On Thursdays the USPTO publishes new pending patent applications. Both of today"s Spotlight Patent Applications concern aspects of DRM. Assigned to Hyrax Media (IL), the first application discloses techniques for legitimate lending and sharing of copyrighted content items over a network. Assigned to Microsoft, the second application discloses techniques using referral lists for tracking distributed content.
20090260067, "Method and system for legitimate lending and sharing of digital copyrighted content items over a data network," assigned to Hyrax Media (IL)
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of enabling concurrently lending at least one digital copyrighted content item from one user's terminal to a certain number of other users' terminals over a data network, according to a number of copyright users' licenses of each of said at least one digital copyrighted content item, said method comprises: (a) indexing at least one digital copyrighted content item provided from at least one user's terminal over a data network, giving rise to an items index; (b) receiving a request to lend a digital copyrighted content item to user's terminal over said data network; (c) conducting a search for the requested digital copyrighted content item by means of said items index; (d) if said requested digital copyrighted content item is found by means of said items index, checking whether it is available for lending to said user's terminal, according to a number of available copyright users' licenses of said requested digital copyrighted content item; (e) if said requested digital copyrighted content item is available for lending, then enabling lending it to said user's terminal; and (f) upon receiving another request to lend said digital copyrighted content item, repeating steps `d` and `e`, and enabling concurrently lending said copyrighted content item to a certain number of users' terminals until said certain number does not exceed said number of available copyright users' licenses of said digital copyrighted content item.
20090265178, "Referral Lists for Tracking Distributed Content," assigned to Microsoft.
Abstract
Various embodiments described above can enable referral lists to be used in connection with distributed content to protect a referral infrastructure that is used with such content. In at least some embodiments, referral lists are protected using digital rights management (DRM) techniques. The DRM techniques can be used for a number of purposes including securely establishing a referring consumer, securely maintaining a chain of referring entities through distribution tracking, and maintaining control over the referral lists associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, DRM techniques are utilized to protect referral lists that are used in multi-level marketing networks.
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of enabling concurrently lending at least one digital copyrighted content item from one user's terminal to a certain number of other users' terminals over a data network, according to a number of copyright users' licenses of each of said at least one digital copyrighted content item, said method comprises: (a) indexing at least one digital copyrighted content item provided from at least one user's terminal over a data network, giving rise to an items index; (b) receiving a request to lend a digital copyrighted content item to user's terminal over said data network; (c) conducting a search for the requested digital copyrighted content item by means of said items index; (d) if said requested digital copyrighted content item is found by means of said items index, checking whether it is available for lending to said user's terminal, according to a number of available copyright users' licenses of said requested digital copyrighted content item; (e) if said requested digital copyrighted content item is available for lending, then enabling lending it to said user's terminal; and (f) upon receiving another request to lend said digital copyrighted content item, repeating steps `d` and `e`, and enabling concurrently lending said copyrighted content item to a certain number of users' terminals until said certain number does not exceed said number of available copyright users' licenses of said digital copyrighted content item.
20090265178, "Referral Lists for Tracking Distributed Content," assigned to Microsoft.
Abstract
Various embodiments described above can enable referral lists to be used in connection with distributed content to protect a referral infrastructure that is used with such content. In at least some embodiments, referral lists are protected using digital rights management (DRM) techniques. The DRM techniques can be used for a number of purposes including securely establishing a referring consumer, securely maintaining a chain of referring entities through distribution tracking, and maintaining control over the referral lists associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, DRM techniques are utilized to protect referral lists that are used in multi-level marketing networks.
