Abstract:
A method, apparatus, and system for remotely managing ownership of physical media units (“PMUs”), comprising a physical media storage facility for storing PMUs and a PMU transfer facility for receiving PMUs from and delivering PMUs to users. A controller authenticates a user, reads an ownership database to identify PMUs that the user owns, and allows the user to access content of the PMUs he owns. The controller also facilitates remote buying and selling of PMUs, as well as requests to deliver a PMU to its owner.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/608,165, titled “Apparatus, System, and Method for Remote Media Ownership Mangement,” filed Dec. 7, 2006, and which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/744,011 entitled “Managed, Physical Media Space Shifting, with Remote Access, and Market Based Sale System,” filed on Mar. 30, 2006 for John Fenley, which are both incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention is in the field of facilitating remote ownership of physical media, including selling, purchasing, storing, trading, and accessing such physical media. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Physical media, including but not limited to CDs, DVDs, game system discs and cartridges (“Physical Media Units” or “PMUs”), are expensive and difficult to manage as the size of a collection of physical media grows. Storing, handling, and navigating tens, hundreds, or thousands of CDs, DVDs, or game system discs is unwieldy at best, and often simply unmanageable. 
         [0006]    Although the digital content itself on a PMU could be accessed remotely, e.g., over the Internet, using the PMU itself is inconvenient. Obtaining a PMU requires some sort of transportation of the PMU, either from a store or through shipping. Disposing of a PMU, e.g., through selling, is also inconvenient, and also requires shipping, shipping time, shipping costs, and other transaction overhead. 
         [0007]    Although the PMU is unwieldy and inconvenient in the age of networks and the Internet, it fills an important role as a representation of a user&#39;s license to access and use the digital content contained on the PMU. Notwithstanding this important role, accessing the content on a PMU, and buying, selling, and trading a PMU, requires significant transaction overhead (e.g., shipping and physical handling) because of the physical nature of the PMU. Some of this overhead is beneficial, however, because it allows for buying, selling, trading, and otherwise alienating, whereas a purely digital format, i.e., without an associated physical unit, is difficult to buy and sell while maintaining a definitive record of ownership and/or license rights. Combining the sign-of-ownership function of a PMU with the accessibility and disposability of purely digital content would increase convenience for consumers without compromising the ability of owners and licensors of digital content to restrict and police use of copyrighted content. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention disclosed herein facilitates remote ownership of physical media, including accessing, consuming, buying, selling, and trading remotely owned physical media. 
         [0009]    A system for remotely managing media ownership includes a physical media storage facility, an ownership register comprising a media owner corresponding to each of the plurality of PMUs. Each media owner comprises one of a plurality of users, and each user comprising a legal entity. The system further includes a PMU transfer facility that receives an incoming PMU and ownership information corresponding to the incoming PMU. The PMU transfer facility stores the incoming PMU in the physical media storage facility, and updates the ownership register according to the incoming PMU and the ownership information. The system further includes a controller comprising a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute managing remote media ownership. The modules may include a registration module configured to interpret the ownership register, an authentication module configured to interpret a username input and a password input from a current user, and to authenticate the current user as the media owner for a set of current PMUs according to the username input, the password input, and the ownership register. The controller may further include a content control module configured to manage ownership rights regarding the set of current PMUs for the current user, wherein ownership rights include one or more of a right to use, to dispose of, and to possess the current PMUs. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the controller further includes a selling module configured to accept a seller-bid comprising a seller-specified PMU from the set of current PMUs, a buying module configured to accept a buyer-bid comprising a buyer-specified PMU, and a trading module configured to execute a PMU trade in response to the seller specified PMU matching the buyer-specified PMU. The trading module may further update the ownership register based on the PMU trade. The seller-bid may be a market bid and/or a limit bid, and the seller-bid may be a market bid with a trigger price. The buyer-bid may be a market bid and/or a limit bid, and the buyer-bid may be a market bid with a trigger price. 
         [0011]    The controller further comprises a fiscal module configured to deduct a trade price from a first user account corresponding to a first user associated with the buyer-bid, and to add the trade price to a second user account corresponding to a second user associated with the seller-bid. The fiscal module may also deduct at least one commission from at least one of the first user account and the second user account, and/or collect taxes from at least one of the first user account and the second user account. The fiscal module may estimate a collateral value of PMUs corresponding to a media owner based on the ownership register, and to extend credit to a user account corresponding to the media owner based on the collateral value. The fiscal module may further track a plurality of user accounts corresponding to the plurality of users, and deduct a PMU storage fee from a user account corresponding to one of the media owners based on the ownership register. 
         [0012]    The password input may be an access password, an ownership password, and/or an inventory password. The content control module may limit a user to access of the content of PMUs where the user inputs the access password, and the content control module may further allow trading and delivery of PMUs where the user inputs the ownership password. Access to the content of PMUs may be access to a digital media equivalent of the PMUs, and access to the content of a damaged PMU may be access to a digital media equivalent of an undamaged copy of the PMU. 
         [0013]    The controller may include an inventory module that accepts an inventory target, a buying price target, a selling price target, and a PMU designation from the current user. The inventory module may interpret an inventory level of the designated PMU for the current user based on the ownership register. The inventory module may further enter at least one seller-bid for the designated PMU according to the selling price target whenever the inventory level of the designated PMU is at least one unit, and enter at least one buyer-bid for the designated PMU according to the buying price target whenever the inventory level of the designated PMU is lower than the inventory target. The authentication module may be configured to allow the current user to enter an inventory target, a buying price target, a selling price target, and a PMU designation in response to the current user entering the inventory password. The inventory module may further accept a pending buyer-bids target, and maintain a number of buyer-bids for the designated PMU no greater than the pending buyer-bids target. 
