Patent Publication Number: US-2022230163-A1

Title: Content wallet, terminal device, and content sales system comprising same wallet and device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to the field of content transaction, and more particularly, to a content wallet for storing content, a terminal device for selling content, and a content sales system including the same. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In the existing content transaction market, mediators or providers, not creators or producers of content, took the initiative in transacting content and distributing profits. Digital platform providers that sell content has concentrated their efforts on securing market monopoly rights, and accordingly, excessive competition in which content production costs are not considered has developed, and the social perception that content is free has become widespread. In addition, indirect methods in which commercial advertisings are directly or indirectly included in content or service providers collect flat fees to create profits, have become mainstream. 
     Such a transaction structure is advantageous for those who collect, transform and redistribute content, or those who produce sensational or gossip content. Therefore, there is a problem that talented people do not receive adequate compensation even in a situation in which contents are produced overwhelmingly more than before. 
     In order to improve such an unfair compensation system, a method is required to allow the original creator of the content to take the initiative and participate in the data transaction. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     The disclosure provides a content wallet, a terminal device, and a content sales system including the same that may provide fair compensation for content transactions to content creators and contributors who have contributed to content production. 
     Further, an object of the disclosure is to prevent unauthorized distribution of content due to hacking or the like. 
     Further, an object of the disclosure is to promote an activation of content transactions between individuals. 
     The technical problems to be achieved by the content wallet, the terminal device, and the content sales system including the same according to the technical idea of the disclosure are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. 
     Technical Solution 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, a content wallet includes a network module configured to communicate with a terminal device; and a toggle switch configured to control a connection between an external memory inserted into an accommodation groove and the network module, wherein content stored in the external memory may be transmitted to the terminal device through the network module, when the external memory and the network module are connected according to a manipulation of a user for the toggle switch. 
     When the toggle switch is moved in a first direction according to the manipulation of the user, the external memory and the network module may be connected, and when the toggle switch is moved in a second direction according to the manipulation of the user, the connection between the external memory and the network module may be released. 
     The content wallet may further include an input module configure to receive a first password from the user, wherein the first password may be transmitted to the terminal device through the network module, and user authentication may be performed according to a comparison result between a second password input to the terminal device and the first password. 
     The content wallet may further include encryption module configured to encrypt the content stored in the external memory, wherein the content encrypted by the encryption module may be transmitted to the terminal device through the network module. 
     According to another aspect of the disclosure, a content sales system includes a content wallet configured to include a toggle switch for controlling a connection between an external memory for storing content and a network module; and a terminal device configured to receive the content through the network module and transmits the received content to a purchaser device when the external memory and the network module are connected according to a manipulation of the toggle switch. 
     The content wallet may transmit a first password input through an input module to the terminal device, and the terminal device may receive the content from the content wallet when a second password input by the user corresponds to the first password. 
     The terminal device may store a distributed ledger including contribution information of contributors related to a generation of the content, distribute an amount according to a transaction of the content according to the contribution information, and transmit the distributed amount to accounts of the contributors. 
     The terminal device may store a distributed ledger including contribution information of contributors related to a generation of the content, distribute electronic money corresponding to an amount of a transaction of the content according to the contribution information, and transmit the distributed electronic money to the contributors. 
     The distributed ledger may include block chain data, and each block may include the contribution information of the contributor. 
     According to still another aspect of the disclosure, a terminal device includes at least one processor; and a memory configured to be electrically connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause content to be received from content wallet, when a network module of the content wallet and an external memory for storing the content are connected according to a manipulation of a toggle switch, and cause the received content to be transmitted to a purchaser device. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     The content wallet, the terminal device, and the content sales system including the same according to the technical idea of the disclosure may provide fair compensation for content transactions to the content creators and the contributors who have contributed to content production. 
     Further, according to the disclosure, it is possible to prevent unauthorized distribution of content due to hacking or the like. 
     Further, according to the disclosure, it is possible to promote an activation of content transactions between individuals. 
     The effects of the disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned may be obviously understood by those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains from the following description. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In order to more fully understand the drawings cited in the disclosure, a brief description of each drawing is provided. 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a content sales system according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are side views illustrating of a content wallet according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminal device according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a content sales method according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a conceptual diagram illustrating a distributed ledger according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary diagram illustrating a network structure for content transaction according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     The technical spirit of the disclosure may apply various modifications and have various embodiments, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detail description. However, this is not intended to limit the technical spirit of the disclosure to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the technical spirit of the disclosure. 
     In describing the technical idea of the disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the spirit of the disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, numbers (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in the description process of the disclosure are only identifiers for distinguishing one component from other components. 
