U.S. patent application number 14/984731 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-03 for digital content rights transfers within social networks.
The applicant listed for this patent is Monegraph, Inc.. Invention is credited to Hassan Abdel-Rahaman, Kevin McCoy, Christopher Tse.
Application Number | 20160321629 14/984731 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57204253 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160321629 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McCoy; Kevin ; et
al. |
November 3, 2016 |
DIGITAL CONTENT RIGHTS TRANSFERS WITHIN SOCIAL NETWORKS
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing media, such as digital content,
using block chain technology are described. In some embodiments,
the systems and methods may access digital content items provided
to a social network service, generate bitcoin addresses that
represents rights to the digital content items, transfer digital
currency between a rightbase to the generated bitcoin addresses to
create the rights to the digital content items, receive an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service, and transfer digital currency
from the generated bitcoin addresses associated with the rights to
the digital content items to bitcoin addresses associated with the
member of the social network service.
Inventors: |
McCoy; Kevin; (Brooklyn,
NY) ; Tse; Christopher; (Long Island City, NY)
; Abdel-Rahaman; Hassan; (New York, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Monegraph, Inc. |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57204253 |
Appl. No.: |
14/984731 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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62155833 |
May 1, 2015 |
|
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62169263 |
Jun 1, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/184 20130101;
G06Q 20/384 20200501; H04L 9/3239 20130101; G06Q 20/1235 20130101;
G06Q 2220/18 20130101; G06Q 50/01 20130101; G06Q 2220/00 20130101;
G06Q 20/065 20130101; G06Q 30/018 20130101; H04L 2209/60 20130101;
G06Q 30/0185 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/12 20060101
G06Q020/12; G06Q 50/00 20060101 G06Q050/00; G06Q 20/06 20060101
G06Q020/06 |
Claims
1. A method performed by a social network service, the method
comprising: accessing digital content items provided to the social
network service; generating bitcoin addresses that represents
rights to the digital content items; transferring digital currency
between a rightbase to the generated bitcoin addresses to create
the rights to the digital content items; receiving an indication
that a member of the social network service is authorized to
perform an action using the digital content items within the social
network service; and transferring digital currency from the
generated bitcoin addresses associated with the rights to the
digital content items to bitcoin addresses associated with the
member of the social network service.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that a
member of the social network service is authorized to perform an
action using the digital content items within the social network
service includes receiving an indication that the member of the
social network service is connected to an owner of the digital
content items within the social network service.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that a
member of the social network service is authorized to perform an
action using the digital content items within the social network
service includes receiving an indication that the member of the
social network service is a first degree connection of an owner of
the digital content items within the social network service.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring digital currency
from the generated bitcoin addresses associated with the rights to
the digital content items to bitcoin addresses associated with the
member of the social network service includes transferring digital
currency from the generated bitcoin addresses associated with the
rights to the digital content items to bitcoin addresses associated
with the member of the social network service after the member of
the social network service shares a digital content item within the
social network service.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content items include
photos or videos provided to the social network service by members
of the social network service.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that a
member of the social network service is authorized to perform an
action using the digital content items within the social network
service includes receiving an indication that the member of the
social network service is authorized to share the digital content
items within a post published to the social network service.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that a
member of the social network service is authorized to perform an
action using the digital content items within the social network
service includes receiving an indication that the member of the
social network service is authorized to post a feed item within the
social network service that includes one or more of the digital
content items.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that a
member of the social network service is authorized to perform an
action using the digital content items within the social network
service includes receiving an indication that the member of the
social network service has taken a license of one or more of the
digital content items from an owner of the digital content items
post a feed item within the social network service that includes
one or more of the digital content items.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that a
member of the social network service is authorized to perform an
action using the digital content items within the social network
service includes receiving an indication that the member of the
social network service has purchased an exclusive use to one or
more of the digital content items from an owner of the digital
content items within the social network service.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents, when
executed by a computing system of a social network service, cause
the social network service to perform operations, the operations
comprising: accessing digital content items provided to the social
network service; generating bitcoin addresses that represents
rights to the digital content items; transferring digital currency
between a rightbase to the generated bitcoin addresses to create
the rights to the digital content items; receiving an indication
that a member of the social network service is authorized to
perform an action using the digital content items within the social
network service; and transferring digital currency from the
generated bitcoin addresses associated with the rights to the
digital content items to bitcoin addresses associated with the
member of the social network service.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service includes receiving an indication
that the member of the social network service is connected to an
owner of the digital content items within the social network
service.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service includes receiving an indication
that the member of the social network service is a first degree
connection of an owner of the digital content items within the
social network service.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein transferring
digital currency from the generated bitcoin addresses associated
with the rights to the digital content items to bitcoin addresses
associated with the member of the social network service includes
transferring digital currency from the generated bitcoin addresses
associated with the rights to the digital content items to bitcoin
addresses associated with the member of the social network service
after the member of the social network service shares a digital
content item within the social network service.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the digital
content items include photos or videos provided to the social
network service by members of the social network service.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service includes receiving an indication
that the member of the social network service is authorized to
share the digital content items within a post published to the
social network service.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service includes receiving an indication
that the member of the social network service is authorized to post
a feed item within the social network service that includes one or
more of the digital content items.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service includes receiving an indication
that the member of the social network service has taken a license
of one or more of the digital content items from an owner of the
digital content items post a feed item within the social network
service that includes one or more of the digital content items.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving an
indication that a member of the social network service is
authorized to perform an action using the digital content items
within the social network service includes receiving an indication
that the member of the social network service has purchased an
exclusive use to one or more of the digital content items from an
owner of the digital content items within the social network
service.
19. A system associated with a social network service that
facilitates tracking of content within the social network service,
the system comprising: a transaction component that: accesses
digital content items provided to the social network service;
generates bitcoin addresses that represents rights to the digital
content items; transfers digital currency between a rightbase to
the generated bitcoin addresses to create the rights to the digital
content items; receives an indication that a member of the social
network service is authorized to perform an action using the
digital content items within the social network service; and
transfers digital currency from the generated bitcoin addresses
associated with the rights to the digital content items to bitcoin
addresses associated with the member of the social network
service.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the transaction component
transfers digital currency from the generated bitcoin addresses
associated with the rights to the digital content items to bitcoin
addresses associated with the member of the social network service
after the member of the social network service shares a digital
content item within the social network service.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 62/155,833, filed on May 1, 2015, entitled
MANAGEMENT OF MEDIA USING BLOCK CHAIN SYSTEMS, and U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 62/169,263, filed on Jun. 1, 2015, entitled
PERFORMING RIGHTS TRANSACTIONS USING BLOCK CHAIN SYSTEMS, which are
hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
[0002] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 14/867,772, filed on Sep. 28, 2015, entitled DIGITAL CONTENT
RIGHTS TRANSACTIONS USING BLOCK CHAIN SYSTEMS, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A block chain is a distributed database that includes and
maintains an ever growing list of data records. Being distributed,
the block chain is effectively tamper and revision proof. There are
many applications for a block chain, including the public ledgers
of transactions for cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, name-coin,
and so on. For example, the block chain enables decentralized
digital currencies, because bitcoin transactions are verified by
network nodes (e.g., addresses), and recorded in the public,
distributed ledgers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Various embodiments are disclosed in the following detailed
description and accompanying drawings.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a suitable computing
environment for performing transactions associated with digital
content.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of a
content management system.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managing
the use of digital content.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
transferring rights assigned to digital content between
entities.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a transfer of
rights assigned to digital content between entities.
[0010] FIGS. 6A-6B are schematic diagrams illustrating a transfer
of digital currency during a rights transaction for digital
content.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a creation of a
right assigned to digital content.
[0012] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a transfer of a
right assigned to digital content.
[0013] FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram illustrating a cloning of a
right assigned to digital content.
