Patent ID: 7249383

Claim:
A method for detecting piracy of proprietary material comprising the steps of: providing a master copy of a media product, said media product comprising said proprietary material; assigning a product identification number to said media product; generating a plurality of serial numbers; manufacturing a plurality of consumer copies from said master copy; assigning one said serial number to each said consumer copy associated with said product identification number; sequentially assigning a sequence number to each said serial number; providing said product identification number and said serial number with each said consumer copy; providing a website for interfacing with users in connection with said media product, said website comprising computer means for ensuring input from each said user of a valid product identification number and an associated valid serial number, computer means for ensuring said user is associated with identifying information assigned to said product identification number and its associated said serial number, and computer means for compiling piracy information if said user is not associated with said identifying information; and analyzing said piracy information to determine a potential instance of piracy of said proprietary material.