Secure online music distribution system

A computer-implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, the system comprising:

• a content manager that transmits validation data uniquely associated with a purchase of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
• the media player, storing encryption data assigned specifically to the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data;
• and
• the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and securely retransmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data rile includes the purchased audio data encrypted using the encryption data of the media player, the media player adapted to decrypt the audio data of the selected media data file using the encryption data, and playback the resulting decrypted audio data;
• wherein the content manager stores, prior to a purchase, the audio data of each media data file encrypted with an associated media key the media key encrypted with a public key of the content manager, and responsive to a purchase of a media data file, removes the content manager public key from the media key, and encrypts the media key with a public key of the media player to receive the selected media data file.

A computer-implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, the system comprising:

• a content manager that transmits validation data uniquely associated with a purchase of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
• the media player, storing encryption data assigned specifically to the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data;
• and
• the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and securely retransmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the audio data of the selected media data file encrypted using the encryption data of the media player, the media player adapted to decrypt the audio data of the selected media data file using the encryption data, and playback resulting decrypted audio data;
• wherein upon request from the client computer system for a preview of the selected media data file, the content manager queries a database system for updated media descriptive data about the selected media data file to be provided to the media player;
• further wherein responsive to the updated media descriptive data being present in the database system, the content manager delivers the updated media descriptive data to the delivery server for subsequent transmission to the client computer system;
• and
• further wherein the content manager queries the database system using individual data from the media player for customized media descriptive data about the selected media data file to be provided to the media player.

A computer-implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, the system comprising:

• a content manager that transmits validation data uniquely associated with a purchase of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
• the media player, storing encryption data assigned specifically to the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data;
• the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and securely retransmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the audio data of the selected media data file encrypted using the encryption data of the media player, the media player adapted to decrypt the audio data of the selected media data file using the encryption data, and playback resulting decrypted audio data;
• wherein upon request from the client computer system for a preview of the selected media data file, the content manager queries a database system for updated media descriptive data about the selected media data file to be provided to the media player;
• further wherein responsive to the updated media descriptive data being present in the database system, the content manager delivers the updated media descriptive data to the delivery server for subsequent transmission to the client computer system;
• and
• further wherein the media descriptive data comprises a graphics image, and a uniform resource locator that initiates from the media player the purchase of the selected media data file.

A computer-implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, the system comprising:

• a content manager that transmits validation data uniquely associated with a purchase of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
• the media player, storing encryption data assigned specifically to the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data;
• and
• the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and securely retransmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the audio data of the selected media data file encrypted using the encryption data of the media player, the media player adapted to decrypt the audio data of the selected media data file using the encryption data, and playback resulting decrypted audio data;
• wherein the content manager provides the media player with media descriptive data associated with the selected media data file, the media descriptive data including a promotional graphics image, and a uniform resource locator that initiates from the media player a promotion related to the media data file.

A computer-implemented method for distributing media data files including audio data to purchasers via a public communications network, the method comprising:

• storing a plurality of media data files, each media data file including at least one audio image of a song encrypted with an associated media key, each media data file associated with a media ID for identifying the media data file;
• receiving a request to purchase a selected one of the media data files, the request including the media ID of the selected media data file;
• generating a voucher ID associated with the purchase of the selected media data file, a receipt token, and network addressing information of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file;
• responsive to receiving an authorization of the purchase of the selected media data file, transmitting the voucher ID, receipt token, and the network addressing information to a media player to receive the selected media data file;
• receiving a data packet including an authenticated voucher ID including the receipt token, a public key of the media player, and a digital signature of the data packet formed using a private key of the media player;
• responsive to successfully verifying the authenticated voucher ID against the firstmentioned voucher ID, encrypting the associated media key of the selected media data file with the public key of the media player to form an encrypted media key;
• and
• authorizing delivery of the selected media data file by transmitting the encrypted media key and the media ID of the selected media data file.

A computer implemented online music distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, the system comprising:

• (a) a content manager that:
• (i) receives a request to reserve a selected one of the media data files for a purchase transaction;
• (ii) generates a media voucher including a voucher ID associated with the purchase transaction, a receipt token used to validate the voucher ID, a media ID identifying the selected media data file, and network addressing information of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file;
• (iii) transmits the media voucher to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
• (b) the media player, storing a public key/private key pair assigned specifically to the media player, that:
• (i) receives the media voucher from the content manager;
• (ii) generates a data packet containing:
• (1) data representing the voucher ID;
• (2) a public key of the public key/private key pair of the media player;
• and
• (3) a signature of the data packet formed using a private key of the public key/private key pair of the media player;
• and
• (iii) transmits the data packet to the delivery server specified by the network addressing information in the media voucher;
• and
• (c) the delivery server that:
• (i) receives and parses the data packet, and transmits the voucher ID to the content manager;
• (ii) receives from the content manager the selected media data file includes the audio data of the selected media data file encrypted with a media key, the media key encrypted with the public key of the media player;
• and
• (iii) transmits the selected media data file to the media player, the media player adapted to playback the media data file by decryption of the media key with the private key.

A computer implemented online distribution system for distributing digital media data files, including audio data, over a public communications network, the system comprising:

• a content manager that stores a plurality of media data files, each media data file including at least one encrypted high quality full length audio data file, and at least one unencrypted low quality audio data file, transmits validation data uniquely associated with a preview of a selected one of the media data files and a network address of a delivery server to deliver the selected media data file to a client computer system including a media player for playing back the audio data of the selected media data file;
• the media player, that receives the validation data from the content manager, and transmits the validation data to the delivery server specified by the network address in the validation data;
• and
• the delivery server that verifies the validation data received from the media player using the content manager to validate the preview of the selected media data file by the media player, and receives the selected media data file from the content manager and retransmits the selected media data file to the media player, wherein the selected media data file includes the unencrypted low quality audio data, the media player adapted to playback the unencrypted low quality audio data as the preview of the selected media data file as the unencrypted audio data is received;
• wherein the selected media data file received from the delivery server includes a uniform resource locator to initiate a purchase of the encrypted high quality audio data in the media data file by delivery of an encryption key from the content manager to the media player, and without requiring the delivery server to retransmit the media data file to the media player.