1.  Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the transmission of media data.  More specifically, the invention provides a system and method for controlling the manner, in which media data may be served over a network. 
2.  Description of the Related Art
The production and distribution of multimedia data, including video, audio and image data, is increasing at a phenomenal rate.  Factors contributing to this explosion in the production and use of multimedia data include the growing popularity and capability of the Internet, the growing affordability of personal computers capable of efficiently processing multimedia data to provide a pleasing experience for users, as well as the fact that multimedia data is far superior to text-only data in conveying content-rich information naturally and intuitively.  The great demand for multimedia data will only increase. 
People now access and use multimedia data in numerous ways.  One way that people access multimedia data is over a network.  For example, people using web browsers on personal computers now access multimedia data by surfing the World Wide Web via the Internet.  Countless numbers of content providers link multimedia data to web pages accessible by people using web browsers.  Today, persons using web browsers can access a web page from a web server operated by a content provider to view video clips, listen to audio clips, or view images made available by the content provider. 
Sometimes, a person using a web browser and possibly a media rendering plug-in accesses a media object (e.g., video clip, audio clip, image) on a web site by viewing or listening to the media object as it is being downloaded without ever storing the media object permanently on his or her computer.  Other times, a user accesses a media object by downloading it and storing it on his or her computer in its entirety before viewing or listening to the object.  A user who accesses a media object by downloading it in its entirety has the advantage of being able to view or listen to the object any number of times without ever having to connect again to a network.  For a number of reasons, including encouraging users to repeatedly visit a web site, content providers need to regulate the type of access that users have to one, some or all media objects provided on a web site.  Yet, currently, content providers have little ability to conveniently restrict users"" access. 
Media objects are typically stored as computer files.  Thus, one way of restricting users"" access to these media objects is to set up a username/password system.  Besides presenting possibly prohibitive administrative overhead, such access restriction is undesirable because many users would be unwilling to visit a web site if they were forced to enter a username and password upon every visit. 
While existing computer operating systems can, on a user-by-user basis, allow access to a file or prohibit access altogether, that functionality does not help a content provider control particular types of accesses to files.  A computer""s file systemxe2x80x94typically a component of the operating systemxe2x80x94generally stores certain information about each file stored on the computer, such as, for example, file size and date and time of creation.  Neither the size of a file, nor an associated date or time assists in controlling how a user may access a file.  Thus, content providers cannot rely on functionality provided by a computer""s operating system to control the ways in which a media object may be accessed. 
As the demand for multimedia data grows, the multimedia content produced by content providers grows in value.  Indeed, many content providers now charge a fee from users who wish to access their content.  Content providers are increasingly concerned about the ways in which users are accessing the content and possible uses being made of the content.  What content providers need is a convenient way of controlling the ways users can access media objects. 
The present invention advantageously provides a system and method for conveniently and effectively regulating the ways users can access media objects. 
One embodiment of the present invention is an access coded media file.  The access coded media file comprises media data, and a header including access code bits, the access code bits representing a value indicating that the media data may be transmitted in accordance with at least one transmission protocol.  An alternative aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the access code bits represent a value indicating that the media data may not be transmitted in accordance with at least one transmission protocol.  A further aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the access code bits are encrypted and wherein the value is determined by decrypting the access code bits. 
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for regulating types of access to a media file.  The method comprising the steps of (1) placing an access code in a media file, the media file stored in a media storage accessible by a media server, the media server connected to a network, the access code indicating that data in the media file may be transmitted in accordance with at least one permitted transmission protocol; (2) requesting the media file with a media player, the media player connected to the network, the request specifying an intended transmission protocol to use in transmitting the media file over the network in response to the request; (3) transmitting the access code to the media player with the media server; and (4) checking the access code with the media player to determine whether the intended transmission protocol is one of the at least one permitted transmission protocols.  Another aspect of the embodiment further comprises encrypting the access code within the media file, and decrypting the access code with the media player to perform the checking. 
Still another embodiment of the invention is a system for regulating the transmission of media data.  The system comprises (1) a media file having media data and a header, the header including an access code corresponding to at least one permitted type of access to the media file; (2) a media server connected to a network and to media storage, the media file stored on the media storage, the media server responsive to a first request for the media file by transmitting the header, the media server responsive to a second request by transmitting the media data in accordance with one of the at least one permitted type of access; and (3) a media player connected to the network, the media player responsive to user input to transmit the first request to the media server, the media player receiving the header and extracting the access code from the header, the media player determining from the access code that the media file is enabled for one of the at least one permitted type of access, the media player transmitting the second request to the media server upon the determination.  One aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the first request specifies the one of at least one permitted type of access.  Another aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the one of at least one permitted type of access is a streaming transmission access.  Still another aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the one of at least one permitted type of access is a faster than real time reliable transmission access.  Yet another aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the one of at least one permitted type of access is simultaneous streaming and faster than real time transmission access.  A further aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the permitted type of access includes recording media data to local storage.  A still further aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the access code is encrypted and wherein the media player decrypts the access code. 
A further embodiment of the invention is a method for controlling access to media data over a network.  The method comprising the steps of (1) requesting remotely stored media data in accordance with a preferred transmission protocol; (2) receiving an access code corresponding with permitted transmission protocols, the access code stored within the media data; (3) determining whether the preferred transmission protocol is one of the permitted transmission protocols; and (4) receiving the media data in accordance with the preferred transmission protocol if the preferred transmission protocol is one of the permitted transmission protocols.  In one aspect, the embodiment comprises the further step of receiving the media data in accordance with a default transmission protocol if the preferred transmission protocol is not one of the permitted transmission protocols.  In another aspect, the embodiment comprises the further step of encrypting the access code. 
A still further embodiment of the invention is a system for regulating access to media data.  The system comprises (1) a media file having an embedded access code, the access code corresponding to at least one permitted type of transmission of the media file; (2) a web page having a hyperlink which references a network-based file which includes a reference to the media file; (3) a web browser displaying the web page, the web browser responsive to user activation of the hyperlink to transmit a request for the contents of the network-based file; (4) a web server responsive to the request for the contents to transmit the reference to the media file to the web browser; (5) a media player in communication with the web browser to receive the reference to the media file and to responsively transmit a request to a media server for the contents of the media file; and (6) a media server responsive to the request for the contents of the media file to transmit the access code to the media player, the media player determining from the access code whether a desired type of transmission of the media file is one of the permitted types of transmission.  A further aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the reference to the media file indicates the desired type of transmission.  Another aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the media server transmits the contents of the media file to the media player upon the media player""s determination that the desired type of transmission is one of the permitted types of transmission.  Yet another aspect of the embodiment is one wherein the desired type of transmission is a streaming transmission.  Further aspects of the embodiment include one wherein the desired type of transmission is a faster than real time reliable transmission and one wherein the desired type of transmission is simultaneous streaming and faster than real time transmission. 
Another embodiment of the invention is a method of encoding a media file to regulate transmission of the media file.  The method comprises the steps of (1) prompting a user to select a transmission method; (2) calculating an access code corresponding to the selected transmission method; (3) opening a media file stored on a computer-readable medium; (4) placing the access code within the media file; and (5) storing the media file having the access code on the computer-readable medium.  One aspect of the embodiment further comprises the step of encrypting the access code.  Another aspect of the embodiment further comprises the step of combining the access code with extra bits and placing both the access code and the extra bits in the media file.