Abstract:
Multi-computer data transfer and processing supports electronic content clearance and licensing. Data is transferred by external communication between separate computers which themselves are distinguishable processing entities, such as a licensor station, a licensee station and a licensing system station accessible by a tiered access web site. Licensors submit content, and demonstrative content samples, searchable by licensees. Licenses, which may be generated and delivered electronically, may be granted or denied according to predetermined parameters or analysis of licensing requests. The system may be fee-based, advertising-based, membership fee-based, or may charge a royalty per transaction, and may collect and distribute licensing fees. License progress may be tracked. Licensed content may be delivered and tracked online, and confirmed by licensees by accountings. The system may track royalties based upon these uses, with payment reminders sent to licensees when payments are due, and default notices in the event of late or missed payments.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Various online systems allow users to obtain, via license or purchase, content such as video programming, music, still photography and art. For example, web sites, such as GettyImages.com (provided by Getty Images®, iTunes.com (providing access to the iTunes Music Store SM ), Movielink.com (provided by Movielink®), and eBay.com (provided by eBay®), allow licensing or purchasing of content, with delivery of that content via an online transaction. Conventional models address standardized agreements for content between users and content providers, bidding processes that may reward the highest bidder, or sometimes a mix of both the bidding process and the standardized price agreement, in the case of sites like eBay.com®. 
         [0002]    Unfortunately, the existing conventional uses have limitations including flexibility, implementation, distribution and deployment. Standardized licenses for relatively narrow uses are the norm, with specialized and customized licensing rare or nonexistent. Further, because articles of content, such as music and film, frequently have numerous rights holders, the process of fully licensing an article of content can oftentimes mean striking a variety of contracts. This process can be expensive and time-consuming for all stakeholders even before it can be determined whether, in fact, the article of content may be licensed under the terms proposed by the licensor or the licensee, or open ended requests by either party that may warrant multiple rounds of communication and negotiation just to begin the licensing process. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Example embodiments of the present invention relate to multi-computer data transfer and processing to support electronic content clearance and licensing. Data is transferred by external communication between separate computers which themselves are distinguishable processing entities, such as a licensor station, a licensee station and a licensing system station accessible by a tiered access web site enabling licensors to make content available to licensees for search and licensing. 
         [0004]    Licensees submit a license request which is examined. Licenses may be granted or denied automatically according to default parameters established by licensors, as well as manually on a case by case analysis of a licensing request. 
         [0005]    Content samples may be made available by content owners. The licensing system may collect licensing fees and distribute them to the proper parties. The licensing system may be fee-based, advertising-based, membership fee-based, or may charge a royalty per transaction. Licensors and licensees may track the progress of a license request via the system. 
         [0006]    Licenses may be generated and delivered electronically or by traditional means. Similarly, licensed media may be delivered electronically or by traditional means. Reminders regarding license expiration, renewal or option periods may be sent to licensees and licensors. Royalty tracking may be available online via the system. Dispute resolution scenarios may also be available. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a network diagram illustrating licensing system that enables licensors to make articles of content available for licensing according to an example embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating an example interaction between a licensor station, a licensing system station, and a licensee station according to an example embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a screenshot of a License Request Form (LRF) that may be completed by users for submitting a license request to a licensing system in an example embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the flow of content and license fees between a licensing system, a licensee station and a licensor station according to an example embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a screenshot of an analysis page enabling licensors and licensees to determine where their respective default parameters and requests for licensing fall within the market. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    A description of example embodiments of the invention follows. 
         [0014]    Currently there is no centralized online forum that enables the licensing of all elements relating to film, music, software, copyrights, trademarks and patents encompassing all elements of content licensing: search, offer, acceptance, contracting, fulfillment, renewal, cancellation, dispute resolution, reporting and royalty monitoring. Accordingly, there is a need for an integrated online content licensing system that enables the comprehensive needs of the licensing process for content relating to film, music, and other IP, such as software, patents, etc. in a single forum, with all elements of the content licensing process: search, offer, acceptance, contracting, fulfillment, security, renewal, cancellation, dispute resolution, reporting, database management, layered rights display capacity, and royalty monitoring of content all available in the system via an online format. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example embodiment of the present invention in which a licensing system  100  enables content providers (i.e., licensors  120  via a licensor station  122 ) to make articles of content available for licensing, while making those articles of content searchable by users (i.e., licensees  120  via a licensee station  112 ). The licensing system  100  enables the licensee  110  to perform all or part of the process of licensing content stored in the content database  105  as supplied by the licensor  120 , such as by electronic submission through the licensor station  122  via a web interface  102 . The web interface  102  may provide varying levels of service depending on access rights granted in the licensing server  104  to the parties, including the licensee  110  and the licensor  120 . The licensing system  100  may be deployed either via the internet  150  or other broadband resource, Virtual Private Network (VPN), intranet, satellite, or any combination thereof. 
         [0016]    Further, the licensor  120  similarly may submit samples of the articles of content to a samples database  107  through the licensor station  122  via the web interface  102  to the licensing server  104  for use by the licensee  110  in selecting articles of content for licensing. The samples also may be generated by the licensing server  104  following submission of an article of content to the content database  105 . 