         [0014]    The content control module may further accept a delivery order from the current user, and initiate a delivery of at least one of the current PMUs in response to the delivery order. Each PMU in the system may be a medium for audio content, a medium for video content, a medium for digital game content, and/or a medium for multimedia content. In one embodiment, each PMU in the system may be printed media, a vinyl audio record, a magnetic tape, a picture, and/or a painting, wherein access to the content of each PMU may comprise access to a digital representation of each PMU. 
         [0015]    An apparatus is disclosed for managing media ownership. The apparatus includes an ownership database comprising a plurality of users, a plurality of media owners, each media owner corresponding to one of the plurality of users, and a plurality of physical media units (PMUs), each PMU corresponding to one of the media owners. The apparatus further includes a remote access system comprising a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute managing remote media ownership. The remote access system may include an authentication module, a content control module, and a trading module. The trading module may interpret a buy option allowing a current user to place buyer-bids on any PMUs, and interpret a sell option allowing the current user to place seller-bids on a PMU from the set of current PMUs. 
         [0016]    The ownership database may comprise an access authentication information and an ownership authentication information for each of the plurality of users. The authentication module may allow access to the content of the current PMUs in response to the current user entering the access authentication information, and may allow access to the content of the current PMUs, to place seller-bids, and to place buyer-bids in response to the current user entering the ownership authentication information. 
         [0017]    The ownership database may further include a physical address record corresponding to each of the plurality of users. The content control module may initiate delivery of one of the current PMUs to the physical address record corresponding to the current user in response to a physical delivery request 
         [0018]    The ownership database may further include a set of inventory records, each inventory record comprising a PMU designation, an inventory target, a buying price target, and a selling price target. Each inventory record is associated with one of the plurality of users. The remote access system may further include an inventory module configured to interpret an inventory PMU designation, an inventory target input, a buying price target input, and a selling price target input from the current user according to the inventory records. The inventory module may place a buyer-bid based on the buying price target input for the inventory-designated PMU in response to a current inventory level of the inventory designated PMU being lower than the inventory target, and may place a seller-bid based on the selling price target input for the inventory-designated PMU in response to the current inventory level of the inventory-designated PMU being at least one PMU. 
         [0019]    A method is disclosed for managing remote media ownership in accordance with the present invention. The method may be implemented as a computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the method. The method includes interpreting an ownership register comprising a plurality of users, a plurality of media owners, and a plurality of physical media units (PMUs). Each media owner may correspond to one of the plurality of users, and each PMU may correspond to one of the media owners. The method further includes interpreting access input from a current user comprising one of the plurality of users, and authenticating the current user as the media owner for a set of current PMUs according to the access input and the ownership register. The method further includes managing ownership rights regarding the set of current PMUs for the current user. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the method may include comprising accepting a seller-bid of a seller-specified PMU from a first user comprising an authenticated media owner of the seller-specified PMU, accepting a buyer-bid of a buyer-specified PMU from a second user, and executing a PMU trade in response to the seller-specified PMU matching the buyer specified PMU. The buyer-bid and seller-bid may each comprise a market order, a stop order, and/or a limit order. 
         [0021]    Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0022]    Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
         [0023]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram depicting one embodiment of a system for managing media ownership in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a controller configured to communicate with users, interpret and update an ownership register, and communicate with a physical media unit (PMU) transfer facility in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of one embodiment of an ownership register in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of authentication information in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of inventory information in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site title screen in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site login screen in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site content control screen in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site trading screen in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site inventory screen in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 11A  is a schematic flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for managing remote media ownership in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 11B  is a continuing schematic flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for managing remote media ownership in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like. 
         [0037]    Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. 
         [0038]    Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. 
         [0039]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0040]    Reference to a computer programmed product may take any form capable of generating a signal, causing a signal to be generated, or causing execution of a program of machine-readable instructions on a digital processing apparatus. A computer programmed product may be embodied by a transmission line, a compact disk, digital-video disk, a magnetic tape, a Bernoulli drive, a magnetic disk, a punch card, flash memory, integrated circuits, or other digital processing apparatus memory device. 
         [0041]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0042]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram depicting one embodiment of a system  100  for managing media ownership in accordance with the present invention. The system  100  comprises a physical media storage facility  102  configured to store a plurality of physical media units  104  (PMUs). Each PMU  104  may comprise a medium for audio content, medium for video content, medium for digital game content, and a medium for multimedia content. For example, the PMU  104  may comprise a music compact disc (CD), a PowerPoint presentation on a CD, a movie digital video disc (DVD), and the like. In one embodiment each PMU  104  may comprise printed media, a vinyl audio record, a magnetic tape, a picture, and a painting. 
         [0043]    The system  100  may further comprise an ownership register  106  comprising a media owner corresponding to each of the PMUs  104 , where each of the media owners comprises one of a plurality of users  108 . Each user  108  comprises a legal entity, and may be corporation, an individual, and the like. In one embodiment the ownership register  106  may comprise an ownership database comprising a plurality of users  108  and a plurality of media owners. Each media owner corresponds to one of the plurality of users  108 , and each PMU  104  corresponds to one of the media owners. 
         [0044]    The system  100  further comprises a PMU transfer facility  110  configured to: receive an incoming PMU  112  and ownership information (not shown) corresponding to the incoming PMU  112 , transfer the incoming PMU  112  to the physical media storage facility  102 , and to update the ownership register  106  according to the incoming PMU  112  and the ownership information. The PMU transfer facility  110  may be separate from the physical media storage facility  102  as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , or the PMU transfer facility  110  may be in the same location as the physical media storage facility  102 . The PMU transfer facility  110  may comprise an automated system to recognize and store PMUs  104 , and/or a person that manually stores the PMUs  104  and updates the ownership register  106 . 