[0014] FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram illustrating a transfer of a
right assigned to digital content using rightbase supplementation
of a transaction.
[0015] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating systems of a digital
content item marketplace.
[0016] FIG. 11A is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
managing content within a social network service.
[0017] FIG. 11B is a flow diagram illustrating a method for sharing
content within a social network service.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating interactions between
components during the creation of a digital contract of rights to a
digital content item.
[0019] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
generating a digital contract of rights to a digital content
item.
[0020] FIG. 14A is a representation of a digital contract of rights
to a digital content item.
[0021] FIG. 14B is a representation of information associated with
a digital content item that is included in a block chain
transaction.
[0022] FIGS. 15A-F are display diagrams illustrating example user
interfaces for registering a digital content item.
[0023] FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating interactions between
components during the authentication of a newly registered digital
content item.
[0024] FIG. 17 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
authenticating a new digital content item.
[0025] FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating interactions between
components during the determination of a trust value for a new
digital content item.
[0026] FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an example architecture
of a computer, which may represent any electronic device, any
server, or any node within a cloud service, as described
herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview
[0027] The use and distribution of digital content, such as digital
documents, images, multimedia, and so on, has historically been
difficult to track, control and/or protect by owners of the digital
content, especially online. For example, social networks,
messaging, micro-blogs, and so on, provide easy mechanisms for
users to view, share, and appropriate content provided by others.
Content creators and owners, therefore, often face problems when
attempting to assert the ownership of their works and, in some
cases, license or receive remuneration for the use of their works
by others.
[0028] Systems and methods for managing media, such as digital
content, using block chain technology are described. In some
embodiments, the systems and methods provide block chain-based
attribution and authentication to creators of media and other
digital content. For example, the systems and methods may provide
distribution channels for digital content, using social media
networks and other networks, smart contract execution environments
for regulating usage and payments of fees and royalties for use of
digital content, systems for content and/or rights exchange, block
chain-based media usage metering, rights transactions and payment
completion services, and so on.
[0029] In some embodiments, the systems and methods may access
digital content items provided to a social network service,
generate bitcoin addresses that represents rights to the digital
content items, transfer digital currency between a rightbase to the
generated bitcoin addresses to create the rights to the digital
content items, receive an indication that a member of the social
network service is authorized to perform an action using the
digital content items within the social network service, and
transfer digital currency from the generated bitcoin addresses
associated with the rights to the digital content items to bitcoin
addresses associated with the member of the social network
service.
[0030] The following is a detailed description of exemplary
embodiments to illustrate the principles of the invention. The
embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the invention,
but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of
the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and
the equivalent.
[0031] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following
description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
invention. However, the invention may be practiced according to the
claims without some or all of these specific details. For the
purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the
technical fields related to the invention has not been described in
detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
Suitable Computing Environment
[0032] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a suitable computing
environment 100 via which to manage media using block chains. The
computing environment 100 includes a content management system 110,
which provides an Application Programming Interface (API) service
115 and/or via deployable software (local or cloud-based)
configured to enable users, customers, enterprise systems, and so
on, to access various different media management functions provided
by the content management system 110. For example, a user at a
computing device 130 (such as a mobile device, laptop, and so on)
may upload, over a network 125 (e.g., the Internet), such as via a
mobile application 135, content to an online media host site 140
that supports a website or service that presents content to
users.
[0033] The online host media site 140 may contain various different
scripts or modules, such as a javascript module 145, that
facilitate communicating over the network 125 to the content
management system 110 (e.g., calling the API 115), in order to
access and retrieve certain information associated with the
uploaded content, such as rights information, ownership
information, licensing or purchasing information, unique
identifiers, provenance information, and so on. The content
management system 110 may store such information via block-chain
technology in various databases or memory, either local to the
system or in various cloud-based storage services.
[0034] For example, a database 120 may include content information
122 associated with digital content items, such as information
describing the digital content items, information representing the
content items (e.g., hash values that represent the digital content
items), metadata associated with the digital content items, and so
on. The database 120 may also include contract data or information
124, such as information associated with rights assigned to the
digital content items and/or use of the digital content items, and
one or more public ledgers, such as block chains associated with
the digital content items that track transactions performed with
respect to the digital content items.
[0035] Of course, the database 120 may include other types of data
or information, such as user information (e.g., information
associated with owners or recipients of content), payment
information (e.g., information associated with monetary exchanges
for content), online host information (e.g., information associated
with various online hosts of content, such as host site 140), and
so on.
[0036] As described herein, the content management system 110 may
include various components that perform digital currency
transactions in order to establish the transfer of rights of
digital content between entities (e.g., between a content
owner/provider and a content acquirer/recipient) and generate,
create, update, or otherwise maintain public ledgers of the
performed transactions, such as distributed public ledgers for the
digital content.
[0037] Further details regarding the components and methods
performed by the content management system 110, and other
associated systems, are described in the following section (and
elsewhere).
Examples of Managing Digital Content Using Block Chain
Technology
[0038] As described herein, the systems and methods utilize various
aspects of block-chain technology to manage the attribution,
appropriation, distribution, transfer, and other actions associated
with digital media (e.g., text-based content, audio-based content,
video-based content, image-based content, and so on) and/or rights
to the media (e.g., represented by contracts), such as user-created
content that is presented to other users via various different
online environments, such as websites, social networks, blogs,
micro-blogs, and so on.
[0039] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the
content management system. 110. The content management system 110
may include one or more modules and/or components to perform
operations for managing the use of digital content and/or rights to
the use of the digital content. The modules and/or components may
be hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software,
and may be executed by one or more processors. For example, the
content management system 110 may include a content registration
module 210, a transaction module 220, and a public ledger module
230.
[0040] In some embodiments, the content registration module 210 is
configured and/or programmed to register digital content items
received from owners of the digital content items. For example, the
content registration module 210 may include a content input
component that is configured to receive input from the owners of
the digital content items, wherein the input includes digital
content items provided to an online website (e.g., via mobile
application 135 or via host site 140) to be displayed by the online
website, and information identifying rights to be assigned to use
of the digital content items.
[0041] In some embodiments, the transaction module 220 is
configured and/or programmed to perform bitcoin or other digital
currency transactions to generate public ledger entries that
represent rights transfers of the digital content items between
providers and recipients. For example, the transaction module 220
may perform a transaction to transfer rights to a digital content
item by transferring digital currency from a first node address
associated with a current owner of rights to the digital content
item to a second node address associated with a recipient of the
rights to the digital content item. In some embodiments, the
transfer of rights represents and/or activates a contractual clause
or usage term(s) within an associate contract for a given piece of
media or content.
[0042] In some embodiments, the public ledger module 230 is
configured and/or programmed to maintain a public ledger of the
generated public ledger entries for the registered digital content
items. For example, the public ledger module 230 generates a block
chain of transaction entries for each registered digital content
item, such as a transaction entry representing the transfer of
digital currency from a first node address associated with a
current owner of rights to the digital content item to a second
node address associated with a recipient of the rights to the
digital content item.
[0043] In some embodiments, the content management system 110 may
also include a contract module 240 that is configured and/or
programmed to maintain contracts for registered digital content
items. For example, the contract module 240 may access digital
contracts for digital content items, such as contracts that include
information identifying a right type for the digital content items,
the node address (e.g., bitcoin address) for the rights assigned to
the digital content items, and the owner (e.g., entity) that owns
the rights to the digital content items.
[0044] In order to maintain the contracts, the contract module 240
may modify, amend, or change digital contracts that define the
rights assigned to the digital content items in response to
performed bitcoin transactions, wherein the digital contracts
include information identifying right types for the rights assigned
to the digital content items, information identifying bitcoin
addresses associated with the rights assigned to the digital
content items, and information identifying owners of the digital
content items.
