Patent ID: 6826546
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
At least one computer program embedded on a computer readable medium and used for licensing a digital copy of a copyrighted work distributed to a consumer via a first distribution system, said at least one computer program executable by a processor, said program including the steps of:determining an identity of said digital copy; calculating a price of a license for said digital copy, said step of calculating including the step of measuring at least one metric of said digital copy for calculating said price, said at least one metric being a detectable characteristic of said digital copy; and providing a license for said copy after receiving payment of said price from a consumer; wherein said at least one computer program is distributed from a second distribution system that is different and unrelated to said first distribution system; and wherein said step of determining an identity includes the steps of: generating a first checksum of a first portion of said digital copy; comparing said first checksum with a library of known checksums for a first match in order to ascertain the identity of said digital copy; generating a second checksum of a second portion of said digital copy; and comparing said second checksum with said library of known checksums for a second match in order to further ascertain the identity of said digital copy, said library of known checksums being stored in a database that is electronically accessible to said processor; wherein said first portion is based on a shorter portion of said digital copy than said second portion.