NETWORK BY UTILIZING FLOATING LICENSES

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for distributing digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor/ data distribution centre and the content aggregator and creators. More particularly, the present invention is directed to provide for a computer system for distributing digital contents of a book and other reading materials. The system is thus capable of distributing of digital content through wired or wireless network devices such as e Reader and tablet PC device space. Advantageously, the digital content electronic distribution system of the present invention is cost effective and moreover provides the customer as safe and secure alternate choice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Quite a few disclosures have been filed over the last few years in the space of rental systems for variety of digital media. However, most of them either relate to 'hows' of distribution in terms of details of the system involved. Most of the improvements have come in disclosures related to different means of distribution or offering different choice to consumers.

Current existing mechanisms and methods for digital content purchasing or renting can be broken into two main categories: streaming distributions that require the end-user to maintain a live network connection, or those that link content to non-securable digital distribution media. Both of these storage media formats are decodable and reproducible using publicly-available products.

The drawbacks of the "streamed" model of digital content distribution are: Once the digital content play has started, it is difficult and unwieldy to stop and start again. The customer is tied to the broadband distribution network. This prevents a streaming solution from being easily portable. This method is susceptible to network congestion and interruption, which dramatically degrade the quality of playback. Though broadband networks are widely available, network NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR traffic slowdowns and business are notorious problems. There is no concept of ownership with this model. The content is purchased on a per-use basis. This model is inappropriate for non- video or non-music content. For example, software application content cannot be streamed. By its very nature, it must be present within a computer's memory and available in its totality as per license.

The use of global distribution systems such as the Internet for distribution of digital assets such as music, film, computer programs, pictures, games and other content continues to grow. At the same time owners and publishers of valuable digital content have been slow to embrace the use of the Internet for distribution of digital assets for several reasons. One reason is that owners are afraid of unauthorized copying or pirating of digital content. The digital copies combined with the very low cost to distribute content electronically and to distribute content widely over the Internet makes it relatively easy to pirate and distribute unauthorized copies. With a couple of keystrokes, a pirate can send hundreds or even of thousands of perfect copies of digital content over the Internet. Therefore a need exists to ensure the protection and security of digital assets distributed electronically.

The problems with establishing a digital content distribution system includes developing systems for digital content electronic distribution, rights management, and asset protection. Other commercially available electronic distribution systems for digital content such as real audio, A2B etc offers transmission of digital data over secured and unsecured electronic networks. The use of secured electronic networks greatly reduces the requirement of digital content providers of distributing digital to a wide audience. The use of unsecured networks such as the Internet and Web allows the digital content to arrive to an end-user securely such as through the use of encryption. However, once the encrypted digital content is de-encrypted on the end-user's machine, the digital content is readily available to the end-user for unauthorized re-distribution.

Content owners prepare their digital content for electronic distribution through a process known as encoding. Encoding involves taking the content, digitizing it, if the content is presented in an analog format, and compressing it. The process to compress content can require a large amount of dedicated computational resources, especially for larger content items such as full-length NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR feature movies. The process of encoding and the associated infrastructure requirements are huge and the whole process as such is an expensive process.

Some attempts have been made in the past to deal with overcoming the said limitations of the prior art as given below.

US 6331865 is a patent titled "Method and apparatus for electronically distributing and viewing digital contents" states about operating an information distribution network to distribute digital contents to consumers for viewing, wherein the method focuses only on e-books and virtual bookstore and provides a different way of charging fee involved during the process between distributors and content aggregator and creators.

US 2006173789 is a patent titled "System and method for distributing digital content over a network" states about a set of digital content provided in a storage location that is accessible by a network, but uses RFID based process and does not provide a clear revenue sharing model. The method further uses one or more physical tokens for storing data related for accessing, and data includes audio, video and image and not text.

WO 2009126239 is a patent titled "Digital content library service" states about distribution of digital content library service in which a customer may access library on a random access memory, but is not indicative of a clear revenue sharing model and the content relates to media that includes only audio- visual and audio.

US 742141 1 is a patent titled "Digital rights management in a mobile communications environment" states about a method, system and a computer program product for enabling a wireless device in a mobile communication environment to obtain rights to protected content of a digital asset which is downloaded to the wireless device from any one of a plurality of content servers or other wireless devices, but does not provide a method of distributing content and associated revenue sharing model. NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR

Therefore a need exists for a digital content electronic distribution system that is cost effective and which provides the customer as safe and secure alternate choice.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The basic object of the present invention is thus directed to providing a safe, secure and cost- effective system adapted for distributing digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor and the content aggregator and creators.

Another object of the present invention is directed to providing a computer system which can distribute digital contents of a book and other reading materials, wherein the digital content can be distributed through wired or wireless network devices such as eReader & tablet PC device space.

A still further object of the present invention is directed to provide for a computer system for distributing digital contents of a book and other reading materials over the mobile phone network and also the internet.

A still further object of the present invention is directed to provide for a computer system to distribute digital content, wherein a subscriber is charged a timed subscription fee of 'X' for content distribution over a network.

It is another object of the invention to provide for a computer system to distribute digital content, wherein for the subscription fee of Ύ' paid by the client, he is provided with 'Z' credit points.