         [0045]    The system  100  may further comprise a controller  116  configured to communicate with the users  108 , to interpret and update the ownership register  106 , and to communicate with the PMU transfer facility  110 . The controller  116  may comprise a computer program product on a computer readable medium, and may communicate with the users through a computer network  118  (e.g. the Internet) and computers  120  accessed by the users  108 . Some user inputs may occur by phone, fax, mail, and/or other media besides a computer network  118 , and these other communication methods are contemplated within the scope of the invention. In one embodiment, the controller  116  may initiate a delivery of a PMU  104  to a user  108 , and the PMU transfer facility  110  may retrieve the outgoing PMU  122  from the physical media storage facility  102  and deliver it to the user  108 . The PMU transfer facility  110  and/or the controller  116  may update the ownership register  106  to reflect the delivery of an outgoing PMU  122 . 
         [0046]    The system  100  may further comprise a media verification module  124  configured to identify a damaged incoming PMU  112  as an acceptable representation of ownership of the content of the PMU  112 . For example, a music CD  112  with scratches such that the media on the music CD  112  is not playable with a standard CD player may nevertheless clearly be a genuine copy of the music CD  112 . In the example, depending upon the law where the system  100  operates, a digital media equivalent (not shown) may be provided to the owning user  108  of the damaged incoming PMU  112  when the owning user  108  requests access to the content of the music CD  112 . The media verification module  124  may comprise an automated procedure  124 -for example a scanning device and/or digital sampling device configured to positively identify a damaged incoming PMU  112 -and/or a person  124  that manually examines the damaged incoming PMU  112 . For example, the media verification module  124  may comprise a scanning device configured to determine whether a PMU  112  is legitimate, and to transfer PMUs  112  to a person  124  for verification when the scanning device is unable to make a determination. 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a controller  116  configured to communicate with the users  108 , to interpret and update the ownership register  106 , and to communicate with the PMU transfer facility  110  in accordance with the present invention. The controller  116  may comprise a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the actions of the controller  116 . In one embodiment, the modules of the controller  116  communicate on a communication backbone  202 , which may comprise a shared random access memory (RAM) of a computer, database records, communications over a network of computers, and/or combinations of these and other communication sharing devices known in the art. The modules of the controller  116  may also communicate by passing individual information in accordance with the descriptions herein, and the communication backbone  202  is disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention to provide clarity to the description of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0048]    The controller  116  comprises a registration module  204  configured to interpret the ownership register  106 . The controller  116  further comprises an authentication module  206  configured to interpret authentication information and to authenticate a current user  108 A as the media owner for a set of current PMUs  212  according to the authentication information and the ownership register  106 . In one embodiment the authentication information may comprise a user name input  208  and a password input  210  from a current user  108 A. The authentication information may comprise digital certificates, personal identification numbers, cookies on a computer, biometric recognition, and other security information known in the art. For example, the authentication module  206  may receive a user name input  208  and a password input  210  from the current user  108 A, check the user name input  208  and the password input  210  against a user name/password database (not shown), and if a match is confirmed, the authentication module  206  may instruct the registration module  204  to identify the set of PMUs  104  owned by the media owner matching the user name input  208  for the current user  108 A. The registration module  204  may store the set of PMUs  104  owned by the current user  108 A as the set of current PMUs  212 . 
         [0049]    The controller  116  further comprises a content control module  214  configured to manage ownership rights  216  regarding the set of current PMUs  212  for the current user  108 A. Ownership rights include one or more of a right to use, to dispose of, and to possess the current PMUs  212 . 
         [0050]    The right to use the current PMUs  212  may comprise access to content of the current PMUs  212 . In one embodiment, access to content of the current PMUs  212  comprises access to a digital media equivalent  218  of at least a portion of the content of the current PMUs  212 . For example, the current user  108 A may request the use of a music CD in the current PMUs  212 , and the content control module  214  may provide access to the music CD by playing the CD and digitally sending the results to the current user  108 A. Alternatively, the content control module  214  may stream the digital content to a computer  120  or other electronic device operated by the current user  108 A. In another example, the current user  108 A may request the use of a music CD in the current PMUs  212 , and the content control module  214  may provide access to the music CD by streaming music from a separate music database comprising a digital media equivalent  218 . 
         [0051]    The content control module  214  may be configured to provide access to the content in a manner consistent with the type of content. The content control module  214  may be further configured to provide access to the content according to the usage license held by the media owner for the PMU  104 . For example, audio content may be played back as sound and video content may be played back with video and/or sound. In another example the content control module  214  may be further configured to provide multiple user  108  access to PMUs  104  comprising a multiple user license. Other access controls, such as allowing full download of the content of the current PMU  212 , single play downloads for each access request, and the like, are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the requested PMU  104  from the set of current PMUs  212  may comprise a damaged PMU  104 , and the digital media equivalent  218  of at least a portion of the content of the damaged PMU  104  comprises a digital media equivalent  218  of the undamaged content of the damaged PMU  104 . 
         [0052]    The right to dispose of the current PMUs  212  may comprise the right to sell, give away, or destroy one or more of the current PMUs  212 . The right to possess the current PMUs  212  may comprise the right to order delivery of one or more of the current PMUs  212  to be delivered to the current user  108 A. The content control module  214  may be configured to accept a delivery order  220  from the current user  108 A, and to initiate a delivery of at least one of the current PMUs  212  in response to the delivery order  220 . For example, the current user  108 A may send a delivery order  220  to the controller  116 , and the content control module  214  may accept the delivery order  220 , verify any PMUs  104  in the delivery order  220  against the current PMUs  212 , and notify the PMU transfer facility  110  of the outgoing PMUs  122  to be delivered to the current user  108 A according to the delivery order  220 . The content control module  214  or the PMU transfer facility  110  may be configured to update the ownership register  106  upon delivery of the outgoing PMUs  122 . 