[0045] Therefore, the content management system 110 may manage the
rights to registered digital content with the public ledger module
or component 230, which generates a block chain of transaction
entries for digital content, wherein each of the transaction
entries represents a transfer of a right to digital content from a
provider of the digital content to a recipient of the digital
content, and the transaction module or component 220, which
performs transactions to transfers rights of the digital content
from providers to recipients, wherein the performed transactions
include transfers of digital currency between bitcoin (or other
digital currency) addresses associated with the providers of the
digital content and bitcoin (or other digital currency) addresses
associated with the recipients of the rights to the digit
content.
[0046] As described herein, the content management system performs
various methods and processes when tracking creation and ownership
of digital content items, such as by utilizing digital currency
transactions as representations of rights transfers between
entities, and maintaining a list of such transactions as a chain of
provenance for the digital content items in public ledgers and
other block chains.
[0047] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 300 for
managing the use of digital content. The method 300 may be
performed by the content management system 300 and, accordingly, is
described herein merely by way of reference thereto. It will be
appreciated that the method 300 may be performed on any suitable
hardware or devices/components within the content management system
110.
[0048] In operation 310, the content management system 110
registers digital content items received from owners of the digital
content items (or, in some embodiments, registers placeholders or
representations of offline, or non-digital content items). For
example, the content registration module 210 may include a content
input component that is configured to receive input from the owners
of the digital content items, wherein the input includes digital
content items provided to an online website (e.g., via mobile
application 135 or via host site 140) to be displayed by the online
website, and information identifying rights to be assigned to use
of the digital content items.
[0049] In operation 320, the content management system 320 performs
bitcoin (or other digital currency) transactions to generate public
ledger entries that represent rights transfers of the digital
content items between providers and recipients. For example, the
transaction module 220 may perform a transaction to transfer rights
to a digital content item by transferring digital currency from a
first node address associated with a current owner of rights to the
digital content item to a second node address associated with a
recipient of the rights to the digital content item.
[0050] In operation 330, the content management system 330
maintains a public ledger of the generated public ledger entries
for the registered digital content items. For example, the public
ledger module 230 generates a block chain of transaction entries
for each registered digital content item, such as a transaction
entry representing the transfer of digital currency from a first
node address associated with a current owner of rights to the
digital content item to a second node address associated with a
recipient of the rights to the digital content item.
[0051] As described herein, the content management system 330
performs various of types of digital currency transactions when
establishing, creating, or transferring rights to digital content
items for or between entities (e.g., for owners or between owners
and recipients).
[0052] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 400 for
transferring rights assigned to digital content between entities.
The method 400 may be performed by the content management system
400 and, accordingly, is described herein merely by way of
reference thereto. It will be appreciated that the method 400 may
be performed on any suitable hardware or devices/components within
the content management system 110.
[0053] In operation 410, the content management system 110
registers a digital content item or items received from an owner or
provider of the digital content. In some cases, during registration
of a digital content item, the content management system 110, via
the content registration module 210, may receive input from the
owner that includes the digital content item and a description of
the right to the digital content item to be provided to recipients,
generate a parent, or first, address node as a bitcoin address that
represents a right to be assigned to the digital content item or
items (and, subsequently provided to recipients), and transfer
digital currency from a rightbase, or any other input address
controlled and maintained by the content management system 110, to
the parent address node to create the right to the digital content
item.
[0054] In operation 420, the content management system 110
transfers digital currency from a parent address node associated
with an owner of a digital content item to a child address node
associated with a recipient of a right to the digital content item.
The transaction module 220 may perform various different
transactions, based on a right type for the right assigned to the
digital content item being transferred to the recipient. For
example, the transaction module 220 may perform a complete transfer
of rights from one entity to another, may provide a clone (or,
copy) of rights to one or more entities, and so on.
[0055] For example, when performing a transfer of rights from one
entity to another, the transaction module 220 receives input from
the owner that includes a request to transfer the right to the
digital content item to the recipient, generates the child address
node as a bitcoin or other digital currency address that represents
the recipient, and transfers digital currency from the parent
address node to the child address node of the recipient.
[0056] As another example, when performing a transfer of a clone
(or another instance) of rights to one or more entities, the
transaction module 220 transfers digital currency from a rightbase
to the parent address node to maintain the right to the digital
content item for the owner, receives input from the owner that
includes a request to provide a clone of the right to the digital
content item to the recipient, and generates the child address node
as a bitcoin address that represents the recipient. Thus, the
transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node
associated with the owner of the digital content item to the child
address node associated with the recipient of the right to the
digital content item provides the recipient with the clone of the
right to the digital content item.
[0057] In order to avoid possible "double spending" of the digital
currency associated with node addresses (where an address node
performs multiple digital currency transfers to different entities,
introducing uncertainty to the tracked provenance of digital
content), the transaction module 220, during performed
transactions, transfers an entire digital currency balance
associated with a parent address node to the child address
node.
[0058] Also, when performing digital currency transfers between
address nodes, the transaction module 220 may attach data to one or
more zero value outputs (e.g., OP_RETURN in bitcoin) provided by
the scripting system during digital currency transactions. For
example, the transaction module 220 may associate data to the
transfer of the digital currency that includes information
identifying a type of the right to the digital content item
provided to the recipient and information associated with a digital
contract that contains a description of the right to the digital
content item provided to the recipient. Thus, the transaction
record associated with the transaction may include, in addition to
information identifying the transferring and receiving node
addresses, data identifying the type of right and the contract
representing the right to the digital content item.
[0059] In operation 430, the content management system 110 records
the transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node
to the child address node in a block chain associated with the
digital content item. For example, the public ledger module 230
generates or updates a block chain of transaction entries for the
digital content item, such as with a transaction entry representing
the transfer of digital currency from the parent node address to
the child node address.
[0060] For example, Table 1 is an example of a public ledger that
tracks digital currency transfers as rights transactions for a
digital content item:
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Date Transaction Jan. 1, 2015
29b33fc07a0192e9c1d50da2850f36bca946a8f047bf743719a62207ab85586b
Jan. 15, 2015
2850f36bca946a8f047bf743719a62207ab85586b29b33fc07a0192e9c1d50da
Mar. 20, 2015
b0886fd9cf0322b0d6910040cbcf158c7bdd538952dd7a5a01bd892f8de6b6c8 .
. . . . .
[0061] As shown in Table 1, the transaction
"29b33fc07a0192e9c1d50da2850f36bca946a8f047bf743719a62207ab85586b"
represents an initial creation of rights for a newly registered
digital content item, while transaction
"2850f36bca946a8f047bf743719a62207ab85586b29b33fc07a0192e9c1d50da"
represents a transfer of the rights to a second entity.
[0062] Following the example, Table 2 is an example of details
associated with a currency transfer, such as the transaction that
occurred on Jan. 1, 2015:
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Transferring Entity Receiving Entity
Contract 1EwBV346uW9cGrzsZfFkdZfN3jNAhwG5Cr
1GrgYzJMSgbLUtXRBQsViYrmod1FxgYsjp Contract_2
[0063] As shown in Table 2, the transaction details include the
node address for the transferring entity, or former owner of the
rights to the digital content item, the node address for the
receiving entity, or new owner of the rights to the digital content
item, and information identifying the contract that defines and/or
represents the rights to the digital content item. Of course, Table
1 and Table 2 may include more or different information than what
is depicted, such as information associated with the transaction,
information associated with the digital content item, and so
on.
[0064] Thus, the content management system 110 tracks the
provenance of digital content items via a recordation of digital
currency transactions between node addresses representing
transferring and receiving entities on public ledgers.
Examples of Digital Currency Transactions as Rights Transfers
[0065] As described herein, the content management system 110
utilizes digital currency transfers to validate and represent
rights transfers between entities for digital content items. What
follows are details regarding these digital currency transactions,
and how they map to the transfers of rights between entities.
