Method and apparatus to indicate an encoding status for digital content

A method of determining an encoding rate for digital content. According to the method, the a sample of the content data is encoded for a predetermined period of time. The encoding rate is calculated by knowing the size of the sample of content encoded and the length of time necessary for encoding. In another embodiment, the encoding rate calculated for a specific encoding algorithm and encoding bit rate is averaged with any previously stored encoding rate for this encoding algorithm and encoding bit rate. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus is described to carry out the above method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of electronic commerce and more particularly to a system and related tools for the secure delivery and rights management of digital assets, such as print media, films, games, and music over global communications networks such as the Internet and the World Wide Web.

2. Description of the Related Art

The use of global distribution systems such as the Internet for distribution of digital assets such as music, film, computer programs, pictures, games and other content continues to grow. At the same time owners and publishers of valuable digital content have been slow to embrace the use of the Internet for distribution of digital assets for several reasons. One reason is that owners are afraid of unauthorized copying or pirating of digital content. The electronic delivery of digital content removes several barriers to pirating. One barrier that is removed with electronic distribution is the requirement of the tangible recordable medium itself (e.g., diskettes or CD ROMs). It costs money to copy digital content on to tangible media, albeit, in many cases less than a dollar for a blank tape or recordable CD. However, in the case of electronic distribution, the tangible medium is no longer needed. The cost of the tangible medium is not a factor because content is distributed electronically. A second barrier, is the format of the content itself i.e. is the content stored in an analog format versus a digital format. Content stored in an analog format, for example, a printed picture, when reproduced by photocopying, the copy is of lesser quality than the original. Each subsequent copy of a copy, sometimes called a generation, is of less quality than the original. This degradation in quality is not present when a picture is stored digitally. Each copy, and every generation of copies can be as clear and crisp as the original. The aggregate effect of perfect digital copies combined with the very low cost to distribute content electronically and to distribute content widely over the Internet makes it relatively easy to pirate and distribute unauthorized copies. With a couple of keystrokes, a pirate can send hundreds or even of thousands of perfect copies of digital content over the Internet. Therefore a need exists to ensure the protection and security of digital assets distributed electronically.

Providers of digital content desire to establish a secure, global distribution system for digital content that protects the rights of content owners. The problems with establishing a digital content distribution system includes developing systems for digital content electronic distribution, rights management, and asset protection. Digital content that is distributed electronically includes content such as print media, films, games, programs, television, multimedia, and music.

The deployment of an electronic distribution system provides the digital content providers the ability to achieve fast settlement of payment through immediate sales reporting and electronic reconciliation as well as gain secondary sources of revenue through redistribution of content. Since the electronic digital content distribution system is not affected by physical inventory outages or returns, the digital content providers and retailers may realize reduced costs and improved margins. Digital content providers could facilitate new, or augment existing, distribution channels for better timed-release of inventory. The transactional data from the electronic distribution system could be used to obtain information regarding consumer buying patterns as well as to provide immediate feedback on electronic marketing programs and promotions. In order to meet these goals, a need exists for digital content providers to use an electronic distribution model to make digital content available to a wide range of users and businesses while ensuring protection and metering of digital assets.

Other commercially available electronic distribution systems for digital content, such as real audio, A2B from AT&T, Liquid Audio Pro from Liquid Audio Pro Corp., City Music Network from Audio Soft and others offer transmission of digital data over secured and unsecured electronic networks. The use of secured electronic networks greatly reduces the requirement of digital content providers of distributing digital to a wide audience. The use of unsecured networks such as the Internet and Web allows the digital content to arrive to an end-user securely such as through the use of encryption. However, once the encrypted digital content is de-encrypted on the end-user's machine, the digital content is readily available to the end-user for unauthorized re-distribution. Therefore a need exists for a secure digital content electronic distribution system that provides protection of digital assets and ensures that the Content Provider(s)' rights are protected even after the digital content is delivered to consumers and businesses. A need thus exists for rights management to allow for secure delivery, licensing authorization, and control of the usage of digital assets.

Another reason owners of digital content have been slow to embrace electronic distribution is their desire to maintain and foster existing channels of distribution. Most content owners sell through retailers. In the music market these U.S. retailers include Tower Records, Peaches, Blockbuster, Circuit City and others. Many of these retailers have Web sites that allow Internet users to makes selections over the Internet and have selections mailed to the end-user. Example music Web sites include @tower, Music Boulevard and Columbia House. The use of electronic distribution can remove the ability of the retail stores from differentiating themselves from each other and differentiate themselves from the content owners, especially on the Web. Therefore a need exists to provide retailers of electronic content such as pictures, games, music, programs and videos a way to differentiate themselves from each other and the content owners when selling music through electronic distribution.

Content owners prepare their digital content for electronic distribution through distribution sites such as electronic stores. Electronic stores on the Internet, or through other online services, want to differentiate themselves from each other by their product offerings and product promotions. A traditional store, i.e.—the non-electronic, non-online analogs to electronic stores—use product promotions, product sales, product samples, liberal return policies and other promotional programs to differentiate themselves from their competitors. However, in the online world where the content providers impose usage conditions on the digital content, the ability of electronic stores to differentiate themselves may be severely limited. Moreover, even if the usage conditions can be changed, electronic stores are faced with the difficult task of processing the metadata associated with the digital content from the content providers to promote and sell products electronically. Electronic stores need to manage several requirements when processing the metadata. First, the electronic store is required to receive the metadata associated with the digital content from the content providers. Many times, parts of this metadata may be sent encrypted, so the content provider must create a mechanism to decrypt the encrypted content. Second, the electronic store may wish to preview metadata from the content provider either before the content is received from the content provider or after the content is received by the electronic store, in order to assist with product marketing, product positioning and other promotional considerations for the content. Third, the electronic store is required to extract certain metadata used for promotional materials such as graphics and artist information. Often, this promotional material is used directly by the electronic store in its online promotions. Fourth, the electronic stores may wish to differentiate themselves from one another by modifying some of the permitted usage conditions to create different offerings of the digital content. Fifth, the electronic store may have to insert or alter certain address, such as URLs, in the metadata to direct payment reconciliation to an account reconciliation house automatically by the purchaser without the need to go through the electronic store for payment clearance. Sixth, the electronic store may need to create licenses for the permitted use of the copyrighted digital content that match usage conditions. For example, the license may grant the permission to make a limited number of copies of the digital content. A license is needed to reflect the terms and conditions of the permission granted.

In light of all these requirements, to process the metadata related to the digital content, many electronic stores write customized software programs to handle these requirements. The time, cost and testing needed to create these customized software programs can be large. Accordingly, a need exists to provide a solution to these requirements.

Still, another reason owners of digital content have been slow to embrace electronic distribution is the difficulty in preparing content for electronic distribution. Today, many providers of content have thousands or even tens of thousands of titles in their portfolio. In a music example, it is not unusual for a content owner to have a single master sound recording available on several different formats simultaneously (e.g. CD, tape and MiniDisc). In addition, a single format can have a master sound recording re-mastered or re-mixed for a specific distribution channel. As an example, the mixing for broadcast radio may be different than the mixing for a dance club sound track, which may be different than a generally available consumer CD. Inventorying and keeping track of these different mixes can be burdensome. Moreover, many owners of master recordings often times re-issue old recordings in various subsequent collections, such as “The Best Of”, or in compilations for musical sound tracks to movies and other collections or compilations. As more content is offered digitally, the need to re-mix and encode the content for electronic distribution grows. Many times providers need to use old recording formats as guides to select the correct master sound recordings and have these sound recordings reprocessed and encoded for release for electronic distribution. This may be especially true for content providers that wish to use their old formats to assist them in re-releasing the old sound recording for electronic distribution. Providers will look through databases to match up titles, artists and sound recordings to set the encoding parameters. This process of manually searching databases for recording portfolios is not without its shortcomings. One shortcoming is the need to have an operator manually search a database and set the processing parameters appropriately. Another shortcoming is the possibility of operator transcription error in selecting data from a database. Accordingly, a need exists to provide content providers a method to automatically retrieve associated data and master recordings for content such as audio.

Content owners prepare their digital content for electronic distribution through a process known as encoding. Encoding involves taking the content, digitizing it, if the content is presented in an analog format, and compressing it. The process of compressing allows the digital content to be transferred over networks and stored on recordable medium more efficiently because the amount of data transmitted or stored is reduced. However, compression is not without its shortcomings. Most compression involves the loss of some information, and is called lossy compression. Content providers must make decisions on what compression algorithm to use and the compression level required. For example, in music, the digital content or song may have very different characteristics depending on the genre of the music. The compression algorithm and compression level selected for one genre may not be the optimal choice for another genre of music. Content providers may find certain combinations of compression algorithms and compression levels work very well for one genre of music, say classical, but provide unsatisfactory results for another genre of music such as heavy metal. Moreover, audio engineers must often equalize the music, perform dynamic range adjustments and perform other preprocessing and processing settings to ensure the genre of music encoded produces the desired results. The requirement to always have to manually set these encoding parameters such as setting the equalization levels and the dynamic range settings for each digital content can be burdensome. Returning to the music example, a content provider for music with a collection covering a variety of musical genre would have to manually select for each song or set of songs to be encoded, the desired combination of encoding parameters. Accordingly, a need exists to overcome the need for manually selection of process parameters for encoding.

The process to compress content can require a large amount of dedicated computational resources, especially for larger content items such as full-length feature movies. Providers of compression algorithms offer various tradeoffs and advantages associated with their compression techniques. These tradeoffs include: the amount of time and computational resources needed to compress the content; the amount of compression achieved from the original content; the desired bit rate for playback; the performance quality of the compressed content; and other factors. Using an encoding program which take as input a multimedia file and generate an encoded output file with no interim indication of progress or status is a problem. Moreover, in many circumstances, other programs are used to call or to manage an encoding program with no interim indication of progress. This leaves the calling application with no way to gauge the amount of content that has been encoded as a percentage of the entire selection of designated to be encoded. In circumstances where the calling program is trying to schedule several different programs to run at once this can be a problem. Furthermore, this can be especially burdensome in cases where batches of content have been selected for encoding and the content provider wants to determine the progress of the encoding process. Accordingly, a need exists to overcome these problems.

Yet, still another reason digital content providers have been slow to adopt electronic distribution for their content is lack of standards for creating digital players on end-user devices for electronically delivered content. Content providers, electronic stores, or others in the electronic distribution chain may want to offer customized players on a variety of devices such as PCS, set-top boxes, hand-held devices and more. A set of tools that can handle the decryption of the digital content in a tamper resistant environment, that is, an environment to deter the unauthorized access to the content during playing by a third party is needed. Moreover, a set of tools is needed to enable an end user to manage of a local library of digital content without allowing the end user to have access to the content for uses other than what was purchased.

Further information on the background of protecting digital content can be found from the following three sources. “Music on the Internet and the Intellectual Property Protection Problem” by Jack Lacy, James Snyder, David Maher, of AT&T Labs, Florham Park, N.J. available online URL http://www.a2bmusic.com/about/papers/musicipp.htm. Cryptographically protected container, called DigiBox, in the article “Securing the Content, Not the Wire for Information Commerce” by Olin Sibert, David Bernstein and David Van Wie, InterTrust Technologies Corp. Sunnyvale, Calif. available online URL http://www.intertrust.com/architecture/stc.html. And “Cryptolope Container Technology”, an IBM White Paper, available online URL http:///cyptolope.ibm.com/white.htm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to remove the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a system for tracking usage of content data. One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for tracking usage of digital content on user devices. Electronic stores coupled to a network sell licenses to play digital content data to users. Content players, which receive from the network the licensed content data, are used to play the licensed content data. Additionally, a logging site that is coupled to the network tracks the playing of the content data. In particular, the logging site receives play information from the network, and the play information includes the number of times that the content data has been played by the associated content player.

A further embodiment of the present invention provides a method for tracking usage of digital content on user devices. According to the method, a license to play digital content data is sold to a user, and the licensed content data is transmitted to a content player for the user. Further, information is transmitted to a logging site whenever the content data is played by the content player or copied from the content player to an external medium so that usage of the licensed content data can be tracked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

A Table of Contents is provided for this present invention to assist the reader in quickly locating different sections in this embodiment.

I. SECURE DIGITAL CONTENT ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

C. System Uses

II. CRYPTOGRAPHY CONCEPTS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO THE SECURE DIGITAL CONTENT ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

B. Public Key Algorithms

C. Digital Signature

D. Digital Certificates

E. Guide To The SC(s) Graphical Representation

F. Example of a Secure Container Encryption

III. SECURE DIGITAL CONTENT ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FLOW

IV. RIGHTS MANAGEMENT ARCHITECTURE MODEL

A. Architecture Layer Functions

B. Function Partitioning and Flows1. Content Formatting Layer2. Content Usage Control Layer3. Content Identification Layer4. License Control Layer

C. Content Distribution and Licensing Control

V. SECURE CONTAINER STRUCTURE

A. General Structure

B. Rights Management Language Syntax and Semantics

C. Overview of Secure Container Flow and Processing

I. Content Secure Container Format

VI. SECURE CONTAINER PACKING AND UNPACKING

B. Bill of Materials (BOM) Part

C. Key Description Part

B. Rights Management Processing

C. Country Specific Parameters

D. Audit Logs and Tracking

E. Reporting of Results

F. Billing and Payment Verification

VIII. CONTENT PROVIDER

B. Work Flow Manager1. Products Awaiting Action/Information Process2. New Content Request Process3. Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process4. Manual Metadata Entry Process5. Usage Conditions Process6. Supervised Release Process7. Metadata SC(s) Creation Process8. Watermarking Process9. Preprocessing and Compression Process10. Content Quality Control Process11. Encryption Process12. Content SC(s) Creation Process13. Final Quality Assurance Process14. Content Dispersement Process15. Work Flow Rules

C. Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool1. Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool2. Manual Metadata Entry Tool3. Usage Conditions Tool4. Parts of the Metadata SC(s)5. Supervised Release Tool

D. Content Processing Tool1. Watermarking-Tool2. Preprocessing and Compression Tool3. Content Quality Control Tool4. Encryption Tool

E. Content SC(s) Creation Tool

F. Final Quality Assurance Tool

H. Content Promotions Web Site

I. Content Hosting1. Content Hosting Sites2. Content Hosting Site(s)111provided by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System
IX. ELECTRONIC DIGITAL CONTENT STORE(S)

A. Overview—Support for Multiple Electronic Digital Content Store(s)

B. Point-to-Point Electronic Digital Content Distribution Service1. Integration Requirements2. Content Acquisition Tool3. Transaction Processing Module4. Notification Interface Module5. Account Reconciliation Tool

C. Broadcast Electronic Digital Content Distribution Service

B. Application Installation

C. Secure Container Processor

D. The Player Application1. Overview2. End-User Interface Components3. Copy/Play Management Components4. Decryption1505, Decompression1506and Playback Components5. Data Management1502and Library Access Components6. Inter-application Communication Components7. Other Miscellaneous Components8. The Generic Player
I. Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System
A. System Overview

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System is a technical platform that encompasses the technology, specifications, tools, and software needed for the secure delivery and rights management of Digital Content and digital content-related content to an end-user, client device. The End-User Device(s) include PCS, set top boxes (IRDs), and Internet appliances. These devices may copy the content to external media or portable, consumer devices as permitted by the content proprietors. The term Digital Content or simply Content, refers to information and data stored in a digital format including: pictures, movies, videos, music, programs, multimedia and games.

The technical platform specifies how Digital Content is prepared, securely distributed through point-to-point and broadcast infrastructures (such as cable, Internet, satellite, and wireless) licensed to End-User Device(s), and protected against unauthorized copying or playing. In addition, the architecture of the technical platform allows for the integration and migration of various technologies such as watermarking, compression/encoding, encryption, and other security algorithms as they evolve over time.

The base components of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System are: (1) rights management for the protection of ownership rights of the content proprietor; (2) transaction metering for immediate and accurate compensation; and (3) an open and well-documented architecture that enables Content Provider(s) to prepare content and permit its secure delivery over multiple network infrastructures for playback on any standard compliant player.

1. Rights Management

Rights management in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System is implemented through a set of functions distributed among the operating components of the system. Its primary functions include: licensing authorization and control so that content is unlocked only by authorized intermediate or End-User(s) that have secured a license; and control and enforcement of content usage according to the conditions of purchase or license, such as permitted number of copies, number of plays, and the time interval or term the license may be valid. A secondary function of rights management is to enable a means to identify the origin of unauthorized copies of content to combat piracy.

Licensing authorization and control are implemented through the use of a Clearinghouse(s) entity and Secure Container (SC) technology. The Clearinghouse(s) provides licensing authorization by enabling intermediate or End-User(s) to unlock content after verification of a successful completion of a licensing transaction. Secure Containers are used to distribute encrypted content and information among the system components. A SC is a cryptographic carrier of information or content that uses encryption, digital signatures, and digital certificates to provide protection against unauthorized interception or modification of electronic information and content. It also allows for the verification of the authenticity and integrity of the Digital Content. The advantage of these rights management functions is that the electronic Digital Content distribution infrastructure does not have to be secure or trusted. Therefore allowing transmission over network infrastructures such as the Web and Internet. This is due to the fact that the Content is encrypted within Secure Containers and its storage and distribution are separate from the control of its unlocking and use. Only users who have decryption keys can unlock the encrypted Content, and the Clearinghouse(s) releases decryption keys only for authorized and appropriate usage requests. The Clearinghouse(s) will not clear bogus requests from unknown or unauthorized parties or requests that do not comply with the content's usage conditions as set by the content proprietors. In addition, if the SC is tampered with during its transmission, the software in the Clearinghouse(s) determines that the Content in a SC is corrupted or falsified and repudiate the transaction.

The control of Content usage is enabled through the End-User Player Application195running on an End-User Device(s). The application embeds a digital code in every copy of the Content that defines the allowable number of secondary copies and play backs. Digital watermarking technology is used to generate the digital code, to keep it hidden from other End-User Player Application195, and to make it resistant to alteration attempts. In an alternate embodiment, the digital code is just kept as part of the usage conditions associated with the Content113. When the Digital Content113is accessed in a compliant End-User Device(s), the End-User Player Application195reads the watermark to check the use restrictions and updates the watermark as required. If the requested use of the content does not comply with the usage conditions, e.g., the number of copies has been exhausted, the End-User Device(s) will not perform the request.

Digital watermarking also provides the means to identify the origin of authorized or unauthorized copies of Content. An initial watermark in the Content is embedded by the content proprietor to identify the content proprietor, specify copyright information, define geographic distribution areas, and add other pertinent information. A second watermark is embedded in the Content at the End-User Device(s) to identify the content purchaser (or licensee) and End-User Device(s), specify the purchase or license conditions and date, and add any other pertinent information.

Since watermarks become an integral part of the Content, they are carried in the copies independent of whether the copies were authorized or not. Thus the Digital Content always contains information regarding its source and its permitted use regardless of where the content resides or where it comes from. This information may be used to combat illegal use of the Content.

As part of its rights management functions, the Clearinghouse(s) keeps a record of all transactions where a key exchange is cleared through the Clearinghouse(s). This record allows for the metering of licensing authorization and the original conditions of use. The transaction record can be reported to responsible parties, such as, content proprietors or Content Provider(s), retailers, and others, on an immediate or periodic basis to facilitate electronic reconciliation of transaction payments and other uses.

3. Open Architecture

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System (System) is an open architecture with published specifications and interfaces to facilitate broad implementation and acceptance of the System in the market place while maintaining rights protection for the content proprietors. The flexibility and openness of the System architecture also enable the System to evolve over time as various technologies, transmission infrastructures, and devices are delivered to the marketplace.

The architecture is open regarding the nature of the Content and its format. Distribution of audio, programs, multimedia, video, or other types of Content is supported by the architecture. The Content could be in a native format, such as linear PCM for digital music, or a format achieved by additional preprocessing or encoding, such as filtering, compression, or pre/de-emphasis, and more. The architecture is open to various encryption and watermarking techniques. It allows for the selection of specific techniques to accommodate different Content types and formats and to allow the introduction or adoption of new technologies as they evolve. This flexibility allows Content Provider(s) to pick and evolve the technologies they use for data compression, encryption, and formatting within the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System.

The architecture is also open to different distribution networks and distribution models. The architecture supports content distribution over low-speed Internet connections or high-speed satellite and cable networks and can be used with point-to-point or broadcast models. In addition, the architecture is designed so that the functions in the End-User Device(s) can be implemented on a wide variety of devices, including low cost consumer devices. This flexibility allows Content Provider(s) and retailers to offer Content to intermediate or End-User(s) through a variety of service offerings and enables the users to purchase or license Content, play it back, and record it on various compliant player devices.

B. System Functional Elements

Turning now toFIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram illustrating an overview of a Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100according to the present invention. The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100encompasses several business elements that comprise an end-to-end solution, including: Content Provider(s)101or the proprietors of the Digital Content, Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, Intermediate Market Partners (not shown), Clearinghouse(s)105, Content Hosting Site111, Transmission Infrastructures107, and End-User Device(s)109. Each of these business elements use various components of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. A high level description of these business elements and system components, as they pertain specifically to electronic Content113distribution, follows.

Content Provider(s)101or content proprietor(s) are owners of original Content113and/or distributors authorized to package independent Content113for further distribution. Content Provider(s)101may exploit their rights directly or license Content113to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, or Intermediate Market Partners (not shown), usually in return for Content usage payments related to electronic commerce revenues. Examples of Content Provider(s)101include Sony, Time-Warner, MTV, IBM, Microsoft, Turner, Fox and others.

Content Provider(s)101use tools provided as part of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100in order to prepare their Content113and related data for distribution. A Work Flow Manager Tool154schedules Content113to be processed and tracks the Content113as it flows through the various steps of Content113preparation and packaging to maintain high quality assurance. The term metadata is used throughout this document to mean data related to the Content113and in this embodiment does not include the Content113itself. As an example, metadata for a song may be a song title or song credits but not the sound recording of the song. The Content113would contain the sound recording. A Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161is used to extract metadata from the Content Provider(s)' Database160or data provided by the Content Provider(s) in a prescribed format (for a music example the Content113information such as CD title, artist name, song title, CD artwork, and more) and to package it for electronic distribution. The Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161is also used to enter the Usage Conditions for the Content113. The data in Usage Conditions can include copy restriction rules, the wholesale price, and any business rules deemed necessary. A Watermarking Tool is used to hide data in the Content113that identifies the content owner, the processing date, and other relevant data. For an embodiment where the Content113is audio, an audio preprocessor tool is used to adjust the dynamics and/or equalize the Content113or other audio for optimum compression quality, compress the Content113to the desired compression levels, and encrypt the Content113. These can be adapted to follow technical advances in digital content compression/encoding, encryption, and formatting methods, allowing the Content Provider(s)101to utilize best tools as they evolve over time in the marketplace.

The encrypted Content113, digital content-related data or metadata, and encrypted keys are packed in SCs (described below) by the SC Packer Tool and stored in a content hosting site and/or promotional web site for electronic distribution. The content hosting site can reside at the Content Provider(s)101or in multiple locations, including Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and Intermediate Market Partners (not shown) facilities. Since both the Content113and the Keys (described below) are encrypted and packed in SCs, Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103or any other hosting agent can not directly access decrypted Content113without clearance from the Clearinghouse(s) and notification to the Content Provider(s)101.

2. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103

Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103are the entities who market the Content113through a wide variety of services or applications, such as Content113theme programming or electronic merchandising of Content113. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103manage the design, development, business operations, settlements, merchandising, marketing, and sales of their services. Example online Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103are Web sites that provide electronic downloads of software.

Within their services, Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103implement certain functions of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103aggregate information from the Content Provider(s)101, pack content and metadata in additional SCs, and deliver those SCs to consumers or businesses as part of a service or application. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103use tools provided by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100to assist with: metadata extraction, secondary usage conditions, SC packaging, and tracking of electronic content transactions. The secondary usage conditions data can include retail business offers such as Content113purchase price, pay-per-listen price, copy authorization and target device types, or timed-availability restrictions.

Once an Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103completes a valid request for electronic Content113from an End-User(s), the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is responsible for authorizing the Clearinghouse(s)105to release the decryption key for the Content113to the customer. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s) also authorizes the download of the SC containing the Content113. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s) may elect to host the SCs containing the Digital Content at its local site and/or utilize the hosting and distribution facilities of another Content hosting site.