         [0053]    The controller  116  may further comprise a selling module  222  configured to accept a seller-bid  224  comprising a seller-specified PMU  104  from the set of current PMUs  212  for the current user  108 A placing the seller-bid  224 . For example, the seller-bid  222  may comprise the album name of a music CD. The controller  116  may further comprise a buying module  226  configured to accept a buyer-bid  228  comprising a buyer-specified PMU. The user placing the seller-bid  224  and the user placing the buyer-bid  228  may comprise a first user  108 A and a second user  108 B, and the bids may be placed at any point in time relative to each other (e.g. buyer first, seller first, and/or simultaneous). The inputs  208 , 210 ,  224 ,  228  provided by the second user  108 B are not shown in  FIG. 2  to avoid unnecessary clutter and enhance the clarity of  FIG. 2 , but equivalent inputs  208 , 210 , 224 , 228  exist for each user  108 . 
         [0054]    The controller  116  may comprise a trading module  230  configured to execute a PMU trade in response to the seller-specified PMU  104  matching the buyer-specified PMU  104 , and to update the ownership register  106  based on the PMU trade. For example, if the seller (e.g. user  108 A) entered a seller-bid  224  comprising “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels,” and the buyer (e.g. user  108 B) entered a buyer-bid  228  comprising “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels,” the trading module  230  may execute a trade of one “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels” album from the first user  108 A to the second user  108 B, and the trading module  230  may update the ownership register  106  by notifying the registration module  204  of the ownership transfer. The ownership transfer may comprise an update to the ownership register  106  and/or delivery of the PMU  104  to the buyer. 
         [0055]    In one embodiment, the seller-bid  224  may further comprise a seller trigger price, wherein the trading module  230  may be configured to execute the PMU trade only after a trigger PMU sale of greater than the seller trigger price, wherein the trigger PMU sale comprises a PMU  104  matching the seller-specified PMU  104 . For example, the seller-bid  224  may comprise “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, $12 trigger price,” and the trading module  230  may be configured to execute a trade based on the seller-bid  224  at any time after a “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels” PMU sells somewhere in the system for greater than $12. 
         [0056]    In one embodiment, the buyer-bid  228  may further comprise a buyer trigger price, wherein the trading module  230  may be configured to execute the PMU trade only after a trigger PMU sale of less than the buyer trigger price, wherein the trigger PMU sale comprises a PMU  104  matching the buyer-specified PMU. For example, the buyer-bid  224  may comprise “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, $8 trigger price,” and the trading module  230  may be configured to execute a trade based on the buyer-bid  124  at any time after a “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels” PMU sells somewhere in the system for less than $8. 
         [0057]    In one embodiment, the seller-bid  224  may further comprise a seller limit price, wherein the trading module  230  is further configured to execute the PMU trade only when an available buyer-bid  228  allows the PMU trade to occur at a price of at least the seller limit price. For example, the seller-bid  224  may comprise “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, $10 limit price,” and the trading module  230  may be configured to execute a trade based on the seller-bid  224  whenever an available buyer-bid  228  allows the sale at $10 or higher. 
         [0058]    In one embodiment, the buyer-bid  228  may further comprise a buyer limit price, wherein the trading module  230  is further configured to execute the PMU trade only when an available seller-bid  224  allows the PMU trade to occur at a price no greater than the buyer limit price. For example, the buyer-bid  228  may comprise “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, $10 limit price,” and the trading module  230  may be configured to execute a trade based on the buyer-bid  228  whenever an available seller-bid  224  allows the sale at $10 or higher. 
         [0059]    For purposes of clarification, it should be understood that the use of a “trigger price” herein is similar to a “stop order” in the securities trading industry. Similarly, the use of a “limit price” herein is similar to a “limit order” in the securities trading industry. Further, an order without a trigger price or a limit price is similar to a “market order” in the securities trading industry. For reference purposes, the definitions of these terms are provided from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website. A stop order is defined as “[A]n order to buy or sell a stock once the price of the stock reaches a specified price, known as the stop price. When the specified price is reached, your stop order becomes a market order.” A limit order is defined as “[A]n order to buy or sell a security at a specific price.” A market order is defined as “[A]n order to buy or sell a stock at the current market price.” See http://www.sec.gov, last visited Nov. 28, 2006. However, the trading mechanisms disclosed herein may, but do not always, have the same purposes as securities trading mechanisms and it should not be assumed that the limitations of analogous securities trading mechanisms apply to the trading mechanisms herein. 
         [0060]    For example, the trading module  230  may be configured to determine a “market price” according to average trading prices, the most recent trading prices, based on the price of a new PMU at retail, and the like, at which a trade will occur when a buyer-bid  228  is matched with a seller-bid  224  and neither bid comprises any price indication. The trading module  230  may be further configured to publish the “market price” to the buyer and/or seller before placing the seller-bid  224  and/or buyer-bid  228 . 
         [0061]    In another example, a “stop order” in the securities industry is often used to either buy a security upon the completion of a technical formation-for example to buy a security when the trader believes the price itself indicates the price is ready to go up, or to exit a position by performing a counter-position order at some trigger price-for example to buy a security that was sold short if the price takes an unexpected drop, and/or to exit a position and protect profits. However, in the present invention, unlike what is generally true in securities, PMUs  104  may hold inherent or aesthetic value, and the future value of a PMU may or may not be important to a trader (i.e. a user  108 ). Therefore, the concept of a “stop order” as used herein (i.e. the use of “trigger prices”) further includes at least the notion of buying a desired PMU cheap without any consideration of the future value increasing. 
         [0062]    The controller  116  may further comprise a fiscal module  232  configured to deduct a trade price from a first user account  234  corresponding to a first user  108 A associated with the buyer-bid  228 , and to add the trade price to a second user account  234  corresponding to a second user  108 B associated with the seller-bid  228 . For example, the trading module  230  may execute a trade wherein the first user  108 A is the buyer, and the second user  108 B is the seller, at a price of $25. The fiscal module  232  deducts $25 from the user account  234  corresponding to the first user  108 A and adds $25 to the user account  234  corresponding to the second user  108 B. 
