Royalty collection method and system for use of copyrighted digital materials on the internet

A method for managing use of digital material in a computer network, comprising the steps of:

• establishing an account for a given client computer including a representation of a given monetary value;
• establishing an account for a given content provider including a representation of a given royalty value;
• and
• establishing a count of a number of permitted copies of a digital file;
• in response to a given protocol, transferring a copy of the digital file from a source to a target associated with the given client computer;
• adjusting the given monetary value in the account of the given client computer;
• and
• adjusting the given royalty value in the account of the given content provider;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.

A method for managing use of digital material in a computer network including a Web client connectable to a Web server, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a count of a number of permitted copies of a digital file located at a source device in the Web client;
• in response to a given protocol, transferring one or more copies of the digital file from the source device to a set of one or more target rendering devices in the Web client;
• and
• for each such transfer from the source device to one of the target rendering devices, logging an indication that the digital file has been transferred to facilitate payment of a given consideration to a provider of the digital file;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.

A computer program product in computer-readable media for use in a Web client having a source device and one or more target rendering devices, the computer program product comprising:

• means for establishing a count of a number of permitted copies of a digital file located at the source device;
• means, responsive to a given protocol, for transferring one or more copies of the digital file from the source device to the one or more target rendering devices;
• means, responsive to each transfer, for logging an indication that the digital file has been transferred to facilitate payment of a given consideration to a provider of the digital file;
• and
• means responsive to the logging means for adjusting the count;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.

A computer system connected to a computer network and including a source device and one or more target rendering devices, comprising:

• a processor;
• an operating system;
• an application for managing use of digital material, comprising:
• means for establishing a count of a number of permitted copies of a digital file located at the source device;
• means, responsive to a given protocol, for transferring one or more copies of the digital file from the source device to the one or more target rendering devices;
• means, responsive to each transfer, for logging an indication that the digital file has been transferred to facilitate payment of a given consideration to a provider of the digital file;
• and
• means responsive to the logging means for adjusting the count;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a remote control unit;
• and
• a base unit connectable to a monitor for providing Internet access under the control of the remote control unit, the base unit comprising:
• a processor having an operating system;
• a browser application run by the operating system;
• a secure disk storage in which a digital file is stored;
• one or more target rendering devices;
• and
• means for restricting a number of copies of the digital file that may be transferred between the secure disk storage and the one or more target rendering devices;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.

A management server for use in managing collection and allocation of royalties among content providers, the management server connected in a computer network to an access provider servicing a plurality of Web client appliances receiving dialup access to Web content, the management server comprising:

• means for establishing an account for each of set of given content providers, each account including a representation of a given royalty value;
• and
• means for adjusting the given royalty value in the account of the given content provider in response to receipt of an indication that a given digital file associated with the given content provider has been transferred from a source to a target rendering device in a given Web client appliance;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.

A copy management system, comprising:

• a first device and a second device, each of which is certified to operate under a given security protocol;
• means for establishing a secure link between the first and second devices;
• and
• means responsive to establishment of the secure link for managing transfer of a permitted number of copies of a digital file between the first and second devices in accordance with copy control information restrictions associated with the digital file;
• wherein the digital file includes content subject to copyright protection.