The Electronic Digital Content Store(s) can provide customer service for any questions or problems that an End-User(s) may have using the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, or the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103may contract their customer service support to the Clearinghouse(s)105.

In an alternate embodiment, the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100can be used to provide Content113securely to other businesses called Intermediate Market Partners. These partners may include digital content-related companies offering a non-electronic service, such as televisions stations or video clubs, radio stations or record clubs, that distribute Content113. These Partners may also include other trusted parties who handle material as part of making or marketing sound recordings, such as record studios, replicators, and producers. These Intermediate Market Partners requires clearance from the Clearinghouse(s)105in order to decrypt the Content113.

The Clearinghouse(s)105provides the licensing authorization and record keeping for all transactions that relate to the sale and/or permitted use of the Content113encrypted in a SC. When the Clearinghouse(s)105receives a request for a decryption key for the Content113from an intermediate or End-User(s), the Clearinghouse(s)105validates the integrity and authenticity of the information in the request; verifies that the request was authorized by an Electronic Digital Content Store(s) or Content Provider(s)101; and verifies that the requested usage complies with the content Usage Conditions as defined by the Content Provider(s)101. Once these verifications are satisfied, the Clearinghouse(s)105sends the decryption key for the Content113to the requesting End-User(s) packed in a License SC. The key is encrypted in a manner so that only the authorized user can retrieve it. If the End-User's request is not verifiable, complete, or authorized, the Clearinghouse(s)105repudiates the request for the decryption key.

The Clearinghouse(s)105keeps a record of all transactions and can report them to responsible parties, such as Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and Content Provider(s)101, on an immediate, periodic, or restricted basis. This reporting is a means by which Content Provider(s)101can be informed of the sale of Content113and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can obtain an audit trail of electronic delivery to their customers. The Clearinghouse(s)105can also notify the Content Provider(s)101and/or Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103if it detects that information in a SC has been compromised or does not comply with the Content's Usage Conditions. The transaction recording and repository capabilities of the Clearinghouse(s)105database is structured for data mining and report generation.

In another embodiment, the Clearinghouse(s)105can provide customer support and exception processing for transactions such as refunds, transmission failures, and purchase disputes. The Clearinghouse(s)105can be operated as an independent entity, providing a trusted custodian for rights management and metering. It provides billing and settlement as required. Examples of electronic Clearinghouse(s) include Secure-Bank.com and Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) from Visa/Mastercard. In one embodiment, the Clearinghouse(s)105are Web sites accessible to the End-User Device(s)109. In another embodiment, the Clearinghouse(s)105is part of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

The End-User Device(s)109can be any player device that contains an End-User Player Application195(described later) compliant with the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100specifications. These devices may include PCS, set top boxes (IRDs), and Internet appliances. The End-User Player Application195could be implemented in software and/or consumer electronics hardware. In addition to performing play, record, and library management functions, the End-User Player Application195performs SC processing to enable rights management in the End-User Device(s)109. The End-User Device(s)109manages the download and storage of the SCs containing the Digital Content; requests and manages receipt of the encrypted Digital Content keys from the Clearinghouse(s)105; processes the watermark(s) every time the Digital Content is copied or played; manages the number of copies made (or deletion of the copy) in accordance with the Digital Content's Usage Conditions; and performs the copy to an external media or portable consumer device if permitted. The portable consumer device can perform a subset of the End-User Player Application195functions in order to process the content's Usage Conditions embedded in the watermark. The terms End-User(s) and End-User Player Application195are used throughout this to mean through the use or running-on an End-User Device(s)109.

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100is independent of the transmission network connecting the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and End-User Device(s)109. It supports both point-to-point such as the Internet and broadcast distribution models such as digital broadcast television.

Even though the same tools and applications are used to acquire, package, and track Content113transactions over various Transmission Infrastructures107, the presentation and method in which services are delivered to the customer may vary depending on the infrastructure and distribution model selected. The quality of the Content113being transferred may also vary since high bandwidth infrastructures can deliver high-quality digital content at more acceptable response times than lower bandwidth infrastructures. A service application designed for a point-to-point distribution model can be adapted to support a broadcast distribution model as well.

C. System Uses

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100enables the secure delivery of high-quality, electronic copies of Content113to End-User Device(s)109, whether consumer or business, and to regulate and track usage of the Content113.

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100could be deployed in a variety of consumer and business-to-business services using both new and existing distribution channels. Each particular service could use a different financial model that can be enforced through the rights management features of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. Models such as wholesale or retail purchase, pay-per-listen usage, subscription services, copy/no-copy restrictions, or redistribution could be implemented through the rights management of the Clearinghouse(s)105and the End-User Player Application195copy protection features.

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100allows Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and Intermediate Market Partners a great deal of flexibility in creating services that sell Content113. At the same time it provides Content Provider(s)101a level of assurance that their digital assets are protected and metered so that they can receive appropriate compensation for the licensing of Content113.

II. Cryptography Concepts and their Application to the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System

License Control in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100is based on the use of cryptography. This section introduces basic cryptography technologies of the present invention. The use of public key encryption, symmetric key encryption, digital signatures, digital watermarks and digital certificates is known.

In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100the Content Provider(s)101encrypts the content using symmetric algorithms. They are called symmetric algorithms because the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt data. The data sender and the message recipient must share the key. The shared key is referred to here as the symmetric key. The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100architecture is independent of the specific symmetric algorithm selected for a particular implementation.

Common symmetric algorithms are DES, RC2 and RC4. Both DES and RC2 are block cipher. A block cipher encrypts the data using a block of data bits at a time. DES is an official US government encryption standard, has a 64-bit block size, and uses a 56-bit key. Triple-DES is commonly used to increase the security achieved with simple DES. RSA Data Security designed RC2. RC2 uses a variable-key-size cipher and has a block size of 64 bits. RC4, also designed by RSA Data Security, is a variable-key-size stream cipher. A stream cipher operates on a single data bit at a time. RSA Data Security claims that eight to sixteen machine operations are required for RC4 per output byte.

IBM designed a fast algorithm called SEAL. SEAL is a stream algorithm that uses a variable-length key and that has been optimized for 32-bit processors. SEAL requires about five elementary machine instructions per data byte. A 50 MHZ, 486-based computer runs the SEAL code at 7.2 megabytes/second if the 160-bit key used has already been preprocessed into internal tables.

Microsoft reports results of encryption performance benchmark in its Overview of CryptoAPI document. These results were obtained by an application using Microsoft's CryptoAPI, running on a 120-MHZ, Pentium-based computer with Windows NT 4.0.

In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, symmetric keys and other small data pieces are encrypted using public keys. Public key algorithms use two keys. The two keys are mathematically related so that data encrypted with one key can only be decrypted with the other key. The owner of the keys keeps one key private (private key) and publicly distributes the second key (public key).

To secure the transmission of a confidential message using a public key algorithm, one must use the recipient's public key to encrypt the message. Only the recipient, who has the associated private key, can decrypt the message. Public key algorithms are also used to generate digital signatures. The private key is used for that purpose. The following section provides information on digital signatures.

The most common used public-key algorithm is the RSA public-key cipher. It has become the de-facto public key standard in the industry. Other algorithms that also work well for encryption and digital signatures are ElGamal and Rabin. RSA is a variable-key length cipher.

Symmetric key algorithms are much faster than the public key algorithms. In software, DES is generally at least 100 times as fast as RSA. Because of this, RSA is not used to encrypt bulk data. RSA Data Security reports that on a 90 MHZ Pentium machine, RSA Data Security's toolkit BSAFE 3.0 has a throughput for private-key operations (encryption or decryption, using the private key) of 21.6 kilobits/second with a 512-bit modulus and 7.4 kilobits/second with a 1024-bit modulus.

C. Digital Signature

In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, the issuer of SC(s) protects the integrity of SC(s) by digitally signing it. In general, to create a digital signature of a message, a message owner first computes the message digest (defined below) and then encrypt the message digest using the owner's private key. The message is distributed with its signature. Any recipient of the message can verify the digital signature first by decrypting the signature using the public key of the message owner to recover the message digest. Then, the recipient computes the digest of the received message and compares it with the recovered one. If the message has not being altered during distribution, the calculated digest and recovered digest must be equal.

In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, since SC(s) contain several data parts, a digest is calculated for each part and a summary digest is calculated for the concatenated part digests. The summary digest is encrypted using the private key of the issuer of the SC(s). The encrypted summary digest is the issuer's digital signature for the SC(s). The part digests and the digital signature are included in the body of the SC(s). The recipients of SC(s) can verify the integrity of the SC(s) and its parts by means of the received digital signature and part digests.

A one-way hash algorithm is used to calculate a message digest. A hash algorithm takes a variable-length-input message and converts it into a fixed length string, the message digest. A one-way hash algorithm operates only in one direction. That is, it is easy to calculate the digest for an input message, but it is very difficult (computationally infeasible) to generate the input message from its digest. Because of the properties of the one-way hash functions, one can think of a message digest as a fingerprint of the message.

The more common one-way hash functions are MD5 from RSA Data Security and SHA designed by the US National Institute of Technology and Standards (NITS).

D. Digital Certificates

A digital certificate is used to authenticate or verify the identity of a person or entity that has sent a digitally signed message. A certificate is a digital document issued by a certification authority that binds a public key to a person or entity. The certificate includes the public key, the name of the person or entity, an expiration date, the name of the certification authority, and other information. The certificate also contains the digital signature of the certification authority.

When an entity (or person) sends a message signed with its private key and accompanied with its digital certificate, the recipient of the message uses the entity's name from the certificate to decide whether or not to accept the message.

In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, every SC(s), except those issued by the End-User Device(s)109, includes the certificate of the creator of the SC(s). The End-User Device(s)109do not need to include certificates in their SC(s) because many End-User(s) do not bother to acquire a certificate or have certificates issued by non bona-fide Certification Authorities. In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, the Clearinghouse(s)105has the option of issuing certificates to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. This allows the End-User Device(s)109to independently verify that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103have been authorized by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100.

E. Guide to the SC(s) Graphical Representation

This document uses a drawing to graphically represent SC(s) that shows encrypted parts, non-encrypted parts, the encryption keys, and certificates. Referring now toFIG. 2is an example drawing of SC(s)200. The following symbols are used in the SC(s) figures. Key201is a public or private key. The teeth of the key e.g. CLRNGH for Clearinghouse indicate the key owner. PB inside the handle indicates that it is a public key thus key201is a Clearinghouse public key. PV inside the handle indicates that it is a private key. Diamond shape is an End-User Digital Signature202. The initials indicate which private key was used to create the signature thus in EU is the End-User(s) digital signature from table below. Symmetric key203is used to encrypt content. An encrypted symmetric key object204comprising a symmetric key203encrypted with a PB of CLRNGH. The key on the top border of the rectangle is the key used in the encryption of the object. The symbol or text inside the rectangle indicates the encrypted object (a symmetric key in this case). Another encrypted object, in this example a Transaction ID encrypted object205is shown. And Usage Conditions206for content licensing management as described below. The SC(s)200comprises Usage Conditions206, Transaction ID encrypted object205, an Application ID encrypted object207, and encrypted symmetric key object204, all signed with an End-User Digital Signature202.

The table below shows the initials that identify the signer of SC(s).

The tables and diagrams below provide an overview of the encryption and decryption process used to create and recover information from SC(s). The SC(s) that is created and decrypted in this process overview is a general SC(s). It does not represent any of the specific SC(s) types used for rights management in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. The process consists of the steps described inFIG. 3for encryption process.

Process Flow for Encryption Process ofFIG. 3

StepProcess301Sender generates a random symmetric key and uses it to encryptthe content.302Sender runs the encrypted content through a hash algorithm to pro-duce the content digest.303Sender encrypts the symmetric key using the recipient's public key.PB RECPNT refers to the recipient's public key.304Sender runs the encrypted symmetric key through the same hashalgorithm used in step 2 to produce the symmetric key digest.305Sender runs the concatenation of the content digest and symmetrickey digest through the same hash algorithm used in step 2 toproduce the SC(s) digest.306Sender encrypts the SC(s) digest with the sender's private key toproduce the digital signature for the SC(s). PV SENDER refers tothe sender's private key.307BSender creates a SC(s) file that includes the encrypted content,encrypted symmetric key, content digest, symmetric key digest,sender's certificate, and SC(s) signature.307ASender must have obtained the certificate from a certificationauthority prior to initiating secure communications. The certifi-cation authority includes in the certificate the sender's public key,the sender's name and signs it. PV CAUTHR refers to thecertifications authority's private key. Sender transmits the SC(s)to the recipient.
Process Flow for Decryption Process ofFIG. 4

StepProcess408Recipient receives the SC(s) and separates its parts.409Recipient verifies the digital signature in the sender's certificateby decrypting it with the public key of the certification authority.If the certificate's digital signature is valid, recipient acquiresthe sender's public key from the certificate.410Recipient decrypts the SC(s) digital signature using the sender'spublic key. This recovers the SC(s) digest. PB SENDER refers tothe sender's public key.411Recipient runs the concatenation of the received content digest andencrypted key digest through the same hash algorithm used by thesender to compute the SC(s) digest.412Recipient compares the computed SC(s) digest with the one re-covered from the sender's digital signature. If they are the same,recipient confirms that the received digests have not been alteredand continues with the decryption process. If they are not the same,recipient discards the SC(s) and notifies the sender.413Recipient runs the encrypted symmetric key through the same hashalgorithm used in step 411 to compute the symmetric key digest.414Recipient compares the computed symmetric key digest with theone received in the SC(s). If it is the same, recipient knows thatthe encrypted symmetric key has not been altered. Recipientcontinues with the decryption process. If not valid, recipientdiscards the SC(s) and notifies the sender.415Recipient runs the encrypted content through the same hashalgorithm used in step 411 to compute the content digest.416Recipient compares the computed content digest with the onereceived in the SC(s). If it is the same, recipient knows that theencrypted content has not been altered. Recipient then continueswith the decryption process. If not valid, recipient discards theSC(s) and notifies the sender.417Recipient decrypts the encrypted symmetric key using the recip-ient's private key. This recovers the symmetric key. PV RECPNTrefers to the recipient's private key.418Recipient uses the symmetric key to decrypt the encrypted content.This recovers the content.
III. Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System Flow

The Secure Electronic Digital Content Distribution System100, consists of several components that are used by the different participants of the system. These participants include the Content Provider(s)101, Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, End-User(s) via End-User Device(s)109and the Clearinghouse(s)105. A high level system flow is used as an overview of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. This flow outlined below tracks Content as it flows throughout the System100. Additionally it outlines the steps used by the participants to conduct the transactions for the purchase, unlocking and use of the Content113. Some of the assumptions made in the system flow include:This is a system flow for a Digital Content service (Point-to-Point Interface to a PC).Content Provider(s)101submits audio Digital Content in PCM uncompressed format (as a music audio example).Content Provider(s)101has metadata in an ODBC compliant database or Content Provider(s)101will enter the data directly into the Content Information Processing Subsystem, or will have provided data in prescribed ASCII file format(s).Financial settlement is done by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s).Content113is hosted at a single Content Hosting Site(s)111.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these assumptions can be altered to accommodate the exact nature of the Digital Content e.g. music, video and program and electronic distribution systems broadcast.

The following process flow in illustrated inFIG. 1.

StepProcess121A uncompressed PCM audio file is provided as Content 113 by theContent Provider(s) 101. Its filename is input into the Work FlowManager 154 Tool along with the Content Provider(s)' 101 uniqueidentifier for the Content 113.122Metadata is captured from the Content Provider(s)' Database 160by the Content Information Processing Subsystem using the Con-tent Provider(s)' 101 unique identifier for the Content 113 andinformation provided by the Database Mapping Template.123The Work Flow Manager Tool 154 is used to direct the contentflow through the acquisition and preparation process at the ContentProvider(s) 101. It can also be used to track the status of any pieceof content in the system at any time.124The Usage Conditions for the Content 113 are entered into theContent Information Processing Subsystem, this can be done eithermanually or automatically. This data includes copy restriction rulesand any other business rules deemed necessary. All of the metadataentry can occur in parallel with the Audio Processing for the data.125The Watermarking Tool is used to hide data in the Content 113 thatthe Content Provider(s) 101 deems necessary to identify the con-tent. This could include when it was captured, where it came from(this Content Provider(s) 101), or any other information specifiedby the Content Provider(s) 101.The Content Processing Tool 125 performs equalization,dynamics adjustments and re-sampling to the Content 113 asnecessary for the different compression levels supported.The Content 113 is compressed using the Content ProcessingTool 125 to the desired compression levels. The Content 113can then be played back to verify that the compressionproduces the required level of Content 113 quality. Ifnecessary the equalization, dynamics adjustments,compression and playback quality checks can be performed asmany times as desired.The Content 113 and a subset of its metadata is encryptedwith a Symmetric Key by the SC Packer. This tool thenencrypts the key using the Public Key of the Clearinghouse(s)105 to produce an Encrypted Symmetric Key. This key can betransmitted anywhere without comprising the security of theContent 113 since the only entity that can decrypt it is theClearinghouse(s) 105.126The Encrypted Symmetric Key, metadata and other informationabout the Content 113 is then packed into a Metadata SC by theSC Packer Tool 152.127The encrypted Content 113 and metadata are then packed into aContent SC. At this point the processing on the Content 113 andmetadata is complete.128The Metadata SC(s) is then sent to the Content Promotions WebSite 156 using the Content Disbursement Tool (not shown).129The Content Disbursement Tool sends the Content SC(s) to theContent Hosting Site(s) 111. The Content Hosting Site(s) canreside at the Content Provider(s) 101, the Clearinghouse(s) 105 ora special location dedicated for Content Hosting. The URL forthis site is part of the metadata that was added to the Metadata SC.130The Content Promotions Web Site 156 notifies Electronic DigitalContent Store(s) 103 of new Content 113 that is added to theSystem 100.131Using the Content Acquisition Tool, Electronic Digital ContentStore(s) 103 then download the Metadata SCs that correspond tothe Content 113 they wish to sell.132The Electronic Digital Content Store(s) 103 will use the ContentAcquisition Tool to pull out any data from the Metadata SC(s) thatthey want to use to promote the Content 113 on their Web Site.Access to portions of this metadata can be secured and charged forif desired.133The Usage Conditions for the Content 113, specific to this Elec-tronic Digital Content Store(s) 103, are entered using the ContentAcquisition Tool. These Usage Conditions include the retail pricesand copy/play restrictions for the different compression levelsof the Content 113.134The Electronic Digital Content Store(s) 103 specific Usage Condi-tions and the original Metadata SC(s) are packed into an Offer SCby the SC Packer Tool.135After the Electronic Digital Content Store(s) 103 Web Site isupdated, the Content 113 is available to End-User(s) surfing theWeb.136When an End-User(s) finds Content 113 that they want to buy, theyclick on a content icon, such as a music icon, and the item is addedto his/her shopping cart which is maintained by the ElectronicDigital Content Store(s) 103. When the End-User(s) completesshopping they submit the purchase request to the Electronic Digi-tal Content Store(s) 103 for processing.137The Electronic Digital Content Store(s) 103 then interacts withcredit card clearing organizations to place a hold on the funds inthe same way they do business today.138Once the Electronic Digital Content Store(s) 103 receives the creditcard authorization number back from the credit card clearingorganization, it stores this into a database and invokes the SCPacker Tool to build a Transaction SC. This Transaction SC in-cludes all of the Offer SCs for the Content 113 that the End-User(s)has purchased, a Transaction ID that can be tracked back to theElectronic Digital Content Store(s) 103, information that identifiesthe End-User(s), compression levels, Usage Conditions and theprice list for the songs purchased.139This Transaction SC is then transmitted to the End-User Device(s)109.140When the Transaction SC arrives on the End-User Device(s) 109, itkicks off the End-User Player Application 195 which opens theTransaction SC and acknowledges the End-User's purchase. TheEnd-User Player Application 195 then opens the individual OfferSCs and in an alternate embodiment, may inform the user with anestimate of the download time. It then asks the user to specifywhen they want to download the Content 113.141Based on the time the End-User(s) requested the download, theEnd-User Player Application 195 will wake up and initiate the startof the download process by building a Order SC that containsamong other things the Encrypted Symmetric Key for the Content113, the Transaction ID, and End-User(s) information.142This Order SC is then sent to the Clearinghouse(s) 105 forprocessing.143The Clearinghouse(s) 105 receives the Order SC, opens it andverifies that none of the data has been tampered with. The Clear-inghouse(s) 105 validates the Usage Conditions purchased by theEnd-User(s). These Usage Conditions must comply with thosespecified by the Content Provider(s) 101. This information islogged in a database.144Once all the checks are complete, the Encrypted Symmetric Key isdecrypted using the private key of the Clearinghouse(s) 105. TheSymmetric Key is then encrypted using the public key of the End-User(s). This new Encrypted Symmetric Key is then packaged intoa License SC by the SC Packer.145The License SC is then transmitted to the End-User(s).146When the License SC is received at the End-User Device(s) 109 itis stored in memory until the Content SC is downloaded.147The End-User Device(s) 109 request from the Content HostingFacility 111, sending the corresponding License SC for thepurchased Content 113.148Content 113 is sent to the End-User Device(s) 109. Upon thereceipt the Content 113 is de-encrypted by the End-User Device(s)109 using the Symmetric Key.
IV. Rights Management Architecture Model
A. Architecture Layer Functions

FIG. 5is a block diagram of the Rights Management Architecture of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. Architecturally, four layers represent the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100: the License Control Layer501, the Content Identification Layer503, Content Usage Control Layer505, and the Content Formatting Layer507. The overall functional objective of each layer and the individual key functions for each layer are described in this section. The functions in each of the layers are fairly independent of the functions in the other layers. Within broad limitations, functions in a layer can be substituted with similar functions without affecting the functionality of the other layers. Obviously, it is required that the output from one layer satisfies format and semantics acceptable to the adjacent layer.

The License Control Layer501ensures that:the Digital Content is protected during distribution against illegal interception and tampering;the Content113originates from a rightful content owner and is distributed by a licensed distributor, e.g. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103;the Digital Content purchaser has a properly licensed application;the distributor is paid by the purchaser before a copy of the Content113is made available to the purchaser or End-User(s); anda record of the transaction is kept for reporting purposes.

The Content Identification Layer503allows for the verification of the copyright and the identity of the content purchaser. The content's copyright information and identity of the content purchaser enables the source tracking of any, authorized or not, copy of the Content113. Thus, the Content Identification Layer503provides a means to combat piracy.

The Content Usage Control Layer505ensures that the copy of the Content113is used in the purchaser's device according to the Store Usage Conditions519. The Store Usage Conditions519may specify the number of plays and local copies allowed for the Content113, and whether or not the Content113may be recorded to an external portable device. The functions in the Content Usage Control Layer505keep track of the content's copy/play usage and update the copy/play status.

The Content Formatting Layer507allows for the format conversion of the Content113from its native representation in the content owner's facilities into a form that is consistent with the service features and distribution means of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. The conversion processing may include compression encoding and its associated preprocessing, such as frequency equalization and amplitude dynamic adjustment. For Content113which is audio, at the purchaser's side, the received Content113also needs to be processed to achieve a format appropriate for playback or transfer to a portable device.

B. Function Partitioning and Flows

The Rights Management Architectural Model is shown inFIG. 5and this illustrates the mapping of the architectural layers to the operating components making up the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100and the key functions in each layer.

The general functions associated with the Content Formatting Layer507are Content Preprocessing502and Compression511at the Content Provider(s)101, and Content De-scrambling513and Decompression515at the End-User Device(s)109. The need for preprocessing and the examples of specific functions were mentioned above. Content Compression511is used to reduce the file size of the Content113and its transmission time. Any compression algorithm appropriate for the type of Content113and transmission medium can be used in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. For music, MPEG ½/4, Dolby AC-2 and AC-3, Sony Adaptive Transform Coding (ATRAC), and low-bit rate algorithms are some of the typically used compression algorithms. The Content113is stored in the End-User Device(s)109in compressed form to reduce the storage size requirement. It is decompressed during active playback. De-scrambling is also performed during active playback. The purpose and type of scrambling will be described later during the discussion of the Content Usage Control Layer505.