         [0063]    The fiscal module  232  may be further configured to deduct at least one commission from at least one of the first and second user accounts  234 . In one embodiment, the fiscal module  232  may be configured to deduct a percentage of the trade price, and/or a flat fee, from the buyer and/or seller in a trade. For example, the trading module  230  may execute a trade wherein the first user  108 A is the buyer, and wherein the second user  108 B is the seller, at a price of $25. The fiscal module  232  may be configured to deduct three percent of the trade price from the seller, and therefore in the example the fiscal module  232  deducts $0.75 from the user account  234  corresponding to the second user  108 B. 
         [0064]    The fiscal module  232  may be further configured to collect taxes from at least one of the first and second user accounts  234 . The fiscal module  232  may calculate taxes based on a sales tax at the trade price. In one embodiment, the fiscal module  232  may base taxes on the location of the first user, the second user, the PMU storage facility  102 , and/or any other feature of the system  100  that may apply according to the law. The fiscal module  232  may accept a user  108  input indicating that a user  108  is tax exempt. 
         [0065]    The fiscal module  232  may be further configured to estimate a collateral value  236  of PMUs  104  corresponding to a media owner based on the ownership register  106 , and to extend credit to a user account  234  corresponding to the media owner based on the collateral value  236 . In one embodiment, the fiscal module  232  may be configured to estimate the collateral value  236  of PMUs  104  in the set of current PMUs  212 , and to extend credit to the current user  108 A based on the collateral value  236 . For example, the current user  108 A may own PMUs  104  listed in the current PMUs  212  worth $500 measured at a market price estimated by the trading module  230 , and the fiscal module  232  may estimate a collateral value 236 of 80% of the $500, or $400. The fiscal module  232  may be configured to extend the $400 credit to the current user  108 A. 
         [0066]    The valuation of PMUs  104  owned by a user  108 , and the percentages of any valuation that may comprise a collateral value  236  are business decisions for a practitioner of the present invention, and can be determined by one of skill in the art for a given system  100  based on the disclosures herein. The fiscal module  232  may be configured to estimate a collateral value  236  for any user  108 , not just the current user  108 A, and may estimate a collateral value  236  for any user  108 , in one embodiment, by accessing the ownership register  106  to determine the PMUs  104  owned by the user  108 , and valuating the PMUs  104  owned by the user  108  according to a market price from the trading module  230  and/or through general valuation principles such as a price based on the original retail price, age, and condition of each PMU  104 . 
         [0067]    The fiscal module  232  may be further configured to track a plurality of user accounts  234  corresponding to the plurality of users  108 , and to deduct a PMU  104  storage fee from a user account  234  corresponding to one of the media owners based on the ownership register  106 . The fiscal module  232  may be configured to determine a storage fee based on the value of PMUs  104  owned by the user  108 , the type of PMU  104 , the number and/or size of PMUs  104  owned by the user  108 , and similar determinations. For example, three PMUs  104  comprising a Vincent van Gogh painting, a Van Halen CD, and a vinyl LP record may each incur a different storage fee. The storage fee may be a recurring and/or periodic fee. 
         [0068]    The controller  116  may further comprise an inventory module  238  configured to accept inventory information  240  from the current user  108 A. The inventory information  240  may comprise an inventory target, a buying price target, a selling price target, and a PMU designation from the current user  108 A. The inventory module  238  may be further configured to interpret an inventory level  242  of the designated PMU for the current user  108 A based on the ownership register  106 . The inventory module  238  may interpret the inventory level  242  by utilizing the set of current PMUs  212  for the current user  108 A, and/or by providing the username of the user  108  providing the inventory information  240  to the registration module  204 , and retrieving the PMUs  104  owned by the user  108  from the ownership register  106 . In one embodiment, the user  108 A comprises the current user  108 A while the inventory module  238  acts on the inventory information  240  provided by the user  108 A, even if the user  108 A has logged out of the system  100  or otherwise discontinues communication with the controller  116 . 
         [0069]    The inventory module  238  may be further configured to enter at least one seller-bid  224  for the designated PMU according to the selling price target whenever the inventory level  242  of the designated PMU is at least one unit of the designated PMU. The inventory module  238  may be further configured to enter at least one buyer-bid  228  for the designated PMU according to the buying price target whenever the inventory level  242  of the designated PMU is lower than the inventory target. The selling price target and the buying price target may comprise a trigger price and/or a limit price. In one embodiment the inventory module  238  sells designated PMUs whenever possible and buys designated PMUs up to the inventory target. 
         [0070]    For example, the designated PMU may comprise a music CD “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels,” the inventory target may comprise “100 units,” the buying price target may comprise a limit price of “$11,” and the selling price target may comprise a trigger price of “$15.” In the example, the inventory module  238  may be configured to enter seller-bids  224  comprising “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, $15 trigger price” whenever the inventory level  242  indicates that at least one of the current PMUs  212  is a “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels” music CD, and to enter buyer-bids  228  comprising “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, $11 limit price” whenever the inventory level  242  indicates that there are fewer of the current PMUs  212  comprising a “Rolling Stones Steel Wheels” music CD than the inventory target. 
         [0071]    The inventory information  240  may further comprise a pending buyer-bids target. The inventory module  238  may be configured to maintain a number of buyer-bids  228  for the designated PMU no greater than the pending buyer-bids target. For example, the inventory level  242  may indicate that ten copies of the designated PMU are owned, and the inventory information  240  may indicate an inventory target of one-hundred copies and a pending buyer-bid target of five copies. In the example, the inventory module  238  may be configured to enter five buyer-bids  228  for the designated PMU. 