         [0017]    At or after a time of submission of content to the content database  105 , the licensor  120  may, through the licensor station  122  via the web interface  102  to the licensing server  104 , set certain default parameters for the submitted articles of content. Such default parameters may include costs associated with particular licensing right (such as full rights and partial rights), territories available for licensing, license terms (i.e., length of the license) or other conditions of the license. Further, the licensor  120  may set terms for outright sale of the content, or copies thereof Moreover, the licensor  120  may delegate partial or total review and approval of licensing requests to other parties associated with the licensor  120 , such as content rights holders, authors, artists and other content creators, which may be specified at this time. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating an example interaction between a licensor station (e.g., licensor station  122  of  FIG. 1 ), a licensing server (e.g., licensing server  104  of  FIG. 1 ), and a licensee station (e.g., licensee station  112  of  FIG. 1 ) in an example embodiment of the present invention. First, a licensor (e.g., licensor  120  of  FIG. 1 ) submits content at step  205 , through the licensor station via a web interface (e.g., web interface  102  of  FIG. 1 ) to the licensing server (e.g., licensing server  104  of  FIG. 1 ), to the content database (e.g., content database  105  of  FIG. 1 ). At this time, or a time after, the licensor similarly may supply content samples at step  210 , through the licensor station via the web interface to the licensing server, to the sample database (e.g., sample database  107  of  FIG. 1 ). Default licensing parameters also may be submitted at step  215  for assigning to the associated submitted content in the content database. 
         [0019]    With content available in the content database and samples optionally available in the sample database, licensees (e.g., licensee  110  of  FIG. 1 ) then may submit a search request at step  220 , through the licensee station via the web interface to the licensing server, which will search the content database at step  222  for articles of content desired for licensing matching the licensee&#39;s search request. The content database will then return content results at step  225 , if any, to the licensing server, made available at step  227  to the licensee through the licensee station via the web interface to the licensing server. 
         [0020]    The licensee, similarly, then may submit a sample search request at step  230 , through the licensee station via the web interface to the licensing server, which will search the sample database at step  232  for requested content samples. The samples database will then return sample results at step  235 , if any, to the licensing server, made available at step  237  to the licensee through the licensee station via the web interface to the licensing server. 
         [0021]    The licensee may, at step  240 , select articles of content from the content results for submission in a license request through the licensee station via the web interface to the licensing server. The licensing server then examines the request at step  245 , optionally in conjunction with the licensor via the licensor station, and returns an answer at step  250  to the licensee via the web interface to the licensing server, which may be a grant or denial of a license, in whole or in part. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a screenshot of a License Request Form (LRF)  300  that may be completed by a licensee (e.g., licensee  110  of  FIG. 1 ) for submitting a license request (e.g., step  240  of  FIG. 2 ) to a licensing system (e.g., licensing system  100  of  FIG. 1 ). The LRF  300  defines elements of the license that the licensee seeks and may include identifying articles of content desired for license  305  entered in a text box  307 , defining a specific type of usage of the identified content  310  selected from a list  312 , a term of the license  315  entered by start date  317  and end date  318 , a territory of the license  320  selected from a list  322 , a proposed fee  325  for the license entered in a text box  327 , and a media usage of the license  330  selected from a list  332 . 
         [0023]    If a licensor (e.g., licensor  120  of  FIG. 1 ) set default parameters (e.g., step  215  of  FIG. 2 ) for those articles of content identified  305  in the LRF  300 , the licensing system automatically may return its answer regarding granting a license. Depending on whether the licensee&#39;s terms submitted in the LRF  300  were within the default parameters set by the licensor, this answer (e.g., step  250  of  FIG. 2 ) may be an outright rejection of the license request in the LRF  300 , or a conditional grant of a license under the terms of the LRF  300 , identifying a quote price for the desired license. 
         [0024]    If the terms of the LRF  300  do not meet the default parameters, or if the licensor did not set default parameters for those articles of content identified  305  so that the terms of the LRF  300  are to be evaluated manually, the licensee may be notified that the LRF  300  is under consideration and that the licensor has been notified of the request. The licensor immediately may reject the license request in the LRF  300  according to default parameters, if any, or following a manual evaluation. The licensing system also may generate custom responses to the licensee proposing revision of terms in the LRF  300 . 
         [0025]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , this may lead to numerous rounds of communication and negotiation at step  255  between the licensee, through the licensee station via the web interface, and the licensing server. Optionally, negotiation may be performed with the licensor at step  257  through the licensing server to the licensor station via the web interface, such as when the licensor does not submit default parameters at step  215 . If negotiations are performed between the licensee and the licensing server via the web interface, the licensing server may grant a license at step  260  according to the default parameters submitted at step  210  by the licensor. If negotiations are performed with the licensor, the licensor may grant the license at step  262  via the licensing server. 