2. Content Usage Control Layer505

The Content Usage Control Layer505permits the specification and enforcement of the conditions or restrictions imposed on the use of Content113use at the End-User Device(s)109. The conditions may specify the number of plays allowed for the Content113, whether or not a secondary copy of the Content113is allowed, the number of secondary copies, and whether or not the Content113may be copied to an external portable device. The Content Provider(s)101sets the allowable Usage Conditions517and transmits them to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103in a SC (see the License Control Layer501section). The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can add to or narrow the Usage Conditions517as long as it doesn't invalidate the original conditions set by the Content Provider(s)101. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103then transmits all Store Usage Conditions519(in a SC) to the End-User Device(s)109and the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Clearinghouse(s)105perform Usage Conditions Validation521before authorizing the Content113release to an End-User Device(s)109.

The enforcement of the content Usage Conditions517is performed by the Content Usage Control Layer505in the End-User Device(s)109. First, upon reception of the Content113copy from the Content Identification Layer503in the End-User Device(s)109marks the Content113with a Copy/Play Code523representing the initial copy/play permission. Second, the Player Application195cryptographically scrambles the Content113before storing it in the End-User Device(s)109. The Player Application195generates a scrambling key for each Content item, and the key is encrypted and hidden in the End-User Device(s)109. Then, every time the End-User Device(s)109accesses the Content113for copy or play, the End-User Device(s)109verifies the copy/play code before allowing the de-scrambling of the Content113and the execution of the play or copy. The End-User Device(s)109also appropriately updates the copy/play code in the original copy of the Content113and on any new secondary copy. The copy/play coding is performed on Content113that has been compressed. That is, there is no need to decompress the Content113before the embedding of the copy/play code.

The End-User Device(s)109uses a License Watermark527to embed the copy/play code within the Content113. Only the End-User Player Application195that is knowledgeable of the embedding algorithm and the associated scrambling key is able to read or modify the embedded data. The data is invisible or inaudible to a human observer; that is, the data introduces no perceivable degradation to the Content113. Since the watermark survives several steps of content processing, data compression, D-to-A and A-to-D conversion, and signal degradation introduced by normal content handling, the watermark stays with the Content113in any representation form, including analog representation. In an alternate embodiment, instead of using a License Watermark527to embed the copy/play code within the Content113, the End-User Player Application195uses securely stored Usage Conditions519.

As part of the Content Identification Layer503, the Content Provider(s)101also uses a License Watermark527to embed data in the Content113such as to the content identifier, content owner and other information, such as publication date and geographic distribution region. This watermark is referred to here as the Copyright Watermark529. Upon reception, the End-User Device(s)109watermarks the copy of the Content113with the content purchaser's name and the Transaction ID535(see the License Control Layer501section below), and with other information such as date of license and Usage Conditions517. This watermark is referred to here as the license watermark. Any copy of Content113, obtained in an authorized manner or not, and subject to audio processing that preserves the content quality, carries the copyright and license watermarks. The Content Identification Layer503deters piracy.

The License Control Layer501protects the Content113against unauthorized interception and ensures that the Content is only released on an individual basis to an End-User(s) that has properly licensed End-User Device(s)109and successfully completes a license purchase transaction with an authorized Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. The License Control Layer501protects the Content113by double Encryption531. The Content113is encrypted using an encryption symmetric key generated by the Content Provider(s)101, and the symmetric key is encrypted using the public key621of the Clearinghouse(s). Only the Clearinghouse(s)105can initially recover the symmetric key.

License control is designed with the Clearinghouse(s)105as the “trusted party”. Before releasing permission for the License Request537, (i.e. the Symmetric Key623for the Content113to an End-User Device(s)109), the Clearinghouse(s)105verifies that the Transaction541and the License Authorization543are complete and authentic, that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has authorization from the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100for the sale of electronic Content113, and that the End-User(s) has a properly licensed application. Audit/Reporting545allows the generation of reports and the sharing of licensing transaction information with other authorized parties in the Secure Electronic Digital Content Distribution System100

License control is implemented through SC Processing533. SC(s) are used to distribute encrypted Content113and information among the system operation components (more about the SC(s) detailed structure sections below). A SC is cryptographic carrier of information that uses cryptographic encryption, digital signatures and digital certificates to provide protection against unauthorized interception and modification of the electronic information or Content113. It also allows for the authenticity verification of the electronic data.

License control requires that the Content Provider(s)101, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, and the Clearinghouse(s)105have bona-fide cryptographic digital certificates from reputable Certificate Authorities that are used to authenticate those components. The End-User Device(s)109are not required to have digital certificates.

C. Content Distribution and Licensing Control

FIG. 6is a block diagram illustrating an overview of the Content Distribution and Licensing Control as it applies to the License Control Layer ofFIG. 5. The figure depicts the case in which the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, End-User Device(s)109and the Clearinghouse(s)105are interconnected via the Internet, and unicast (point-to-point) transmission is used among those components. The communication between the Content Provider(s)101and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103could also be over the Internet or other network. It is assumed that the Content-purchase commercial transaction between the End-User Device(s)109and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is based on standard Internet Web protocols. As part of the Web-based interaction, the End-User(s) makes the selection of the Content113to purchase, provides personal and financial information, and agrees to the conditions of purchase. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103could obtain payment authorization from an acquirer institution using a protocol such as SET.

It is also assumed inFIG. 6that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has downloaded the End-User Player Application195to an End-User Device(s)109based on standard Web protocols. The architecture requires that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103assigns a unique application ID to the downloaded Player Application195and that the End-User Device(s)109stores it for later application license verification (see below).

The overall licensing flow starts at the Content Provider(s)101. The Content Provider(s)101encrypts the Content113using an encryption symmetric key locally generated, and encrypts the Symmetric Key623using the Clearinghouse's105public key621. In an alternate embodiment, the symmetric key instead of being locally generated my be sent to the Content Provider(s)101from the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Content Provider(s)101creates a Content SC(s)630around the encrypted Content113, and a Metadata SC(s)620around the encrypted Symmetric Key623, Store Usage Conditions519, and other Content113associated information. There is one Metadata SC(s)620and one Content SC(s)630for every Content113object. The Content113object may be a compression level one same song or the Content113object may be each song on the album or the Content113object may be the entire album. For each Content113object, the Metadata SC(s)620also carries the Store Usage Conditions519associated with the Content Usage Control Layer505.

The Content Provider(s)101distributes the Metadata SC(s)620to one or more Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103(step601) and the Content SC(s)630to one or more Content Hosting Sites (step602). Each Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, in turn creates an Offer SC(s)641. The Offer SC(s)641typically carries much of the same information as the Metadata SC(s)620, including the Digital Signature624of the Content Provider(s)101and the Certificate (not shown of the Content Provider(s)101. As mentioned above, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can add to or narrow the Store Usage Conditions519(handled by the Control Usage Control Layer) initially defined by the Content Provider(s)101. Optionally, the Content SC(s)630and/or the Metadata SC(s)620is signed with a Digital Signature624of the Content Provider(s)101.

After the completion of the Content-purchase transaction between the End-User Device(s)109and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103(step603), the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103creates and transfers to the End-User Device(s)109a Transaction SC(s)640(step604). The Transaction SC(s)640includes a unique Transaction ID535, the purchaser's name (i.e. End-User(s)') (not shown), the Public Key661of the End-User Device(s)109, and the Offer SC(s)641associated with the purchased Content113. Transaction Data642inFIG. 6represents both the Transaction ID535and the End-User(s) name (not shown). The Transaction Data642is encrypted with the Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105. Optionally, the Transaction SC(s)640is signed with a Digital Signature643of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

Upon reception of the Transaction SC(s)640(and the Offer SC(s)641included in it), the End-User Player Application195running on End-User Device(s)109solicits license authorization from the Clearinghouse(s)105by means of an Order SC(s)650(step605). The Order SC(s)650includes the encrypted Symmetric Key623and Store Usage Conditions519from the Offer SC(s)641, the encrypted Transaction Data642from the Transaction SC(s)640, and the encrypted Application ID551from the End-User Device(s)109. In another embodiment, the Order SC(s)650is signed with a Digital Signature652of the End-User Device(s)109.

Upon reception of the Order SC(s)650from the End-User Device(s)109, the Clearinghouse(s)105verifies:1. that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has authorization from the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100(exists in the Database160of the Clearinghouse(s)105);2. that the Order SC(s)650has not been altered;3. that the Transaction Data642and Symmetric Key623are complete and authentic;4. that the electronic Store Usage Conditions519purchased by the End-User Device(s)109are consistent with those Usage Conditions517set by the Content Provider(s)101; and5. that the Application ID551has a valid structure and that it was provided by an authorized Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

If the verifications are successful, the Clearinghouse(s)105decrypts the Symmetric Key623and the Transaction Data642and builds and transfers the License SC(s)660to the End-User Device(s)109(step606). The License SC(s)660carries the Symmetric Key623and the Transaction Data642, both encrypted using the Public Key661of the End-User Device(s)109. If any verification is not successful, the Clearinghouse(s)105denies the license to the End-User Device(s)109and informs the End-User Device(s)109. The Clearinghouse(s)105also immediately informs the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103of this verification failure. In an alternate embodiment, the Clearinghouse(s)105signs the License SC(s)660with its Digital Signature663.

After receiving the License SC(s)660, the End-User Device(s)109decrypts the Symmetric Key623and the Transaction Data642previously received from the Clearinghouse(s)105and requests the Content SC(s)630(step607) from a Content Hosting Site(s)111. Upon arrival of the Content SC(s)630(step608), the End-User Device(s)109decrypts the Content113using the Symmetric Key623(step609), and passes the Content113and the Transaction Data642to the other layers for license watermarking, copy/play coding, scrambling, and further Content113processing as described previously forFIG. 5.

Finally, the Clearinghouse(s)105on a periodic basis transmits summary transaction reports to the Content Provider(s)101and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103for auditing and tracking purposes (step610).

V. Secure Container Structure

A. General Structure

A Secure Container (SC) is a structure that consists of several parts which together define a unit of Content113or a portion of a transaction, and which also define related information such as Usage Conditions, metadata, and encryption methods. SC(s) are designed in such a way that the integrity, completeness, and authenticity of the information can be verified. Some of the information in SC(s) may be encrypted so that it can only be accessed after proper authorization has been obtained.

SC(s) include at least one bill of materials (BOM) part which has records of information about the SC(s) and about each of the parts included in the SC(s). A message digest is calculated, using a hashing algorithm such as MD-5, for each part and then included in the BOM record for the part. The digests of the parts are concatenated together and another digest is computed from them and then encrypted using the private key of the entity creating the SC(s) to create a digital signature. Parties receiving the SC(s) can use the digital signature to verify all of the digests and thus validate the integrity and completeness of the SC(s) and all of its parts.

The following information may be included as records in the BOM along with the records for each part. The SC(s) type determines which records need to be included:SC(s) versionSC(s) IDType of SC(s) (e.g. Offer, Order, Transaction, Content, Metadata or promotional and License.)Publisher of the SC(s)Date that the SC(s) was createdExpiration date of the SC(s)Clearinghouse(s) URLDescription of the digest algorithm used for the included parts (default is MD-5)Description of the algorithm used for the digital signature encryption (default is RSA)Digital signature (encrypted digest of all of the concatenated digests of the included parts)

SC(s) may include more than one BOM. For example, an Offer SC(s)641consists of the original Metadata SC(s)620parts, including its BOM, as well as additional information added by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and a new BOM. A record for the Metadata SC(s)620BOM is included in the Offer SC(s)641BOM. This record includes a digest for the Metadata SC(s)620BOM which can be used to validate its integrity and therefore, the integrity of the parts included from the Metadata SC(s)620can also be validated using the part digest values stored in Metadata SC(s)620BOM. None of the parts from the Metadata SC(s)620have records in the new BOM that was created for the Offer SC(s)641. Only parts added by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and the Metadata SC(s)620BOM have records in the new BOM.

SC(s) may also include a Key Description part. Key Description parts include records that contain the following information about encrypted parts in the SC(s):The name of the encrypted part.The name to use for the part when it is decrypted.The encryption algorithm used to encrypt the part.Either a Key Identifier to indicate the public encryption key that was used to encrypt the part or an encrypted symmetric key that, when decrypted, is used to decrypt the encrypted part.The encryption algorithm used to encrypt the symmetric key. This field is only present when the record in the Key Description part includes an encrypted symmetric key that was used to encrypt the encrypted part.A Key Identifier of the public encryption key that was used to encrypt the symmetric key. This field is only present when the record in the Key Description part includes an encrypted symmetric key and the encryption algorithm identifier of the symmetric key that was used to encrypt the encrypted part.If the SC(s) does not contain any encrypted parts, then there is no Key Description part.
B. Rights Management Language Syntax and Semantics

The Rights Management Language consists of parameters that can be assigned values to define restrictions on the use of the Content113by an End-User(s) after the Content113purchase. The restrictions on the use of the Content113is the Usage Conditions517. Each Content Provider(s)101specifies the Usage Conditions517for each of its Content113items. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103interpret the Usage Conditions517in Metadata SC(s)620and use the information to provide select options they wish to offer their customers as well as add retail purchase information for the Content113. After an End-User(s) has selected a Content113item for purchase, the End-User Device(s)109requests authorization for the Content113based on Store Usage Conditions519. Before the Clearinghouse(s)105sends a License SC(s)660to the End-User(s), the Clearinghouse(s)105verifies that the Store Usage. Conditions519being requested are in agreement with the allowable Usage Conditions517that were specified by the Content Provider(s)101in the Metadata SC(s)620.

When an End-User Device(s)109receives the Content113that was purchased, the Store Usage Conditions519are encoded into that Content113using the Watermarking Tool or encoded in the securely stored Usage Conditions519. The End-User Player Application195running on End-User Device(s)109insures that the Store Usage Conditions519that were encoded into the Content113are enforced.

The following are examples of Store Usage Conditions519for an embodiment where the Content113is music:Song is recordable.Song can be played n number of times.
C. Overview of Secure Container Flow and Processing

Metadata SC(s)620are built by Content Provider(s)101and are used to define Content113items such as songs. The Content113itself is not included in these SC(s) because the size of the Content113is typically too large for Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and End-User(s) to efficiently download the containers just for the purpose of accessing the descriptive metadata. Instead, the SC(s) includes an external URL (Uniform Resource Locators) to point to the Content113. The SC(s) also includes metadata that provides descriptive information about the Content113and any other associated data, such as for music, the CD cover art and/or digital audio clips in the case of song Content113.

Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103download the Metadata SC(s)620, for which they are authorized, and build Offer SC(s)641. In short, an Offer SC(s)641consists of some of the parts and the BOM from the Metadata SC(s)620along with additional information included by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. A new BOM for the Offer SC(s)641is created when the Offer SC(s)641is built. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103also use the Metadata SC(s)620by extracting metadata information from them to build HTML pages on their web sites that present descriptions of Content113to End-User(s), usually so they can purchase the Content113.

The information in the Offer SC(s)641that is added by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is typically to narrow the selection of Usage Conditions517that are specified in the Metadata SC(s)620and promotional data such as a graphic image file of the store's logo and a URL to the store's web site. An Offer SC(s)641template in the Metadata SC(s)620indicates which information can be overridden by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103in the Offer SC(s)641and what, if any, additional information is required by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and what parts are retained in the embedded Metadata SC(s)620.

Offer SC(s)641are included in a Transaction SC(s)640when an End-User(s) decides to purchase Content113from an Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103builds a Transaction SC(s)640and includes Offer SC(s)641for each Content113item being purchased and transmits it to the End-User Device(s)109. The End-User Device(s)109receives the Transaction SC(s)640and validates the integrity of the Transaction SC(s)640and the included Offer SC(s)641.

An Order SC(s)650is built by the End-User Device(s)109for each Content113item being purchased. Information is included from the Offer SC(s)641, from the Transaction SC(s)640, and from the configuration files of the End-User Device(s)109. Order SC(s)650are sent to the Clearinghouse(s)105one at a time. The Clearinghouse(s)105URL where the Order SC(s)650is included as one of the records in the BOM for the Metadata SC(s)620and included again in the Offer SC(s)641.

The Clearinghouse(s)105validates and processes Order SC(s)650to provide the End-User Device(s)109with everything that is required to a License Watermark527and access purchased Content113. One of the functions of the Clearinghouse(s)105is to decrypt the Symmetric Keys623that are needed to decrypt the watermarking instructions from the Offer SC(s)641and the Content113from the Content SC(s)630. An encrypted Symmetric Key623record actually contains more than the actual encrypted Symmetric Key623. Before executing the encryption, the Content Provider(s)101may optionally append its name to the actual Symmetric Key623. Having the Content Provider(s)'101name encrypted together with the Symmetric Key623provides security against a pirate Content Provider(s)101that has built its own Metadata SC(s)620and Content SC(s)630from legal SC(s). The Clearinghouse(s)105verifies that the name of the Content Provider(s)101encrypted together with the Symmetric Keys623matches the name of the Content Provider(s)101in the SC(s) certificate.

If there are any changes required to be made to the watermarking instructions by the Clearinghouse(s)105, then the Clearinghouse(s)105decrypts the Symmetric Key623and then modifies the watermarking instructions and encrypts them again using a new Symmetric Key623. The Symmetric Key623is then re-encrypted using the Public Key661of the End-User Device(s)109. The Clearinghouse(s)105also decrypts the other Symmetric Keys623in the SC(s) and encrypts them again with the Public Key661of the End-User Device(s)109. The Clearinghouse(s)105builds a License SC(s)660that includes the newly encrypted Symmetric Keys623and updated watermarking instructions and sends it to the End-User Device(s)109in response to the Order SC(s)650. If the processing of the Order SC(s)650does not complete successfully, then the Clearinghouse(s)105returns to the End-User Device(s)109an HTML page or equivalent reporting the failure of the authorization process.

A License SC(s)660provides an End-User Device(s)109with everything that is needed to access a Content113item. The End-User Device(s)109requests the appropriate Content SC(s)630from the Content Hosting Site(s)111. Content SC(s)630are built by Content Provider(s)101and include encrypted Content113and metadata parts. The End-User Player Application195uses the Symmetric Keys623from the License SC(s)660to decrypt the Content113, metadata, and watermarking instructions. The watermarking instructions are then affixed into the Content113and the Content113is scrambled and stored on the End-User Device(s)109.

The following table shows the parts that are included in a Metadata SC(s)620. Each box in the Parts column is a separate object included in the SC(s) along with the BOM (with the exception of part names that are surrounded by [ ] characters). The BOM contains a record for each part included in the SC(s). The Part Exists column indicates whether the part itself is actually included in the SC(s) and the Digest column indicates whether a message digest is computed for the part. Some parts may not be propagated when a SC(s) is included in other SC(s) (as determined by the associated template), although the entire original BOM is propagated. This is done because the entire BOM is required by the Clearinghouse(s)105to verify the digital signature in the original SC(s).

The Key Description Part columns of the following table define the records that are included in the Key Description part of the SC(s). Records in the Key Description part define information about the encryption keys and algorithms that were used to encrypt parts within the SC(s) or parts within another SC(s). Each record includes the encrypted part name and, if necessary, a URL that points to another SC(s) that includes the encrypted part. The Result Name column defines the name that is assigned to the part after it is decrypted. The Encrypt Alg column defines the encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the part. The Key Id/Enc Key column defines either an identification of the encryption key that was used to encrypt the part or a base64 encoding of the encrypted Symmetric Key623bit string that was used to encrypt the part. The Sym Key Alg column is an optional parameter that defines the encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the Symmetric Key623when the previous column is an encrypted Symmetric Key623. The Sym Key ID column is an identification of the encryption key that was used to encrypt the Symmetric Key623when the Key Id/Enc Key column is an encrypted Symmetric Key623.

The following describes the terms that are used in the above Metadata SC(s) table:[Content URL]—A parameter in a record in the Key Description part. This is a URL that points to the encrypted Content113in the Content SC(s)630that is associated with this Metadata SC(s)620. The Metadata SC(s)620itself does not contain the encrypted Content113.[Metadata URL]—A parameter in a record in the Key Description part. This is a URL that points to the encrypted metadata in the Content SC(s)630that is associated with this Metadata SC(s)620. The Metadata SC(s)620itself does not contain the encrypted metadata.Content ID—A part that defines a unique ID assigned to a Content113item. There is more than one Content ID included in this part if the Metadata SC(s)620references more than one Content113item.Metadata—Parts that contain information related to a Content113item such as the artist name and CD cover art in the case of a song. There may be multiple metadata parts, some of which may be encrypted. The internal structure of the metadata parts is dependent on the type of metadata contained therein.Usage Conditions—A part that contains information that describes usage options, rules, and restrictions to be imposed on an End-User(s) for use of the Content113.SC(s) Templates—Parts that define templates that describe the required and optional information for building the Offer, Order, and License SC(s)660.Watermarking Instructions—A part that contains the encrypted instructions and parameters for implementing watermarking in the Content113. The watermarking instructions may be modified by the Clearinghouse(s)105and returned back to the End-User Device(s)109within the License SC(s)660. There is a record in the Key Description part that defines the encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the watermarking instructions, the output part name to use when the watermarking instructions are decrypted, a base64 encoding of the encrypted Symmetric Key623bit string that is was used to encrypt the watermarking instructions, the encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the Symmetric Key623, and the identification of the public key that is required to decrypt the Symmetric Key623.Clearinghouse(s) Certificate(s)—A certificate from a certification authority or from the Clearinghouse(s)105that contains the signed Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105. There may be more than one certificate, in which case a hierarchical level structure is used with the highest level certificate containing the public key to open the next lowest level certificate is reached which contains the Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105.Certificate(s)—A certificate from a certification authority or from the Clearinghouse(s)105that contains the signed Public Key621of the entity that created the SC(s). There may be more than one certificate, in which case a hierarchical level structure is used with the highest level certificate containing the public key to open the next level certificate, and so on, until the lowest level certificate is reached which contains the public key of the SC(s) creator.SC Version—A version number assigned to the SC(s) by the SC Packer Tool.SC ID—A unique ID assigned to the SC(s) by the entity that created the SC(s).SC Type—Indicates the type of SC(s) (e.g. Metadata, Offer, Order, etc.)SC Publisher—Indicates the entity that created the SC(s).Creation Date—Date that the SC(s) was created.Expiration Date—Date the SC(s) expires and is no longer valid.Clearinghouse(s) URL—Address of the Clearinghouse(s)105that the End-User Player Application195should interact with to obtain the proper authorization to access the Content113.Digest Algorithm ID—An identifier of the algorithm used to compute the digests of the parts.Digital Signature Alg ID—An identifier of the algorithm used to encrypt the digest of the concatenated part digests. This encrypted value is the digital signature.Digital Signature—A digest of the concatenated part digests encrypted with the public key of the entity that created the SC(s).Output Part—The name to assign to the output part when an encrypted part is decrypted.RSA and RC4—Default encryption algorithms used to encrypt the Symmetric Keys623and data parts.Enc Sym Key—A base64 encoding of an encrypted key bitstring that, when decrypted, is used to decrypt a SC(s) part.CH Pub Key—An identifier that indicates that the Clearinghouse's105Public Key621was used to encrypt the data.
E. Offer Secure Container641Format

The following table shows the parts that are included in the Offer SC(s)641. The parts, with the exception of some of the metadata parts, and BOM from the Metadata SC(s)620are also included in the Offer SC(s)641.

The following describes the terms that are used in the above Offer SC(s)641that were not previously described for another SC(s):Metadata SC(s) BOM—The BOM from the original Metadata SC(s)620. The record in the Offer SC(s)641BOM includes the digest of the Metadata SC(s)620BOM.Additional and Overridden Fields—Usage conditions information that was overridden by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. This information is validated by the Clearinghouse(s)105, by means of the received SC(s) templates, to make sure that anything that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103overrides is within the scope of its authorization.Electronic Digital Content Store(s) Certificate—A certificate provided to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103by the Clearinghouse(s)105and signed by the Clearinghouse(s)105using its private key. This certificate is used by the End-User Player Application195to verify that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is a valid distributor of Content113. The End-User Player Application195and Clearinghouse(s)105can verify that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is an authorized distributor by decrypting the certificate's signature with the Clearinghouse's105Public Key621. The End-User Player Application195keeps a local copy of the Clearinghouse's105Public Key621that it receives as part of its initialization during installation.
F. Transaction Secure Container640Format

The following table shows the parts that are included in the Transaction SC(s)640as well as its BOM and Key Description parts.