It is another object of the invention to provide for a computer system to distribute digital content, wherein, there are a floating number of licenses in a license pool for each title for circulation.

It is another object of the invention to provide for a computer system to distribute digital content, wherein a feedback mechanism based on a predictive model estimates demand for a title is provided. NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR

It is another object of the invention to provide for a computer system comprising a catalogue dynamically modified to suit preferences of the subscriber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus according to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer system implemented method for distributing digital content over a mobile phone network and internet and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor, publisher and creator comprising: providing digital contents in a publisher server '3';

providing a license pool having one or more floating licenses for said digital content;

providing a digital catalogue of content for distribution of said contents; and

distributing digital content to the distribution data centre from the said publisher server through obtaining license from said license pool,

wherein said publisher server is accessible by a distribution data centre '2' and subscriber device '7',

wherein said license pool is operative over wired or wireless network,

wherein the said catalogue in the distribution data centre is adapted to be dynamically modified to suit preferences of the subscriber,

wherein the subscriber is charged a timed subscription fee of 'X' which is shared between the content creator, publisher and the distributor,

wherein the subscriber is allowed to checkin or checkout a media item as necessary, and wherein the said digital content is accessible by a subscriber through a wired or wireless network devices including e Reader and tablet PC.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a computer system implemented method for distributing digital content over a network and its associated revenue sharing model, wherein the said method comprises a feedback mechanism to estimate a demand for a title in the catalogue, wherein the number of titles in the catalogue can be increased or decreased based on demand prediction from the said feedback mechanism. NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR

A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a computer system implemented method, wherein the publisher server/ client is provided with 'Z' credit points, on payment of subscription fee Ύ .

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to a computer system implemented method, wherein variable credit points are deducted from the 'Z' credit points for each timed media access.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to a computer system implemented method, wherein the exact number of credit points for the particular item is determined by the by the publisher server, distribution data centre and the author..

According to yet another important aspect of the present invention is directed to a computer system implemented method for distributing digital content over a network and its associated revenue sharing model, wherein the subscribed media is automatically deleted after expiry of subscription period and the corresponding floating license is released back into the license pool for re-circulation, wherein the dynamic increase/decrease of said floating licenses is based on predictions.

The details of the invention, its objects and advantages are explained hereunder in greater detail in relation to non-limiting exemplary illustrations as per the following accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1: illustrates a system for distributing the digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor/data distribution centre and the content aggregator/ publisher server and creators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

As already described, the invention is directed towards a system for distributing digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor/data distribution centre and the NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR content aggregator/publisher server and creators. The present invention is directed to provide for a computer system for distributing digital contents of a book and other reading materials. The system is capable of distributing of digital content through wired or wireless network devices such as eReader and tablet PC device space. Advantageously, the digital content electronic distribution system of the present invention is cost effective and moreover provides the customer as safe and secure alternate choice.

Reference is first invited to the accompanying figure 1 that illustrates a system for distributing the digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor/data distribution centre and the content aggregator/ publisher server and creators. There are a floating number of licenses in a license pool ' Γ for each title for circulation for books & media held in within the distribution data centre '2'. The distribution data centre '2' is a server farm/computer system which holds the licenses in the license pool T to be distributed on demand from subscribers of the library system. It also holds a digital catalogue of all media content, e-content of books and other reading materials available for distribution. The catalogue present in the distribution data centre '2' is dynamically modified to suit preferences of the subscriber '7'. There is a content aggregator /publisher server '3', which is a typical server on which media items are held which is part of the catalogue of media items. The connectivity between the publisher server '3' and the data distribution centre '2' is indicated by '4'. The 'token' or license '5' for a particular media title is sent from the license pool Tto any subscriber '7' having eReader '6'. The whole process of distributing digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the eReader '6' and the distributor/data distribution centre '2' isjhrough a wired or wireless interface '8'. The digital contents of a book and other reading materials can be distributed through wired or wireless network devices such as eReader & tablet PC device space, the mobile phone network and also the internet.

The associated revenue sharing model of the present invention for distributing the digital contents between the data distribution centre '2' and the publisher server '3' and creators, is defined in a manner that the subscriber '7' is charged a timed subscription fee of 'X' which is shared between the content creator, publisher and the distributor. The subscriber '7' can check in and check out as necessary. A rental sum is deducted from subscriber's '7' account for each NAME OF THE APPLICANT: ANUROOP IYENGAR book rented out or a standard of few books that may be released as decided by the publisher. Once the subscription period is expired, the subscribed media is automatically deleted and the corresponding floating license is released back into the license pool T for re-circulation, wherein the dynamic increase/decrease of floating licenses based on predictions. A subscription fee 'Υ' is paid by the client/ publisher server '3', and the publisher server '3' is provided with 'Z' credit points. The exact number of credits for the particular media content item is determined by the publisher server '3' , distribution data centre '2' and author. There is a feedback mechanism which is based on a predictive model to estimate a demand for a title in the catalogue. The number of titles in the catalogue can be increased or decreased based on demand prediction from feedback mechanism.

It is thus possible by way of the present invention to provide a simple, cost effective system for distributing digital content and its associated revenue sharing model between the distributor/data distribution centre and the content aggregator/publisher server and creators. Advantageously, the present provides the customer as safe and secure alternate choice.