Download management application 40 may be able to adapt the number
of copies of each particular file 1a, 1b corresponding to the
download statistics of the file.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, a user may access referring site 9
number 5,000 and may activate link 100a to download file 1a.
Download management application 40 in the download sites 4 may
receive a download request (step 401) for downloading file 1a, as
set forth above. Download management application 40 also may check
(step 402) if there is a directory attributed to referring site 9
number 5,000 in a hard disk of the download site 4. If not,
download management application 40 may create the directory (step
403) which may be called, e.g., "RS-5000", and may be associated
with the URL address
"http://www.download-site.com/referring-site-5000". If the
directory exists, download management application 40 may check if
the directory contains file 1a (step 404), which in this example
may be named "f1a.mp4". If the directory does not contain the file,
or if the directory has just been created in step 403, then
download management application 40 may move one of the copies of
the original file 1a (step 405), which may be stored in a directory
of original files containing the files delivered by intermediary
site 2, to the directory "RS-5000".
[0051] The copy of the original file 1a may be named "cp-f1a.mp4".
Then, download management application 40 may rename the file
"cp-f1a.mp4", to have the same name as the original "f1a.mp4" file
(step 406), and may copy the URL address of the referring site 9 in
the URL9 label of the metadata of the "f1a.mp4" file. As set forth
above, the URL address of the referring site 9 previously may have
been received by the download management application 40 as a
parameter of the URL address contained in the link which was
activated in the referring site 9. Once this information has been
copied in the URL9 label of the metadata of the "f1a.mp4" file, the
user may start the file download (step 407). The download
management application 40 then checks 408 if there are copies of
the original file 1a in reserve, e.g., if there are any files
called "cp-f1a.mp4" in the directory of original files. If no
copies of the file are present, download management application 40
may create one or several "cp-f1a.mp4" copies of the original
"f1a.mp4" file in the directory of original files (step 409). If
the copy of the file already exists, the algorithm ends (step 410).
If the copy of the file does not exist, the algorithm ends after
the copy is created (step 410).
[0052] Once the user has downloaded the files 1a or 1b, the files
may be used in the equipment 5 of a user, e.g., in a digital player
52a or a computer program 52b. Files may be used with a control
application 53a, 53b. Files 1a, 1b, which may be downloaded by the
user, may include use limitations. The use limitations may allow
the user to use the files in a limited manner until the user
purchases a use license. For example, if the downloaded file is a
computer program, e.g., file 1b, the limited use may comprise a
time limitation of a predetermined duration, e.g., 30 days to try
the program. After the 30 trial days, the user may purchase a use
license for the program. If the downloaded file is an audiovisual
content file, e.g., file 1a, the limited use may allow the user to
listen to the music for a predetermined number of times, or allow
the user to listen to a predetermined part of the music. If it is a
movie, the restriction can be, for example, that the user can only
see the first few minutes. Restrictions for other files 1a
comprising any other digital content, for example digitalized
books, can be established in the same manner.
[0053] Any known DRM may be used in an embodiment of the invention
in order to protect the file contents from unauthorized use. When
the user purchases the rights to use a file 1a, 1b, the control
application 53a, 53b may request billing data and a credit card
number from the user, and may send data, including billing data, to
vendor site 3 by means of online communication, e.g., web services.
In return, the user may receive a use license for the file. Control
application 53a, 53b may know the URL address of the vendor site 3,
since the information may be contained in the identification data
13 located in files 1a, 1b, which control application 53a, 53b may
access locally.
[0054] At the time of carrying out the purchase, the control
application 53a, 53b may send on-line 152 the identifying data 19
of the referring site 9, the identifying data 13 of the vendor site
3 and the identifying data 14 of the download site 4 to the
intermediary site 2, and may include the URL addresses of referring
site 9, vendor site 3, and download site 4. The intermediary site 2
thus may compensate the referring site 9 and the download site 4
for participation in the process which led to the purchase of a use
license. Further, intermediary site 2 may charge vendor site 3 an
amount corresponding to the compensation of referring site 9 and
download site 4, as well as a commission for involvement as an
intermediary site 2.
[0055] In another embodiment of the invention, once the purchase
has been carried out, the control application 53a, 53b also may
send identifying data 19, 13 and 14 to the other participating
sites, e.g., referring site 9 and download site 4. To that end,
control application 53a, 53b may use known services, e.g., web
services of referring sites 9 and download sites 4.
[0056] The processes of purchasing and activating a use license for
a digital file are substantially similar for both an audiovisual
content file 1a and a file 1b containing a computer program. In an
indirect sale process, e.g., the purchase of the use license may be
carried out in the vendor site 3, and the activation of the license
may be carried out in a licensing site 8 different from vendor site
3. In a direct sale process, the activation of the license may be
carried out in the same site as vendor site 3.