The following describes the terms that are used in the above Transaction SC(s)640that were not previously described for another SC(s):Transaction ID535—An ID assigned by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to uniquely identify the transaction.End-User(s) ID—An identification of the End-User(s) obtained by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103at the time the End-User(s) makes the buying selection and provides the credit card information.End-User(s)' Public Key—The End-User(s)' Public Key661that is used by the Clearinghouse(s)105to re-encrypt the Symmetric Keys623. The End-User(s)' Public Key661is transmitted to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103during the purchase transaction.Offer SC(s)—Offer SC(s)641for the Content113items that were purchased.Selections of Content Use—An array of Usage Conditions for each Content113item being purchased by the End-User(s). There is an entry for each Offer SC(s)641.HTML to Display—One or more HTML pages that the End-User Player Application195displays in the Internet browser window upon receipt of the Transaction SC(s)640or during the interaction between the End-User Device(s)109and the Clearinghouse(s)105.

When the End-User Device(s)109receives a Transaction SC(s)640, the following steps may be performed to verify the integrity and authenticity of the SC(s):1. Verify the integrity of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103certificate using the Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105was stored at the End-User Device(s)109after it was received as part of the initialization of the End-User Player Application195during its installation process.2. Verify the Digital Signature643of the SC(s) using the public key from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103certificate.3. Verify the hashes of the SC(s) parts.4. Verify the integrity and authenticity of each Offer SC(s)641included in the Transaction SC(s)640.
G. Order Secure Container650Format

The following table shows the parts that are included in the Order SC(s)650as well as its BOM and Key Description parts. These parts either provide information to the Clearinghouse(s)105for decryption and verification purposes or is validated by the Clearinghouse(s)105. The parts and BOM from the Offer SC(s)641are also included in the Order SC(s)650. The Some string in the Part Exists column of the Metadata SC(s) BOM indicates that the some of those parts are not included in the Order SC(s)650. The BOM from the Metadata SC(s)620is also included without any change so that the Clearinghouse(s)105can validate the integrity of the Metadata SC(s)620and its parts.

The following describes the terms that are used in the above Order SC(s)650that were not previously described for another SC(s):Transaction SC(s) BOM—The BOM in the original Transaction SC(s)640. The record in the Order SC(s)650BOM includes the digest of the Transaction SC(s)640BOM.Encrypted Credit Card Info.—Optional encrypted information from the End-User(s) that is used to charge the purchase to a credit card or debit card. This information is required when the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103that created the Offer SC(s)641does not handle the customer billing, in which case the Clearinghouse(s)105may handle the billing.
H. License Secure Container660Format

The following table shows the parts that are included in the License SC(s)660as well as its BOM. As shown in the Key Description part, the Symmetric Keys623that are required for decrypting the watermarking instructions, Content113, and Content113metadata have been re-encrypted by the Clearinghouse(s)105using the End-User(s)' Public Key661. When the End-User Device(s)109receives the License SC(s)660it decrypts the Symmetric Keys623and use them to access the encrypted parts from the License SC(s)660and the Content SC(s)630.

The following describes the terms that are used in the above License SC(s)660that were not previously described for another SC(s):EU Pub Key—An identifier that indicates that the End-User(s)' Public Key661was used to encrypt the data.Order SC(s)650ID—The SC(s) ID taken from the Order SC(s)650BOM.Certificate Revocation List—An optional list of certificate IDs which were previously issued and signed by the Clearinghouse(s)105, but are no longer considered to be valid. Any SC(s) that have a signature which can be verified by a certificate that is included in the revocation list are invalid SC(s). The End-User Player Application195stores a copy of the Clearinghouse's105certificate revocation list on the End-User Device(s)109. Whenever a revocation list is received, the End-User Player Application195replaces its local copy if the new one is more up to date. Revocation lists includes a version number or a time stamp (or both) in order to determine which list is the most recent.
I. Content Secure Container Format

The following table shows the parts that are included in the Content SC(s)630as well as the BOM:

The following describes the terms used in the above Content SC(s)630that were not previously described for another SC(s):Encrypted Content—Content113that was encrypted by a Content Provider(s)101using a Symmetric Key623.Encrypted Metadata—Metadata associated with the Content113that was encrypted by a Content Provider(s)101using a Symmetric Key623.

There is no Key Description part included in the Content SC(s)630since the keys required to decrypt the encrypted parts are in the License SC(s)660that is built at the Clearinghouse(s)105.

VI. Secure Container Packing and Unpacking

The SC(s) Packer is a 32-bit Windows' program with an API (Application Programming Interface) that can be called in either a multiple or single step process to create a SC(s) with all of the specified parts. The SC(s) Packer151,152,153variety of hardware platforms supporting Windows' program at the Content Provider(s)101, Clearinghouse(s)105, Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and other sites requiring SC(s) Packing. A BOM and, if necessary, a Key Description part are created and included in the SC(s). A set of packer APIs allows the caller to specify the information required to generate the records in the BOM and Key Description parts and to include parts in the SC(s). Encryption of parts and Symmetric Keys623as well as computing the digests and the digital signature is also be performed by the packer. Encryption and digest algorithms that are supported by the packer are included in the packer code or they are called through an external interface.

The interface to the packer for building a SC(s) is done by an API that accepts the following parameters as input:A pointer to a buffer of concatenated structures. Each structure in the buffer is a command to the packer with the information that is required to execute the command. Packer commands include adding a part to the SC(s) with an associated BOM record, adding a record to the BOM, and adding records to the Key Description part.A value indicating the number of concatenated structures contained in the above described buffer.Name and location of the BOM part.A value with each bit being a defined flag or a reserved flag for future use. The following flags are currently defined:Indication as to whether all of the parts of the SC(s) should be bundled together into a single file after all of the structures in the buffer have been processed. Bundling the parts into a single object is the last step that is performed when building a SC(s).Indication as to whether the digital signature is omitted from the BOM part. If this flag is not set, then the digital signature is computed right before the SC(s) is bundled into a single object.

In an alternate embodiment, the interface to the packer for building a SC(s) is done by APIs that accept the following parameters as input:First, an API is called to create a Bill of Materials (BOM) part by passing in pointer to a structure that consists of information that is used to initialize SC(s) settings that are denoted as IP records in the SC(s) BOM part, the name to use for the BOM part, a default location to look for parts that will be added, and a flags value. This API returns a SC(s) handle that is used in subsequent Packer APIs.The Packer has an API that is used whenever a part is added to a SC(s). This API accepts a SC(s) handle, which was previously returned by a previous Packer API, a pointer to a structure that consists of information about the part that is being added, and a flags value. Information about the part being added includes the name and location of the part, the name to use in the BOM for the part, the type of part that is being added, a hash value for the part, flags, etc.After all of the parts have been added to the SC(s) a Packer API is called to pack all of the parts, including the BOM part, into a single SC(s) object, which is typically a file. This API accepts a SC(s) handle, which was previously returned by a previous Packer API, the name to use for the packed SC(s), a pointer to a structure with information for signing the SC(s), and a flags value.

Either the packer or the entity calling the packer can use a SC(s) template to build a SC(s). SC(s) templates have information that define parts and records that are required in the SC(s) that is being built. Templates can also define encryption methods and key references to use for encrypting Symmetric Keys623and encrypted parts.

The packer has an API that is used to unpack a SC(s). Unpacking a SC(s) is the process of taking a SC(s) and separating it into its individual parts. The packer can then be called to decrypt any of the encrypted parts that were unpacked from the SC(s).

B. Bill of Materials (BOM) Part

The BOM part is created by the packer when a SC(s) is being built. The BOM is a text file that contains records of information about the SC(s) and about the parts that are included in the SC(s). Each record in the BOM is on a single line with a new line indicating the start of a new record. The BOM usually includes digests for each part and a digital signature that can be used to validate the authenticity and integrity of the SC(s).

The record types within a BOM are as follows:

IP An IP record contains a set of Name=Value pairs pertaining to the SC(s). The following Names are reserved for specific properties of SC(s):

V major.minor.fixThe V property specifies the version of the SC(s). This is the version number of the SC(s) specification that the SC(s) was created under. The string that follows should be of the form major.minor.fix, where major, minor, and fix are the major release number, minor release number, and fix level, respectively.

ID valueThe ID property is a unique value that is assigned to this specific SC(s) by the entity that is creating this SC(s). The format of the value is defined in a later version of this document.

T valueThe T property specifies the type of the SC(s), which should be one of:ORD—An Order SC(s)650.OFF—An Offer SC(s)641.LIC—A License SC(s).TRA—A Transaction SC(s)640.MET—A Metadata SC(s)620.CON—A Content SC(s)630.

A valueThe A property identifies the author or publisher of the SC(s). Author/publisher identities should be unambiguous and/or registered with the Clearinghouse(s)105.

D valueThe D property identifies the date, and optionally, the time that the SC(s) was created. The value should be of the form yyyy/mm/dd[@hh:mm[:ss[.fsec]][(TZ)]] representing year/month/day@hour:minute:second.decimal-fraction-of-second (time-zone). Optional parts of the value are enclosed in [ ] characters.

E valueThe E property identifies the date, and optionally, the time that the SC(s) expires. The value should be the same form used in the D property that was previously defined. The expiration date/time should be compared, whenever possible, with the date/time at the Clearinghouse(s)105.

CCURL valueThe CCURL property identifies the URL of the Clearinghouse(s)105. The value should be of the form of a valid external URL.

H valueThe H property identifies the algorithm that was used to calculate the message digests for the parts included in the SC(s). An example digest algorithm is MD5.D A D record is a data or part entry record that contains information that identifies the type of part, the name of the part, the (optional) digest of the part, and an (optional) indication that the part is not included in the SC(s). A—sign immediately after the type identifier is used to indicate that the part is not included in the SC(s). The following are reserved types of data or part records:

K part_name [digest]Specifies the Key Description part.

W part_name [digest]Specifies the watermarking instructions part.

C part_name [digest]Specifies the certificate(s) used to validate the digital signature.

T part_name [digest]Specifies the Usage Conditions part.

YF part_name [digest]Specifies the Template part for the Offer SC(s)641.

YO part_name [digest]Specifies the Template part for the Order SC(s)650.

YL part_name [digest]Specifies the Template part for the License SC(s)660.

ID part_name [digest]Specifies the ID(s) of the Content113of the item(s) of Content113being referenced.

SP part_name [digest]Specifies the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103certificate part.

B part_name [digest]Specifies a BOM part for another SC(s) that has its parts or a subset of its parts included in this SC(s).

BP part_name sc_part_name [digest]Specifies a BOM part for another SC(s) that is included as a single part in this SC(s). The sc_part_name parameter is the name of the SC(s) part that is included in this SC(s) and that this BOM part defines. A BOM that is identical to this one is also included in the SC(s) that is defined by the sc_part_name parameter.

D part_name [digest]Specifies a data (or metadata) part.S An S record is a signature record the is used to define the digital signature of the SC(s). The digital signature is specified as follows:

S key_identifier signature_string signature algorithmThe S record contains the key_identifier to indicate the encryption key of the signature, the signature_string, which is the base64 encoding of the digital signature bitstring, and the signature algorithm that was used to encrypt the digest to create the digital signature.
C. Key Description Part

The Key Description part is created by the packer to provide information about encryption keys that are needed for decryption of SC(s) encrypted parts. The encrypted parts may be included in the SC(s) being built or may be in other SC(s) which are referred to by the SC(s) being built. The Key Description part is a text file that contains records of information about the encryption keys and the parts for which the encryption keys are used. Each record in the Key Description part is on a single line with a new line indicating the start of a new record.

The following record type is used within a Key Description part and is defined as follows:K encrypted_part_name; result_part_name; part_encryption_algorithm_identifier;

key_encryption_algorithm and encrypted_symmetric_key.A K record specifies an encrypted part that may be included in this SC(s) or may be included in another SC(s) that is referred to by this record. The encrypted_part_name is either the name of a part in this SC(s) or a URL pointing to the name of the encrypted part in another SC(s). The result_part_name is the name that is given to the decrypted part. The part_encryption_algorithm_identifier indicates the encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the part. The public_key_identifier is an identifier of the key that was used to encrypt the Symmetric Key623.The key_encryption_algorithm_identifier indicates the encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the Symmetric Key623. The encrypted symmetric key is a base64 encoding of the encrypted Symmetric Key623bit string that was used to encrypt the part.
VII. Clearinghouse(s)105
A. Overview

The Clearinghouse(s)105is responsible for the rights management functions of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. Clearinghouse(s)105functions include enablement of Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, verification of rights to Content113, integrity and authenticity validation of the buying transaction and related information, distribution of Content encryption keys or Symmetric Keys623to End-User Device(s)109, tracking the distribution of those keys, and reporting of transaction summaries to Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and Content Provider(s)101. Content encryption keys are used by End-User Device(s)109to unlock Content113for which they have obtained rights, typically by a purchase transaction from an authorized Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. Before a Content encryption key is sent to an End-User Device(s)109, the Clearinghouse(s)105goes through a verification process to validate the authenticity of the entity that is selling the Content113and the rights that the End-User Device(s)109has to the Content113. This is called the SC Analysis Tool185. In some configurations the Clearinghouse(s)105may also handle the financial settlement of Content113purchases by co-locating a system at the Clearinghouse(s)105that performs the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103functions of credit card authorization and billing. The Clearinghouse(s)105uses OEM packages such as ICVerify and Taxware to handle the credit card processing and local sales taxes.

Electronic Digital Content Store(s) Embodiment

An Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103that wants to participate as a seller of Content113in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100makes a request to one or more of the Digital Content Provider(s)101that provide Content113to the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. There is no definitive process for making the request so long as the two parties come to an agreement. After the digital content label such as a Music Label e.g. Sony, Time-Warner, etc. decides to allow the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to sell its Content113, the Clearinghouse(s)105is contacted, usually via E-mail, with a request that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103be added to the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. The digital content label provides the name of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and any other information that may be required for the Clearinghouse(s)105to create a digital certificate for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. The digital certificate is sent to the digital content label in a secure fashion, and then forwarded by the digital content label to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. The Clearinghouse(s)105maintains a database of digital certificates that it has assigned. Each certificate includes a version number, a unique serial number, the signing algorithm, the name of the issuer (e.g., the name of Clearinghouse(s)105), a range of dates for which the certificate is considered to be valid, the name Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, the public key of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, and a hash code of all of the other information signed using the private key of the Clearinghouse(s)105. Entities that have the Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105can validate the certificate and then be assured that a SC(s) with a signature that can be validated using the public key from the certificate is a valid SC(s).

After the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has received its digital certificate that was created by the Clearinghouse(s)105and the necessary tools for processing the SC(s) from the digital content label, it can begin offering Content113that can be purchased by End-User(s). The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103includes its certificate and the Transaction SC(s)640and signs the SC(s) using its Digital Signature643. The End-User Device(s)109verifies that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is a valid distributor of Content113on the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100by first checking the digital certificate revocation list and then using the Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105to verify the information in the digital certificate for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. A digital certificate revocation list is maintained by the Clearinghouse(s)105. The revocation list may be included as one of the parts in a License SC(s)660that is created by the Clearinghouse(s)105. End-User Device(s)109keep a copy of the revocation list on the End-User Device(s)109so they can use it as part of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103digital certificate validation. Whenever the End-User Device(s)109receives a License SC(s)660it determines whether a new revocation list is included and if so, the local revocation list on the End-User Device(s)109is updated.

B. Rights Management Processing

Order SC(s) Analysis

The Clearinghouse(s)105receives an Order SC(s)650from an End-User(s) after the End-User(s) has received the Transaction SC(s)640, which include the Offer SC(s)641, from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. The Order SC(s)650consists of parts that contain information relative to the Content113and its use, information about the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103that is selling the Content113, and information about the End-User(s) that is purchasing the Content113. Before the Clearinghouse(s)105begins processing the information in the Order SC(s)650, it first performs some processing to insure that the SC(s) is in fact valid and the data it contains has not been corrupted in any way.

Validation

The Clearinghouse(s)105begins the validation of Order SC(s)650by verifying the digital signatures, then the Clearinghouse(s)105verifies the integrity of the Order SC(s)650parts. To validate the digital signatures, first the Clearinghouse(s)105decrypts the Contents631of the signature itself using the Public Key661of the signing entity included if signed. (The signing entity could be the Content Provider(s)101, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, the End User Device(s)109or any combination of them.) Then, the Clearinghouse(s)105calculates the digest of the concatenated part digests of the SC(s) and compares it with the digital signature's decrypted Content113. If the two values match, the digital signature is valid. To verify the integrity of each part, the Clearinghouse(s)105computes the digest of the part and compares it to the digest value in the BOM. The Clearinghouse(s)105follows the same process to verify the digital signatures and part integrity for the Metadata and Offer SC(s)641parts included within the Order SC(s)650.

The process of verification of the Transaction and Offer SC(s)641digital signatures also indirectly verifies that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is authorized by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. This is based on the fact that the Clearinghouse(s)105is the issuer of the certificates. Alternately, the Clearinghouse(s)105would be able to successfully verify the digital signatures of the Transaction SC(s)640and Offer SC(s)641using the public key from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, but only if the entity signing the SC(s) has ownership of the associated private key. Only the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has ownership of the private key. Notice that the Clearinghouse(s)105does not need to have a local database of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. Since the store uses the Clearinghouse Public Key to sign the Transaction SC(s)640Offer SC(s)641public keys.

Then, the Store Usage Conditions519of the Content113which the End-User(s) is purchasing are validated by the Clearinghouse(s)105to insure that they fall within the restrictions that were set in the Metadata SC(s)620. Recall that the Metadata SC(s)620is included within the Order SC(s)650.

Key Processing

Processing of the encrypted Symmetric Keys623and of the watermarking instructions are done by the Clearinghouse(s)105after authenticity and the integrity check of the Order SC(s)650, the validation of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, and the validation of the Store Usage Conditions519have been completed successfully. The Metadata SC(s)620portion of the Order SC(s)650typically has several Symmetric Keys623located in the Key Description part that were encrypted using the Public Key621of the Clearinghouse(s)105. Encryption of the Symmetric Keys623are done by the Content Provider(s)101when the Metadata SC(s)620was created.

One Symmetric Key623are used for decrypting the watermarking instructions and the others for decrypting the Content113and any encrypted metadata. Since Content113can represent a single song or an entire collect of songs on a CD, a different Symmetric Key623may be used for each song. The watermarking instructions are included within the Metadata SC(s)620portion in the Order SC(s)650. The Content113and encrypted metadata are in the Content SC(s)630at a Content Hosting Site(s)111. The URL and part names of the encrypted Content113and metadata parts, within the Content SC(s)630, are included in the Key Description part of the Metadata SC(s)620portion of the Order SC(s)650. The Clearinghouse(s)105uses its private key to decrypt the Symmetric Keys623and then encrypts each of them using the Public Key661of the End-User Device(s)109. The Public Key661of the End-User Device(s)109is retrieved from the Order SC(s)650. The new encrypted Symmetric Keys623are included in the Key Description part of the License SC(s)660that the Clearinghouse(s)105returns to the End-User Device(s)109.

During the time of processing the Symmetric Keys623, the Clearinghouse(s)105may want to make modifications to the watermarking instructions. If this is the case, then after the Clearinghouse(s)105decrypts the Symmetric Keys623, the watermarking instructions are modified and re-encrypted. The new watermarking instructions are included as one of the parts within the License SC(s)660that gets returned to the End-User Device(s)109.

If all of the processing of the Order SC(s)650is successful, then the Clearinghouse(s)105returns a License SC(s)660to the End-User Device(s)109. The End-User Device(s)109uses the License SC(s)660information to download the Content SC(s)630and access the encrypted Content113and metadata. The watermarking instructions are also executed by the End-User Device(s)109.

If the Clearinghouse(s)105is not able to successfully process the Order SC(s)650, then an HTML page is returned to the End-User Device(s)109and displayed in an Internet browser window. The HTML page indicates the reason that the Clearinghouse(s)105was unable to process the transaction.

In an alternate embodiment, if the user has purchased a copy of the Content113prior to the release date set for the sale, the License(s) SC660is returned without the Symmetric Keys623. The License(s) SC660is returned to the Clearinghouse(s)105on or after the release date to receive the Symmetric Keys623. As an example, the Content Provider(s)101allow users to download a new song prior to the release date for the song to enable customers to download the song and be prepared to play the song before a date set by the Content Provider(s)101. This allows immediate opening of the Content113on the release date without having to content for bandwidth and download time on the release date.

C. Country Specific Parameters

Optionally, the Clearinghouse(s)105uses the domain name of the End-User Device(s)109and, whenever possible, the credit card billing address to determine the country location of the End-User(s). If there are any restrictions for the sale of Content113in the country where the End-User(s) resides, then the Clearinghouse(s)105insures that the transaction being processed is not violating any of those restrictions before transmitting License SC(s)660to the End-User Device(s)109. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is also expected to participate in managing the distribution of Content113to various countries by performing the same checks as the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Clearinghouse(s)105does whatever checking that it can in case the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is ignoring the country specific rules set by the Content Provider(s)101.

D. Audit Logs and Tracking

The Clearinghouse(s)105maintains a Audit Logs150of information for each operation that is performed during Content113purchase transactions and report request transactions. The information can be used for a variety of purposes such as audits of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, generation of reports, and data mining.

The Clearinghouse(s)105also maintains account balances in Billing Subsystem182for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. Pricing structures for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is provided to the Clearinghouse(s)105by the digital content labels. This information can include things like current specials, volume discounts, and account deficit limits that need to be imposed on the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. The Clearinghouse(s)105uses the pricing information to track the balances of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and insure that they do not exceed their deficit limits set by the Content Provider(s)101.

The following operations are typically logged by the Clearinghouse(s)105:End-User Device(s)109requests for License SC(s)660Credit card authorization number when the Clearinghouse(s)105handles the billingDispersement of License SC(s)660to End-User Device(s)109Requests for reportsNotification from the End-User(s) that the Content SC(s)630and License SC(s)660were received and validated

The following information is typically logged by the Clearinghouse(s)105for a License SC(s)660:Date and time of the requestDate and time of the purchase transactionContent ID of the item being purchasedIdentification of the Content Provider(s)101Store Usage Conditions519Watermarking instruction modificationsTransaction ID535that was added by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Identification of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Identification of the End-User Device(s)109End-User(s) credit card information (if the Clearinghouse(s)105is handling the billing)

The following information is typically logged by the Clearinghouse(s)105for an End-User's credit card validation:Date and time of the requestAmount charged to the credit cardContent ID of the item being purchasedTransaction ID535that was added by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Identification of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Identification of the End-User(s)End-User(s) credit card informationAuthorization number received from the clearer of the credit card

The following information is typically logged by the Clearinghouse(s)105when a License SC(s)660is sent to an End-User Device(s)109:Date and time of the requestContent ID of the item being purchasedIdentification of Content Provider(s)101Usage Conditions517Transaction ID535that was added by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Identification of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Identification of the End-User(s)

The following information is typically logged when a report request is made:Date and time of the requestDate and time the report was sent outType of report being requestedParameters used to generate the reportIdentifier of the entity requesting the report
E. Reporting of Results

Reports are generated by the Clearinghouse(s)105using the information that the Clearinghouse(s)105logged during End-User(s) purchase transactions. Content Provider(s)101and Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can request transaction reports from the Clearinghouse(s)105via a Payment Verification Interface183so they can reconcile their own transaction databases with the information logged by the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Clearinghouse(s)105can also provide periodic reports to the Content Provider(s)101and Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

The Clearinghouse(s)105defines a secure electronic interface which allows Content Provider(s)101and Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to request and receive reports. The Report Request SC(s) includes a certificate that was assigned by the Clearinghouse(s)105to the entity initiating the request. The Clearinghouse(s)105uses the certificate and the SC's digital signature to verify that the request originated from an authorized entity. The request also includes parameters, such as time duration, that define the scope of the report. The Clearinghouse(s)105validates the request parameters to insure that requesters can only receive information for which they are permitted to have.