         [0072]    In one embodiment, the password input  210  comprises one of an access password and an ownership password. The authentication module  206  may be further configured to allow the current user  108 A access to content of the current PMUs  212  if the password input  210  comprises either the access password or the ownership password. The authentication module  206  may be configured to allow the current user  108 A to enter seller bids  224  and buyer-bids  228  if the current user  108 A enters the ownership password as the password input  210 . For example, a user  108  on a public access computer  120  may wish to access content of current PMUs  212  belonging to the user  108 , but may not wish to risk exposing a password allowing buy and sell access to their account  234  to be recovered from the public computer  120 . In another example, a parent may maintain the ownership password to control the buying and selling of PMUs  104 , and provide an access password to a child. 
         [0073]    In one embodiment, the authentication module  206  may allow only one password input  210  to access the user account  234  simultaneously. For example, if a child accesses the controller  116  with the access password, the ownership password may not function if the parent simultaneously tries to access the controller  116 , or the ownership password may override and disconnect the child from access to the controller  116 . In another embodiment, the authentication module  206  may accept multiple logins using passwords (ownership and/or access) related to the same user account  234 , but the content control module  214  may be configured to prevent identical PMU  212  content from being accessed simultaneously. For example, the content control module  214  may prevent the parent and the child from accessing the same music CD simultaneously to impose a licensing limitation associated with the music CD. 
         [0074]    In one embodiment, the password input  210  further comprises an inventory password, and the authentication module  206  is further configured to allow the current user  108 A to enter inventory information  240  in response to the current user  108 A entering the inventory password. For example, the owner of an online music store may have an inventory password to set inventory levels and purchase prices for various PMUs  104 . The owner of the store may provide an access password to sales staff to be able to play music samples of the current PMUs  212  for potential customers, and an ownership password to managers to allow managers to make individual purchases of PMUs  104  and sales of current PMUs  212 . Other configurations of the passwords are possible and contemplated within the scope of the invention. Although in the current example, the inventory password is described as superior to the ownership password, in some embodiments the ownership password may be superior to the inventory password. Further permissions and associations with the password input  210  are possible—including limiting the ability to request credit and make transactions with the user account  234  to certain password classes. 
         [0075]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of one embodiment of an ownership register  106  in accordance with the present invention. The ownership register  106  may be a table of an ownership database. The ownership register  106  comprises a plurality of users  108 , a plurality of media owners  302 , each media owner  302  corresponding to one of the plurality of users  108 . The ownership register  106  may further comprise a plurality of PMUs  304 , each PMU  304  corresponding to one of the media owners  302 . In one embodiment each user  108  and/or media owner  302  may have an account  306  comprising an account number  306 . In one embodiment each PMU  304  comprises one of the PMUs  104 , and may have a unique PMU identification number  308 . 
         [0076]    In one embodiment each account  306  may be maintained and updated by the fiscal module  232 . Each account  306  may be maintained within the controller  116 , or may be an account at a bank, debit card, another website such as Pay Pal, or other account. The PMU identification number  308  identifies a particular PMU  104 , 304 . For example, a user  108  sends a damaged Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ compact disc  112  to the PMU transfer facility  110 , where the Pink Floyd compact disc is identified, given a specific PMU identification number  308 , and stored in the PMU storage facility  102 . The PMU storage facility  102  may store hundreds of other ‘The Wall’ compact discs. Later, the user  108  requests a delivery of the Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ compact disc. The PMU transfer facility  110  will retrieve the damaged Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ compact disc using the PMU identification number  308 , and return the compact disc  122  to the user  108 . 
         [0077]      FIG. 4  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of authentication information  400  in accordance with the present invention. The authentication information  400  may be a table of an ownership database. The authentication information  400  may comprise access authentication information  402  for each user  108 , and/or ownership authentication information  404  for each user. In one embodiment the authentication information  400  may further comprise inventory authentication information  406 . The ownership database may further comprise a physical address record  408  corresponding to each of the users  108 . In one embodiment the physical address records  408  may be stored in a table with the authentication information  400 . 
         [0078]    In one embodiment, the authentication information  400  may comprise an access password  402 , an ownership password  404 , and an inventory password  406 . In one embodiment, each user may have one or more of the passwords  402 ,  404 ,  406 . The authentication module  206  may allow the current user  108 A access to the content of the current PMUs  212  in response to the current user  108 A entering the access authentication information  402 . The authentication module  206  may allow the current user  108 A access to the content of the current PMUs  212 , allow the current user  108 A to place seller-bids  124 , and allow the current user  108 A to place buyer bids  128 , in response to the current user  108 A entering the ownership authentication information  404 . 
         [0079]      FIG. 5  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of inventory information  240  in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, the inventory information  240  may be stored in an ownership database as an inventory record  502  associated with one of the users  108 . The ownership database may comprise a set of inventory records  502 , each record  502  associated with one of the users  108 . The inventory information  240  may comprise a username for the associated user  108 , an inventory target  504 , a PMU designation  506 , a buying price target  508 , a selling price target  510 , and a pending buyer-bids target  512 . In one embodiment, the authentication module  206  may allow the current user  108 A to enter inventory information  240  in response to the current user  108 A entering the inventory authentication information  406 . 
         [0080]    An apparatus for managing media ownership is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a remote access system. One embodiment of a remote access system is illustrated in  FIGS. 6 through 10 . The remote access system is depicted as a web site comprising various screens that allow the controller  116  to interact with users  108 . However, the remote access system may comprise any remote communications known in the art. For example, a telephone system, computer bulletin board, file transfer protocol (FTP) system, a Secure Shell (SSH) connection, and other remote access systems known in the art may be utilized. 
         [0081]      FIG. 6  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site title screen  600  of a remote access system in accordance with the present invention. The web site title screen  600  may comprise an artist search selection  602 , an album search selection  604 , and a song search selection  606 . In one embodiment, the search selections  602 ,  604 ,  606  will cause the controller  116  to find and display albums  104  comprising the artist, song, and/or album searched against, wherein the displayed albums  104  comprise a set of seller-specified PMUs from currently active seller-bids  224 . The controller  116  may further list seller limit prices and/or market prices associated with the set of seller-specified PMUs. The web title screen  600  may further comprise a link  606  to a login screen  700  (refer to the description referencing  FIG. 7 ). 
