Method and apparatus to enable a market in used digital content

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to enable a distinction between “new” and “used” digital content and to enable a market in used digital content files between mobile phone terminals and an electronic store, securely, by means of a wireless telephony network and a server complex to handle contents right management, transaction reporting, inventory, content delivery, payment, and billing. A server receives a signal generated by a wireless user device that was sent over a wireless telephony network. The signal indicates an election for returning at least one previously purchased digital content item. The server deletes user rights for the at least one digital content item identified by the received signal and sends information to the user device that generated the signal. Access to the associated digital content item at the user device is removed according to the sent information.

1 . A method for deleting rights to one or more digital content items at a wireless user device in a digital rights management environment, the method comprising: 
 receiving at a server in data communication a signal generated by a wireless user device and sent over a wireless telephony network, the signal indicates an election for returning at least one previously purchased digital content item;    deleting user rights for the at least one digital content item identified by the received signal; and    sending information to the user device that generated the signal, wherein access to the associated digital content item at the user device is removed according to the sent information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein deleting comprises deleting a digital content key associated with the elected at least one previously purchased digital content item, wherein deleting the digital content key is performed at the user device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein deleting comprises: 
 generating a new digital key;    encrypting the new digital key, a previously generated random number, and an id string associated with the user device using a digital key previously confirmed by use of at least two distinct networks;    determining the digital content items the user has user rights for; and    encrypting one or more digital content keys using the new digital key based on the determination,    wherein sending includes sending the encrypted new digital key to the user device and sending the encrypted one or more digital content keys to the associated user device.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 applying credit to an account associated with the user of the user device that generated the signal.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 reporting information of the account to the user of the user device.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 adding information related to the digital content item that was requested for deletion into a used content inventory database.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 allowing purchase of a digital content item associated with information stored in the used content inventory database.    
   
   
       8 . A system for returning one or more digital content items from a wireless user device in a digital rights management environment, the system comprising: 
 one or more memory units for storing users' rights to digital content items; and    a processing device in data communication with the one or more memory units, the processing device comprising: 
 a communication component for receiving a signal generated by a wireless user device that indicates an election to return at least one previously purchased digital content item; and  
 a component for deleting user rights for the digital content item identified by the received signal,  
   wherein the communication component sends information to the user device that generated the signal, wherein the sent information removes access to the identified digital content item.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the component for deleting comprises: 
 a component for generating a new digital key and encrypting the new digital key, a previously generated random number, and an id string with the user device using a digital key previously confirmed by use of at least two distinct networks; and    a component for determining the digital content items the user has user rights for and encrypting one or more digital content keys associated using the new digital key based on the determination,    wherein the communication component sends the encrypted new digital key to the user device and sending the encrypted one or more digital content key to the associated user device.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processing device further comprises: 
 a component for applying credit to an account associated with the user of the user device that generated the signal.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the component for applying credit comprises: 
 a component for reporting information of the account to the user of the user device.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processing device further comprises: 
 a component for adding information related to the digital content item that was requested for deletion into a used content inventory database.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the component for adding information comprises: 
 a component for allowing purchase of a digital content item associated with information stored in the used content inventory database.