     Further, in the disclosure, when one component is referred to as “connected” or “coupled” to another component, it is to be understood that one component may be directly connected or directly coupled to another component, but may be connected or connected through another component in the middle, unless specifically stated to the contrary. 
     In addition, terms such as “˜ unit”, “˜ or”, “˜ er”, “˜ module”, etc. described in the disclosure mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be implemented by hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software, such as a processor, a micro processor, an application processor, a micro controller, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerate processor unit (APU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and the like. 
     In addition, it is intended to clarify that the classification of the components in the disclosure is merely a division for each main function that each component is responsible for. That is, two or more components to be described below may be combined into one component, or one component may be divided into two or more components for each more subdivided function. In addition, each of the components to be described below may also additionally perform some or all of the functions of the other components in addition to the main function it is responsible for, and some of the main functions that each of the components is responsible for may be exclusively performed by other components. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments according to the technical spirit of the disclosure will be described in detail in turn. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a content sales system according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure, and  FIGS. 2A and 2B  are side views illustrating of a content wallet  100  according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
     A content sales system according to an embodiment includes a content wallet  100  and a terminal device  300 . The content wallet  100  and the terminal device  300  may be communicatively connected to and communicate with each other through network modules  110  and  310 . The network module  110  of the content wallet  100  and the network module  310  of the terminal device  300  may be connected to each other through a network. Here, the network may include a wired network and/or a wireless network. Specifically, the network may include various networks such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), and a wide area network (WAN). However, the network according to the disclosure is not limited to the above-listed networks, and may include at least a part of a well-known wireless data network, a well-known telephone network, and a well-known wired/wireless television network. 
     In an embodiment, the content wallet  100  may be detachably mounted on the terminal device  300  or separated from the terminal device  300 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the content wallet  100  may include a network module  110 , a toggle switch  120 , a built-in memory  130 , an encryption module  140 , and an input module  150 . The network module  110  and the encryption module  140  may be implemented with at least one processor, and the built-in memory  130  may be a storage medium including one or more non-volatile memory elements such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, and hard disk. 
     The external memory  200  stores content. The content stored in the external memory  200  may be a transaction target. In an embodiment, the content may include an image, a movie, a drama, a document, or music, but the type of contents is not limited thereto. Various types of contents that may be transmitted to another terminal through a communication network may be stored in the external memory  200 . 
     In a state in which the external memory  200  is inserted into an accommodating groove  160 , the external memory  200  and the network module  110  may be connected according to a manipulation of a user for the toggle switch  120 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , when the toggle switch  120  is slid in a first direction, for example, in a direction in which the external memory  200  is located, the external memory  200  and the network module  110  may be connected to each other. In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 2B , when the toggle switch  120  is slid in a second direction, for example, in a direction opposite to the first direction, the connection between the external memory  200  and the network module  110  may be released. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates that the external memory  200  and the network module  110  are connected to each other through a connection terminal of the built-in memory  130 , a connection terminal of the encryption module  140 , and a connection terminal of the toggle switch  120 , but this is only an example, and the external memory  200  and the network module  110  may be connected to each other in various ways according to an arrangement structure of the built-in memory  130 , the encryption module  140 , the toggle switch  120 , and the network module  110 . In an example, as the connection terminal of the external memory  200  contacts the connection terminal of the toggle switch  120  and the connection terminal of the toggle switch  120  contacts the connection terminal of the network module  110 , the external memory  200  and the network module  110  may be connected to each other. 
     In addition, the toggle switch  120  may operate in a sliding manner as illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . According to an implementation example, the toggle switch  120  may operate in various manners, such as a manner that it is flipped forward and backward. 
     When the external memory  200  is connected to the network module  110  according to the manipulation of the toggle switch  120 , the content stored in the external memory  200  is transmitted to the terminal device  300  through the network module  110 . The content transmitted to the terminal device  300  may be transmitted from the terminal device  300  to a purchaser terminal according to a request of the purchaser terminal. 
     In an embodiment, the encryption module  140  may encrypt the content in an analog manner using a pre-stored mechanism. In this case, the content encrypted by a physical medium may be transmitted to the terminal device  300  through the network module  110 . 
     In another embodiment, the encryption module  140  may encrypt content in a digital manner using a pre-stored logical algorithm. In this case, the encrypted content may be transmitted to the terminal device  300  through the network module  110 . As an example, the content may be encrypted according to a public key encryption method or a private key encryption method. When the content encrypted as described above is transmitted from the terminal device  300  to the purchaser terminal, a decryption key capable of decrypting the encrypted content may also be transmitted to the purchaser terminal. Then, the purchaser terminal may use the content after decrypting the encrypted content with the decryption key. 
