Enhanced content tracking system and method

A system for identifying and attributing identified quantitative use of a selected digital source audio file having at least one musical section, the system comprising:

• a server;
• a plurality of client devices;
• a database storing a plurality of digital source audio files each containing at least one musical section, the database in communication with the server;
• and
• a wide area network providing a communication backbone for at least connecting the server to each of the plurality of client devices;
• wherein the server is arranged to provide:
• controlled access to the plurality of digital source audio files;
• in response to a request received from a recipient client device for access to the selected digital source audio file of the plurality of digital source audio files, to provide the recipient client device with access to the selected digital source audio file;
• to provide, to the recipient client device, a unique identifier related to said selected digital source audio file;
• to receive from the recipient client device tracking data that is linked to the unique identifier and which tracking data reports local use of the selected digital source audio file at the recipient client device, said tracking data relating to at least one of:
• entry and exit points associated with playing, at the recipient client device, of the at least one of musical section in the selected digital source audio file, and
• how the selected digital source audio file was used, or performed or manipulated at the recipient client device;
• to resolve performance telemetry of musical sections by at least the recipient client device by reference to the unique identifier and said generated tracking data reported thereto, thereby identifying and attributing, as viewed from the server's perspective, quantitative use of individual musical sections of the plurality of digital source audio files in the database.

A computer program product stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible medium, the computer program product comprising code that, when loaded into a computer, executes to cause the computer to capture and report an interactive end-user journey with a web site, the code including procedure to perform a method that:

• provides controlled access to a plurality of digital source audio files each containing at least one musical section, the plurality of digital source audio files stored in a track database;
• in response to a request received from a recipient client device for access to the selected digital source audio file of the plurality of digital audio files, provides the recipient client device with access to a selected digital source audio file and wherein the recipient client device is one of a multiplicity of networked and independently operable client devices in communication with a server over a network;
• provides, to the recipient client device, a unique identifier related to said selected digital source audio file;
• receives from the recipient client device tracking data that is linked to the unique identifier and which tracking data reports local use of the selected digital source audio file at the recipient client device, said tracking data relating to at least one of:
• entry and exit points associated with playing, at the recipient client device, of at least one of said musical sections in the selected digital source audio file, and
• how the selected digital source audio file was used, or performed or manipulated at the recipient client device;
• resolves performance telemetry of musical sections by or at the multiplicity of client devices by reference to the unique identifier and said generated tracking data reported thereto, thereby identifying and attributing, as viewed from the server's perspective, quantitative use of musical sections from the plurality of digital source audio files of the track database.

A server for identifying and attributing identified quantitative use of digital source audio files each having at least one musical section, the server arranged to provide:

• controlled access to a plurality of digital source audio files, the plurality of digital source audio files stored in a track database;
• in response to a request received from a recipient client device for access to a selected digital source audio file of the plurality of digital audio files, to provide the recipient client device with access to the selected digital source audio file and wherein the recipient client device is one of a multiplicity of remote networked and independently operable client devices in communication with the server;
• to provide, to the recipient client device, a unique identifier related to said selected digital source audio file;
• to receive from the recipient client device tracking data that is linked to the unique identifier and which tracking data reports local use of the selected digital source audio file at the recipient client device, said tracking data relating to at least one of:
• entry and exit points associated with playing, at the recipient client device, of the at least one musical section in the selected digital source audio file, and how the selected digital source audio file was used, or performed or manipulated at the recipient client device;
• to resolve performance telemetry of the at least one musical section at the recipient client device by reference to the unique identifier and said generated tracking data, thereby identifying and attributing, as viewed from the server's perspective, quantitative use by the recipient client device of the at least one musical section from the plurality of digital source audio files of the database.

A method of identifying and attributing identified quantitative use of at least one digital source audio file containing at least one musical section and wherein said digital source audio file is selected, from a plurality of digital source audio files stored in a database, by at least one identifiable client device of a multiplicity of independently operable client devices, and wherein the digital source audio file is (a) locally usable by each of the client devices dependent upon user-selected local operation at each of the client devices and (b) is selectively accessible to each of the multiplicity of client devices that are connected, over a network, to a server arranged to regulate access to the digital source audio file and the database, wherein the database further stores associated audio file descriptions defining musically viable cross-fades or cuts between each section in each digital source audio file, each viable cross-fade or cut in each musical section defined by a point in real time corresponding to a point in musical time where an audibly seamless cross-fade or cut maintains musical rhythm between entry and exit points of selected sections and the method comprises:

• making a request to the server to access the digital source audio file, the request made by a specific client device of the multiplicity of independently operable client devices;
• providing access to the digital source audio file to the specific client device, said access including making available a unique identifier related to the digital source audio file;
• and
• at the specific client device, determining use of the digital source audio file by tracking at least one of:
• entry and exit points associated with playing of the at least one musical section in the digital source audio file, and
• how the selected digital source audio file was used, or performed or manipulated at the specific client device;
• at the specific client device, generating tracking data for at least one of (a) entry and exit points, and (b) how the selected digital source audio file was used, or performed or manipulated at the specific client device;
• sending, to the server over the network, a report of local use of at least a portion of the selected digital source audio file at the specific client device, the report associating the tracking data with the unique identifier and the report identifying points in real time for the audibly seamless cross-fade or cut that maintains musical rhythm between entry and exit points between selected sections;
• resolving performance telemetry of musical sections by or at the multiplicity of client devices by reference to the unique identifier and said generated tracking data reported thereto, thereby identifying and attributing, as viewed from the server's perspective, quantitative use of musical sections from the plurality of digital source audio files of the database.