         [0026]    After grant of the license, the licensee may tender payment at step  265  in fee for the license to the licensing server via the web interface, with the licensor receiving payment at step  267  from the licensing server. Optionally, the licensee may tender payment directly to the licensor. The licensing server then may retrieve the licensed content from the content database at step  270  and deliver the content to the licensee at step  275  through the licensee station via the web interface. Delivery may be tracked by the system by acquiring information from shippers (e.g., Federal Express (FedEx) and United Parcel Service (UPS)). 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the flow of content and license fees between a licensing system  100 , a licensee  110  and a licensor  120 . The licensee  110  may make payment  405  to the system  100  for distribution  410  to the licensor  120  or directly  415  to the licensor  120 . Payments  405 ,  410 ,  415  may be made by both offline (e.g., check, credit card, cash and wire transfer) and online (e.g., credit card, PayPal SM , and Google Checkout SM ) methods. Following payment, the licensed content may be delivered to the licensee  110  automatically by the system  420  or via the licensor directly  425 . Delivery may be made by online or traditional methods. Further, the system  100  may charge a fee for its use by licensees and licensors, such as a portion  430  of the licensing fee  405  paid by the licensee  110  for distribution to the licensor  120 , or a membership fee, transaction fee, listing fee, time-based fee, maintenance fee, al a carte usage fee, or barter fee, or the licensing system may be advertising-supported, or any combination of the above. 
         [0028]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , usage of licensed content may be tracked by the licensing server  104  using external resources  108  such as movie listings databases, Nielsen Soundscan SM , Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems SM  and print trade monitoring. Such usage may be confirmed by licensees  110  and relayed by the system  100  to licensors  120 . Licensees  110  also may be required to submit accountings of specific uses to the licensing server  104  or licensors  120 . The licensing server  104  also may track royalties based upon these usages and the terms of the license. The licensing server  104  may send payment reminders to licensees  110  when royalty payments are due, and default notices in the event of late or missed payments. 
         [0029]    Other post-license services provided by the licensing server  104  include reporting to licensees  110  and licensors  120 , including aggregated and individualized reports, tracking each transaction throughout the entire process including royalty, license and usage, reminders regarding license expiration and option periods, and dispute resolution, such as a mediation service agreed to as a term of the license which may utilized system records as evidence in any such dispute. 
         [0030]    In the event that the licensor  120  is a number of individual content rights holders (e.g., content owners, artists, publishers, writers, mechanical master owners, performers), the system  100  allows communication among the parties. For example, rights holders can notify other rights holders of their needs and decisions regarding approvals and disapprovals regarding a license request. Other communications can include approval, rejection, request for greater detail, addition of specific term(s), and counteroffers. Communications among the parties, including the licensor  120  (whether an individual or a collective group) and the licensee  110 , can be made “inside the system” (i.e., through a messaging system accessible through the user interface, such as electronic mail, instant message, or forum) or “outside the system” (i.e., via electronic mail, telephone, or other traditional means of communication), as desired by the parties and supported by the system  100 . Communications made “in the system” may be logged in real time by the licensing server  104 , including actions by all rights holders for review by other rights holders, by having these elements coordinated via the interface. This will be particularly helpful during negotiations involving multiple rights holders (e.g., music licensing) to achieve a final result more expeditiously. 
         [0031]    Further, each rights holder (i.e., licensor  120 ) may submit a rights value for his share of the rights identified in the LRF. This information may be made available to the licensee  110  in response to the LRF if the rights holders so desire. Further, rights holders may be notified that one or more rights holders have either failed to reply to or have rejected the license request. This allows rights holders to intervene in the request if they are of strong opinion regarding whether the license request should be granted or denied. Similarly, such communications may be used in advance of license requests to encourage or discourage licensing under certain conditions. These communications between rights holders may be stored by the system and may include email, telephone (e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), Wiki, weblog or instant message. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a screenshot  500  of an analysis page enabling licensors and licensees to determine where their respective default parameters and requests for licensing fall within the market. Over time, the system  100  may monitor costs associated with the licensing of particular rights, whether those costs are determined outright by the licensor or after negotiation between the licensor and the licensee. Using this data, the system  100  may provide a licensing market trend  505 , indicating average parameters for licensing, such as cost  507 . The information provided by this data may allow extrapolation to the cost based on past history of similar content for similar uses  510 , territories  520  and media  530 . This allows licensors (such as rights holders) and licensees to determine where their respective default parameters and requests for licensing fall within the market for particular types of content and particular uses of that content. For example, a licensee could select desired uses  510 , territories  520  and media  530  from their respective lists and text boxes  512 ,  522 ,  532 . Further, using sliders  540 ,  550 , the licensee could select a start date  552  and an end date  554  as well as a minimum price  542  and maximum price  544  for the desired license. The licensee could then adjust the sliders  540 ,  550  to determine what affect the adjustment has on where the licensee&#39;s offer falls according to an average for the market. Similarly, a licensor could determine what could be earned from potentially licensing particular material according to these market averages. 
         [0033]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims. Standard methods of sign in, security, authentication, reporting &amp; content delivery may be utilized by the system. Further, the terms “license,” “licensee” and “licensor” are not be limited to only the process and parties involved in licensing content, but also refer the process and parties involved in other commercial exploitation of content: buyers and sellers in purchasing, renters and rentees in renting, and any parties procuring content by any means.