Blockchain-implemented method for control and distribution of digital content

A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein after a specified time without a transaction of the deposit quantity of cryptocurrency from the common address (23), the deposit quantity of cryptocurrency (B1) is refunded, and the first processing device is further configured to:

• co-sign, with a first private key (V1) of the first user (5), a second transaction to transfer the deposit quantity of cryptocurrency (B1) from the common address (23) to the first user (5);
• wherein the second processing device is further configured to:
• co-sign, with the second private key (V2), the second transaction, wherein the co-signed second transaction with both the first private key (V1) and the second private key (V2) is sent to the blockchain (9) and is valid after the specified time to refund the deposit quantity of cryptocurrency (B1);
• and
• send the co-signed payment transaction to the blockchain (9) before the specified time.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second processing device is further configured to:

• send, over the communications network, an episode secret (Si) associated the episode of digital content from the series of digital content that is available to be requested by the first user (5);
• wherein the first processing device is further configured to:
• receive, over the communications network, the episode secret (Si);
• determine an episode secret hash (Hi) from the episode secret (Si),
• wherein to determine a payment transaction (Ei) to transfer the payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2) to the second user (7) further includes the first processing device configured to determine a payment redeem script (RS1) based on:
• the episode secret hash (a);
• and
• a second public key (P2) that is a cryptographic pair with the second private key (V2) of the second user (7),
• wherein when the second processing device verifies the payment transaction (Ei), the second processing device is further configured to verify that the payment redeem script (RS1) is based on the episode secret hash (Hi) and the second public key (P2).

A system according to any one of the preceding wherein the second processing device is further configured to:

• determine a common secret between the first node (15) and the second node (17);
• wherein to provide access, over the communications network, to the episode of digital content includes the second processing device to:
• encrypt one or more episode of digital content with a key based on the common secret to provide one or more encrypted episodes of digital content;
• and
• to send the one or more encrypted episodes of digital content,
• wherein the first processing device is further configured to:
• determine a common secret between the first node (15) and the second node (17);
• receive, over the communications network, the one or more encrypted episodes of digital content;
• and
• decrypt the one or more encrypted episodes of digital content with the key based on the common secret to provide the one or more episodes of digital content.

A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the system is arranged to determine a secret which is common to a first node and a second node, by:

• determining a first node second private key based on at least a first node mater private key and a generator value;
• determining a second node second private key based on at least a second node master private key and the generator value;
• wherein:
• determining the common secret (CS) at the first node may be based on the first node second private key and the second node second public key, and determining the common secret (CS) at the second node may be based on the second node second private key and the first node second public key;
• and wherein:
• the first node second public key and the second node second public key may be respectively based on at least the first/second node master key and the generator value.

A computer-implemented method of receiving digital content, wherein a first node (15) associated with a first user (5) receives digital content in return for payment to a second user (7) associated with a second node (17), wherein the first user (5) is associated with a deposit quantity of cryptocurrency (B1) at a common address (23), wherein to spend from the common address requires signatures of both a first private key (V1) of the first user (5) and a second private key (V2) of the second user (7), the method-comprising:

• (A)—sending, over the communications network (8), a request to the second node (17) to provide an episode of digital content (i) from a series of digital content;
• (B)—determining a payment transaction (Ei) to transfer from the common address (23) a payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2) to the second user (7), wherein the payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2) is based on a quantity of episodes of digital content in the series of digital content requested by the first user (5);
• (C)—signing, with the first private key (V1), the payment transaction (Ei) and subsequently sending the payment transaction (Ei) to the second node (17) to cause the second node (17) to verify the payment transaction;
• wherein based on the second node (17) having verified that the payment transaction includes the payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2), the method further comprises:
• (D)—accessing, over the communications network (8), the episode of digital content i.

A computer-implemented method of controlling the transmission and/or distribution of digital content, wherein a first node (15) associated with a first user (5) receives digital content in return for payment to a second user (7) associated with a second node (17), wherein the first user (5) is associated with a deposit quantity of cryptocurrency (B1) at a common address (23) wherein to spend from the common address requires signatures of both a first private key (V1) of the first user (5) and a second private key (V2) of the second user (7), the method-comprising:

• (I)—receiving, over the communications network (8), a request from the first node (15) to provide an episode of digital content (i) from a series of digital content;
• (II)—receiving a payment transaction (Ei), signed with the first private key (V1), to transfer from the common address (23) a payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2) to the second user (7), wherein the payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2) is based on a quantity of episodes of digital content in the series of digital content requested by the first user (5);
• (III)—verifying the payment transaction, comprising verifying that the payment transaction includes the payment quantity of cryptocurrency (B2) to the second user (7), wherein based on a result of verifying the method further comprises:
• (IV)—providing access, over the communications network (8), to the episode of digital content (i) to the first node (15);
• and
• (V)—co-signing, with the second private key (V2) of the second user (5), the payment transaction and sending the co-signed payment transaction to the blockchain (9).