System, method and apparatus for controlling the dissemination of digital works
OwnerMark Nairinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, business methodology and apparatus for facilitating controlled dissemination of digital works is disclosed. An audio and video organizer, entertainment, and communication unit that plays back audio and video media content received from a central storage server. The unit relies on a smartcard, which has a personalized key that unlocks encrypted content. Using the unit, a user can purchase music or other types of media using a appropriate ordering method. The central storage server then transmits a double-encrypted, compressed audio file to the unit, where it is decrypted based on the smartcard key, and available for listening.
Claims27
A player unit for facilitating digital media files playback, said player unit comprising:
- a storage unit for storing downloaded digital media files;
- at least one analog output port, said player unit not having digital output ports;
- a media processing element for generating only analog versions of selected media files of the stored digital media files and outputting only said analog versions;
- and
- a card reader for retrieving an electronic value from a card inserted in said card reader, said electronic value being used to generate said analog versions of said digital media files.
A player unit for facilitating digital media files playback, said player unit comprising:
- a storage unit, said storage unit storing downloaded digital media files;
- a media processing element, said media processing element generating only analog versions of said downloaded digital media files;
- and
- an output port, said output port outputting only said analog versions of said downloaded digital media files,
- said output port being an analog-only port, said player unit having no digital output ports.
A player unit for facilitating digital media files playback, said player unit comprising:
- a storage unit for storing downloaded digital media files therein;
- a conversion means for converting a digital media file stored on said storage unit to an analog version thereof and outputting only said analog version;
- and
- said player unit having only analog outputs and no digital outputs.
A player device comprising:
- a memory, said memory containing at least one digital file thereon;
- at least one output port, said at least one output port being analog only, said player device having no digital output ports;
- and
- a connection device, said connection device connecting said player device to a network,
- whereby a user of said player device can download said at least one digital file to the player device and play said at least one digital file through said at least one output port in analog, said user able to play an analog version of said at least one digital file but unable to make a digital copy of said at least one digital file from said player device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.