[0066] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram 500 illustrating a transfer of
rights assigned to digital content between entities. A first
transaction 510 associated with a contract 505 (e.g., "contract_0")
occurs when a common assignor entity ("monegraph", or the content
management system 110) assigns the rights of a work ("right_1") to
an entity ("entity_0"), such as a creator of a work newly
registered to the content management system 110, while maintaining
original rights ("right_0") to the work.
[0067] A rights transfer transaction 520 occurs when the assignor
(entity_0) assigns the rights (right_1) represented by an updated
contract ("contract_1") to a recipient entity ("entity_1"). A
subsequent rights transfer transaction 530 occurs when the current
owner of the rights to the work, "entity_1," assigns the rights
(right_1) represented by an updated contract ("contract_2") to a
second recipient entity ("entity_2").
[0068] FIGS. 6A-6B are schematic diagrams illustrating a transfer
of digital currency during a rights transaction (e.g., transactions
510, 520, and/or 530) for digital content. For example, FIG. 6A
depicts a directed graph relationship where a parent node 605
asserts a relationship to a child node 610 by sending, or
transferring, digital currency to the child node. For example, a
transaction 620 occurs when the parent address node 605 transfers
.mu. satoshi (or, some other small amount of digital currency) to
the child address node 610. The transaction 620 also associates
certain data/information (e.g., right type information, hash value
representing a contract) to the transaction 620 via a zero value
output (e.g., OP_RETURN 625).
[0069] As another example, FIG. 6B depicts a directed graph
relationship where a parent node 605 asserts a relationship to
multiple child nodes (e.g., node 610 and node 630) by sending, or
transferring, digital currency to the child node. For example, a
transaction 640 occurs when the parent address node 605 transfers
.mu. satoshi (or, some other small amount of digital currency) to
the child address node 610 and the child address node 630. The
transaction 640 also associates certain data/information (e.g.,
right type information, hash value representing a contract) to the
transaction 620 via a zero value output (e.g., OP_RETURN 625).
[0070] The content management system 110 may implement and/or
follow certain rules or controls when performing transactions
between nodes that represent entities. The content management
system 110 controls an input address (e.g., "rightbase"), of which
all transactions are based or derived. Rightbase may be, for
example, a coinbase for rights, and serve to establish an initial
right or rights by providing an initial address from which one or
more transactions originate. The content management system 110,
therefore creates a right for a digital content item (e.g., when
the digital content item is registered into the system 110) by
transferring .mu. satoshi from the rightbase to an address, now
called a "right-address."
[0071] In some embodiments, therefore, right or rights transactions
may only include "right-addresses" or rightbase as input addresses,
and "right-addresses" or rightbase as output addresses. As
described herein, when a right transaction occurs, all input
addresses (except rightbase) may spend their entire unspent balance
of digital curency. By causing all transactions to completely spend
associated digital currency, the content management system 110 may
prevent double spends on rights (where no change is given to a
right-address (only rightbase can receive change).
[0072] In some embodiments, "satoshi pollution" may occur, where
funds are transferred to a right-address that are non-rights
related. The content management system 110 may mitigate such
occurrences by generating right-addresses concurrently to when a
right is transferred to an entity, and by transferring an entire
balance associated with the right-address.
[0073] As described herein, a right transaction includes an
OP_RETURN or other zero sum output, which includes an
identification of the type of right being transferred, combined
with a hash of a digital contract that describes the right.
Therefore, the proof-of-existence for a right may be defined by a
node address that has: (1) an unspent balance, and that is
associated with transactions that contain an OP_RETURN output that
includes a right type identifier and a hash value representing a
digital contractual document that describes the right (e.g., an
open digital rights language, or ODRL, document). Thus,
transactions for a "right-address" may be traced back to a
transaction initiated by rightbase.
[0074] When a digital content item is registered with the content
management system 110, the system 110 creates a bitcoin or other
node address to represent a contract that defines the right
assigned to the digital content item, and a node address for every
right to be established and assigned to the digital content item.
These are called "created rights." Once created, the content
management system 110 transfers, for example, .mu. satoshi from
rightbase to each of the created rights addresses, along with data
attached via an OP_RETURN output.
[0075] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a creation of a
right assigned to digital content. Transaction 710 occurs when
rightbase 705 transfers .mu. satoshi to a first created right
address 715 ("right_0 for_entity_0"), and transaction 720 occurs
when rightbase 705 transfers .mu. satoshi to a second created right
address 725. Thus, for an associated digital content item, the
content management system 110 performs transactions 710 and 720 to
create rights 715 and 725, respectively.
[0076] When entity_0 wishes to transfer their right to a digital
content item to entity_1, the content management system 110 creates
a node address to hold and maintain the right for entity_1. FIG. 8
is a schematic diagram illustrating a transfer of a right assigned
to digital content. A transaction 810 occurs where an entire
unspent balance of .mu. satoshi transfers from a node address 820
(e.g., "right_1_for_entity_0") of a current right holder to a node
address 830 (e.g., "right_1_for_entity_1") of a new right holder,
along with data attached via an OP_RETURN output.
[0077] In some embodiments, contractual models may be associated
with cloning or duplicating an existing right to a digital content
item, wherein an assignee entity is granted a "usage right," while
the assignor entity also retains a usage right and control of other
usage rights. FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram illustrating a cloning
of a right assigned to digital content. The content management
system 110 creates a new address for the newly assigned right (the
cloned right), and performs a transaction 905 where both the
original right address 910 (e.g., "usage_right_for_entity_0") and
rightbase 920 transfer .mu. satoshi to the original right address
910 and the new address 930 (e.g., "usage_rightfor_entity_1"),
along with data attached via an OP_RETURN output
[0078] In some embodiments, mining fees associated with mining
digital currency may cause unspent balances associated with
right-addresses to fall below a minimum transaction amount (e.g.,
.about.5000 satoshi) and/or applied transaction fees (e.g.,
.about.10,000 satoshi). During such occurrences, as depicted in
FIG. 9B, the content management system 110 performs a transaction
950 where both the original right address 960 (e.g.,
"right_for_entity_0") and rightbase 970 transfer .mu. satoshi to
the new right address (e.g., "right_0_for_entity_1") 980.
[0079] In other words, the content management system 110, via the
transaction module 220, may determine that an amount of digital
currency associated with the parent address node is below a
threshold minimum transaction amount, and transfer digital currency
from a rightbase to the child address node associated with the
recipient of the right to the digital content item.
[0080] In some embodiments, the content management system 110 may
provide a mechanism for a right holding entity to lease rights to a
digital content item. For example, an entity may lease their right
to sell royalty free usage for a work to another entity for one
year, and after the year, claim the right to sell royalty free
usage from the lease, where the lease is no longer able to sell
royalty free usage for the work.
[0081] Using the "lock time" mechanism for digital currency, the
content management system 110 generates two transactions, a first
transaction where the right is transferred from the leaser to the
lease, and a second transaction, having a set lock time of one
year, wherein the right is transferred back to the leaser.
Examples of Digital Content Marketplaces
[0082] As described herein, the content management system 110 may
provide content management for a variety of different online
environments, such as online marketplaces, social network services
(e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and so on), micro-blogs (e.g.,
Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram), blogs, e-commerce sites,
and other environments that support the creation, introduction,
sharing, purchase, licensing, renting, and consumption of
content.
[0083] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating systems, or
sub-systems of a digital content item marketplace 1000. The
marketplace 1000 includes a content item sub-system 10101, a
transaction sub-system 1020, and a marketplace sub-system 1030.
[0084] In some embodiments, the content item sub-system 1010
receives and manages digital content items, such as images, audio
files, video clips, and other multimedia works. The digital content
items may include content from owners of digital content items
wishing to register the digital content items as available for
purchase or licensing via the marketplace sub-system 1030.