If the Clearinghouse(s)105determines that the Report Request SC(s) is authentic and valid, then the Clearinghouse(s)105generates a report and pack it into a Report SC(s) to be sent to the entity that initiated the request. Some reports may be automatically generated at defined time intervals and stored at the Clearinghouse(s)105so they can be immediately sent when a request is received. The format of the data included in the report is defined in a later version of this document.

F. Billing and Payment Verification

Billing of Content113can be handled either by the Clearinghouse(s)105or by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. In the case where the Clearinghouse(s)105handles the billing of the electronic Content113, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103separates the End-User(s)' order into electronic goods and, if applicable, physical goods. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103then, notifies the Clearinghouse(s)105of the transaction, including the End-User(s)' billing information, and the total amount that needs to be authorized. The Clearinghouse(s)105authorizes the End-User(s)' credit card and returns a notification back to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. At the same time the Clearinghouse(s)105is authorizing the End-User(s)' credit card, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can charge the End-User(s)' credit card for any physical goods that are being purchased. After each electronic item is downloaded by the End-User Device(s)109, the Clearinghouse(s)105is notified so the End-User(s)' credit card can be charged. This occurs as the last step by the End-User Device(s)109before the Content113is enabled for use at the End-User Device(s)109.

In the case where the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103handles the billing of the electronic Content113, the Clearinghouse(s)105is not notified about the transaction until the End-User Device(s)109sends the Order SC(s)650to the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Clearinghouse(s)105is still notified by the End-User Device(s)109after each electronic item is downloaded. When the Clearinghouse(s)105is notified it sends a notification to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103so that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can charge the End-User(s)' credit card.

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100provides the ability to handle retransmissions of Content113. This is typically performed by a Customer Service Interface184. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103provides a user interface that the End-User(s) can step through in order to initiate a retransmission. The End-User(s) goes to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103site where the Content113item was purchased in order to request a retransmission of the Content113.

Retransmissions of Content113are done when an End-User(s) requests a new copy of a previously purchased Content113item because the Content113could not be downloaded or the Content113that was downloaded is not usable. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103determines whether the End-User(s) is entitled to do a retransmission of the Content113. If the End-User(s) is entitled to a retransmission, then the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103builds a Transaction SC(s)640that includes the Offer SC(s)641of the Content113item(s) being retransmitted. The Transaction SC(s)640is sent to the End-User Device(s)109and the identical steps as for a purchase transaction are performed by the End-User(s). If the End-User Device(s)109has a scrambled key(s) in the key library for the Content113item(s) undergoing retransmission, then the Transaction SC(s)640includes information that instructs the End-User Device(s)109to delete the scrambled key(s).

In the case where the Clearinghouse(s)105handles the financial settlement of Content113purchases, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103includes a flag in the Transaction SC(s)640that is carried forward to the Clearinghouse(s)105in the Order SC(s)650. The Clearinghouse(s)105interprets the flag in the Order SC(s)650and proceed with the transaction without charging the End-User(s) for the purchase of the Content113.

VIII. Content Provider

The Content Provider(s)101in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100is the digital content label or the entity who owns the rights to the Content113. The role of the Content Provider(s)101is to prepare the Content113for distribution and make information about the Content113available to Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103or retailers of the downloadable electronic versions of the Content113. To provide the utmost security and rights control to the Content Provider(s)101, a series of tools are provided to enable the Content Provider(s)101to prepare and securely package their Content113into SC(s) at their premises so that the Content113is secure when it leaves the Content Provider(s)'101domain and never exposed or accessible by unauthorized parties. This allows Content113to be freely distributed throughout a non-secure network, such as the Internet, without fear of exposure to hackers or unauthorized parties.

The end goal of the tools for the Content Provider(s)101is to prepare and package a Content113such as a song or series of songs into Content SC(s)630and to package information describing the song, approved uses of the song (content Usage Conditions517), and promotional information for the song into a Metadata SC(s)620. To accomplish this, the following set of tools are provided:Work Flow Manager154—Schedules processing activities and manages the required synchronization of processes.Content Processing Tools155—A collection of tools to control Content113file preparation including Watermarking, Preprocessing (for an audio example any required equalization, dynamics adjustment, or re-sampling) encoding and compression.Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161—A collection of tools used to gather Content113description information from the Database160of the Content Provider(s) and/or third party database or data import files and/or via operator interaction and provides means for specifying content Usage Conditions517. Also provided is an interface for capturing or extracting content such as digital audio content for CDS or DDP files. A Quality Control Tool enables to preview of prepared content and metadata. Any corrections needed to the metadata or resubmission of the content for further processing can be conducted.SC(s) Packer Tool152—Encrypts and packages all Content113and information and calls the SC(s) Packer to pack into SC(s).Content Dispersement Tool (not shown)—Disperses SC(s) to designated distribution centers, such as Content Hosting Site(s)111and Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.Content Promotions Web Site156—stores Metadata SC(s)620and optionally additional promotional material for download by authorized Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.
B. Work Flow Manager154

The purpose of this tool is to schedule, track, and manage Content113processing activities. This application enables multi-user access as well as allowing scheduling of Content113and status checking from remote locations within the Intranet or extranet of the Content Provider(s)101. This design also allows for collaborative processing where multiple individuals can be working on multiple pieces of Content113in parallel and different individuals can be assigned specific responsibilities and these individuals can be spread throughout the world.

Turning now toFIG. 8is a block diagram of the major processes of the Work Flow Manager154corresponding toFIG. 7. The major processes inFIG. 8summarizes the Content113processing functions provided by the tools described in this section. The Work Flow Manager154is responsible for feeding jobs to these processes and directing jobs to the next required process upon completion of its current process. This is accomplished through a series of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) which each processing tool calls to:retrieve the next job to processindicate successful completion of a processindicate unsuccessful completion of a process and reason for the failureprovide interim status of a process (to allow initiation of processes that require only partial completion of a dependent process)add comments to a product which are made available to the designated processes

The Work Flow Manager154also has a user interface, an example Work Flow Manager User Interface700is illustrated inFIG. 7which provides the following functions:a configuration panel to allow specification of default values and conditions to be assigned and performed during various stages of processingcustomization of the work flow rules and automated processing flowsjob schedulingstatus queries and reportsadd comments or instructions for a job associated to one or more processesjob management (i.e. suspend, release, remove, change priority (order of processing))

Each process has a queue associated with it managed by the Work Flow Manager154. All processes requesting jobs from the Work Flow Manager154results in the Work Flow Manager154either suspending the process (tool) in a wait state if there are no jobs currently in its associated queue or returning to the process all information about the job needed to perform its respective process. If a process is suspended in a wait state, it resumes processing when a job is placed on its queue by the Work Flow Manager154.

The Work Flow Manager154also manages the flow or order of processing based on a set of defined rules. These rules can be customized by the Content Provider(s)101if it has special processing requirements or configures specific defaults rules. When a process reports completion of its assigned task, it notifies the Work Flow Manager154of this status and the Work Flow Manager154decides what queue the job gets placed on next based on the defined rules.

Comments indicating special handling instructions or notices may also be attached to the product at any of the processing steps via either the programming API or manually through the Work Flow Manager User Interface700or processor interfaces.

The processes in the Work Flow Manager154are implemented in Java in the preferred embodiment but other programming languages such as C/C++, Assembler and equivalent can be used. It should be understood that the processes described below for the Work Flow Manager154can run on a variety of hardware and software platforms. The Work Flow Manager154as a complete system or as any of it's constitute processes may be distributed as an application program in a computer readable medium including but not limited to electronic distribution such as the web or on floppy diskettes, CD ROMS and removable hard disk drives.

Turning now toFIG. 8is a block diagram of the major processes of the Work Flow Manager154corresponding toFIG. 7. The following sections summarize each process and describes the information or action required by each process.

Jobs are placed on specific processes queues once all information required by that process is available and the job has already successfully completed all dependent processing. A special queue exists in the Work Flow Manager154which is used to hold jobs that are not currently available for processing due to missing information or a failure that prevent further processing. These jobs are placed in the Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801queue. Each job in this queue has associated status to indicate the action or information it is waiting on, the last process that worked on this job, and the next process(es) this job is queued to once the missing or additional information is provided or the required action is successfully completed.

Completion of any process causes the Work Flow Manager154to check this queue and determine if any job in this queue was awaiting the completion of this process (action) or information provided by this process. If so, that job is queued to the appropriate process queue.

2. New Content Request Process802

The Content Provider(s)101determines those products (for example, a product may be a song or a collection of songs) it wishes to sell and deliver electronically. The initial function of the Work Flow Manager154is to enable an operator to identify these products and to place them on the queue of the New Content Request Process802. The Content Provider(s)101may specify through configuration options, what information is prompted for on the product selection interface. Enough information is entered to uniquely identify the product. Optionally, additional fields may be included to request manual entry of the information required to initiate the audio processing phase in parallel with the metadata acquisition. If not provided manually, this information can optionally be retrieved from default configuration settings or from the Database160of the Content Provider(s), obtained in the first stage of Metadata Processing as in Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803. The makeup and capabilities of the Content113in the Database160of the Content Provider(s) determines the Content selection process.

If the required information needed to perform a query to the Database160of the Content Provider(s)101is specified, the job is processed by the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803. In a music embodiment, to properly schedule the product for audio processing, the product's genre and the desired compression levels are specified as well as the audio PCM or WAV filename(s). This information may be entered as part of the product selection process or selected via a customized query interface or Web browser function. Specification of this information enables the product to be scheduled for content processing.

The product selection user interface provides an option enabling the operator to specify whether the product can be released for processing or whether it are held pending further information entry. If held, the job is added to the queue of the New Content Request Process802awaiting further action to complete data entry and/or release the product for processing. Once the product is released, the Work Flow Manager154evaluates the information specified and determines which processes the job is ready to be passed to.

If adequate information is provided to enable an automated query to the Database160of the Content Provider(s)'101, the job is queued for Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803. If the database mapping table has not been configured for the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803, the job is queued for Manual Metadata Entry Process804(see Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803section for details on the Database Mapping Table).

If the required general information for audio processing and the specific information required for watermarking is specified, the job is queued for Watermarking Process808(the first phase of content processing). If any of the required information is missing when the job is released, the job is queued to the queue of the Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801along with status indicating the information that is missing.

If the status indicates that the filename of the Content113, for example where the Content113is audio and the PCM or WAV file is missing, this may indicate that a capture (or digital extraction from digital media) is required. The audio processing functions require that the song files be accessible via a standard file system interface. If the songs are located on external media or a file system that is not directly accessible to the audio processing tools, the files are first be copied to an accessible file system. If the songs are in digital format but on CD or Digital Tape, they are extracted to a file system accessible to the audio processing tools. Once the files are accessible, the Work Flow Manager User Interface700is used to specify or select the path and filename for the job so that it can be released to the watermarking process, assuming all other information required for watermarking has also been specified.

The Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803performs a series of queries to the Database160of the Content Provider(s)101or a staging database where data has been imported, in an attempt to obtain as much of the product information as possible in an automated fashion. The Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803requires the following information prior to allowing items to be placed on its queue:database mapping table with adequate information to generate queries to the Database160of the Content Provider(s)101product information required to perform queriesadequate product information to uniquely define product

An automated query is performed to the Database160of the Content Provider(s)101to obtain the information necessary to process this Content113. For example, if the Content113is music, the information needed to perform this query could be the album name or may be a UPC or a specific album or selection ID as defined by the Content Provider(s)101. Of the information to be obtained, some is designated as required (see the section on Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803for details). If all required information is obtained, the job is next queued for Usage Conditions Process805. If any required information is missing, the song is queued for Manual Metadata Entry Process804. If any jobs in the Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801queue are waiting for any of the information obtained in this step, the jobs status is updated to indicate that it is no longer waiting for this information. If that job no longer has any outstanding requirements, it is queued to the next defined queue.

The Manual Metadata Entry Process804provides a means for an operator to enter missing information. It has no dependencies. Once all required information is specified, the job is queued for Usage Conditions Process805.

The Usage Conditions Process805allows specification of product uses and restrictions. The Usage Conditions Process805may require some metadata. Upon completion of Usage Conditions specifications, the job is eligible to be queued for Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807unless the Supervised Release Process806option has been requested or is configured as the default in the Work Flow Manager154rules. In that case, the job is queued for Supervised Release Process806. Before queuing to Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807, the Work Flow Manager154will first assure that all dependencies for that process have been met (see below). If not, the job is queued to the Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801.

The Supervised Release Process806allows a quality check and validation of information specified for the digital content product. It does not have any dependencies. Comments previously attached to the job at any stage of the processing for this product can be reviewed by the Supervisor and appropriate action taken. After reviewing all information and comments, the Supervisor has the following options:approve release and queue the product for Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807modify and/or add information and queue the product for Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807add comments to the job and re-queue for Manual Metadata Entry Process804add comments and queue the job to the queue for Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801
7. Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807

The Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807gathers together all the information collected above as well as other information required for the Metadata SC(s)620and calls the SC(s) Packer Process to create the Metadata SC(s)620. This tool requires the following as input:the required metadatathe usage conditionsthe encryption keys used in the encryption stage of all quality levels for this product

This last dependency requires that the associated audio objects completed the audio processing phase before the Metadata SC(s)620can be created. Upon completion of the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807, the job is queued to either the queue for Final Quality Assurance Process813or Content Dispersement Process814based on defined work flow rules.

The Watermarking Process808adds copyright and other information to the Content113. For an embodiment where the Content113is a song, this tool requires the following as input:song filename(s) (multiple filenames if album)watermarking instructionswatermarking parameters (information to be included in the watermark)

Upon completion of the Watermarking Process808, the job is queued for Preprocessing and Compression Process809if its required input is available or otherwise queued to the Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801.

The Preprocessing and Compression Process809encodes the Content113to the specified compression level performing any required preprocessing first. Queuing a job to this queue actually create multiple queue entries. A job is created for each compression level of the product desired. The encoding processes can be performed in parallel on multiple systems. This tool requires the following input:watermarked content filename(s) (multiple filenames if Content113is an album)quality levels for product (could be preconfigured)compression algorithm (could be preconfigured)product genre (if required by preprocessor)

Upon completion of the encoding process, the jobs are queued to the Content Quality Control Process810if configured by the work flow rules. If not, the jobs are queued for Encryption Process811.

If third party providers of encoding tools do not provide a method to display the percentage of the Content113, such as audio, that has been processed or a method to indicate the amount of Content113that has been encoded as a percentage of the entire selection of Content113selected, inFIG. 11there is shown a flow diagram1100of a method to determine the encoding rate of Digital Content for the Content Preprocessing and Compression tool ofFIG. 8. The method begins with the selection of the desired encoding algorithm and a bit rate, step1101. Next, a query is made to determine if this algorithm and encoding rate has a previously calculated rate factor, step1102. The rate factor is the factor used to determine the rate of compression for a specific encoding algorithm and a specific bit rate. If no previously calculated rate factor is stored, a sample of the Content113is encoded for a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined period of time in the preferred embodiment is a few seconds. This rate of encoding for a predetermined period of time is used to calculate a new rate factor RNEW. Calculating a new rate factor RNEWknowing the amount of time and the amount of Content113encoded is RNEW=(length of Digital Content encoded)/(amount of time), step1108. The Content113is encoded and the encoding status is displayed using the previously calculate rate factor RNEW, step1109. This encoding rate factor RNEWis then stored, step1107, for future use for this encoding algorithm and encoding bit rate. If the selected algorithm has a previously calculated rate factor RSTORED, step1103. The Content113is encoded and the progression displayed using the previously calculated rate factor RSTORED, step1104. In the meantime, a current rate factor, Rcurrentis calculated for this selected algorithm and bit rate, step1105. This current rate factor Rcurrentis used to update the stored rate factor RNEW=AVERAGE OF (RSTORED+RCURRENT), step1106. The iterative update of the rate factor enables the determination of the encoding rate to become more and more accurate with each subsequent use for a particular encoding algorithm and bit rate. The new rate RNEWis then stored for future use, step1107. The updating of RSTOREDmay not be made if the current rate factor Rcurrentis out range for the previously stored rate factor RSTOREDby a given range or threshold.

The display of the encoding status can then be presented. The encoding status includes along with the current encoding rate, the display of the percentage of the total Content113displayed as a progression bar based on the encoding rate and the total length of the file for the Content113. The encoding status can also include the time remaining for the encoding. The time remaining for the encoding can be calculated by dividing the encoding rate calculated RCURRENTby the total length of the file for Content113. The encoding status can be transferred to another program that may invoke the calling process. This can help supervisory programs to encoding or co-dependent programs on encoding be operated and be batched for processing more efficiently. It should be understood, in an alternative embodiment, that encoding can include the step of watermarking.

10. Content Quality Control Process810

The Content Quality Control Process810is similar in function to the Supervised Release Process806. It is an optional step allowing someone to validate the quality of the content processing performed thus far. This has no dependencies other than completion of the Watermarking Process808and the encoding portion of the Preprocessing and Compression Process809. Upon completion of the Content Quality Control Process810the following options are available:the jobs can be released and queued for Encryption Process811.comments can be attached and one or more of the jobs re-queued for Preprocessing and Compression Process809.

The last option requires that the unencoded watermarked version of the song file remain available until after Content Quality Control Process810.

The Encryption Process811calls the appropriate Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution Rights Management function to encrypt each of the watermarked/encoded song files. This process has no dependencies other than completion of all other audio processing. Upon completion of the Encryption Process811process, the job is queued for Content SC(s) Creation Process812.

The Content SC(s) Creation Process812Process may require some metadata files to be included in the Content SC(s)630. If files other than the Content113are required, the files are gathered and the SC(s) Packer Process is called to create a Content SC(s)630for each compression level of the Content113(e.g. a song) created. Upon completion of the Content SC(s) Creation Process812, the song is queued to either the Final Quality Assurance Process813or Content Dispersement Process814queue based on defined work flow rules.

13. Final Quality Assurance Process813

Final Quality Assurance Process813is an optional step that allows a cross reference check between the associated Metadata and Content SC(s)630to verify that they match up correctly and that all information and Content113contained therein are correct. Upon completion of Final Quality Assurance Process813, the jobs are queued for Content Dispersement Process814. If a problem is found, the job in most cases has to be re-queued to the failing stage. Rework at this stage is much more costly since the product has to go through re-encryption and repacking in addition to the reprocessing required to correct the problem. It is highly recommended that the prior assurance stages be used to assure the quality of the Content113and accuracy and completeness of the information.

The Content Dispersement Process814Process is responsible for transferring the SC(s) to the appropriate hosting sites. After the successful transfer of the SC(s), the job completion status is logged and the job is deleted from the queue. If a problem occurs in transferring the SC(s), after a defined number of retries, the job is flagged in the Workflow Manager Tool154as having failed along with the error encountered.

15. Work Flow Rules

The Work Flow Rules forFIG. 8operate in three major systems as follows:

A: Work Flow Manager Tool154

1. New Content Request Process802

3. Final Quality Assurance Process813

B: Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161

3. Content Quality Control Process810

Work Flow

The Content113selection operator inputs a new product and it starts out queued onto A1 (New Content Request Process802).A1: When the Content113selection operator releases it to the Work Flow Manager Tool154, then it gets queued onto B1 (the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803).A2: coming from step B1 (the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803),or step B2 (Manual Metadata Entry Process804),or step B3 (Supervised Release Process806)on its way to step Before (the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807)[needs the encryption keys].

coming from step Before (the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807)on its way to either step A3 (the Final Quality Assurance Process813) or step A4 (the Content Dispersement Process814)[needs the Content SC(s)630].

coming from step C1 (the Watermarking Process808)on its way to step C2 (the Preprocessing and Compression Process809)[needs the metadata for Preprocessing and Compression Process809].

coming from step C4 (the Encryption Process811)on its way to step C5 (the Content SC(s) Creation Process812)[needs the metadata for Content SC(s)630Packing].

coming from step C5 (the Content SC(s) Creation Process812)on its way to either step A3 (the Final Quality Assurance Process813) or step A4 (the Content Dispersement Process814)[needs the Metadata SC(s)620].A3: After step A3 (the Final Quality Assurance Process813),place onto queue B2 (Manual Metadata Entry Process804),or place onto queue B3 (Supervised Release Process806),or place into queue as required by the quality assurance operator.A4: After step A4 (Content Dispersement Process814),the Work Flow Manager Tool154is done for this product.B1: After step B1 (the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803),if the metadata needed for step C1 (the Watermarking Process808) is present, then place an entry representing this product onto queue C1.(do the following logic also)if either 1—any required metadata is missing, or 2—there are comments directed to the manual metadata providers, then also place the product onto queue B2 (Manual Metadata Entry Process804),else if supervised release was requested for this product, then place the product onto queue B3 (Supervised Release Process806).else if the product has all the information from the Content Processing Tools155for all of the requested quality levels, then place the product onto queue Before (the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807),else flag the product as needs the encryption keys and place the product onto queue A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).B2: During step B2 (Manual Metadata Entry Process804),if step C1 (the Watermarking Process808) has not been done and the metadata needed for step C1 is present, then place an entry representing this product onto queue C1.(do the following logic also)if metadata needed for step C2 (the Preprocessing and Compression Process809) just been provided, then(do the following logic also)if all the metadata that can be gathered by the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161is present, thenif supervised release was requested for this product, then place the product onto queue B3 (Supervised Release Process806)elseif all the information from step C4 (the Encryption Process811) of the Content Processing Tools155is present, then place this product onto queue Before (the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807)else flag the product as needs the encryption keys and place this product onto queue A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).elseif the metadata provider requested a forced supervised release, then place the product onto queue B3 (Supervised Release Process806)else do nothing (keep the product on queue B2 (Manual Metadata Entry Process804)).B3: During step B3 (Supervised Release Process806),if this operator is sending the product back to step B2 (Manual Metadata Entry Process804), then place the product on queue B2.else if this operator released the product, thenif all the information from step C4 (the Encryption Process811) of the Content Processing Tools155is present, then place this product onto queue Before (the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process)else flag the product as needs the encryption keys and place this product onto queue A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).else the product remains on queue B3 (Supervised Release Process806).Before: After step Before (the Metadata SC(s) Creation Process807),flag the product Metadata has been packed.if all the (product/quality level) tuples have been packed, thenif the Content Provider(s)'101configuration specifies Quality Assure the SC(s), then place this product onto queue A3 (the Final Quality Assurance Process813)else place this product onto queue A4 (the Content Dispersement Process814).else flag the product as needs the Content113SC(s) and place this product onto queue A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).C1: After step C1 (the Watermarking Process808),if the metadata needed for step C2 (the Preprocessing and Compression Process809) is present, then create an entry for each (product/quality level) tuple and place them onto queue C2,else flag the product as needs the metadata for Preprocessing/Compression and place this product onto queue A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).C2: After step C2 (the Preprocessing and Compression Process809),if the Content Provider(s)'101configuration specifies Content Quality Control Process810, then place this (product/quality level) tuple onto queue C3 (the Content Quality Control Process810),else place this (product/quality level) tuple onto queue C4 (the Encryption Process811).C3: After step C3 (the Content Quality Control Process810), then place this (product/quality level) tuple onto queue C4 (the Encryption Process811).C4: After step C4 (the Encryption Process811),provide the needed information (i.e., the Symmetric Key623generated by the Process and used to encipher the Content113) to the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161.if all the metadata that's required for the Content SC(s)630is present, then place this (product/quality level) tuple onto queue C5 (the Content SC(s) Creation Process812),else flag the product as needs the metadata for Content SC(s)630Packing and place this (product/quality level) tuple onto A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).C5: After step C5 (the Content SC(s) Creation Process812),flag the quality level the Content113at this quality level has been packed.if all the (product/quality level) tuples have been packed, thenif the product is flagged Metadata has been packed, thenif the Content Provider(s)'101configuration specifies Quality Assure the SC(s), then place this product onto queue A3 (the Final Quality Assurance Process813)else place this product onto queue A4 (the Content Dispersement Process814)else flag the product as needs the Metadata SC(s)620and place this product onto queue A2 (Products Awaiting Action/Information Process801).else (all the (product/quality level) tuples have not been packed) do nothing (another (product/quality level) tuple triggers an action).
C. Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool

Metadata consists of the data describing the Content113for example in music, title of the recording, artist, author/composer, producer and length of recording. The following description is based upon Content113being music but it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other content types e.g., video, programs, multimedia, movies, and equivalent, are within the true scope and meaning of the present invention.