     The input module  150  may be provided for user authentication. The input module  150  may receive a first password from the user. The first password may be transmitted to the terminal device  300  through the network module  110 . The input module  150  may include a plurality of number (or letter) buttons, and in this case, the first password may include a predetermined number of numbers (or letters). As another example, the input module  150  may include a single button, and in this case, the first password may include the number of selections or pushes of the single button. 
     The input module  150  may be implemented as a button, but may also be implemented as a number (or letter) dial or a biometric sensor, depending on the implementation example. Here, the biometric sensor may include a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, a face sensor, and the like. 
     When the first password is transmitted to the terminal device  300  and a second password is input from the user through an input means (e.g., a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a voice input, etc.) of the terminal device  300 , the terminal device  300  determines whether the second password corresponds to the first password. For example, the terminal device  300  may determine whether the second password is the same as the first password. When the second password corresponds to the first password, the terminal device  300  may complete the user authentication and receive the content from the content wallet  100 . Conversely, when the second password does not correspond to the first password, the terminal device  300  does not receive the content from the content wallet  100  and may output a message indicating that the user authentication has failed through a display or a speaker. 
     As another embodiment for user authentication, the input module  150  may not be included in the content wallet  100 , and instead, the first password may be pre-stored in the built-in memory  130 . When the external memory  200  is connected to the network module  110  according to the manipulation of the toggle switch  120 , the first password stored in the built-in memory  130  may be transmitted to the terminal device  300  through the network module  110 . When the second password is input from the user through an input means (e.g., a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a voice input, etc.) of the terminal device  300 , the terminal device  300  determines whether the second password corresponds to the first password. For example, the terminal device  300  may determine whether the second password is the same as the first password. When the second password corresponds to the first password, the terminal device  300  may complete the user authentication and receive the content from the content wallet  100 . Conversely, when the second password does not correspond to the first password, the terminal device  300  does not receive the content from the content wallet  100  and may output a message indicating that the user authentication has failed through a display or a speaker. 
     As still another embodiment for user authentication, when the second password is input from the user through the input means of the terminal device  300 , the terminal device  300  transmits the second password to the network module  110  of the content wallet  100 . In addition, when the external memory  200  is connected to the network module  110  according to the manipulation of the toggle switch  120 , the first password pre-stored in the built-in memory  130  or the first password input from the user through the input module  150  may be transmitted to the network module  110 . The network module  110  determines whether the second password corresponds to the first password. For example, the network module  110  may determine whether the second password is the same as the first password. When the second password corresponds to the first password, the network module  110  may complete the user authentication and transmit the content to the terminal device  300 . Conversely, when the second password does not correspond to the first password, the network module  110  may not transmit the content to the terminal device  300 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminal device  300  according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a terminal device  300  may include a processor  330  and a memory  350 . The network module  310  described above may be implemented as the processor  330 . 
     The processor  330  may include at least one processor. The processor  330  may transmit the content received from the content wallet  100  to the purchaser terminal. The processor  330  may check whether fee payment for content transaction is completed by the purchaser, and transmit the content to the purchaser terminal when the fee payment completion is checked. In addition, the processor  330  may disclose meta information (e.g., title, price, plot, etc.) of the content received from the content wallet  100  to other terminals through a network for content sale. Other terminals may access the terminal device  300  through the network to check the meta information of the content being sold by the terminal device  300 . 
     The memory  350  may store various data related to the above-described content sales operation. The memory  350  may include a storage. 
     The terminal device  300  may include various types of devices capable of being connected to the content wallet  100  and capable of being network-accessed, for example, such as a desktop PC, a tablet PC, a notebook computer, a smartphone, and a wearable device. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a content sales method according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
     In step S 410 , the terminal device  300  receives content from the content wallet  100 . The terminal device  300  may receive encrypted content from the content wallet  100 . 
     As described above, when the external memory  200  is connected to the network module  110  according to the manipulation of the toggle switch  120  in the state in which the external memory  200  is inserted into the content wallet  100 , the content stored in the external memory  200  may be transmitted to the terminal device  300 . 
     When the user authentication is completed, the terminal device  300  may receive the content from the content wallet  100 . 
     In step S 420 , the terminal device  300  receives a purchase request for content from the purchaser terminal. In an embodiment, the terminal device  300  may disclose the meta information of the content received from the content wallet  100  to other terminals through the network, and may receive a purchase request for content from a purchaser terminal checking the disclosed meta information. 