[0057] The file 1b which has been downloaded by a user according to
the described process may be a program for installing a computer
program 52b. When the file 1b is executed in the operative system
51 of an equipment 5, the program 52b may be installed in equipment
5 and may be used in a limited manner as long as a use license has
not been purchased and activated. The program 52b may incorporate a
component 53b, which may include a control application configured
to detect whether the use of the program 52b is protected by
intellectual property rights, check whether the user has the
suitable license for using program 52b, and using the license for
allowing the use of the program. Furthermore, when the user
acquires a use license for the program 52b the component 53b may
manage the purchase and activation of the use license on-line, as
set forth below.
[0058] To carry out the on-line purchase of the use license, the
component 53b may locally access the download identifying data,
e.g., the identifying data 12, 13, 14, 18 and 19. In an embodiment
of the invention, when the file 1b is executed to install the
program 52b, the installation program reads the download
identifying data in the file 1b and stores it locally in equipment
5. In this case, the component 53b may locally read the identifying
data 13 in said location instead of reading them in the file 1b.
Once the component 53b has locally accessed said download
identifying data, either reading them in the file 1b or in another
location of the computer 5, it sets up communication 158 with the
licensing site 8 and transmits the identifying data 13 of the
vendor site 3 to it. The licensing site 8 then checks if the vendor
site 3 is authorized to sell a use license and if so, it returns a
purchase authorization to the component 53b. The component 53b then
sets up communication 153 with the vendor site 3 and warns it that
it wishes to start a license purchasing process. During this
communication 153, the user can become involved through the
graphical interface of the component 53b and choose the type of
license that is most suitable for him or her. He then chooses the
type of license he wants to purchase and carries out a purchase by
means of an on-line payment, receiving in turn a purchase receipt.
In this example the component 53b itself sets up communication 153
with the vendor site 3.
[0059] Component 53b may display a link to the URL address of the
vendor site 3 and may allow the user to set up communication
through the browser of his or her equipment 5. Instead of setting
up direct communication with the licensing site 8, the component
53b optionally may use indirect communication with the intermediary
site 2 to connect to licensing site 8 or vendor site 3.
[0060] To activate the license which has been purchased, the
component 53b locally may access (via an internal link 156)
hardware identifying data 56, e.g., the serial number of the hard
disk in which the program 52b is installed, of hardware in
equipment 5. Component 53b then may set up communication 158 with
the licensing site 8 and may commence a license activation session.
For example, component 53b may send the hardware identifying data
56 and the purchase receipt, and in turn, component 53b may receive
a license file including hardware identifying data 56, such that
the license file is valid for using the program 52b in equipment 5.
Any public/private key system or other encryption system may be
used to ensure that the license file is valid for using program 52b
in equipment 5.
[0061] Once a use license for a file 1a or 1b is purchased, the
vendor site 3 may pay commissions to the referring site 9, to the
download site 4 and to the intermediary site 2. The payment may be
carried out directly by the vendor site 3 or through the
intermediary site 2. In the latter case, the intermediary site 2
may charge the vendor site 3 for the commissions, including a
commission for the intermediary site 2 itself, and the intermediary
site 2 may carry out the payment to the referring site 9 and to the
download site 4.
[0062] The intermediary site 2 optionally may allow a predetermined
amount of time to elapse to prevent a chargeback or a return of
payment by credit card, and subsequently may pay the commissions
corresponding to the referring site 9 and to the download site 4.
This waiting period may reduce fraud, e.g., fraudulent credit card
payments.
[0063] The process according to the invention is compatible with
different download technologies, such as a torrent file transfer
protocol. In one embodiment of the invention, instead of directly
downloading a complete file 1a, 1b from the download site 4, the
user may download a locator file, e.g., a "torrent" from download
site 4. This file may contain information about locating nodes on a
network, e.g., the Internet, which already may have downloaded file
1a, 1b or parts thereof and which may be useful as a source for
downloading file 1a, 1b in parallel from a plurality of the nodes.
In this case, the download identifying data, which in this example
may be formed by the data 12, 13, 14, 18 and 19, are incorporated
as metadata of the locator file. The control application 53a, 53b
may read the download identifying data in the locator file.
[0064] The torrent file download application may download a torrent
file which may be updated at download site 4 to include the
metadata in file 1a, 1b. When the torrent file is downloaded to
equipment 5, the metadata may be extracted and stored in equipment
5.
[0065] In another embodiment of the invention, a Torrent file
download application, e.g. "BitTorrent".TM. may be executed in the
computer 5 of the user, and may read said download identifying data
in the Torrent file and include the download identifying data as
metadata in the file 1a, 1b which has been downloaded. In this
embodiment, the metadata may be downloaded to and stored in the
computer's memory as soon as the locator file is downloaded, which
may allow discarding of the locator file once the download of file
1a, 1b is complete. Thereby, it may be possible to use standard
processes, such as those described above, to purchase and activate
a use license, independently of whether the 1a, 1b has been
downloaded directly or by means of a locator file.