This Subsystem brings together the data the Content Provider(s)101provides to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to help promote the sale of the product (e.g., for music, sample clips by this artist, history of this artist, list of albums on which this recording appears, genres associated with this artist and/or product), the data the Content Provider(s)101provides to the End-User(s) with the purchased product (e.g., artist, producer, album cover, track length), and the different purchase options (the Usage Conditions517) the Content Provider(s)101wants to offer the End-User(s). The data is packaged into a Metadata SC(s)620and made available to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. To accomplish this, the following tools are provided:Automatic Metadata Acquisition ToolManual Metadata Entry ToolUsage Conditions ToolSupervised Release Tool

These tools enable Content Provider(s)101to implement the processes described above for Work Flow Manager154. Tools described here are a toolkit based on Java in the preferred embodiment but other programming languages such as C/C++, Assembler and equivalent can be used.

1. Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool

The Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803described above. The Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool is used to access the Database160of the Content Provider(s)101and to retrieve as much data as possible without operator assistance. Configuration methods are available to automate this process. The Content Provider(s)101can tailor the default metadata template to identify the types of data this Content Provider(s)101wants to provide to End-User(s) (e.g., composer, producer, sidemen, track length) and the types of promotional data the Content Provider(s)101provides to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103(e.g., for a music example, sample clips by this artist, a history of this artist, the list of albums on which this recording appears, genres associated with this artist). The default metadata template includes data fields which are required by the End-User Device(s)109, data fields which can be optionally provided to the End-User Device(s)109and a sample set of data fields, targeted to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, that promote the artist, album, and/or single.

To extract the template data fields from the Database160of the Content Provider(s)101the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool uses a table that maps the type of data (e.g., composer, producer, a biography of the artist) to the location within the database where the data can be found. Each of the Content Provider(s)101help specify that mapping table for their environment.

The Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool uses a metadata template of the Content Provider(s)101and mapping table to acquire whatever data is available from the Databases160of the Content Provider(s)101. The status of each product is updated with the result of the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Process803. A product which is missing any required data is queued for Manual Metadata Entry Process804, otherwise it is available for packing into a Metadata SC(s)620.

2. Manual Metadata Entry Tool

The Manual Metadata Entry Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Manual Metadata Entry Process804described above. The Manual Metadata Entry Tool allows any properly authorized operator to provide the missing data. If the operator determines that the missing data is unavailable, the operator can attach a comment to the product and request supervised release. The Content Provider(s)101may require, for quality assurance reasons, that the product undergo supervised release. Once all the required data is present, and if supervised release has not been requested, then the product is available for packing into a Metadata SC(s)620.

3. Usage Conditions Tool

The Usage Conditions Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Usage Conditions Process805described above. The process of offering Content113for sale or rent (limited use), using electronic delivery, involves a series of business decisions. The Content Provider(s)101decides at which compression level(s) the Content113is made available. Then for each compressed encoded version of the Content113, one or more usage conditions are specified. Each usage condition defines the rights of the End-User(s), and any restrictions on the End-User(s), with regard to the use of the Content113.

As part of Content Processing Tools155, a set of usage conditions (End-User(s) rights and restrictions) is attached to the product.

A usage condition defines:

1. the compression encoded version of the Content113to which this usage condition applies.2. the type of user covered by this usage condition (e.g., business, private consumer)3. whether this usage condition allows for the purchase or the rental of the Content113.

For a rental transaction:the measurement unit which is used to limit the term of the rental (e.g., days, plays).the number of the above units after which the Content113will no longer play.

For a purchase transaction:the number of playable copies the End-User(s) is allowed to make.onto what kinds of media can he/she make those copies (e.g., CD-Recordable (CD-R), MiniDisc, Personal Computer).4. the period of time during which the purchase/rental transaction is allowed to occur (i.e., an End-User(s) can purchase/rent under the terms of this usage condition only after the beginning availability date and before the last date of availability).5. the countries from which an End-User(s) can transact this purchase (or rental).6. the price of the purchase/rental transaction under this usage condition7. the watermarking parameters.8. the types of events which require notification of the Clearinghouse(s)105.
An Example of a Set of Usage Conditions

The Content Provider(s)101may decide to test the North American market's acceptance to the re-release of the children's song by a popular children's vocalist during the fourth quarter1997. The test will make the song available in two different compression encoding versions: 384 Kbps and 56 Kbps. The 384 Kbps version can be bought (and one copy made onto MiniDisc) or rented (for two weeks), while the 56 Kbps version can only be bought (and no copies made). The watermarking instructions is the same for any purchase/rental, and the Content Provider(s)101wants the Clearinghouse(s)105to count every copy made. This would create Usage Conditions as follows:

Below are some of the kinds of data that the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161gathers for inclusion into the Metadata SC(s)620. An attempt has been made to group the data into SC(s) parts by function and destination.

product ID[src:content provider;][dest: everybody;]licensor label company[dest: EMS; end-user;]licensee label company[dest: EMS; end-user;]source (publisher) of this object (sublicensee label company)[dest: everybody;]type of object (i.e., a single object or an array of objects)object ID[dest: everybody;]International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)International Standard Music Number (ISMN)usage conditions (src: content provider; dest: EMS, end-user, Clearinghouse(s) 105)purchased usage conditions (src: EMS; dest: end-user, Clearinghouse(s) 105)the set of usage conditions (consumer restrictions and rights) for the use of the object(sound recording)an individual entry in the array of usage conditionsthe compression encoded version of the Content 113 to which this usage conditionapplieswhether this usage condition allows for the purchase or the rental of the Content113for a rental transaction:the measurement unit which is used to limit the term of the rental (e.g.,days, plays).the number of the above units after which the Content 113 will no longerplay.for a purchase transaction:the number of playable copies the End-User(s) is allowed to make.onto what kinds of media can (s)he make those copies (e.g.,CD-Recordable (CD−R), MiniDisc, personal computer).the period of time during which the purchase/rental transaction is allowed to occur(i.e., an End-User(s) can purchase/rent under the terms of this usage conditiononlyafter the beginning availability dateandbefore the last date of availability)a pointer to the countries from which an End-User(s) can transact this purchase (orrental)the price of the purchase/rental transaction under this usage conditiona pointer to the encrypted watermarking instructions and parametersa pointer to the types of events which require notification of the Clearinghouse(s)105purchase data (encrypted; optional info; src: EMS; dest: end-user, Clearinghouse(s) 105)purchase datepurchase pricebill to name and addressconsumer name and addresscountry of the consumer (best guess)metadata 1 (src: content provider; dest: EMS, end-user)an array of {copyright informationfor the compositionfor the sound recordingtitle of songprincipal artist(s)}a pointer to {the artwork (e.g., album cover);the format of the artwork (e.g., GIF, JPEG);}optional info:an array of additional information {composerpublisherproducersidemendate of recordingdate of releaselyricstrack name (description)/track lengthlist of albums on which this recording appearsgenre(s)}metadata 2 (src: content provider; dest: EMS)an array of structures, each representing different quality levels of the same soundrecording {the sound recording;the quality level of the sound recording;the size (in bytes) of the (probably compressed) sound recording;}metadata 3 (src: content provider; dest: EMS, end-user)optional info:promotional material:a pointer to artist promotion material {a URL to the artist's web site;background description(s) of the artist(s);artist-related interviews (along with format of the interview (e.g., text, audio,video));reviews (along with format of the reviews (e.g., text, audio, video));sample clips (and its format and compression level);recent and upcoming concerts/appearances/events - their dates and locations;}a pointer to album promotion material {sample clip (and its format and compression level);background description(s) of the producer, and/or the composer, and/or themovie/play/cast, and/or the making of the album, etc.;non-artist-related interviews (along with format of the interview (e.g., text, audio,video));reviews (along with format of the reviews (e.g., text, audio, video));genre(s);}single promotions:sample clip (and its format and compression level)background description(s) of the producer, and/or the composer, and/or themovie/play/cast, and/or the making of the single, etc.reviews (along with format of the reviews (e.g., text, audio, video))
5. Supervised Release Tool

Supervised Release Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Supervised Release Process806described above. An individual designated by the Content Provider(s)101as having supervised release authority, may call up a product awaiting supervised release (i.e., a product on the queue of the Supervised Release Process806), examine its Contents113and its accompanying comments, and eitherapprove its Contents113and release the product for packing into a Metadata SC(s)620, ormake any necessary corrections and release the product for packing into a Metadata SC(s)620oradd a comment specifying the corrective action to take and resubmit the product to the Manual Metadata Entry Process704

In another embodiment, after the creation of the SC(s), there is another optional quality assurance step where the Content113of the SC(s) can be opened and examined for completeness and accuracy, and, at that time, final approval can be given or denied for the product's release to the retail channel.

D. Content Processing Tools

The Content Processing Tools155is actually a collection of software tools which are used to process the digital content file to create watermarked, encoded, and encrypted copies of the content. The tools makes use of industry standard digital content processing tools to allow pluggable replacement of watermarking, encoding and encryption technologies as they evolve. If the selected industry tool can be loaded via a command line system call interface and passed parameters or provides a toolkit wherein functions can be called via a DLL interface, the content processing can be automated to some degree. A front end application to each tool queries the appropriate queue in the Content Processing Tools155for the next available job, retrieves the required files and parameters and then loads the industry standard content processing tool to perform the required function. Upon completion of the task, manual update to the queue may be required if the tool does not report terminating status.

A generic version of the Content Processing Tools155is described, but customization is possible. The Content Processing Tools155can be written in Java, C/C++ or any equivalent software. The Content Processing Tools155can be delivered by any computer readable means including diskettes, CDS or via a Web site.

The Watermarking Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Watermarking Process808as described above. This tool applies copyright information of the Content113owner to the song file using audio Watermarking technology. The actual information to be written out is determined by the Content Provider(s)101and the specific watermarking technology selected. This information is available to the front end Watermarking Tool so that it can properly pass this information to the watermarking function. This imposes a synchronization requirement on the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161to assure that it has acquired this information prior to, for example, allowing the song's audio file to be processed. This song will not be available for audio processing until the watermarking information has been obtained.

The watermark is applied as the first step in audio processing since it is common to all encodings of the song created. As long as the watermark can survive the encoding technology, the watermarking process need only occur once per song.

Various watermarking technologies are known and commercially available. The front end Watermarking Tool though is capable of supporting a variety of industry Watermarking Tools.

2. Preprocessing and Compression Tool

The Preprocessing and Compression Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Preprocessing and Compression Process809as described above. Audio encoding involves two processes. Encoding is basically the application of a lossy compression algorithm against, for a music content example, a PCM audio stream. The encoder can usually be tuned to generate various playback bit stream rates based on the level of audio quality required. Higher quality results in larger file sizes and since the file sizes can become quite large for high quality Content113, download times for high quality Content113can become lengthy and sometimes prohibitive on standard 28,800 bps modems.

The Content Provider(s)101may, therefore, choose to offer a variety of digital content qualities for download to appease both the impatient and low bandwidth customers who don't want to wait hours for a download and the audiophile or high bandwidth customers who either only buys high quality Content113or has a higher speed connection.

Compression algorithms vary in their techniques to generate lower bit rate reproductions of Content113. The techniques vary both by algorithm (i.e. MPEG, AC3, ATRAC) and by levels of compression. To achieve higher levels of compression, typically the data is re-sampled at lower sampling rates prior to being delivered to the compression algorithm. To allow for more efficient compression with less loss of fidelity or to prevent drastic dropout of some frequency ranges, the digital content may sometimes require adjustments to equalization levels of certain frequencies or adjustments to the dynamics of the recording. The content preprocessing requirements are directly related to the compression algorithm and the level of compression required. In some cases, the style of Content113(e.g. musical genre) can be successfully used as a base for determining preprocessing requirements since songs from the same genre typically have similar dynamics. With some compression tools, these preprocessing functions are part of the encoding process. With others, the desired preprocessing is performed prior to the compression.

Besides the downloadable audio file for sale, each song also has a Low Bit Rate (LBR) encoded clip to allow the song to be sampled via a LBR streaming protocol. This LBR encoding is also the responsibility of the Content Processing Tools155. This clip is either provided by the Content Provider(s)101as a separate PCM file or as parameters of offset and length.

As with watermarking, it is hoped that the encoding tools can be loaded via a DLL or command line system call interface and passed all the required parameters for preprocessing and compression. The front end Encoding Tool may have a synchronization requirement with the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161, for example if the content is music, and if it is determined that the song's genre is acquired from the Database160of the Content Provider(s) prior to performing any audio preprocessing. This depends on the encoding tools selected and how indeterminate the genre for the song is. If the Content Provider(s)101varies the choice of encoded quality levels per song, this information is also be provided prior to the encoding step and agrees with the metadata being generated by the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161.

A variety of high quality encoding algorithms and tools are known today. The front end Encoding Tool though is capable of supporting a variety of industry encoding tools.

Turning now toFIG. 12is shown a flow diagram of one embodiment for the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool ofFIG. 8according to the present invention. The process starts with reading an identifier from the media the Content Provider(s)101is examining. One example of content in an audio CD embodiment. In an audio CD embodiment, the following codes may be available Universal Price Code (UPC), International Standard Recording Code (ISRC), International Standard Music Number (ISMN). This identifier is read in the appropriate player for the content, for example an audio CD Player for audio CD, DVD player for DVD movie, DAT recorder for DAT recording and equivalent, step1201. Next this Identifier is used to index a Database160for the Content Provider(s)101, step1202. Some or all of the information required by the Work Flow Manager Process as described inFIG. 8is retrieved in Database160and any other related sources, step1203. This information can include the Content113and the metadata related to it. In step1204, the additional information retrieved is used to start the Work Flow Manager154for creating electronic Content113. It should be understood, that several selections of media, such as several audio CDS, can be queued up so as to enable the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool to create a series of Content113for electronic distribution. For example, all the Content113could be created from a series of CDS or even selected tracks from one or more CDS examined by the Content Provider(s)101.

In an alternate embodiment, the preprocessing parameters can be retrieve from the Database160of the Content Provider(s) automatically. Referring now toFIG. 13is a flow diagram of a method to automatically set the Preprocessing and Compression parameters of the Preprocessing and Compression Tool ofFIG. 8according to the present invention. In this embodiment. the Content113is music. In step1301, music (Content113) is selected to be encoded in Content Processing Tools155. The genre of the music selected is determined, step1302. This can be entered manually or by using other meta data available, such as the additional data retrieved from the process described inFIG. 12. The audio compression level and audio compression algorithms selected are than examined, step1303. Next, a lookup is made by genre, compression settings and compression algorithms of what compression parameters should be used in the Preprocessing and Compression Process809,1304.

3. Content Quality Control Tool

The Content Quality Control Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Content Quality Control Process810as described above. This is an optional Content Processing Tool and provides an opportunity for a quality control technician to review the encoded and watermarked content files and approve or reject the content files based on quality judgments. He can re-encode the content making manual preprocessing adjustments until the quality is adequate or can flag the song for reprocessing and attach a note describing the problem.

This process step can be configured by the Content Provider(s)101as an optional or required step of the content processing work flow. An additional optional Final Quality Assurance Process813step is provided after packaging of all the SC(s) for this content (e.g. each SC(s) for songs on a CD) at which time the quality of the content encoding can be tested but catching a problem early prior to encryption and packaging allows for more efficient content processing. It is, therefore, highly desirable that the content quality be assured at this step as opposed to waiting until final completion of all processing.

4. Encryption Tool

The Encryption Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Encryption Process811as described above. Content encryption is the final step of the Content Processing Tools155. Each of the versions of the content that were created by the Encoding Tool is now encrypted. The encryption tool is a function of the SC(s) Packer. The SC(s) Packer is called to encrypt the song and returns the generated encryption key used. This key is later passed into the SC(s) Packer for use in creation of the Metadata SC(s)620.

E. Content SC(s) Creation Tool

Once all metadata has been gathered the Content SC(s) Creation Tool groups the metadata into categories based on their intended use. These groups of metadata are written into files to be passed in to the SC(s) Packer Tool as Metadata parts for the Metadata SC(s)620. Each part (file) has unique processing requirements. Once the associated songs have been processed and encrypted and the target destination (URL of Content Hosting Site(s)111) has been determined, the Content SC(s)630for the Content113are ready to be created. The Content113which have completed processing and have met all the requirements described above, are queued for packing in the packer queue of the Work Flow Manager154.

The Content SC(s) Creation Tool now retrieves all the required files created by the previous steps of the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161and calls the SC(s) Packer functions to create the Metadata SC(s)620and Content SC(s)630. This process creates a single Metadata SC(s)620and multiple Content SC(s)630for each song. For example, if the content is music, each of the audio files created during audio processing for the various quality levels of the full song is packed into separate Content SC(s)630. The audio file created for the sample clip is passed as a metadata file to be included in the Metadata SC(s)620.

F. Final Quality Assurance Tool

The Final Quality Assurance Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Final Quality Assurance Process813as described above. Once all the SC(s) have been built for a content file, the content is available for a final quality assurance check. Quality assurance can be performed at various stages of the Content113preparation process. The Content Provider(s)101can choose to perform quality assurance as each major step is completed to prevent excessive rework later or may choose to wait until all audio preparation processes are complete and perform quality assurance on everything at once. If the latter is chosen, quality assurance is performed at this point upon completion of the creation of the SC(s). This tool allows each SC(s) for the song to be opened, examined, and the audio played.

Any problem discovered, even minor text changes requires that the SC(s) be rebuilt due to internal security features of SC(s). To avoid unnecessary re-processing time, it is highly recommended that the interim quality assurance steps be utilized to assure accuracy of the metadata and that this specific quality assurance step be reserved for validating appropriate cross references between the SC(s) associated with this song. If problems are found, the assurer can enter a problem description to be attached to the song and have it re-queued to the appropriate processing queue for reprocessing. Status is updated appropriately in the Work Flow Manager154to indicate the status of all related components of the song. If no problems are discovered, the Content113is marked or flagged as ready for release.

The Content Dispersement Tool provides a user the ability to implement the Content Dispersement Process814as described above. Once the Content113has been approved for release, the SC(s) for the Content113are placed in the queue of the Content Dispersement Process. The Content Dispersement Tool monitors the queue and performs immediate transfer of the SC(s) files or batch transfer of a group of SC(s) files based on the configuration settings provided by the Content Provider(s)101. The Content Provider(s)101can also optionally configure the Content Dispersement Tool to automatically hold all SC(s) in this queue until they are manually flagged for release. This allows the Content Provider(s)101to prepare content in advance of their scheduled release date and hold them until they wish to release them e.g., a new song, movie or game. The SC(s) can also control access to Content113based on a defined release date so there is no requirement for the Content Provider(s)101to actually hold up delivery of the SC(s) but this manual release option can still be used for this purpose or used to manage network bandwidth required to transfer these large files.

When flagged for release, the Content SC(s)630for the Content113are transferred via FTP to the designated Content Hosting Site(s)111. The Metadata SC(s)620is transferred via FTP to the Content Promotions Web Site156. Here the SC(s) are staged to a new Content113directory until they can be processed and integrated into the Content Promotions Web Site156.

FIG. 17is a flow diagram of an alternate embodiment to automatically retrieve additional information for the Automatic Metadata Acquisition Tool ofFIG. 8according to the present invention. The process is similar for that described inFIG. 8above. However, the quality checks of Supervised Release806and Content Quality Control809are combined into one quality check called Quality Control1704. Performing quality checks prior to Metadata SC Creation807and Content SC Creation812. Performing quality check prior to SC creation, eliminates the steps of unpacking the Content113and the associated Metadata SC(s)620. In addition, in this embodiment, the queue of Products Awaiting Action/Information801have been eliminated. The jobs are placed on the specific process queues depending on what action is being requested. For example, if the job requires Manual Metadata, i.e. additional Metadata to be entered, the job is place on the Manual Metadata entry queue. Also the Automatic Metadata Acquisition803has been merged with New Content Request to occur up front prior to the Metadata Assimilation and Entry Tool161and the Content Processing Tool155. Finally, it is important to point out that the Usage Conditions804are entered both at the Automatic Metadata Acquisition803and during the Manual Metadata Entry803. Since, many of the usage conditions can be automatically filled-in during the Automatic Metadata Acquisition803step.

H. Content Promotions Web Site

To most effectively disperse information on what the Content Provider(s)101is making available for sale via digital download, and to get the necessary files to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to enable it to make this Content113available for download to its customers, each Content Provider(s)101should have a secure web site housing this information. This is similar to the method used today by some Content Provider(s)101to make promotional content available to their retailers and others with a need for this information. In the case where this type of service already exists, an additional section can be added to the web site where Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can go to see a list of the content available for sale via download.

The Content Provider(s)101has complete control over the design and layout of this site or can choose to use a turnkey web server solution provided as part of the toolkit for Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. To implement their own design for this service, the Content Provider(s)101need only provide links to the Metadata SC(s)620for Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103who access their site. This is accomplished using the toolkit for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. The selection process and what information is shown is the discretion of the Content Provider(s)101.

Metadata SC(s)620received into a new content directory via FTP from the Content Dispersement Tool is processed by the Content Promotions Web Site156. These containers can be opened with the SC(s) Preview Tool to display or extract information from the container. This information can then be used to update HTML Web pages and/or add information to a searchable database maintained by this service. The SC(s) Preview Tool is actually a subset of the Content Acquisition Tool used by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to open and process Metadata SC(s)620. See the Content Acquisition Tool section for more details. The Metadata SC(s)620file should then be moved to a permanent directory maintained by the Content Promotions Web Site156.

Once the Metadata SC(s)620has been integrated into the Content Promotions Web Site156, its availability is publicized. The Content Provider(s)101can send a notification to all subscribing Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103as each new Metadata SC(s)620is added to the site or can perform a single notification daily (or any defined periodicity) of all Metadata SC(s)620added that day (or period). This notification is performed via a standard HTTP exchange with the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103Web Server by sending a defined CGI string containing parameters referencing the Metadata SC(s)620added. This message is handled by the Notification Interface Module of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103which is described later.

I. Content Hosting

The Entertainment Industry produces thousands of content titles, such as CDS, movies and games every year, adding to the tens of thousands of content titles that are currently available. The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100is designed to support all of the content titles available in stores today.

The numbers of content titles that the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100may eventually download to customers on a daily basis is in the thousands or tens of thousands. For a large number of titles, this requires a large amount of bandwidth. The computer disk space and bandwidth needs call for a distributed, scalable implementation with multiple Content Hosting Site(s)111. The system also supports customers all over the world. This requires overseas sites to speed delivery to the global customers.

Content hosting on the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100is designed to allow the Content Provider(s)101to either host their own Content113or share a common facility or a set of facilities.

Content hosting on the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100consists of multiple Content Hosting Site(s)111that collectively contain all of the Content1113offered by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100and several Secondary Content Sites (not shown) that contain the current hot hits offered by the Content Provider(s)101. The number of Content Hosting Site(s)111changes depending on the number of End-User(s) using the system. The Secondary Content sites host a limited number of songs, but they will represent a large percentage of the bandwidth used on the system. The secondary sites are brought on line as the volume on the primary sites increases to the point of maximum capacity. The secondary sites can be located close to Network Access Points (NAPs) which helps speed up download times. They may also be placed in different geographic areas around the world to speed up download times.

Should the Content Provider(s)101choose to host all of their Content113in their own system, they can act as a single Content Hosting Site111with or without additional Secondary Content Sites. This allows them to build their own scalable distributed system. In another embodiment, Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can also act as Content Hosting Site(s)111for certain Content113. This embodiment requires a special financial agreement between the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and the Content Provider(s)101.

1. Content Hosting Sites

Content113is added to the Content Hosting Site(s)111via FTP or HTTP by the Content Disbursement Tool described in the Content Provider(s) Section of this specification or via offline means such as content delivery on tape, CD Rom, flash, or other computer readable media. The Metadata SC(s)620created by the Content Provider(s)101contain a field that indicates the URL locating the Content SC(s)630for this Content113. This URL corresponds to a Content Hosting Site(s)111. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can override this URL if allowed by the Content Provider(s)101in the Offer SC(s)641. The End-User Device(s)109communicates to this Content Hosting Site(s)111when it wants to download the Content SC(s)630.