[0085] In some embodiments, the transaction sub-system 1020
performs block chain transactions associated with transferring
rights to use the digital content items managed by the content item
sub-system 1010. For example, the transaction sub-system 1020 may
utilize a ledger module (as described herein) to transfer one or
more rights to use a digital content item from an owner to a
recipient by transferring digital currency from a parent address
node associated with the owner of the digital content item to a
child address node associated with the recipient of the digital
content item within a block chain 1050 or other public ledger, and
recording the transfer of the digital currency from the parent
address node to the child address node in the block chain 1050.
[0086] In some embodiments, the marketplace sub-system 1030
facilitates the brokering of rights to the digital content items
between owners of the digital content items and recipients of the
digital content items. For example, the marketplace sub-system 1030
facilitates:
[0087] the selling of an exclusive right to a digital content item
from an owner of the digital content item to a recipient of the
digital content item;
[0088] the selling of a right to an edition of a digital content
item from an owner of the digital content item;
[0089] the brokering of rights to the digital content items between
members of an online social network service (e.g., Twitter or
Facebook);
[0090] the brokering of rights to the digital content items within
an online retail site (e.g., e-commerce site, gallery site, and so
on); and other rights or online sites described herein.
[0091] The marketplace 1000, therefore, enables rights to digital
content items to be exchanged between parties within various online
environments (e.g., online media host site 140) while tracking the
ownership or provenance of the right to the content via block chain
and other public ledger transactions (e.g., the various different
digital currency transactions described herein).
[0092] Thus, the marketplace 1000, in some embodiments, may be
associated with or support an electronic platform or online portal
that facilitates the purchase of rights to digital content items,
where the platform includes the marketplace sub-system 1030 to
facilitate a brokering of rights to digital content items between
owners of the digital content items and recipients of the digital
content items, and the transaction sub-system 1020 performs block
chain transactions associated with transfers of rights the digital
content items from owners of the digital content items and
recipients of the digital content items.
[0093] The marketplace 1000 and its sub-systems 1010,1020,1030 may
facilitate the managing of content within a social network service
(e.g., via the content management system 110). FIG. 11A is a flow
diagram illustrating a method 1100 for managing content within a
social network service. The method 1100 may be performed by the
content management system 110 and/or components of the marketplace
1000 and, accordingly, is described herein merely by way of
reference thereto. It will be appreciated that the method 1100 may
be performed on any suitable hardware or devices/components within
the content management system 110 or marketplace 1000.
[0094] In operation 1110, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 accesses digital content items input to the social
network service by a member of the social network service. For
example, the content management system 110 may access photos and
videos uploaded to a member profile for a member of the social
network.
[0095] The content management system 110 or marketplace 1000
registers the accessed digital content items input by the member to
the social network service by, in operation 1120, generating
bitcoin addresses that represents rights to the digital content
items, and, in operation 1130, transferring digital currency from a
rightbase controlled by the content management system 110 to the
generated bitcoin addresses to create the rights to the digital
content items. Thus, the content management system 110 may register
and assign rights to digital content provided to the social network
service (as described herein)
[0096] In operation 1140, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 receives an indication that another member of the
social network service is authorized to perform an action
associated with the digital content items within the social network
service. For example, the other member may be authorized
(implicitly or explicitly) to share or modify the digital content
items within other areas of the social network service.
[0097] For example, the marketplace sub-system 1030 may receive an
indication that the member of the social network service is
connected to an owner of the digital content items within the
social network service and/or may receive an indication that the
member of the social network service is a first degree connection
of an owner of the digital content items within the social network
service.
[0098] Members of social network services may perform various
different actions using digital content items, when authorized by
owners of the digital content items. For example, the members
may:
[0099] share the digital content items within a post published to
the social network service (e.g., a post made to the member's
profile or other area within the social network service);
[0100] post a feed item within the social network service that
includes one or more of the digital content items, such as a post
or feed item made to a feed accessible by some members of the
social network service (e.g., connections to the member or original
owner of the content item), and/or a feed accessible by all members
of the social network service or any online viewers of the feed
(e.g., an open Twitter feed);
[0101] The content management system 110 or marketplace 1000, in
operation 1150, transfers digital currency from the generated
bitcoin addresses to recipient bitcoin addresses associated the
other member of the social network service, and records the
transfer of the digital currency in a block chain associated with
the digital content items. For example, the transaction sub-system
1020 may transfer digital currency from the generated bitcoin
addresses associated with the rights to the digital content items
to bitcoin addresses associated with the member of the social
network service after the member of the social network service
shares a digital content item within the social network
service.
[0102] Social network services (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, and so on)
often provide their members and other users with various types of
information or content, such as content associated with trending
topics or events, current or topical news stories, and so on. The
services may act as platforms for quick and efficient dissemination
of information to many people, including content provided by their
members and users. The systems described herein, in some
embodiments, provide mechanisms to control the sharing, licensing,
purchasing, and so on, of content provided by users to the social
network services and shared or otherwise utilized by other members
or users (e.g., news or corporate entities) for financial or
advertising gains, among other things.
[0103] The marketplace 1000 and its sub-systems 1010,1020,1030 may
regulate the use or sharing of content within a social network
service (e.g., via the content management system 110). FIG. 11B is
a flow diagram illustrating a method 1160 for sharing content
within a social network service or other online environment. The
method 1160 may be performed by the content management system 110
and/or components of the marketplace 1000 and, accordingly, is
described herein merely by way of reference thereto. It will be
appreciated that the method 1160 may be performed on any suitable
hardware or devices/components within the content management system
110 or marketplace 1000.
[0104] In operation 1170, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 registers a digital content item to the social
network service by performing a block chain transaction within a
block chain associated with the social network service, as
described herein.
[0105] In operation 1175, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 publishes a preview version of the digital content
item within the social network service. For example, the preview
version may be a watermarked version of the digital content item
(e.g., an image of a photo with an applied watermark), a
low-resolution version of the digital content item (e.g., a low
resolution image of a photo), an abridged version of the digital
content item (e.g., the first few seconds of a video of a topical
event), and so on.
[0106] In operation 1180, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 receives an indication of a purchase of rights to
the digital content item by an entity associated with the social
network service. For example, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 may receive an indication that the entity
associated with the social network service has purchased an
exclusive right to the digital content item, that the entity
associated with the social network service has purchased a right to
an edition of the digital content item, that the entity associated
with the social network service has purchased, a right to remix the
edition of the digital content item, and/or various combinations of
rights to digital content items, as described herein.
[0107] In operation 1185, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 provides an actual version of the digital content
item to the entity that purchased the rights to the digital content
item. For example, the actual version may be an unedited or source
version of the digital content item, a high-resolution version of
the digital content item, a complete version of the digital content
item (e.g., the complete video of the topical event), and so
on.
[0108] The content management system 110 or marketplace 1000 may
transfer digital currency from a parent address node associated
with an owner of the digital content item to a child address node
associated with the entity that purchased the rights to the digital
content item, record the transfer of the digital currency from the
parent address node to the child address node in the block chain
associated with the social network service, and provide the actual
version of the digital content item to the entity that purchased
the rights to the digital content item after the transfer of the
digital currency from the parent address node to the child address
node is recorded in the block chain associated with the social
network service.
[0109] Thus, in some embodiments, the content management system 110
or marketplace 1000 enables users of social network services to be
compensated and/or otherwise control or manager the use of the
digital content they provide to various different social network
services. The following scenarios may utilize aspects of the
marketplace 100 described herein.
[0110] As a first scenario, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 may facilitate the licensing or purchasing of
content provided by users during "breaking news" scenarios where
many different users are providing content to a social network
service during an ongoing event.
[0111] For example, a user captures a photo or video of an ongoing
event or scenario (e.g., a video of footage of a crime scene), and
publishes the video to his social network service feed after
registering the photo via the marketplace 1000. The marketplace
1000 causes the video to be published as an abridged version. A
news outlet (e.g., entity) reporting on the ongoing event takes an
exclusive license to various rights to use and remix the video, and
the marketplace 1000 facilitates a payment from the entity to the
user for the exclusive license to the rights. The news outlet
receives a complete version of the video, and shares the video
within various feed items published to the social network service
by the news outlet.
