Electronic media distribution system
View Patent ↗A system and method for sharing electronic content. A sending user can specify one or more criteria that a recipient memory device must have to store the content. The sending user can also specify a digital rights management control that can be associated with the content. The content can be transferred to the recipient if the recipient memory device has the specified properties. Software at the recipient can ensure that the content is handled in accordance with the digital rights management controls specified by the sender.
1. A method for sharing information, including:
receiving sending instructions to transfer to a recipient a file, said sending instructions identifying a specific type of memory device on which the file is permitted to be stored at the recipient; receiving the file;
sending a notice to the recipient indicating that the recipient may download the file;
determining by a computer microprocessor if transfer software to transfer the file only to the specific type of memory device is installed at the recipient;
if transfer software is not installed at the recipient, then sending by a computer microprocessor the transfer software to the recipient based on a request for the file from the recipient; and
sending the file by a computer microprocessor to the recipient to be stored on the specific type of memory device only if the transfer software to install only to the specific type of memory device is installed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending instructions identify the specific type of memory device to be a CD-ROM.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending instructions identify the specific type of memory device to be flash memory.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending instructions further identify a digital rights management control to be applied to the file.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no copy may be made of the file from the specific type of memory device.
6. A method for sharing information, including:
receiving at least one criterion that a memory device at a recipient must have to store information to be sent from a sender, the at least one criterion being a type of the memory device;
receiving a digital rights management control associated with the information;
sending a notice to the recipient indicating that the recipient may obtain the information; and
based on a request for the information from the recipient, sending the information by a computer microprocessor to the recipient to be stored on the memory device, if it is determined by a computer microprocessor that the second memory device has the one or more criteria.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no copy may be made of the file from the memory device.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no more than a given number of copies may be made of the file from the memory device.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no copy may be made of the file from the memory device if the number of outstanding copies already made of the file from the memory device is equal to a given number.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates a maximum number of times the copy can be used is equal to a given number.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates a fee amount to be charged to the recipient based upon the use of the copy stored at the memory device.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates an amount to be credited to the recipient based upon the use of the copy stored at the memory device.
13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates an amount to be credited to the recipient based upon the use of a copy derived from the copy of the file stored at the memory device.
14. An apparatus for sharing information, including:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to perform steps including:
receiving sending instructions to transfer to a recipient a file, said sending instructions identifying a specific type of memory device on which the file is permitted to be stored at the recipient;
receiving the file;
sending a notice to the recipient indicating that the recipient may download the file;
determining if transfer software to transfer the file only to the specific type of memory device is installed at the recipient;
if transfer software is not installed at the recipient, then sending the transfer software to the recipient based on a request for the file from the recipient and
sending the file to the recipient to be stored on the specific type of memory device based on a request for the file from the recipient only if the transfer software to install only to the specific type of memory device is installed.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sending instructions identify the specific type of memory device to be a CD-ROM.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sending instructions identify the specific type of memory device to be flash memory.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sending instructions further identify a digital rights management control to be applied to the file.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no copy may be made of the file from the specific type of memory device.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no more than a given number of copies may be made of the file from the specific type of memory device.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the digital rights management control indicates that no copy may be made of the file from the specific type of memory device if the number of outstanding copies already made of the file from the specific type of memory device is equal to a given number.