[0066] FIG. 3 describes a method of transmitting a digital file 300
according to an embodiment of the invention. In step 310, a vendor
site 3 which may be interested in marketing digital files 1a, 1b,
may register on-line 132 in the intermediary site 2. This
registration may include transmitting digital files 1a, 1b to the
intermediary site 2, as well as sending information regarding the
digital files 1a, 1b to be stored in database 21 of intermediary
site 2, as described above. In step 320, intermediary site 2 may
select one or more download sites 4 to which digital files 1a, 1b
may be transmitted. These download sites 4 may be linked to
referring sites 9, but also may be separate from referring sites 9.
Before transferring digital files 1a, 1b to download site 4,
intermediary site 2 may add metadata to the digital files as
described above.
[0067] In step 330, intermediary site 2 may select one or more
referring sites 9 to display advertisements 110a, 110b which
include links 100a, 100b to download one or more files 1a, 1b.
Referring sites 9 may be selected at random, or they may be
selected based on information about the files 1a, 1b, stored in the
database 21, and information about referring sites 9 stored in the
database 21. In an embodiment of the invention, one or more
keywords may be associated with the digital files 1a, 1b, and these
keywords may be used to match referring sites 9 which have similar
content. In another embodiment of the invention, referring sites 9
may be selected based on a number of use licenses which ultimately
were sold from downloads made on referring sites 9. In this
embodiment, intermediary site 2 may consider overall use license
sales for all files, or may consider use license sales for files
only related to digital files 1a, 1b.
[0068] In step 340, intermediary site 2 may update content of a
selected referring site 9 to provide links 100a, 100b, to download
digital files 1a, 1b. Intermediary site 2 may update the referring
site 9 directly, or intermediary site 9 may use advertisement and
link management program 92 to update referring site 9. In step 350,
the links 100a, 100b, may be selected. This may cause the digital
files 1a, 1b, stored at download site 4, to be updated, by adding
metadata which identifies referring site 9 to the digital files 1a,
1b. This process may be carried out by the intermediary site 2, or
it may be carried out by download management application 40. In
step 360, the updated file may be transmitted to the user network,
e.g., to equipment 5, at which point the limited use of the file
may be activated by the user.
[0069] When the file is activated by the user, information stored
in the file may be transferred back to intermediary site 2, or to
vendor site 3, or both. This identification may identify the
referring site 9 which stored the links 100a, 100b, which were
selected and which caused digital files 1a, 1b to be downloaded to
the user's computer. The transfer to intermediary site 2 may occur
when the user elects to purchase a service associated with the
digital files 1a, 1b, e.g., a use license or the like. The use
license may be transferred to user equipment 5.
[0070] Information sent from user equipment 5 may be stored in
database 21 of intermediary site 2. This information may be used to
compensate referring site 9. The information also may be used by
intermediary site 2 to assist in selecting referring sites 9 to
provide links to new digital files 1a, 1b. In an embodiment of the
invention, when a vendor site 3 sends content, e.g., files, to
intermediary site 2, intermediary site 2 may select one or more
referring sites 9. Intermediary site 2 may select one or more
referring sites 9 based on information stored in the database
21.
[0071] For example, in an embodiment of the invention, each digital
file 1a, 1b may be associated with at least one word. The at least
one word may be provided by the vendor site 3, or it may be
selected by intermediary site 2. Once this word or words is
selected, the word is compared to information about each referring
site 9 stored in database 21. This information may be collected by
the intermediary site, either by automated or manual processes, or
the information may be transmitted to the intermediary site 2 by
the vendor site 3. As the intermediary site 2 searches database 21,
intermediary site 2 may make associations between the at least one
word and the content stored in the database 21 of each referring
site 9. The intermediary site 2 may select one or more referring
sites 9 based on these associations between the at least one word
and the content stored in the database 21. In another embodiment of
the invention, each time a sale is made, e.g., a use license is
purchased, the investment site 2 credits referring site 9 for the
sale, and database 21 of intermediary site 2 may be updated to
include information about a selection of a link at referring site 9
leading to a sale. This may allow intermediary site 2 to record the
referring sites 9 which lead to higher sales of use licenses,
whether generally, or for a specific subset of files. These
referring sites 9 may be designated as preferred content providers,
and they may be selected by the intermediary site to host links
100a, 100b, and advertisements 110a, 110b. In another embodiment of
the invention, intermediary site 2 selects referring sites 9 only
from a list of preferred referring sites 9.
[0072] While the invention has been described in connection with
preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that other variations and modifications of the preferred
embodiments described above may be made without departing from the
scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those
skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or
practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the
specification and the described examples are considered as
exemplary of the claimed invention, the scope of which is indicated
by the following claims.
* * * * *
References