System & Method for Introducing Digital Assets Into An Electronic Distribution System

1 . A system for introducing digital assets into an electronic network distribution system, comprising:

(a) a first computer coupled to the electronic network distribution system; and

(b) one or more software routines executing on said first computer, said software routines being configured to cause said first computer to perform at least the following operations:

i) receiving and storing a digital asset on said first computer; and

ii) processing administration information for said digital asset, including an asset identifier and a rights-holder identifier, and associating the same with said digital asset; and

iii) interacting with a separate digital asset management system to generate a modified version of said digital asset, said modified version of said digital asset being based on said administration information and tracking history information provided by said digital asset management system;

iv) posting said modified version of said digital asset to a location suitable for download by client devices from the electronic network distribution system;

wherein said modified version of said digital asset is configured so that a tracking history can be maintained by said digital asset management system of each transfer of separate instantiations of said digital asset to client devices coupled to the electronic network distribution.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said administration information also includes terms of use and expiration data for said digital asset.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said client devices can connect to form a peer-to-peer network and host said digital asset.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said digital asset includes audio, video, picture and/or text based data.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said first computer is a server coupled to the internet.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said digital asset management system and/or said peer devices embed tracking information within said modified version of said digital asset during each instantiation of said digital asset.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein said tracking information includes a unique identifier for each transfer of said modified version of said digital asset within the electronic network.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said software routines are further configured to provide second administration information for a digital asset such that later instantiations of said digital asset within the electronic network distribution system are based on said second administration information.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said software routines are further configured to receive accounting information from said digital asset management system, including: (a) information concerning the number of instantiations of said digital asset created by transfers within the electronic network distribution system; (b) revenue derived from and/or to be credited for said transfers.

10 . A system for introducing digital assets into an electronic network distribution system, comprising:

(a) a first computer coupled to the electronic network distribution system; and

(b) one or more software routines executing on said first computer, said software routines being configured to cause said first computer to perform at least the following operations:

i) receiving and storing a digital asset on said first computer; and

wherein said digital asset is an unencrypted playable media item that does not contain any copy protection;

ii) processing administration information for said digital asset, including an asset identifier and an identifier for a digital asset rights-holder, and associating the same with said digital asset; and

wherein said rights-holder can specify different administration information for different users or different client devices accessing said digital asset;

iii) interacting with a separate digital asset management system to generate a modified version of said digital asset including a unique transfer identifier each time said digital asset is transferred over said electronic network, said modified version of said digital asset being based on said administration information and tracking history information provided by said digital asset management system;

iv) posting said modified version of said digital asset to a location suitable for download from the electronic network distribution system;

wherein said modified version of said digital asset is configured so that a tracking history can be maintained by said digital asset management system of each transfer of separate instantiations of said digital asset across the electronic network distribution.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each instantiation of said digital asset includes a complete transfer history for said digital asset.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said first computer determines an optimal transfer source for said digital asset.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said administration information includes a set of distribution rules that can be specified by said rights-holder, including restrictions on terms of use and time periods of use.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said rights-holder can further specify different distribution rules for different users or different client devices.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said unique transfer identifier is embedded into said modified version of said digital asset using a steganographic process.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said transfers of said digital asset take place in a peer-to-peer manner over the network in coordination with said digital asset management computer and such that a complete tracking history for said digital asset is maintained by the system.

17 . The system of claim 10 , further including an accounting routine for performing accounting functions in connection with said transfers, including crediting of rights holders accounts, crediting of transaction host accounts, and/or debiting of user accounts.

18 . The system of claim 10 , further including a monitoring routine for performing authentication operations on digital assets stored and/or transferred between client systems over the network, said authentication operations including a determination of an embedded serial number of a digital asset and an identification of a last authorized transfer of said digital asset.

19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein adjustments to a user account, including access privileges, are made in accordance with the determinations made by said monitoring routine.

20 . A method of introducing digital assets into an electronic network distribution system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving and storing a digital asset on a first computer coupled to the electronic network distribution system; and

(b) processing administration information for said digital asset, including an asset identifier and a rights-holder identifier;

(c) associating said administration information with said digital asset; and

(d) interacting with a digital asset management system to generate a modified version of said digital asset, said modified version of said digital asset being based on said administration information and tracking history information provided by said digital asset management system;

(e) posting said modified version of said digital asset to a location suitable for download by client devices from the electronic network distribution system;

wherein said modified version of said digital asset is configured so that a tracking history can be maintained by said digital asset management system of each transfer of separate instantiations of said digital asset between peer devices coupled to the electronic network distribution.