         [0082]      FIG. 7  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site login screen  700  of a remote access system in accordance with the present invention. The web site login screen  700  may comprise an input area for authentication information  400 . The authentication module  206  may interpret a user name input  208  and a password input  210  to authenticate the current user  108 A as the media owner  302  for a set of current PMUs  212 . The password input  210  may comprise an access password  402 , an owner password  404 , and/or an inventory password  406 . 
         [0083]    The web site login screen  700  may further comprise a login button  702  that submits the authentication information  400  to the authentication module  206 . The web site login screen  700  may further comprise a button  704  to create a new user account  234 . The authentication module  206  may create the user account  234  for the current user  108 A in response to activation of the create new account button  704 . 
         [0084]      FIG. 8  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site content control screen  800  of a remote access system in accordance with the present invention. The web site content control screen  800  may receive ownership rights  216  information from the current user  108 A. The ownership rights  216  information may comprise: an access request  802  which may be a “play selection” button  802 , a delivery request  804  which may be a “deliver selection” button  804 , and a trade request  806  which may be a “trade screen” button  806 . The web site content control screen  800  may further comprise a “logout” button  808 . 
         [0085]    The content control module  214  may provide the current user  108 A with access to the content of a PMU  212  in response to the current user  108 A selecting the “play selection” button  802 . For example, the content control module  214  may stream the contents of a selected PMU  212  over the internet to the user  108 A. The content control module  214  may deliver a selected PMU  212  to the current user  108 A selecting the “deliver selection” button  804 . In one embodiment, delivery comprises physically sending the PMU  212  to a destination indicated by the user. In another embodiment, delivery comprises making the content of the PMU  212  available for download to a download location indicated by the user. The content control module  214  may open a trading screen  900  (Refer to  FIG. 9 ) in response to the current user  108 A selecting the “trade screen” button  806 . [ 086 ] In one embodiment, the web site content control screen  800  may include a “song list” button  810 , and the content control module  214  may list the songs on a selected PMU  212  in response to the current user  108 A selecting the “song list” button  810 . The “song list” button  810  may comprise a scene selection index where the PMUs  212  are movie DVDs, and similar content previews may be shown depending upon the type of content on the PMUs  212 . The web site content control screen  800  may further comprise a picture  812  of each PMU  212 . The pictures  812  may be a thumbnail picture that can be expanded, a scan of the actual PMU  212 -for example indicating any distinguishing marks or damage of the PMU  212 , and/or a generic picture of the PMU  212  such as a picture supplied by the manufacturer of the PMU  212 . 
         [0086]    The web site content control screen  800  may further include any information and interfaces deemed useful and known in the art. For example, the PMUs  212  may be contained in a frame with a scroll bar where too many PMUs are in the set of current PMUs  212  to fit one a standard web site content control screen  800 . The web site content control screen  800  may comprise information about the current market price of each PMU  212 . In one embodiment, the web site content control screen  800  may include additional information upon the payment by the user  108 A of a premium subscription price to access the system  100 . 
         [0087]      FIG. 9  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site trading screen  900  of a remote access system in accordance with the present invention. The web site trading screen  900  may comprise a “Your media” tab  902  depicting the set of current PMUs  212  for the current user  108 A. The tab  902  may comprise a scroll bar  904  to allow the current user  108 A to scroll through the set of current PMUs  212 . 
         [0088]    The tab  902  may comprise a “sell” button  906  for each PMU  212 , wherein the selling module  222  may accept a seller-bid  224  in response to the current user  108 A selecting the “sell” button  906 . In one embodiment, the tab  902  may further comprise a “price” field  908 , and the selling module  222  may accept a seller-bid  224  as a market bid when the current user  108 A selects the “sell” button  906  with the “price” field  908  empty, and as a limit bid at the value of the “price” field  908  when the current user  108 A selects the “sell” button  906  with the “price” field  908  containing a value. 
         [0089]    In one embodiment, the web site trading screen  900  may include a search section that allows the current user  108 A to search PMUs  104  based on the artist  602 , the album  604 , and by song  606 . The current user  108 A may select an “add to watched” button  910  to add a selected PMU  104  to a “Watched items” tab  914 , and a “find market price” button  912  to find the current market price of a selected PMU  104 . The web site trading screen  900  may include a “logout” button  808 . 
         [0090]    In one embodiment, the web site trading screen  900  may include a “watched items” tab  914  which may show a list of PMUs  104  selected by the current user  108 A. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 9 , the “your media” tab  902  is selected and the contents of the “watched items” tab  914  are not shown. The “watched items” tab  914  may comprise a “buy” button and “price” field analogous to the “sell” button  906  and “price” field  908  on the “your media” tab  902 . Other means of providing potential PMUs  104  for buying and selling to the current user  108 A are understood in the art, and the current web site trading screen  900  implementation is shown only as one example. 
         [0091]      FIG. 10  is an illustration depicting one embodiment of a web site inventory screen  1000  in accordance with the present invention. The web site inventory screen  1000  may comprise inventory information  240  corresponding to the current user  108 A. The web site inventory screen  1000  may comprise interfaces to set the inventory target  504 , buying price target  508 , and selling price targets  510  for each designated PMU  506 . For example, the PMU  506  “Pat Benetar Best Shots” comprises an inventory target  504  of 10 units, a buying price target  508  equal to a null value “-NA-”,and a selling price target  510  of $9.00. In one example, the inventory module  238  will set a seller-bid  224  as a limit bid comprising the PMU designation of “Pat Benetar Best Shots,” and a price of $9.00 whenever the current inventory level  242  indicates that some of the designated PMU  506  are in stock. 
