# US 2014/0208446 A1 · Reporting information about users who obtain copyrighted media using a network in an unauthorized manner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0208446 A1 - Document ID: US20140208446A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/248,702 - Filed: 2014-04-09 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-05 - Applicants: Music Public Broadcasting, Inc. - Inventors: Hank Risan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140208446A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and systems for reporting information about users who obtain copyrighted media illegally using a network are provided. A particular copyrighted media from a source of copyrighted media may be associated with a user's computer. Copyright fees have not been paid for the particular copyrighted media. Information about the user of the computer is reported. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of reporting information about a user who obtains copyrighted media using a network in an unauthorized manner, the method comprising: coupling a source of copyrighted media with the network; associating a particular copyrighted media from the source with a client device, wherein copyright fees have not been paid for the particular copyrighted media; and reporting information about a user of the client device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting further comprises reporting the information about the user to a client device associated with one of an imposter user and an imposter service provider. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an action, wherein the action is one of determining if the particular copyrighted media is transmitted, determining where the particular copyrighted media is transmitted to, not permitting the transmission of the particular copyrighted media, denying authorization to play or copy the particular copyrighted media, reporting information about the particular copyrighted media, and altering the copyrighted media. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the action is performed at a future time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises associating information with the particular copyrighted media and wherein information about the particular copyrighted media includes a name of the particular copyrighted media, size of a file that includes the particular copyrighted media, or a signature of the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring the use of monitoring logic for accessing the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein accessing comprises displaying the particular copyrighted media or playing the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the particular copyrighted media is music, electronic multi-media, an electronic document, a video, graphics, or a compact disk (CD). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the user includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a home address, email address, or the name of the user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting further comprises reporting the information about the user when the user registers to obtain copyrighted media from the source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting further comprises using monitoring logic to report the information about the user. ### Claim 12 A computer system comprising: a memory unit; and a processor coupled to the memory unit, the processor for executing a method for reporting information about a user who obtain copyrighted media in an unauthorized manner, the method comprising: coupling a source of copyrighted media with the network; associating copyrighted media from the source with a client device, wherein copyright fees have not been paid for the particular copyrighted media; and reporting information about a user of the client device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the reporting further comprises reporting the information about the user to a client device associated with an imposter user or an imposter service provider. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of determining if the copyrighted material is transmitted. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of determining where the copyrighted material is transmitted to. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of not permitting the transmission of the copyrighted material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of denying authorization to play. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of denying authorization copy the copyrighted material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of reporting information about the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising performing a particular action of altering the copyrighted media. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein information about the copyrighted material includes a name of the copyrighted material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein information about the copyrighted material includes the size of a file that includes the copyrighted material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein information about the copyrighted material includes a signature of the copyrighted material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, the method further comprising transmitting monitoring logic for accessing the copyrighted material. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The computer system of claim 24, wherein the accessing comprises displaying the copyrighted material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The computer system of claim 24, wherein the accessing comprises playing the copyrighted material. ### Claim 27 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the information about the user includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address. ### Claim 28 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the information about the user includes a Media Access Control (MAC) address. ### Claim 29 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the information about the user includes a home address. ### Claim 30 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the information about the user includes the name of the user. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) The computer system of claim 24, the method further comprising: using the monitoring logic to report the information about the user. ### Claim 32 A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method of reporting information about a user who obtains copyrighted media using a network in an unauthorized manner, the method comprising: coupling a source of copyrighted media with the network; associating a particular copyrighted media from the source with a client device, wherein copyright fees have not been paid for the particular copyrighted media; and reporting information about a user of the client device. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the method, wherein the reporting further comprises reporting the information about the user to a client device associated with one of an imposter user and an imposter service provider. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the method, wherein the method further comprising performing an action, wherein the action is one of determining if the particular copyrighted media is transmitted, determining where the particular copyrighted media is transmitted to, not permitting the transmission of the particular copyrighted media, denying authorization to play or copy the particular copyrighted media, reporting information about the particular copyrighted media, and altering the copyrighted media. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The computer-usable medium of claim 34, wherein the action is performed at a future time. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer to perform the method, wherein the method further comprises associating information with the particular copyrighted material and wherein the information about the particular copyrighted media includes a name of the particular copyrighted media, size of a file that includes the particular copyrighted media, or a signature of the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer to perform the method, wherein the method further comprising requiring the use of monitoring logic for accessing the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The computer-usable medium of claim 37, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer to perform the method, wherein the accessing the particular copyrighted material further comprises displaying the particular copyrighted media or playing the particular copyrighted media. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the particular copyrighted media is music, electronic multi-media, an electronic document, a video, graphics, or a compact disk (CD). ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the information about the user includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a home address, email address, or the name of the user. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer to perform the method, wherein the reporting further comprises reporting the information about the user when the user registers to obtain copyrighted media from the source. ### Claim 42 (depends on 32) The computer-usable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer to perform the method, wherein the reporting further comprises using monitoring logic to report the information about the user.