[0112] As a second scenario, the content management system 110 or
marketplace 1000 may facilitate an entity licensing or purchasing
content from users during the "breaking news" scenarios.
[0113] For example, the news outlet described herein publishes a
feed item to the social network service requesting content
associated with a certain ongoing event (e.g., feed items having a
hashtag associated with the ongoing event--"#ongoingevent"). The
news outlet reviews user submissions (e.g., tweets or other posts
that include the hashtag or are direct replies to the request),
having a preview version of relevant content, and selects content
from one or more of the posts for purchase or licensing from the
owners of the content. The marketplace 1000 facilitates a payment
from the news outlet to the users providing the selected content,
and provides the news outlet with a complete version of the
content, which shares the content within various feed items
published to the social network service by the news outlet. Of
course other scenarios may be supported by the marketplace
1000.
[0114] Thus, in some embodiments, the marketplace 1000 enables
social networks and other online environments that present and
enable the use of content to regulate and track use of the content
by all members, among other benefits.
Examples of Generating Digital Contracts for Rights to Content
Items
[0115] As described herein, in some embodiments, the content
management system 110 manages the transfer of rights to digital
content between parties (such as between owners of the content and
recipients of the content). Often, each content item is associated
with a collection of similar, yet different rights to the content.
For example, the rights to a digital content item may include a
right to use the digital content item, a right to an exclusive use
of the digital content item, a right to an edition (e.g., 1 edition
of 10 total versions) of the digital content item, a right to
modify or remix the digital content item, a right to the title (or,
to change the title) of the digital content item, a right to resell
or transfer use of the digital content item, and so on.
[0116] In order to track the various rights registered, assigned,
and/or transferred with respect to digital content, the content
management system 110 may generate digital contracts that include
the collection of rights for digital content. A digital contract,
therefore, may include information associated with rights assigned
to the digital content (e.g., block chain addresses established for
each right), as well as information representing the digital
content and other information, such as plain language information
for the contract. The digital contract, therefore, is an electronic
document or file that includes a set of block chain addresses that
represent the rights assigned to a digital content item.
[0117] FIG. 12 is a block diagram 1200 illustrating interactions
between components during the creation of a digital contract of
rights to a digital content item. These components may form a
system for generating a digital contract for rights to a digital
content item, and include an input module 1210 that receives input
associated with rights assigned to a digital content item, a
transaction module 1220 that performs block chain transactions
within a block chain 1250 for each of the rights identified by the
input module 1210, and a contract module 1230 that generates a
digital contract that includes the rights assigned to the digital
content item and, via a ledger module 1240, performs a transaction
to register the digital contract within the block chain 1250.
[0118] In some embodiments, the input module 1210 receives input
associated with transferring rights of a digital content item to a
recipient. For example, the input module may receive associated
with transferring rights of the digital content item to the
recipient via a user interface provided or rendered by the content
management system 110 that includes multiple user-selectable
options associated with rights to be transferred to the recipient.
Example user-selectable options include:
[0119] user-selectable options associated with a transaction type
for a transfer of rights to the recipient;
[0120] user-selectable options associated with a type of the
digital content item;
[0121] user-selectable options associated with a version of the
digital content item;
[0122] user-selectable options associated with a price for rights
to the digital content item;
[0123] user-selectable options associated with a right to modify
the digital content item; and so on.
[0124] In some embodiments, the transaction module 1220 performs
one or more block chain transactions to register each right of the
digital content item to transfer to the recipient to a public
ledger or block chain 1250. As described herein, the transaction
module 1220 may generate an address node as a bitcoin address that
represents a right to be provided to a recipient, and transfer
digital currency from a rightbase (e.g., address associated with
the content management system 110) to the address node to create
the right to the digital content item.
[0125] For example, the transaction module 1220 performs a separate
transaction (e.g., currency transfer) for each right assigned to
the digital content item. Example transfers include:
[0126] a digital currency transfer transaction between address
nodes to register a title of the digital content item;
[0127] a digital currency transfer transaction between address
nodes to register a right to transfer the title of the digital
content item to a recipient;
[0128] a digital currency transfer transaction between address
nodes to register a right to remix the digital content item by a
recipient;
[0129] a digital currency transfer transaction between address
nodes to register a right to transfer a right to remix the digital
content item to a recipient; and so on.
[0130] In some embodiments, the contract module 1230 performs a
block chain transaction to register a digital contract that
includes information representing each of the performed one or more
block chain transactions to the public ledger. For example, the
contract module 1230 generates the digital contract as a collection
of the rights that includes node addresses registered to the public
ledger 1250 that represent each of the rights to the digital
content transferred to the recipient.
[0131] The digital contract may include various types of
information, and include both encrypted (e.g., un-accessible) and
unencrypted (e.g., accessible) portions or sections. For example, a
generated digital contract may include:
[0132] a first unencrypted portion that includes the information
representing each of the performed one or more block chain
transactions to the public ledger;
[0133] a second unencrypted portion that includes a digital
fingerprint representing the digital content item; and/or
[0134] an encrypted portion that includes a plain language version
of the rights transferred to the recipient.
[0135] The contract module 1230 may register the digital contract
to the public ledger by transferring digital currency from a parent
address node to a child address node associated with registering
the digital contract to the block ledger, and recording the
transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node to
the child address node in the public ledger. In some cases, the
contract module 1230 associates data to the transfer of the
currency (e.g., via an OP_RETURN field in a bitcoin transaction)
that includes information representing a digital fingerprint of the
digital contract (e.g., a SHA-256 hash value of the contract), and
information representing a contract type for the digital contract,
among other information.
[0136] Thus, the content management system 110 may perform various
methods or processes when generating digital contracts, or other
collections of rights assigned to digital content items. FIG. 13 is
a flow diagram illustrating a method 1300 for generating a digital
contract of rights to a digital content item. The method 1300 may
be performed by the content management system 110 and, accordingly,
is described herein merely by way of reference thereto. It will be
appreciated that the method 1300 may be performed on any suitable
hardware or devices/components within the content management system
110.
[0137] In operation 1310, the content management system 110
receives input associated with transferring rights of a digital
content item to a recipient. For example, the input module may
receive associated with transferring rights of the digital content
item to the recipient via a user interface provided or rendered by
the content management system 110 that includes multiple
user-selectable options associated with rights to be transferred to
the recipient.
[0138] In operation 1320, the content management system 110
performs one or more block chain transactions to register each
right of the digital content item to transfer to the recipient to a
public ledger. For example, the transaction module 1220 may
generate an address node as a bitcoin address that represents a
right to be provided to a recipient, and transfer digital currency
from a rightbase (e.g., address associated with the content
management system 110) to the address node to create the right to
the digital content item. The transaction module 1220 may perform a
separate transaction (e.g., currency transfer) for each right
assigned to the digital content item.
[0139] In operation 1330, the content management system 110
performs a block chain transaction to register a digital contract
that includes information representing each of the performed one or
more block chain transactions to the public ledger. For example,
the contract module 1230 generates the digital contract as a
collection of the rights that includes node addresses registered to
the public ledger 1250 that represent each of the rights to the
digital content transferred to the recipient.
[0140] FIG. 14A depicts an example digital contract 1400 of rights
to a digital content item. The digital contract 1400 includes
information representing the digital content item 1410 (e.g., a
hash value of a source file of the digital content item),
information representing rights transactions to block chain
addresses 1420 (e.g., the first or initial addresses that received
a digital currency transfer to establish the rights to the digital
content item), and other information (optionally encrypted or
private) 1430, such as plain language information for the
contract.