     In step S 430 , the terminal device  300  transmits the content to the purchaser terminal according to the purchase request of the purchaser terminal. The terminal device  300  may transmit the content to the purchaser terminal when the fee payment completion of the content is checked. In an embodiment, the terminal device  300  may transmit a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted content to the purchaser terminal. 
     In step S 440 , the terminal device  300  may distribute a transaction amount according to contribution information of contributors who have contributed to the production of the content and transmit the distributed transaction amount to the accounts of the contributors. The contributors refer to people who have contributed to the production of the content, and may include, for example, screenwriters, cinematographers, and directors of content. When the content is a secondary work, the contributor may include a secondary copyright holder. 
     Meanwhile, according to an implementation example, the terminal device  300  may distribute electronic money corresponding to the transaction amount according to the contribution information of the contributors who contributed to the production of the content and distribute the distributed electronic money to the contributors. Here, the electronic money is an electronic payment means that replaces cash, and may be a concept encompassing cryptocurrency, cyber money, and the like. 
     In an embodiment, the terminal device  300  may store a distributed ledger including the contribution information of contributors for accurate distribution of the transaction amounts and the electronic money. The distributed ledger may also be stored in terminals of contributors. 
       FIG. 5  is a conceptual diagram illustrating a distributed ledger according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a distributed ledger includes block chain data  500 . The block chain data  500  may include a plurality of blocks  510 ,  520 ,  530 ,  540 , and  550  connected to each other, and each block may include contribution information of a contributor. For example, block  1   510  may include contribution information of a contributor  1 , and block  2   520  may include contribution information of a contributor  2 . Meanwhile, each block may further include an address value, a parameter, and the like related to the contribution. 
     When a block including contribution information of a contributor who has contributed to content production is newly generated, the newly generated block may be added to the block chain data  500  upon approval of existing contributor terminals. For example, when the content is a secondary work, a block including contribution information of a secondary copyright holder may be newly generated, and upon approval of original copyright holders, the block including the contribution information of the secondary copyright holder may be included in the block chain data  500 . 
     The terminal device  300  may store a distributed ledger for each content to be sold. For example, the terminal device  300  may store a distributed ledger A for content A and a distributed ledger B for content B. When the sale of content A is completed, the transaction amount may be distributed according to the distributed ledger A and provided to contributors of content A, and when the sale of the B content is completed, the transaction amount may be distributed according to the distributed ledger B and provided to contributors of content B. 
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary diagram illustrating a network structure for content transaction according to diverse embodiments of the disclosure. 
     Among the nodes illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a node  1   300   a  and a node  3   300   c  may correspond to the terminal device  300  described above, and a node  2   300   b  and a node  4   300   d  may correspond to the purchaser terminal. Because users of the node  1   300   a  and the node  3   300   c  may also purchase content, the node  1   300   a  and the node  3   300   c  may also correspond to the purchaser terminal. When the content wallet  100  is connected to the node  2   300   b  and the node  4   300   d , the node  300   b  and the node  4   300   d  may also correspond to the terminal device  300  described above. 
     The user of node  1   300   a  inserts the external memory  200  into a content wallet  100   a  and manipulates the toggle switch  120 , thereby making it possible to sell the content stored in the external memory  200  to users of other nodes. When the content stored in the external memory  200  is transmitted to the node  1   300   a , the node  1   300   a  may disclose the meta information of the content to the nodes  2   300   b , the node  3   300   c , and the node  4   300   d . When the node  2   300   b  makes a purchase request for the content to the node  1   300   a , the node  1   300   a  may check whether the payment by the node  2   300   b  is completed, and may transmit the content to the node  2   300   b  when the payment is completed. The node  2   300   b  may reproduce the received content. 
     Although not illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the node  1   300   a , the node  2   300   b , the node  3   300   c , and the node  4   300   d  may communicate with each other via a network. Here, the network may include a wireless network. 
     According to an embodiment of the disclosure, only when the user inserts the external memory  200  into the content wallet  100  and physically connects the external memory  200  and the network module  110  through the manipulation of the toggle switch  120 , the content stored in the external memory  200  may be sold. That is, because the network connection of the external memory  200  is controlled through an active action of the user, it is possible to prevent the content stored in the external memory  200  from being leaked through hacking or the like. 
     In addition, the user may simply control the interruption and resumption of content sales by simply manipulating the toggle switch  120 . 
     Hereinabove, the technical spirit of the disclosure has been described in detail with reference to various embodiments, but is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical spirit of the disclosure.