The End-User Device(s)109initiates the request for a Content SC(s)630by sending the License SC(s)660to the Content Hosting Site(s)111. This is the same License SC(s)660returned by the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Digital Signature of the License SC(s)660can be verified to determine if it is a valid License SC(s)660. If it is a valid License SC(s)660either the download is initiated, or the download request may be redirected to another Content Hosting Site(s)111.

2. Content Hosting Site(s)111Provided by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100

For the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100the decision of which site should be used to download the Content113is made by the primary content site that received the initial request for a Content SC(s)630. This site uses the following information to make this decision:Are there secondary content sites that host the Content113requested? (The majority of Content113offered by the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100is only located at primary sites);Where is the End-User Device(s)109geographically located? (This information can be obtained from the End-User Device(s)109when the request is initiated at the End-User Device(s)109, this is passed up to the Clearinghouse(s)105in the Order SC(s)650;Is the appropriate secondary site up and operational? (Sometimes the secondary sites may be off-line);What is the load of the secondary sites? (In some cases where a secondary site is swamped with activity another site that is less busy may be selected.

Before transmitting the Content SC(s)630to the End-User Device(s)109, analysis and verifications are performed on the End-User's request. A database is kept of all of the License SC IDs that have been used to download Content113. This database can be checked to ensure that the End-User Device(s)109only makes one request for each piece of Content113purchased. This prevents malicious users from repeatedly accessing the Content Hosting Site(s)111in hopes of slowing down the Content Hosting Site(s)111and prevents unauthorized download of the Content SC(s)630.

The promotion and demotion of Content113to the Secondary Content sites is done periodically based on customer demand for the individual pieces of Content113.

Content Hosting Router

The Content Hosting Router (not shown) resides in the Content Hosting Site(s)111and receives all requests from End-User(s) wanting to download Content113. It performs validation checks on the End-User(s) request to ensure they indeed bought the Content113. A database is maintained on the status of the Secondary Content Sites that includes what Content113is on them and their current status. This current status includes the amount of activity on the sites and whether a site is down for maintenance.

The only interface to the Content Hosting Router is the License SC(s)660that is sent by the End-User Device(s)109when Content113is required to be downloaded. The License SC(s)660includes information that indicates the user is allowed to download the Content113.

Secondary Content Sites

The Secondary Content Sites (not shown) host the popular Content113of the Secure Digital Content Distribution System100. These sites are geographically dispersed across the world and are located near Network Access Points (NAPs) to improve download times. These sites are added to the system as demand on the primary Content Hosting Site(s)111nears maximum capacity

IX. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)

A. Overview—Support for Multiple Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103

Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103are essentially the retailers. They are the entities who market the Content113to be distributed to the customer. For distribution of Content113, this would include Digital Content Retailing Web Sites, Digital Content Retail Stores, or any business who wishes to get involved in marketing electronic Content113to consumers. These businesses can market the sale of electronic Content113only or can choose to just add the sale of electronic goods to whatever other merchandise they currently offer for sale. Introduction of downloadable electronic goods into the service offering of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is accomplished via a set of tools developed for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103as part of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100.

These tools are used by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to:acquire the Metadata SC(s)620packaged by the Content Provider(s)101extract Content113from these SC(s) to be used as input to building their service offeringcreate Offer SC(s)641describing the downloadable Content113they are offering for salehandle the acknowledgment of the sale and initiation of the download by creating and sending Transaction SC(s)640to the End-User Device(s)109manage a transaction log of sales of downloadable Content113and the status of each downloadhandle status notifications and transaction authentication requestsperform account reconciliation

The tools are designed to allow flexibility in how the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103wishes to integrate sale of downloadable electronic Content113into its service. The tools can be used in such a way as to request that all financial settlements for downloadable Content113purchased be handled by the Clearinghouse(s)105although this is not required. These tools also enable Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to completely service their customers and handle the financial transactions themselves, including providing promotions and special offers. The tools enable the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to quickly integrate the sale of downloadable Content113into its existing services. In addition, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is not required to host the downloadable Content113and does not have to manage its dispersement. This function is performed by the Content Hosting Site(s)111selected by the Content Provider(s)101.

The tools for the Electronic Digital Content Stores(s)103are implemented in Java in the preferred embodiment but other programming languages such as C/C++, Assembler and equivalent can be used. It should be understood that the tools described below for the Electronic Digital Content Stores(s)103can run on a variety of hardware and software platforms. The Electronic Digital Content Stores(s)103as a complete system or as any of it's constitute components may be distributed as an application program in a computer readable medium including but not limited to electronic distribution such as the web or on floppy diskettes, CD ROMS and removable hard disk drives.

In another embodiment, the components of the Electronic Digital Content Stores(s)103is part of a programmer's software toolkit. This toolkit enables predefined interfaces to the components of the generic Electronic Digital Content Stores(s)103components and tools discussed below. These predefined interfaces are in the form of APIs or Application Programming Interfaces. A developer using these APIs can implement any of the functionality of the components from a high level application program. By providing APIs to these components, a programmer can quickly develop a customized Electronic Digital Content Stores(s)103without the need to re-created these functions and resources of any of these components.

Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103are not limited to Web based service offerings. The tools provided are used by all Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103wishing to sell downloadable electronic Content113regardless of the transmission infrastructure or delivery mode used to deliver this Content113to End-User(s). Broadcast services offered over satellite and cable infrastructures also use these same tools to acquire, package, and track electronic Content113sales. The presentation of electronic merchandise for sale and the method in which these offers are delivered to the End-User(s) is the main variant between the broadcast based service offering and the point-to-point interactive web service type offering.

B. Point-to-Point Electronic Digital Content Distribution Service

Point-to-Point primarily means a one-to-one interactive service between the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and the End-User Device(s)109. This typically represents an Internet web based service provided via telephone or cable modem connection. Networks other than the Internet are supported in this model as well, as long as they conform to the Web Server/Client Browser model.FIG. 9is a block diagram illustrating the major tools, components and processes of an Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

1. Integration Requirements

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100not only creates new online businesses but provides a method for existing businesses to integrate the sale of downloadable electronic Content113to their current inventory. The suite of tools provided to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103simplify this integration effort. The Content Acquisition Tool171and SC(s) Packer Tool153provides a method for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to acquire information from the participating Content Provider(s)101on what they have available for sale and to create the files required to reference these downloadable objects as items in their own inventory. This process is batch driven and can be largely automated and is executed only to integrate new Content113into the site.

The tools for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution have been designed to allow integration of sale of electronic downloadable Content113into typical implementations of web based Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103(i.e. Columbia House online, Music Boulevard, @Tower) and equivalent with minimal change to their current Content113retailing paradigm. Several methods of integration are possible and in the preferred embodiment, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103provides support for all product searches, previews, selections (shopping cart), and purchases. Each Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103establishes customer loyalty with its customers and continues to offer its own incentives and market its products as it does today. In the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100, it would simply need to indicate which products in its inventory are also available for electronic download and allow its customers to select the electronic download option when making a purchase selection. In another embodiment, the customer's shopping cart could contain a mixture of electronic (Content113) and physical media selections. After the customer checks out, and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has completed the financial settlement and logged or notified its shipping and handling functions to process the physical merchandise purchased, the commerce handling function of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103then calls the Transaction Processor Module175to handle all electronic downloads. It simply passes the required information and all processing from that point on is handled by the toolset for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. In another embodiment, other methods of transaction handling are also possible using tools for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100to handle the financial settlement should the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103wish to sell downloadable merchandise only or to segregate the financial settlement of physical and downloadable merchandise.

To handle the downloading of merchandise, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is given a Product ID (not shown) for each downloadable product that it acquires from the Content Promotions Web Site156for the Content Provider(s)101. This Product ID is associated to a customer's purchase selection to the downloadable product. The Product ID is what the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103passes to the Transaction Processor Module175to identify the product that the user has purchased. The SC(s) (Offer SC(s)641) that were created to describe the products, are isolated from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and kept in an Offer Database181in an effort to simplify management of these objects and make their existence transparent to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

The Transaction Processor Module175and other additional functions are provided as web server side executables (i.e. CGI and NSAPI, ISAPI callable functions) or simply APIs into a DLL or C object library. These functions handle run time processing for End-User(s) interactions and optional interactions with the Clearinghouse(s)105. These functions interact with the web server's commerce services to create and download to the End-User Device(s)109the files necessary to initiate the Content113download process. They also handle optional interactions to provide authorizations and accept notifications of completion of activities.

An Accounting Reconciliation Tool179is also provided to assist the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103in contacting the Clearinghouse(s)105to reconcile accounts based on its own and the transaction logs of the Clearinghouse(s)105.

The Content Acquisition Tool171is responsible for interfacing with the Content Promotions Web Site156to preview and download Metadata SC(s)620. Since the Content Promotions site is a standard web site, a web browser is used by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to navigate this site. The navigation features varies based on the site design of the Content Provider(s)101. Some sites may provide extensive search capabilities with many screens of promotional information. Others may have a simple browser interface with lists of titles, performers or new releases to select from. All sites include the selection of Metadata SC(s)620containing all the promotional and descriptive information of a song or album.

Alternatively, the Electronic Store(s)103may subscribe to content updates and receive updates automatically via FTP.

Viewing Metadata

The Content Acquisition Tool171is a web browser helper application which launches whenever a Metadata SC(s)620link is selected at the Content Promotions Web Site156. Selection of the SC(s) causes it to be downloaded to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, and launch the helper application. The Content Acquisition Tool171opens the Metadata SC(s)620and display the non-encrypted information contained therein. Displayed information includes Extracted Metadata173, for a music example, the graphic image(s) associated with the song and the information describing the song, a preview clip of the song can also be listened to if included in the Metadata SC(s)620. In an example where the Content113is music, promotional information about the song or album, the album title, and the artist is also shown if provided by the Content Provider(s)101. This information is displayed as a series of linked HTML pages in the browser window. Purchasable Content113such as the song and the lyrics and whatever other metadata the Content Provider(s)101wishes to protect, is not accessible to the Retail Content Web Site180.

In another embodiment, the Content Provider(s)101provides optional promotional content for a fee. In this embodiment such promotional content is encrypted in the Metadata SC(s)620. Financial settlement to open this data can be handled via the Clearinghouse(s)105with the account for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103being charged the designated fee.

Extracting Metadata

Besides the preview capabilities, this tool provides two additional features: metadata extraction and preparation of an Offer SC(s)641. Selection of the metadata extraction option prompts the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to enter the path and filenames to where the metadata is to be stored. Binary metadata such as graphics and the audio preview clip is stored as separate files. Text metadata is stored in an ASCII delimited text file which the Retail Content Web Site180can then import into its database. A table describing the layout of the ASCII delimited file is also be created in a separate TOC file. Additional options is available to allow extraction into other National Language Support (NLS) supported formats.

One important piece of information provided in the extracted data is the Product ID. This Product ID is what the commerce handling function for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103needs to identify to the Transaction Processor Module175(for more information refer to Transaction Processing section), the Content113that the user has purchased. The Transaction Processor Module175uses this Product ID to properly retrieve the appropriate Offer SC(s)641from the Offer Database181for subsequent download to the End-User Device(s)109. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has full control over how it presents the offer of downloadable Content113on its site. It only needs to retain a cross reference of the Content113being offered to this Product ID to properly interface with the tools for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. Providing this information here, allows the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to integrate this product or Content113into its inventory and sales pages (database) in parallel with the Offer SC(s)641creation process since both processes uses the same Product ID to reference the product. This is described further below.

The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is required to create an Offer SC(s)641describing the downloadable Content113that is for sale. Most of the information that goes into the Offer SC(s)641is derived from the Metadata SC(s)620. The Content Acquisition Tool171creates the Offer SC(s)641by:removing parts from the Metadata SC(s)620that are not required to be included in the Offer SC(s)641as defined by the Offer SC(s) Template in the Metadata SC(s)620adding additional required parts as defined by defaults specified by the configuration options in this tool for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103prompting for additional required inputs or selections as defined by the Offer SC(s) Template in the Metadata SC(s)620calling the SC(s) Packer153to pack this information into the SC(s) format

Metadata to be displayed by the Player Application195(further described later) on the End-User Device(s)109is kept in the Metadata SC(s)620. Other promotional metadata that was only used by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103as input to his web service database is removed from the Metadata SC(s)620. Rights management information provided by the Content Provider(s)101, such as watermarking instructions, encrypted Symmetric Keys623, and Usage Conditions517defining the permitted uses of the object, are also retained.

This stripped down Metadata SC(s)620is then included in the Offer SC(s)641. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103also attaches its own Usage Conditions called Store Usage Conditions519or purchase options to the Offer SC(s)641. This can be accomplished interactively or automatically through a set of defaults. If configured to be processed interactively, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103is prompted with the set of permitted object Usage Conditions517as defined by the Content Provider(s)101. He then selects the option(s) he wishes to offer to his customers. These now become the new Usage Conditions or Store Usage Conditions519. To process automatically, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103configures a set of default purchase options to be offered for all Content113. These default options are automatically checked against the permitted Usage Conditions517defined by the Content Provider(s)101and is set in the Offer SC(s)641if there are no discrepancies.

Once the Offer SC(s)641is created, it is stored in an Offer Database181and is indexed with the Product ID pre-assigned in the Metadata SC(s)620. This Product ID is used later by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to identify the downloadable Content113being purchased by a customer when interfacing with the Offer Database181to retrieve the Offer SC(s)641for packaging and transmittal to the End-User(s). See the Transaction Processor Module175section for more details.

In another embodiment, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103hosts the Content SC(s)641at his site. This embodiment requires changes to the Offer SC(s)641such as the replacement of the URL of the Content Hosting Site(s)111with the URL of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103directs billing to Clearinghouse(s)105. Alternatively, the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103may request financial clearance direct from the Clearinghouse(s)105. There are two basic modes for processing End-User(s) purchase requests for downloadable Content113. If the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103does not wish to handle the financial settlement of the purchase and has no special promotions or incentives governing the sale of the merchandise and does not use a shopping cart metaphor for batching the purchase requests, it may opt to provide links on its Content113download pages directly to the Offer SC(s)641files. These Offer SC(s)641would have to have been built with retail pricing information included in the metadata. Also included in the Offer SC(s)641is a special HTML offer page presenting the purchase options with terms and conditions of the sale. This page is built from a template created when the Offer SC(s)641was built. When the End-User(s) clicks on the direct link to the Offer SC(s)641, the Offer SC(s)641is downloaded to the browser End-User Device(s)109launching a helper application which opens the container and present the offer page included in the Offer SC(s)641. This page contains a form to collect customer information including credit card information and purchase option selection. The form then gets submitted directly to the Clearinghouse(s)105for financial settlement and processing. Optionally, this form may contain the fields needed to use the End-User(s)' credit information or industry standard local transaction handler.

An embodiment where the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103handles billing is now described. The more typical mode of handling purchase requests is to allow the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to process the financial settlement and then submit the download authorization to the End-User(s). This method allows the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to integrate sale of downloadable Content113with other merchandise offered for sale at his site, allows batch processing of purchase requests with only one consolidated charge to the customer (via a shopping cart metaphor) instead of individual charges for each download request, and allows the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to directly track his customers buying patterns and offer special promotions and club options. In this environment, the offer of downloadable Content113is included in his shopping pages which get added to a shopping cart when selected by the End-User(s) and get processed and financially settled as is done in the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)'103current shopping model. Once the financial settlement is completed, the commerce handling process of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)100then calls the Transaction Processor Module175to complete the transaction.

Transaction Processor Module175

The role of the Transaction Processor Module175is to put together the information needed by the End-User Device(s)109to initiate and process the download of the Content113purchased. This information is packaged into a Transaction SC(s)640which is sent back to the End-User Device(s)109by the Web Server as the response to the purchase submission. The Transaction Processor Module175requires three pieces of information from the commerce handling process of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103: the Product IDs for the Content113purchased, Transaction Data642, and an HTML page or CGI URL acknowledging the purchase settlement.

The Product ID is the value provided to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103in the Metadata SC(s)620associated to the Content113just sold. This Product ID is used to retrieve the associated Offer SC(s)641from the Offer Database181.

The Transaction Data642is a structure of information provided by the transaction processing function of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103which is later used to correlate the Clearinghouse(s)105processing with the financial settlement transaction performed by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and to provide user identity information to be included in the watermark of the Content113downloaded to the End-User Device(s)109. When the Clearinghouse(s)105receives a valid Order SC(s)650, it logs a transaction indicating the Content113that was sold, which Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103sold it and the associated Transaction Data642including the End-User's Name and a Transaction ID535. The Transaction ID535provides a reference to the financial settlement transaction. This information is later returned by the Clearinghouse(s)105to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103for use in reconciling its accounts with the billing statements received from the Content Provider(s)101(or his agent). The Clearinghouse Transaction Log178can be used by the Content Provider(s)101to determine what Content113of his has been sold and enables him to create a bill to each Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103for royalties owed him. Other electronic means besides billing can alternatively be used to settle accounts between the Content Provider(s)101and Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103.

The information provided in the Transaction SC(s)640and the security and integrity of the Transaction SC(s)640provide sufficient authenticity to the Clearinghouse(s)105that the purchase transaction is valid and thus no further validation is required prior to the logging of this sale by the Clearinghouse(s)105. The Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, however, has the option to request authentication before its accounts are charged (transaction logged at the Clearinghouse(s)105indicating to the Content Provider(s)101that this Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has collected money for the sale of this Content113). This request for authentication/notification is indicated by a flag in the Transaction Data642. In this scenario, the Clearinghouse(s)105contacts the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and receive authorization from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103before the charge to his account and the release of the encryption Key623. The Transaction ID535is passed to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103from the Clearinghouse(s)105as part of this authentication request to enable the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to associate this request to a prior transaction performed with the End-User(s). This Transaction ID535can be any unique value the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103wishes to use and is solely for its benefit.

The Transaction Data642also contains a customer name. This name can be from the user name field of the purchase form filled out by the user when making his purchase, or from information logged previously during some user registration process with the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, or the official name obtained from credit card information associated with the card used in this transaction. This name is later included in the License Watermark527.

The Transaction Data642also contains the Store Usage Conditions519purchased by the End-User(s). This information is included in the License Watermark527and used by the End-User Device(s)109in Copy and Play Control.

The final parameter required by the Transaction Processor Module175is the HTML page or CGI URL acknowledging the purchase settlement. The purpose of this is to allow the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to respond to the End-User(s) with an acknowledgment of the financial settlement and whatever other information he wishes to include in the response. This HTML page or CGI URL is included in the Transaction SC(s)640and is displayed in the browser window of the End-User Device(s)109when the Transaction SC(s)640is received and processed.

The Transaction SC(s)640is the HTTP response to the End-User(s) from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103after processing the purchase submission. Sending a SC(s) as the direct HTTP response forces the automatic loading on the End-User Device(s)109of a SC(s) Processor Helper Application thus allowing automatic completion of the transaction without depending on further End-User(s) initiated actions. This process is described in more detail in the End-User Device(s)109and Player Application195section later.

When the Transaction Processor Module175is called with the required parameters, it builds a Transaction SC(s)640containing the Transaction Data642, the transaction acknowledgment HTML page or reference URL other required security features of the SC(s), and retrieves and imbeds the Offer SC(s)641associated with the purchase. It also logs information about this transaction for later use by the Notification Interface Module176and the Account Reconciliation Tool179.

The Notification Interface Module176is a Web Server side executable routine (CGI or function callable by NSAPI, ISAPI or equivalent). It handles optional requests and notifications from the Clearinghouse(s)105, the End-User Device(s)109, the Content Hosting Site(s)111, and the Content Provider(s)101. The events that the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can optionally request notification for are:Notification from the Clearinghouse(s)105that the End-User Device(s)109requested an encryption Key623and the Clearinghouse(s)105is releasing the encryption Key623for the specified Content113. This notification can optionally be configured to require authentication from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103prior to the encryption Key623being sent to the End-User Device(s)109.Notification from the Content Hosting Site(s)111that the Content SC(s)630has been sent to the End-User Device(s)109.Notification from the End-User Device(s)109that the Content SC(s)630and the License SC(s)660have been received and successfully used to process the Content113or was found to be corrupt.Notification from the Content Provider(s)101that new Content113has been placed in the Content Promotions Web Site156.

None of these notifications are a required step in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System flows100but are provided as options to allow the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103the opportunity to close its records on the satisfaction of completion of the sale. It also provides information that may be needed to handle customer service requests by letting the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103know what functions have transpired since financial settlement of the transaction or what errors occurred during an attempt to complete the sale. Alternatively, much of this status can be obtained from the Clearinghouse(s)105through the Customer Service Interface184as needed.

Frequency of notification of new Content113available at the Content Promotions Web Site156is determined by the Content Provider(s)101. Notification may be provided as each new Metadata SC(s)620is added or just daily with all new Metadata SC(s)620added that day.

All of these notifications result in entries being made to the Transaction Log178. If the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103wishes to perform his own processing on these notifications, he can intercept the CGI call, perform his unique function and then optionally pass the request on to the Notification Interface Module176.

This Account Reconciliation Tool179contacts the Clearinghouse(s)105to compare the Transaction Log178with the log of the Clearinghouse(s)105. This is an optional process which is available to help the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103feel comfortable with the accounting for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100.

In another embodiment, this tool can be updated to provide electronic funds transfers for automated periodic payments to the Content Provider(s)101and the Clearinghouse(s)105. It can also be designed to automatically process payments upon reception of an electronic bill from the Clearinghouse(s)105after reconciling the bill against the Transaction Log178.

C. Broadcast Electronic Digital Content Distribution Service

Broadcast primarily refers to a one to many transmission method where there is no personal interaction between the End-User Device(s)109and the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to customize on-demand viewing and listening. This is typically provided over a digital satellite or cable infrastructure where the Content113is preprogrammed so that all End-User Device(s)109receive the same stream.

A hybrid model can also be defined such that an Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103provides a digital content service organized in such a way that it can offer both a web distribution interface via an Internet connection as well as a higher bandwidth satellite or cable distribution interface via a broadcast service, with a great deal of commonality to the site design. If the IRD backchannel serial interface were connected to the web, and the IRD supported web navigation, the End-User(s) could navigate the digital content service in the usual way via the backchannel Internet interface, previewing and selecting Content113to purchase. The user can select high quality downloadable Content113, purchase these selections, and receive the required License SC(s)660all via an Internet connection and then request delivery of the Content113(Content SC(s)630) over the higher bandwidth broadcast interface. The Web service can indicate which Content113would be available for download in this manner based on the broadcast schedule or could build the broadcast streams based totally on purchased Content113. This method would allow a Web based digital content service to contract with a broadcast facility to deliver high quality Content113to users equipped with the proper equipment making a limited number of specific Content113(e.g. songs or CDS) available daily in this manner and the entire catalog available for download in lower quality via the web interface.

Other broadcast models can be designed where there is no web interface to the End-User Device(s)109. In this model, promotional content is packaged in specially formatted digital streams for broadcast delivery to the End-User Device(s)109(i.e. IRD) where special processing is performed to decode the streams and present the End-User(s) with the promotional content from which purchase selections can be made.

The actual purchase selections would still be initiated via backchannel communications from the End-User Device(s)109to the Clearinghouse(s)105and would utilize SC(s) to perform all data exchange. The toolset provided to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has been architected and developed in such a way that most of the tools apply to both a point-to-point Internet service offering as well as a broadcast satellite or cable offering. The tools used by a Digital Content Web Site Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to acquire and manage Content113as well as prepare SC(s) is also used by a satellite based Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to manage and prepare Content113for distribution on a broadcast infrastructure. The SC(s) distributed over a Web service are the same as those distributed over a broadcast service.

The applications in the End-User Device(s)109for the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100perform two main functions: first the SC(s) processing and copy control; and second playback of encrypted Content113. Whether the End-User Device(s)109is a Personal Computer or a specialized electronic consumer device, it has to be capable of performing these base functions. The End-User Device(s)109also provides a variety of additional features and functions like creating play lists, managing the digital content library, displaying information and images during content playback, and recording to external media devices. These functions vary based on the services these applications are supporting and the type of devices the applications are designed for.