[0141] The information representing the rights to the digital
content items 1420 may be a group of block chain addresses (e.g.,
bitcoin addresses) associated with each right, as registered on the
block chain, and, as shown in the Figure, may include an address
associated with a transaction type to transfer to the digital
content item, a right to the title of the digital content item, a
right to transfer the digital content item, a right to remix the
digital content item, a right to resell the digital content item, a
right to modify the digital content item, and other rights
described herein.
[0142] Referring back to operation 1330, the contract module 1230
may register the digital contract to the public ledger by
transferring digital currency from a parent address node to a child
address node associated with registering the digital contract to
the block ledger, and recording the transfer of the digital
currency from the parent address node to the child address node in
the public ledger. In some cases, the contract module 1230
associates data to the transfer of the currency (e.g., via an
OP_RETURN field in a bitcoin transaction) that includes information
representing a digital fingerprint of the digital contract (e.g., a
SHA-256 hash value of the contract), and information representing a
contract type for the digital contract, among other
information.
[0143] FIG. 14B is a representation of information 1450 associated
with a digital content item that is included in a block chain
transaction to register the digital contract within a block chain
or public ledger. The information 1450 accompanying the digital
currency transaction may include:
[0144] information representing a digital fingerprint of the
digital contract (e.g., a SHA-256 hash value) 1455;
[0145] information representing a content management specific
identifier for the version of the contract (e.g., version "00")
1460;
[0146] information representing the document type for the digital
contract 1465;
[0147] information representing the digital fingerprint is part of
the content management system 1465 (for discoverability within the
block chain); and
[0148] information representing the number of bytes in the digital
fingerprint (e.g., "25" in the hexadecimal) 1470; and/or
[0149] information representing an instruction that this is a
message to include with a currency transaction (e.g., within the
OP_RETURN field in a bitcoin transaction) 1475. Of course, other
information may be included.
[0150] Therefore, the content management system 110 may perform
multiple digital currency transfers between address nodes to
register a collection of rights to a digital content item to a
block chain, and perform a digital currency transfer transaction
between address nodes to register the collection of rights to the
block chain. These transactions function to establish the rights to
the digital content item via the block chain, and record the
transfer of ownership via a digital contract) to the block chain,
providing a transparent way of tracking and maintaining the
provenance to the rights to use digital content items, among other
benefits.
[0151] As described herein, the input module 1210 may render,
present, display, or cause to be displayed a series of user
interfaces that enable a user or owner of a digital content item to
register a work and rights to the work within the content
management system 110.
[0152] FIG. 15A depicts a user interface 1500 via which an owner of
a work may register the work to the content management system 110.
The user interface 1500 displays an image of the work 1502, a
editable title field 1504 and description field via which the owner
may input title and other description information for the work, a
license summary field 1506 that displays the rights to be assigned
to the work (to be configured by the owner), and a user-selectable
button 1508, that, when selected by the owner, causes the content
management system 110 to perform the various processed described
herein and register the work (and, associated rights to the work)
to the content management system 110 by performing one or more
block chain transactions.
[0153] FIG. 15B depicts a user interface 1510 whereby an owner may
select or adjust the rights to be assigned to the work 1502 (via
user-selectable options for each of the rights). For example, the
user interface 1510 shows the initial rights assigned to the work
1502, as "I want to SELL this ARTWORK as an EXCLUSIVE for $150 that
owner can RESELL and REMIX."
[0154] FIG. 15C depicts a user interface 1520 that facilitates the
customization of the license, whereby an owner adjusts the
transaction type right to be assigned to the work 1502. For
example, the user interface 1520 shows the selected transaction
type 1522 ("I want to sell"), and user-selectable options 1524
associated with different selectable transaction types (e.g.,
"sell," "give away," or "register").
[0155] FIG. 15D depicts a user interface 1530 that facilitates the
customization of the license, whereby an owner adjusts the type of
the work 1502. For example, the user interface 1530 shows the
selected type of work 1532 ("I want to sell this artwork"), and
user-selectable options 1534 associated with different work types
(e.g., "artwork," "news photo," "product image," or
"paparazzi").
[0156] FIG. 15E depicts a user interface 1540 that facilitates the
customization of the license, whereby an owner adjusts the number
of available editions of the work 1502. For example, the user
interface 1540 shows the selected edition of work 1542 ("I want to
sell this artwork as an exclusive"), and user-selectable options
1544 associated with different edition sizes (e.g., "edition of
25").
[0157] FIG. 15F depicts a user interface 1550 that facilitates the
customization of the license, whereby an owner adjusts the price of
the work 1502. For example, the user interface 1550 shows the
selected price of the work 1552 ("I want to sell this artwork as an
exclusive for $150"), and user-selectable options 1554 associated
with different prices for the work, such as system generated
prices, user input prices, and so on. Of course, the content
management system 110 may present other user interfaces not shown
herein when facilitating the customization of licenses for digital
content items.
[0158] Thus, in some embodiments, the content management system 110
provides mechanisms for owners of digital content to customize
licenses to the rights of the digital content. Once the input is
received, the content management system 110 registers the digital
content by performing various block chain transactions for some or
all of the user-configurable rights within the licenses, as
described herein.
Examples of Authenticating New Digital Content Items
[0159] As described herein, the corpus of digital content items
managed by the content management system 110 gets larger as users
submit and register new digital content items within the system
110. In order to provide purchasers and other recipients of rights
to digital content items, the content management system 110
includes various mechanisms that act to authenticate or verify that
content items received from owners into the system 110 are actual,
legitimately-owned or possessed versions of the received content
items (and not copies, fakes, or modifications of source items
owned by others).
[0160] The content management system 110, therefore, may include
various components that attempt to authenticate newly received
digital content items before the content items (and associated
rights) are registered within the system 110 (e.g., via block chain
transactions). FIG. 16 is a block diagram 1600 illustrating
interactions between components during the authentication of a
newly registered digital content item.
[0161] The content management system 110, therefore, may include an
authentication module 1610 that receives or otherwise accesses new
digital content items, performs various processes to authenticate
the digital content items as authentic or real, and provides the
digital content items, or information representing the digital
content items (e.g., hash values) to the ledger module 1240, which
performs block chain transactions within the block chain 1250 to
register the new digital content items, and associated rights, to
the block chain.
[0162] FIG. 17 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 1700 for
authenticating a new digital content item. The method 1700 may be
performed by the content management system 110 and, accordingly, is
described herein merely by way of reference thereto. It will be
appreciated that the method 1700 may be performed on any suitable
hardware or devices/components within the content management system
110.
[0163] In operation 1710, the content management system 110
receives user input associated with registering the digital content
item to the content management system 110. For example, the input
module 1210 of FIG. 12 may render, present, display, or cause to be
displayed a series of user interfaces that enable a user or owner
of a digital content item to submit and register a new work and
associated rights to be assigned to the work within the content
management system 110.
[0164] In operation 1720, the content management system 110
performs a multiple operation authentication processes to determine
or calculate a trust value for the digital content item. For
example, the authentication module 1610 may calculate an overall
trust value for the digital content item that is based on a trust
value assigned to the digital content item, and a trust value
assigned to a user that provided the digital content item to the
content management system 110. The authentication module 1610 may
perform a more rigorous series of operations to determine the
overall trust value, as follows.