         [0092]    In one embodiment, the buying price target  508  equal to a null value may indicate that the inventory module  238  will not enter a buyer-bid  228  for the designated PMU  506 . In an alternative embodiment, the buying price target  508  equal to a null value may indicate that the inventory module  238  will enter a market bid for the designated PMU  506 . The web site inventory screen may comprise a user interface (not shown) to select how the inventory module  238  treats a null bid for the buying price target  508  and/or selling price target  510 . In one example, the buying price target  508  may be a null value when a user  108 A does not buy the designated PMU  506  on the system  100 , but rather buys the designated PMU  506  wholesale, and transfers the PMUs  506  as incoming PMUs  112  to the PMU transfer facility  110  to replenish the current inventory level  242  of the designated PMU  506  after units of the designated PMU  506  are sold. 
         [0093]    The web site inventory screen  1000  may further comprise a “search” button  1002  whereby the current user  108 A may find and select designated PMUs  506 , an “accept selection” button  1004  whereby the current user  108 A may accept the currently displayed information, and a “logout” button  808 . Other buttons, interfaces, and layouts of the inventory information  240  and web site inventory screen  1000  may be utilized in a given embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0094]    The particular layouts, types of media content, and other information provided for the example embodiment of the remote access system shown in  FIGS. 6 through 10  should not be read as limiting the scope of the present invention. The layouts and media types are depicted to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and it is a mechanical step for one of skill in the art to utilize different layouts, remote access formats and protocols, and to customize a remote access interface for other types of PMUs. 
         [0095]    The schematic flow chart diagrams herein are generally set forth as logical flow chart diagrams. As such, the depicted order and labeled steps are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more steps, or portions thereof, of the illustrated method. Additionally, the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method. Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flow chart diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the method. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted method. Additionally, the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown. 
         [0096]      FIG. 11A  is a schematic flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method  1100  for managing remote media ownership in accordance with the present invention. The method  1100  includes a registration module  204  interpreting  1102  an ownership register  106 . The method  1100  further includes an authentication module  206  interpreting  1104  access input from a current user  108 A, and authenticating the current user  108 A as the media owner  302  for a set of current PMUs  212  according to the access input  208 , 210  and the ownership register  106 . The method  1100  may further include the content control module  214  displaying  1106  the set of current PMUs  212  to the current user  108 A. 
         [0097]    The method  1100  further includes a content control module  214  managing ownership rights  216  regarding the set of current PMUs for the current user  108 A. In one embodiment, the content control module  214  checks  1108  if the password  210  is an access-only password  402 . If the check  1108  is positive, the content control module  214  may accept  1110  a designated PMU from the set of current PMUs  212  in response to input from the current user  108 A. The content control module  114  may check  1112  if the licensing for the designated PMU allows a current user  108 A access. For example, if the licensing for the designated PMU indicates that only one user  108  may access the PMU at a time, and another user  108  is logged in to the same user account  234  and accessing the designated PMU, the check  1112  may return a “No” value, indicating that the licensing for the designated PMU does not allow the current user  108 A access. If the check  1112  returns a positive value, the content control module  114  may provide the current user  108 A access to the designated PMU, for example by streaming  1116  the content of the PMU to the current user  108 A. The content control module  214  thereby limits ownership rights to the right to use PMUs from the set of PMUs in response to the login password  210  matching the access password  402 . 
         [0098]    If the check  1108  returns a value indicating that a full ownership password  404  was entered by the current user  108 A, the content control module  214  may accept  1118  (Refer to  FIG. 11A ) a designated PMU from the current user  108 A. The content control module  114  may then check  1120  if a current user request is a buy, sell, access, or delivery request. If the check  1120  indicates a buy request, the buying module  226  may accept  1122  a buyer-bid  228 , and the trading module  230  may execute  1124  a trade if the system  100  comprises a matching seller-bid  224  such that the trade can be executed  1124  according to the buyer-bid  228  and the seller-bid  224 . The fiscal module  232  may apply  1126  charges, taxes, and/or fees to the user accounts  234  of the buyer and seller in the executed  1124  trade. The registration module  204  may receive instructions from the trading module  230  about the trade, and update  1128  the ownership register  106  based on the trade. 
         [0099]    If the check  1120  indicates a sell request, the selling module  222  may accept  1130  a seller-bid  224 , and the trading module  230  may execute  1124  a trade if the system  100  comprises a matching buyer-bid  228  such that the trade can be executed  1124  according to the buyer-bid  228  and the seller-bid  224 . The fiscal module  232  may apply  1126  charges, taxes, and/or fees to the user accounts  234  of the buyer and seller in the executed  1124  trade. The registration module  204  may receive instructions from the trading module  230  about the trade, and update  1128  the ownership register  106  based on the trade. 
         [0100]    If the check  1120  indicates a delivery request, the content control module  214  may accept  1132  a delivery request. The content control module  214  may find  1134  the physical address of the current user  108 A—for example by accepting a user  108 A input, by accessing the ownership register  106 , and the like. The content control module  214  may deliver  1136  the PMU(s) requested by notifying the PMU transfer facility  110  of the request. The fiscal module  232  may apply  1126  charges, taxes, and/or fees to the user account  234  of the current user  108 A according to the terms of an agreement between the current user  108 A and an administrator (not shown) of the system  100 . The registration module  204  may receive instructions from the content control module  214  about the delivery, and update  1128  the ownership register  106  based on the delivery. 
         [0101]    The content control module  214  may be configured to allow access to the content of the designated PMU as described in  FIG. 11A  where the check  1108  indicates that the access-only password  402  is supplied by the current user  108 A. The content control module  214  may thereby manage ownership rights  216  to the right to use, to dispose of, and to possess PMUs from the set of current PMUs  212 . 
         [0102]    From the foregoing discussion, it is clear that the invention provides a system, method, and apparatus for managing remote media ownership. The invention overcomes previous limitations in the art by allowing users (consumers) to access and trade physical media content without the constraints and risks of maintaining the physical media units at the location of the consumer. 
         [0103]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.