Referring now toFIG. 10, shown is the major components and processes and End-User Device(s)109Functional Flow. The applications designed to support a PC based web interface Content113service consists of two executable software applications: the SC(s) Processor192and the Player Application195. The SC(s) Processor192is an executable application which is configured as a Helper Application into the End-User(s) Web Browser191to handle SC(s) File/MIME Types. This application is launched by the Browser whenever SC(s) are received from the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103, the Clearinghouse(s)105, and the Content Hosting Site(s)111. It is responsible for performing all required processing of the SC(s) and eventually adding Content113to the Digital Content Library196of the End-User(s).

The Player Application195is a stand alone executable application which the End-User(s) loads to perform Content113in his Digital Content Library196, manage his Digital Content Library196and create copies of the Content113if permitted. Both the Player Application195and SC(s) Processor192applications can be written in Java, C/C++ or any equivalent software. In the preferred embodiment, the applications can be downloaded from computer readable means such as website. However, other delivery mechanisms are also possible such as being delivered on computer readable media such as diskettes or CDS.

The searching and browsing of Content113information, previewing of, for example, song clips, and selecting songs for purchase is all handled via the End-User(s) Web Browser191. Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103provides the shopping experience in the same way that is offered today by many Content113retailing web sites. The difference to the End-User(s) over today's web based Content113shopping is that they may now select downloadable Content113objects to be added to their shopping cart. If the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103has other merchandise available for sale in addition to the downloadable objects, the End-User(s) may have a combination of physical and electronic downloadable merchandise in his shopping cart. The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution End-User Device(s)109are not involved until after the End-User(s) checks out and submits his final purchase authorization to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. Prior to this point, all interaction is between the Web Server for the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103and the Browser191on the End-User Device(s)109. This includes preview of sample Digital Content clips. Digital Content clips are not packaged into SC(s) but instead are integrated into the web service of the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103as downloadable files or fed from a streaming server. The format of the Content113clip is not dictated by the system architecture. In another embodiment, the Player Application195could interact directly with the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103or Clearinghouse(s)105or offline using a promotional CD.

B. Application Installation

The Player Application195and the Helper Application1981are packaged into a self installing executable program which is available for download from many web sites. The Clearinghouse(s)105acts as a central location which hosts the master download page at a public web site. It contains links to the locations from which the installation package can be downloaded. The installation package is available at all Content Hosting Site(s)111to provide geographic dispersal of the download requests. Each participating Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103can also make the package available for download from their site or may just provide a link to the master download page at the public web site of the Clearinghouse(s)105.

Any End-User(s) wishing to purchase downloadable Content113, downloads and install this package. The installation is self contained in this downloadable package. It unpacks and installs both the Helper Application198and the Player Application195and also configure the Helper Application198to the installed Web Browser(s).

As part of the installation, a Public/Private Key661pair is created for the End-User Device(s)109for use in processing Order and License SC(s)660. A random Symmetric Key (Secret User Key) is also generated for use in protecting song encryption keys in the License Database197. The Secret User Key (not shown) is protected by breaking the key into multiple parts and storing pieces of the key in multiple locations throughout the End-User(s)' computer. This area of the code is protected with Tamper Resistant Software technology so as not to divulge how the key is segmented and where it is stored. Preventing access to this key by even the End-User(s) helps to prevent piracy or sharing of the Content113with other computers. See the SC(s) Processor192section for more details on how these keys are used.

Tamper-resistant software technology is a method to deter unauthorized entry into a computer software application by a hacker. Typically a hacker wants to understand and/or modify the software to remove the restrictions on the usage. In practicality, no computer program exists that cannot be hacked; that is why tamper-resistant software is not called “tamper-proof”. But the amount of effort required to hack a tamper-resistance protect application usually deters most hackers because the effort is not worth the possible gain. Here the effort would be to gain access to a key to one piece of Content113, perhaps a single song on a CD.

One type of tamper-resistant software technology is from IBM. One product this code was introduced is in the IBM ThinkPad770laptop computer. Here, the tamper-resistant software was used to protect the DVD movie player in the computer. Digital Content Provider(s) such as Hollywood studios, concerned about the advent of digital movies and the ease at which perfect copies can be made, have insisted that movies on DVD disc(s) contain copy protection mechanisms. IBM's tamper-resistant software made it difficult to circumvent these copy protection mechanisms. This is a very typical application for tamper-resistant software; the software is used to enforce rules on the usage of some protected type of Content113.

IBM's tamper-resistant software puts several types of obstacles in the path of the attacker. First, it contains techniques to defeat, or at least reduce the effectiveness of, the standard software tools that the hacker uses: debuggers and disassemblers. Second it contains self-integrity checking, so that single modifications, or even small handfuls of modifications, will be detected and cause incorrect operation. Finally, it contains obfuscations to mislead hackers regarding its true operation. The latter technique is largely ad hoc, but the first two build upon well-known tools in cryptography: encryption and digital signatures.

When the End-User(s) submits the final purchase authorization to the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103for the merchandise he has collected in his shopping cart, his Web Browser remains active waiting for a response from the Web Server. The Web Server at the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103processes the purchase and performs the financial settlement and then returns a Transaction SC(s)640to the End-User Device(s)109. The SC(s) Processor192(Helper Application198) is launched by the Web Browser to process the SC(s) mime type associated with the Transaction SC(s)640.FIG. 14is an example of user interface screens of the Player Application195downloading content to a local library as described inFIG. 10according to the present invention.

The SC(s) Processor192opens the Transaction SC(s)640and extract the Response HTML page and Offer SC(s)641contained within. The Response HTML page is displayed in the Browser window acknowledging the End-User(s)' purchase. The Offer SC(s)641are then opened and the Content113(e.g. song or album) names along with the projected download times are extracted from them, step1401. A new window is then displayed with this information and the End-User(s) is presented with options to schedule the download(s) of the Content113(e.g. for music, songs or entire albums), step1402. The End-User(s) can select immediate download or can schedule the download to occur at a later time. If a later time is selected, the download schedule information is saved in a log and the download is initiated at the scheduled time if the End-User Device(s)109is powered on at that time. If the computer is not active at the scheduled download time or the communication link is not active, the End-User(s) is prompted to reschedule the download when the computer is next powered up.

When the scheduled download time occurs or if immediate download was requested, the SC(s) Processor192creates Order SC(s)650from information in the Transaction SC(s)640, Offer SC(s)641, and the Public Key661of the End-User(s) generated at install time. This Order SC(s)650is sent via HTTP request to the Clearinghouse(s)105. When the Clearinghouse(s)105returns the License SC(s)660, the Helper Application198is re-invoked to process the License SC(s)660. The License SC(s)660is then opened and the URL of the Content Hosting Site(s)111is extracted from the referenced Order SC(s)650. The License SC(s)660is then sent to the specified Content Hosting Site111, via http request through the Browser, requesting download of the Content SC(s)630. When the Content SC(s)630comes back to the Browser, the Helper Application198is re-invoked again. The SC(s) Processor192displays the name of the Content113being downloaded along with a download progress indicator and an estimated time to completion.

As the Content113is being received by the SC(s) Processor192, it loads the Content113data into memory buffers for decryption. The size of the buffers depends on the requirements of the encryption algorithm and watermarking technology193and is the minimum size possible to reduce the amount of unencrypted Content113exposed to hacker code. As a buffer is filled, it is decrypted using the Key623(corresponding to the Public Key661) of the End-User(s) extracted from the License SC(s)660, which itself is first decrypted using the Private Key. The decrypted buffer is then passed to the watermarking function.

The watermarking193extracts the watermarking instructions from the License SC(s)660and decrypt the instructions using the Private Key of the End-User(s). The watermarking data is then extracted from the License SC(s)660which includes transaction information such as the purchaser's name as registered with the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103from which this Content113was purchased or derived from the credit card registration information if the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103does not provide a registration function. Also included in the watermark is the purchase date and the Transaction ID535assigned by the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103to reference the specific records logged for this transaction. The Store Usage Conditions519are also included to be used by the Copy Control of the Player Application195.

The Watermarking193is protected with Tamper Resistant Code technology so as not to divulge the watermarking instructions thus preventing a hacker from discovering the location and technique of the watermark. This prevents removal or modification of the watermark by a hacker.

After inscribing any required watermark to this content buffer, the buffer is passed to the scrambling function for Re-Encryption194. A processor efficient secure encryption algorithm such as IBM's SEAL encryption technology is used to re-encrypt the Content113using a random Symmetric Key. Once the download and Decryption and Re-Encryption194process is complete, the encryption Key623used by the Content Provider(s)101to originally encrypt the Content113is now destroyed and the new SEAL key is itself encrypted using the Secret User Key created and hidden at installation time. This new encrypted Seal Key is now stored in the License Database107.

Unlike source performed at the Content Provider(s)101and user watermarking performed at the End User Device(s)109may need to become an industry standard to be effective. These standards are still evolving. The technology is available to allow control information to be embedded in the music and updated a number of times. Until such time as the copy control standards are more stable, alternative methods of copy control have been provided in the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100so that it does not rely on the copy control watermark in order to provide rights management in the consumer device. Storage and p lay/record usage conditions security is implemented utilizing encrypted DC Library Collections196that are tied to the End User Device(s)109and protected via the Tamper Resistant Environment. Software hooks are in place to support copy control watermarking when standards have been adopted. Support exists today for watermarking AAC and other encoded audio streams at a variety of compression levels but this technology is still somewhat immature at this time to be put to use as a sole method of copy control.

The Decryption and Re-Encryption194process is another area of the code that is protected with Tamper Resistant Code technology so as not to divulge the original Content113encryption key, the new SEAL key, the Secret User Key, and where the Secret User Key segments are stored and how the key is segmented.

The process of Decryption and Re-Encryption194serves two purposes. Storing the Content113encrypted with an algorithm like SEAL enables faster than real-time decryption and requires much less processor utilization to perform the decryption than does a more industry standard type algorithm like DES. This enables the Player Application195to perform a real-time concurrent decryption-decode-playback of the Content113without the need to first decrypt the entire file for the Content113prior to decode and playback. The efficiency of the SEAL algorithm and a highly efficient decode algorithm, allows not only concurrent operation (streaming playback from the encrypted file) but also allows this process to occur on a much lower powered system processor. Thus this application can be supported on a End-User Device(s)109as low end as a 60 MHz Pentium system and perhaps lower. Separating the encryption format in which the Content113is finally stored from the original encryption format, allows for greater flexibility in the selection of the original content encryption algorithm. Thus use of widely accepted and proven industry standard algorithms can be used thus further enhancing Digital Content Industry acceptance of the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100.

The second purpose of this Decryption and Re-Encryption194process is to remove the requirement that the original master encryption Key623, used by the Content Provider(s)101to encrypt this Content113, be stored on every End-User Device(s)109which has licensed this Content113. The encrypted master Key623, as part of the License SC(s)660, is only cached on the hard disk of the End-User Device(s)109for a very short time and is in the clear only in memory and for a very short time. During this execution phase, the Key623is protected via Tamper Resistant Code technology. Not having to retain this Key623in any form on the End-User Device(s)109once this Decryption and Re-Encryption194phase has completed, greatly lessens the possibility of piracy from hackers.

Once the song has been re-encrypted, it is stored in the Digital Content Library196. All metadata required for use by the Player Application195, is extracted from the associated Offer SC(s)641and also stored in the Digital Content Library196, step1403. Any parts of the metadata which are encrypted, such as the song lyrics, are decrypted and re-encrypted in the same manner as described above for the other content. The same SEAL key used to encrypt the Content113is used for any associated metadata needing to be encrypted.

D. The Player Application195

The Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution Player Application195(referred to here as the Player Application195) is analogous to both a CD, DVD or other Digital Content player and to a CD, DVD, or other digital content storage management system. At its simplest, it performs Content113, such as playing songs or videos. At another level, it provides the End-User(s) a tool for managing his/her Digital Content Library196. And just as importantly, it provides for editing and playing of collections of content, such as songs, (referred to here as Play-lists).

The Player Application195is assembled from a collection of components that may be individually selected and customized to the requirements of the Content Provider(s)101and Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103. A generic version of the player is described, but customization is possible.

Referring now toFIG. 15there is shown a block diagram of the major components and processes of the Player Application195running on End-User Device(s)109ofFIG. 10.

There are several component-sets that make up the subsystems of the Player Object Manager1501:

Components from within each of these sets may be selected, based on the requirements of:

The sections below detail the various component sets. The final section details how these components are put together in the generic player, and discusses how the components can be customized.

In another embodiment, the components of the Player Application195and the SC(s) Processor192are available as part of a programmer's software toolkit. This toolkit enables predefined interfaces to the components of the generic player application listed above. These predefined interfaces are in the form of APIs or Application Programming Interfaces. A developer using these APIs can implement any of the functionality of the components from a high level application program. By providing APIs to these components, a programmer can quickly develop a customized Player Application195without the need to re-created these functions and resources of any of these components.

Components from this set combine to provide the on-screen manifestation of the Player Application195. Note that the design establishes no definitive layout of these components. One such layout is provided in the generic player. Based on requirements from Content Provider(s)101and/or Electronic Digital Content Store(s) and other requirements, alternate layouts are possible.

This set is grouped into subgroups, starting with the components used to present End-User Display1510and handle controls called End-User Controls1511used for such low-level functions as audio playback, and presentation of metadata. Next, the End-User Display Component1510is further divided by special function groupings (Play-list, Digital Content Library), and then object-container components used for grouping and placing of those lower-level components.

Within the component listings below, any reference to creating CDS or copying of Content113to a CD or other recordable medium only applies to the case where the Player Application195has such functionality enabled. Also note that the term CD in that context is a generic one, that can also represent various other external recording devices, such as MiniDisc or DVD.

FIG. 16is an example user interface screens of the Player Application195ofFIG. 15according to the present invention. Function for the End-User Controls1511include (corresponding screens of an End-User Interface are shown1601-1605):

Controls for performing the Content113:Play/Stop buttonPlay buttonStop buttonPause buttonSkip forward buttonSkip backward buttonVolume controlTrack position control/displayAudio channel volume level display and more.

Controls for the displaying metadata associated with the Content113Cover Picture buttonCover Picture objectArtist Picture buttonArtist Picture objectTrack List buttonTrack List Information objectTrack List Selector object (click to play)Track Name objectTrack Information objectTrack Lyrics buttonTrack Lyrics objectTrack Artist Name objectTrack Credits buttonTrack Credits objectCD Name objectCD Credits buttonCD Credits objectGeneric (Configurable) Metadata buttonGeneric Metadata object and more.

Function for the End-User Display1510include (corresponding screens of an End-User Interface are shown1601-1605):

Play-list of display containerPlay-list Management buttonPlay-list Management windowDigital Content search buttonDigital Content search Definition objectDigital Content search Submit buttonDigital Content search Results objectCopy Selected Search Result Item To Play-list buttonPlay-list object (editable)Play-list Save buttonPlay-list Play buttonPlay-list Pause buttonPlay-list Restart buttonCreate CD from Play-list button and more.

Display of Digital Content Library196Digital content library buttonDigital content librarian windowDigital content categories buttonDigital content categories objectBy-artist buttonBy-genre buttonBy-label buttonBy-category buttonDelete buttonAdd-to-Play-list buttonCopy to CD buttonSong List objectSong List display container and more

These components handle set up of encryption keys, Watermark processing, Copy management, and more. Interfaces also exist for communication with the Clearinghouse(s)105, transmission of purchase requests, and more, for special services such as pay per listen or cases where each access to the Content113is accounted for. Currently, the communications to the Clearinghouse(s)105functions are handled by the SC(s) Processor192.

The use of the Content113by the Player Applications195on End User Device(s)109is logged into a database such as the License Database197. The tracking of each use of Content113by the Player Application195can be transmitted to one or more logging sites such as the Clearing House(s)105or Content Provider(s)101or Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103or any site designated and coupled to Transmission Infrastructures107. This transmission can be scheduled at predetermined times to upload the usage information to a logging site. One predetermined time contemplated is early in the morning when Transmission Infrastructures107may not be as congested with network traffic. The Player Application195using known techniques, wakes-up at a scheduled time, and transmit the information from the local logging database to the logging site. By reviewing the logging site information, the Content Provider(s)101can measure the popularity of their Content113.

In another embodiment, the instead of logging the usage of Content113for later uploading to a logging site, the use of the Content113is uploaded to the logging site during every use of the Content113. For example, when duplicating or copying the Content113stored at the End User Device(s)109, on to an external device such as DVD Disc, digital tape, flash memory, mini Disc or equivalent read/writeable removable media, the use is updates to the logging site. This may be a precondition to copying the Content113in the usage conditions206that is transmitted when the Content113is purchased. This ensures the Content Provider(s)101can accurately track the usage of their Content113during their playing, duplicating or other actions upon the Content113.

In addition, other information about the Content113can be uploaded to the logging site. For example the last time (e.g., hour and day) the Content113was performed; how many times the Content113was performed; if the Content113has been duplicated or copied to an authorized external device such as DVD Disc, digital tape or mini-Disc. In cases where there are multiple distinct users of a single Player Application195on the End User Device(s)109, such as different members of a family, the identifications of the user of the Content113is transmitted along with the usage information to the logging site. By reviewing the usage information uploaded to the logging site, the Content Provider(s)101can measure the popularity of the Content113base on the actual usage, the identification of the user and the number of times the Content113has been performed. The actual usage measurement makes this system more factual driven over systems using sampling methods, such as a Nielsen Rating scheme for televisions, or telephone surveys, where only a limited number of users are sampled at any one time and the results extrapolated. In this present embodiment, the actual usage can be measures for the users logging back onto a designated web site such as the Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103or Content Provider(s)101.

These components use the keys acquired by the Copy/Play Management components to unlock the audio data acquired from the Data Management and Library Access components, apply the appropriate decompression to prepare it for playback, and use system audio services to play it. In an alternate embodiment, the audio data acquired from the Data Management and Library Access components may be copied to removable media such as CDS, diskettes, tapes or MiniDisks.

These components are used to store and retrieve song data on various storage devices on the End-User(s)' system, as well as handle requests for information about the stored songs.

These components are used for coordination between the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution Player and other applications (e.g., Browser, helper-app and/or plug-in, etc) that may invoke the Player Application195, or that the Player Application195needs to use when carrying out its functions. For example, when a URL control is activated, it invokes the appropriate browser and instruct it to load the appropriate page.

7. Other Miscellaneous Components

Individual components that dont fall into the categories above (e.g., Installation) are grouped here.

8. The Generic Player

In this section the combining of the components above into a version of the Player Application195is discussed. This is just one of many different examples possible, since the Player Application195is designed for customization by being based on software objects.

The Player Object Manager1501is a software framework holding all the other components together. As discussed in the sections above, the blocks below the Player Object Manager1501in this diagram are required for any player, but may be replaced by specialized versions depending on such things as form of encryption or scrambling being used, types of audio compression, access methods for the Content113library, and more.

Above the Player Object Manager1501are Variable Objects1512, which are mostly derived from the metadata associated with the Content113being played or searched. These Variable Objects are made available to the End-User Device(s)109by way of the End-User Display1510and received input from the End-User Controls1511. All objects are configurable, and the layouts of all containers are customizable. These objects may be implemented in C/C++, Java or any equivalent programming language.

Using the Player Application195

The following embodiment is for an example where the Player Application195running on End-User Device(s)109is an audio player where Content113is music. It should be understood to those skilled in the art that other types of Content113can be supported by the Player Application195. A typical audio enthusiast has a library of CDS holding songs. All of these are available within the Secure Digital Content Electronic Distribution System100. The set of songs that have been purchased from Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103are stored within a Digital Content Library196on his or her system. The groupings of songs that are analogous to physical CDS are stored as Play-lists. In some cases a Play-list exactly emulates a CD (e.g., all tracks of a commercially available CD has been purchased from an Electronic Digital Content Store(s)103as an on-line version of the CD and is defined by a Play-list equivalent to that of the CD). But most Play-lists is put together by End-User(s) to group songs they have stored in the Digital Content Libraries on their systems. However for the purposes of the ensuing discussions, an example of a custom made music CD is used when the term a Play-list is mentioned.

When the End-User(s) starts the Player Application195explicitly, rather than having it start up via invocation from the SC(s) Processor192Application, it pre-loads to the last Play-list that was accessed. If no Play-lists exist in the Digital Content Library196, the Play-list editor is started automatically (unless the user has turned off this feature via a preference setting). See The Play-list, below for further details.

The Player Application195may also be invoked with a specific song as an argument, in which case it immediately enters Song-play mode. Optionally, the song may be prepared for play but await action by the End-User(s) before proceeding. See Song Play, below for more on this situation.

The Play-list (corresponding screen of an End-User Interface1603):

When the End-User(s) has invoked the Play-list function, these are the available functions:Open Play-listDigital Content Librarian is invoked to display a list of stored Play-lists for selection. Also see Digital Content Librarian below for more info.Edit Play-listInvokes the Play-list Editor (see below), primed with the current Play-list if one has been loaded already. Otherwise the editor creates an empty Play-list to start with.Run Play-listSongs are played one at a time starting with the selected song (or the beginning of the play-list, if no song is selected). Options set in the Play-list Editor affect the sequencing of the playback. However there is controls available here to override those options for this play of the Play-list.Play songOnly the selected song from the Play-list is played. See Song Play below for more info.Play-list InfoDisplay information about the Play-list.Song InfoDisplay information about the selected song within the Play-list.Visit web siteLoad web site associated with this Play-list into browser.LibrarianOpen the Digital Content Librarian window. Also see Digital Content Librarian below for more info.

The Play-list Editor (corresponding screen of an End-User Interface1603):

When invoking the Play-list editor, these are the End-User(s)' options:View/Load/Delete Play-listsDigital Content Librarian is invoked to display a list of stored Play-lists for selection of one to load or delete. Also see Digital Content Librarian below for more info.Save Play-listCurrent version of Play-list is saved in the Digital Content Library196.Delete SongCurrently selected song is deleted from Play-list.Add SongDigital Content Librarian is invoked in song-search mode, for selection of song to add to the Play-list. Also see Digital Content Librarian below for more info.Set Song InformationDisplay and allow changes to information about the selected song within the play-list. This information is stored within the Play-list, and does not alter information about the song stored within the Digital Content Library196. These things can be changed:Displayed Song TitleEnd-User(s) notes about the songLead-in delay on playing the songFollow-on delay after playing the songStart-point within song when playingEnd-point within song when playingWeighting for random modeVolume adjustment for this song and more.

Set Play-list attributes: Display and allow changes to the attributes of this Play-list. These attributes may be set:Play-list titlePlay-list mode (random, sequential, etc)Repeat mode (play once, restart when done, etc)End-User(s) notes about this Play-list

Librarian (corresponding screen of an End-User Interface1601):Open the Digital Content Librarian window. Also see Digital Content Librarian below for more info.
Song Play

When a song has been prepared for play, either by invoking the Player Application195with the song as an argument or by selecting a song for play from a Play-list or within the Digital Content Librarian, these are the End-User(s)' options: (corresponding screen of an End-User Interface1601):PlayPauseStopSkip BackwardSkip ForwardAdjust VolumeAdjust Track PositionView LyricsView CreditsView CD CoverView Artist PictureView Track InformationView other metadataVisit web sitePlay-listLibrarian and more.
Digital Content Librarian

The Digital Content Librarian can be invoked implicitly when selecting songs or Play-lists (see above) or may be opened in its own window for management of the Song Library on the End-User(s)' system. In that case, these are the End-User(s)' options:

Working with Songs:Sort All by Artist, Category, Label, otherSelect Songs by Artist, Category, Label, otherAdd selected songs to Current Play-listCopy Song to CD (if enabled)Delete SongAdd Song to Category and more.

Work with Play-Lists:Sort by NameSort by CategorySearch by KeywordSearch by Included Song TitleLoad Selected Play-listRename Play-listDelete Play-listCreate CD from Selected Play-list (if enabled) and more.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be understood by those having skill in the art that changes can be made to this specific embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiment, and it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.