[0165] FIG. 18 is a block diagram 1800 illustrating interactions
between components during the determination of an overall trust
value 1860 for a new digital content item. The overall trust value
1860 may include or combine values ascribed to different factors
associated with the digital content item and/or owner of the
digital content item, such as:
[0166] a trust value 1810 assigned to the digital content item
(e.g., by performing a reverse image search for the digital content
item and assigning a value based on results of the performed
reverse image search, and/or receiving one or more source materials
for the digital content item and assigning a value based on the
received one or more source materials);
[0167] a trust value 1820 assigned to a user that provided the
digital content item to the content management system (e.g.,
determining the user is a known or verified user, and assigning a
trust value based on knowledge about the user, and/or
[0168] a trust value 1830 assigned to actions performed by the user
when interacting with the content management system (e.g.,
accessing user activity and correspondence information within or
outside of the content management system 110 and determining a
trust value based on the accessed user activity information);
[0169] a trust value 1840 assigned to an entity that includes the
user that provided the digital content item to the content
management system (e.g., accessing entities of which the user is
affiliated or represents and determining a trust value based on the
entity information);
[0170] a trust value 1850 assigned to a type of digital contract
provided by the user that includes rights to the digital content
item (e.g., whether the contract includes title insurance); and so
on.
[0171] For example, given an overall trust value is a composite of
each of the trust values 1810-1850, an example overall trust value
(up to 10 points) for a new digital content item is calculated as
follows:
[0172] trust value 1810--5/5 points, because reverse image search
found no results, and source materials were provided by the owner
of the digital content item;
[0173] trust value 1820--2/2 points, because the owner is a know
user of the content management system 110;
[0174] trust value 1830--1/1 points, because the owner activities
do not indicate any copying or pirating or content on other
sites;
[0175] trust value 1840--0/1 points, because the owner is not
affiliated with any entities; and
[0176] trust value 1850--0/1 points, because the owner has
requested a standard license of rights to the work.
[0177] Therefore, the content management system 110 follows the
multiple operation process (e.g., the `trust ladder") to determine
an overall trust value 1860 of 8/10 points for the new digital
content item.
[0178] Referring back to FIG. 17, in operation 1730, the content
management system 110 determines that the trust value calculated
from multiple operation authentication processes satisfies a
threshold value associated with authenticating the digital content
item as authentic. Following the example, the content management
system 110 determines the overall trust value of 8/10 is higher
than a threshold value of 6/10, and determines the digital content
item as authentic.
[0179] In some cases, the content management system 110 may modify
or set the threshold value based on a number of different factors
or contexts. For example, the content management system 110, via
the authentication module 1610, may access a price associated with
obtaining rights to the digital content item, and determine that
the calculated overall trust value satisfies a threshold value that
is associated with authenticating the digital content item as
authentic and that is based on the price associated with obtaining
the rights to the digital content item. For example, a low priced
digital content item (e.g., $100) may be determined as authentic
when a trust value for the content item satisfies a baseline
threshold value (e.g. 6/10), whereas a high priced digital content
item (e.g., $10,000) may be determined as authentic when a trust
value for the content item satisfies an enhanced threshold value
(e.g. 8/10).
[0180] In operation 1740, the content management system 110
performs a block chain transaction to register the authentic
content item to the content management system, once the content
item is determined to be authentic. For example, the ledger module
1240 transfers digital currency between node addresses to register
the digital content item, and rights to the content item, to the
block chain 1250.
[0181] Thus, the content management system 110 may register a
digital content item by receiving user input associated with
registering the digital content item to the content management
system 110, authenticating a digital content item as an authentic
content item, and performing a block chain transaction to register
the authentic content item to the content management system
110.
Suitable Computing Systems
[0182] FIG. 19 illustrates a high-level block diagram showing an
example architecture of a computer 1900, which may represent any
electronic device, such as a mobile device or a server, including
any node within a cloud service as described herein, and which may
implement the operations described above. The computer 200 includes
one or more processors 1910 and memory 1920 coupled to an
interconnect 1930. The interconnect 1930 may be an abstraction that
represents any one or more separate physical buses, point to point
connections, or both connected by appropriate bridges, adapters, or
controllers. The interconnect 1930, therefore, may include, for
example, a system bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
bus or PCI-Express bus, a HyperTransport or industry standard
architecture (ISA) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI)
bus, a universal serial bus (USB), IIC (I2C) bus, or an Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 1394 bus,
also called "Firewire".
[0183] The processor(s) 1910 is/are the central processing unit
(CPU) of the computer 1900 and, thus, control the overall operation
of the computer 1900. In certain embodiments, the processor(s) 1910
accomplish this by executing software or firmware stored in memory
1920. The processor(s) 1910 may be, or may include, one or more
programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors,
digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable controllers,
application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable
logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs),
trusted platform modules (TPMs), or a combination of such or
similar devices.
[0184] The memory 1920 is or includes the main memory of the
computer 1900. The memory 1920 represents any form of random access
memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, or the like, or
a combination of such devices. In use, the memory 1920 may contain
code 1970 containing instructions according to the techniques
disclosed herein.
[0185] Also connected to the processor(s) 1910 through the
interconnect 1930 are a network adapter 1940 and a mass storage
device 1950. The network adapter 1940 provides the computer 1900
with the ability to communicate with remote devices over a network
and may be, for example, an Ethernet adapter. The network adapter
1940 may also provide the computer 1900 with the ability to
communicate with other computers.
[0186] The code 1970 stored in memory 1920 may be implemented as
software and/or firmware to program the processor(s) 1910 to carry
out actions described above. In certain embodiments, such software
or firmware may be initially provided to the computer 1900 by
downloading it from a remote system through the computer 1900
(e.g., via network adapter 1940).
CONCLUSION
[0187] The techniques introduced herein can be implemented by, for
example, programmable circuitry (e.g., one or more microprocessors)
programmed with software and/or firmware, or entirely in
special-purpose hardwired circuitry, or in a combination of such
forms. Software or firmware for use in implementing the techniques
introduced here may be stored on a machine-readable storage medium
and may be executed by one or more general-purpose or
special-purpose programmable microprocessors.
[0188] In addition to the above mentioned examples, various other
modifications and alterations of the invention may be made without
departing from the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure is
not to be considered as limiting, and the appended claims are to be
interpreted as encompassing the true spirit and the entire scope of
the invention.
[0189] The various embodiments are described above with reference
to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods,
apparatus (systems) and computer program products. It will be
understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or
block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart
illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer
program instructions. These computer program instructions may be
provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special
purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus
to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via
the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or
blocks.
[0190] A "computer-readable medium", as the term is used herein,
includes any mechanism that can store information in a form
accessible by a machine or computer (a machine may be, for example,
a computer, network device, cellular phone, personal digital
assistant (PDA), manufacturing tool, any device with one or more
processors, etc.). For example, a non-transitory machine-accessible
or computer-readable storage medium includes
recordable/non-recordable media (e.g., read-only memory (ROM);
random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical
storage media; flash memory devices; etc.), etc.
[0191] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a
non-transitory computer-readable medium that can direct a computer,
other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to
function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored
in the computer readable medium produce an object of manufacture
including instructions which implement the function/act specified
in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
[0192] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a
computer, other programmable data processing apparatuses, or other
devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on
the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to
produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions
which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus
provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in
the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
[0193] The aforementioned flowchart and diagrams illustrate the
architecture, functionality, and operation of possible
implementations of systems, methods and computer program products
according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in the
flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or
portion of code, which comprises one or more executable
instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It
should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the
functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in
the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of
the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations
of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can
be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that
perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special
purpose hardware and computer instructions.
[0194] Although various features of the invention may be described
in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be
provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely,
although the invention may be described herein in the context of
separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be
implemented in a single embodiment.
[0195] Reference in the specification to some embodiments", an
embodiment", "one embodiment" or "other embodiments" means that a
particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in
connection with the embodiments is included in at least some
embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the
inventions.
[0196] It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for
descriptive purpose only.
[0197] It is to be understood that the details set forth herein do
not construe a limitation to an application of the invention.
[0198] Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can
be carried out or practiced in various ways and that the invention
can be implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in
the description above.
[0199] It is to be understood that the terms "including",
"comprising", "consisting" and grammatical variants thereof do not
preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps,
or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be
construed as specifying components, features, steps or
integers.
* * * * *