System, method and apparatus for controlling the dissemination of digital works
AssigneeQxzeb LLC
InventorMark Nair
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 an 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.
Claims31
A system for facilitating and controlling the usage of digital media files, said system comprising:
- a player unit having a memory therein for storing a plurality of digital media files thereon,
- said player unit having at least one analog output port and no digital output ports,
- said player unit capable of outputting analog representations of said digital media files stored in said memory on said at least one analog output port;
- and
- a network connection means for connecting said player unit to a network and for downloading said digital media files to said player unit,
- wherein a user of said player unit can only receive analog data through said at least one analog output port, said analog data being an analog representation of digital data for a given digital media file stored in said memory, and
- wherein no digital media file stored in said memory is digitally output from said player unit, said player unit having no output data port capable of digitally transmitting any of said digital media files external to said player unit,
- whereby the external transmission of digital data of said given digital media file is prevented, thereby preventing digital copies thereof.
A method for controlling the playback of digital media files on a player unit, said method comprising:
- selecting an encrypted digital media file from a plurality of encrypted digital media files;
- retrieving a decrypting key;
- decrypting the selected encrypted digital media file based upon the retrieved decrypting key;
- and
- generating only an analog audio signal from the decrypted digital media file,
- wherein said player unit has at least one analog output port, said analog audio signal being transmitted on said at least one analog output port,
- wherein a user of said player unit can only receive said analog audio signal through said at least one analog output port, said analog data being an analog representation of digital data for a given encrypted digital media file stored in a memory within said player unit, and
- wherein no encrypted digital media file stored in said memory is digitally output from said player unit, said player unit having no output data port capable of digitally transmitting any of said plurality of encrypted digital media files external to said player unit,
- whereby the external transmission of digital data of said given encrypted digital media file is prevented, thereby preventing digital copies thereof.
A system for providing digital media files, said system comprising:
- a receiver for receiving from a user at least two encryption keys;
- an encrypter for double encrypting a digital media file based on said at least two encryption keys;
- and
- a transmitter for transmitting to said user the encrypted digital media file,
- wherein a first of said at least one encryption key is associated with said user and a second of said at least one encryption key is associated with a user device to which said encrypted digital media file is transmitted.
A system for facilitating and controlling the usage of digital media files, said system comprising:
- a player unit having a memory therein for storing a plurality of digital media files thereon, said player unit having only analog outputs and no digital outputs;
- conversion means for converting a digital media file to an analog representation for playing through an analog output;
- and
- a connection device for connecting said player unit to a network and for downloading said digital media files to said player unit,
- wherein a user of said player unit can only receive analog data through said analog outputs, and
- wherein no digital media file stored in said memory is digitally output from said player unit, said player unit having no output data port capable of digitally transmitting any of said plurality of digital media files external to said player unit,
- whereby the external transmission of digital data of said digital media file is prevented, thereby preventing digital copies thereof.
A method for controlling the playback of digital media files on a player unit, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting an encrypted digital media file from a plurality of encrypted digital media files;
- retrieving a decrypting key;
- decrypting the selected encrypted digital media file based upon the retrieved decrypting key;
- and
- converting the decrypted digital media file to an analog representation for playing through an analog output, said player unit having only analog outputs and no digital outputs,
- wherein a user of said player unit can only receive said analog representation of digital data for said encrypted digital media file stored in a memory within said player unit, and
- wherein no encrypted digital media file stored in said memory is digitally output from said player unit, said player unit having no output data port capable of digitally transmitting any of said plurality of encrypted digital media files external to said player unit,
- whereby the external transmission of digital data of said given encrypted digital media file is prevented, thereby preventing digital copies thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.