Digital rights management for end-user content
AssigneeComverse Network Systems, Ltd.
InventorGideon Fostick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rights in unmarked end user provide content are protected by receiving a message comprising content, obtaining a unique identifier, and comparing the unique identifier to a database of known identifiers if a known unique identifier is found, the message is delivered, if allowed according to the distribution rights authorized by the content provider. If known unique identifier is found, the unique identifier is found, the unique identifier is stored in the content repository, and the message is delivered. Further forwarding of the contents is thus authorized only when indicated in the authorized distribution rights.
Claims28
A method of managing rights of end-user generated content, comprising:
- receiving a message comprising unmarked content;
- obtaining a unique identifier based on said unmarked content;
- comparing said unique identifier with a database of known unique identifiers associated with available distribution rights;
- when said unique identifier does not match any of said known unique identifiers stored in said database,
- (i) storing said unique identifier in said database, and
- (ii) delivering said message to a delivery address;
- when said unique identifier does match one of said known unique identifiers in said database,
- (i) retrieving said available distribution rights associated with said matched known unique identifier,
- (ii) making a delivery rights determination, based on said available distribution rights, as to whether delivery is allowed, and
- (iii) performing the delivery of said message, to a delivery address, in accordance with said distribution rights determination.
An apparatus, for restricted distribution of unmarked content generated by an end-user, comprising:
- a content transfer system;
- and
- a content repository connected with said content transfer system;
- said content transfer system comprising:
- signature obtaining functionality, for obtaining a unique identifier of content of a message;
- comparison functionality, associated with said signature obtaining functionality, for comparing said unique identifier with a database of known unique identifiers stored in said content repository and associated with available distribution rights;
- storing functionality, associated with said comparison functionality, for storing in said database a unique identifier not found in said database of known unique identifiers;
- retrieving functionality, associated with said comparison functionality, for using a successful comparison result to retrieve distribution rights associated with a known unique identifier in said database;
- examining functionality, associated with said retrieving functionality, for authorizing delivery of said message according to said retrieved distribution rights;
- and
- delivery functionality, associated with said examining functionality, for carrying out or blocking delivery of said message in accordance with said distribution rights.
An end user message sending client, for sending messages having content, comprising:
- a user interface for allowing a user to define distribution rights for said content,
- an embedder, associated with said user interface, for readably embedding within said message an indicator, of said user requested distribution rights.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.