Digital content distribution and subscription sysem

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided digital content data over a network. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes: generating, in response to a download request for digital content data, a download address for the digital content data, and transmitting the download address to a client; authenticating, at a content server, the download request; downloading, over the network to the client, the digital content data after the download address is authenticated; receiving, from the client, a request for a license to access and playback the downloaded digital content data; authenticating, at an application server, the license request; and providing, to the client device, the license for the digital content data after the license request is authenticated, the license enabling the client device to access and playback the digital content data.

What is claimed and desired to be covered by a Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 .- 82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . A computer-implemented method for controlling access to digital content data over a network, the method comprising the following steps implemented with at least one processor:
 receiving, from a client, a request to download digital content data over the network;   generating, in response to the download request, a download address for the digital content data, the download address being transmitted to the client and including a token or checksum to enable an authentication of the download request;   authenticating, at a content server, the download request based on the token or checksum in the download address;   downloading, over the network to the client, the digital content data after the download address is authenticated by the content server;   receiving, from the client, a request for a license to access and playback the downloaded digital content data, the license request including at least one of a session identifier and a client identifier to enable an authentication of the license request;   authenticating, at an application server, the license request based on at least one of the session identifier or the client identifier;   providing, to the client device, the license for the digital content data after the license request is authenticated by the application server, the license enabling the client device to access and playback the digital content data; and   storing, in an administration server, information identifying the digital content data and license to enable royalty tracking and the determination of payments to a rights holder of the digital content data.   
     
     
         84 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 83 , wherein the digital content data contains at least one of video data, audio data, or a data file. 
     
     
         85 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 83 , wherein the request to download digital content data includes a session identifier obtained from a successful login request, and
 the method further comprises:   in response to the download request, authenticating the download request based on the session identifier included in the download request.   
     
     
         86 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 85 , wherein the session identifier is valid for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         87 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 83 , wherein the digital content data downloaded over the network to the client is encrypted. 
     
     
         88 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 87 , wherein providing the license to the client device further comprises:
 generating the license for decrypting the encrypted digital content data.   
     
     
         89 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 88 , wherein the license is valid for only a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         90 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 88 , wherein the method further comprises:
 generating a separate license for each unit of the digital content data.   
     
     
         91 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 83 , further comprising:
 obtaining information identifying rights assignment for the license based on information identifying the digital content data, the information identifying rights assignment including a method for calculating royalty payment to the rights holder; and   calculating an amount royalty payment based on the method for calculating royalty payment and a time period during which the digital content data is cached in the client device.   
     
     
         92 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 91 , wherein the method for calculating royalty payment indicates calculating the royalty payment according to a predetermined percentage of total rights of the digital content data assigned to the rights holder. 
     
     
         93 . A digital content distribution system, comprising:
 an application server, responsive to a receipt of a request to download digital content data from a client device over a network, to generate a download address for the digital content data and transmit the download address to the client device, the download address including a token or checksum to enable an authentication of the download request; and   a content server, responsive to a receipt of the download address from the client device over the network, to authenticate the download request based on the token or checksum in the download address, and download the digital content data after the download address is authenticated,   wherein, in response to a receipt for a license to access and playback the downloaded digital content data from the client device, the license request including at least one of a session identifier and a client identifier to enable an authentication of the license request, the application server is configured to:
 authenticate the license request based on at least one of the session identifier or the client identifier; and 
 provide, to the client device, the license for the digital content data after the license request is authenticated, the license enabling the client device to access and playback the digital content data. 
   
     
     
         94 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 93 , further comprising:
 an administration server that stores information identifying the digital content data and license to enable royalty tracking and the determination of payments to a rights holder of the digital content data.   
     
     
         95 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 93 , wherein the digital content data contains at least one of video data, audio data, or a data file. 
     
     
         96 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 93 , wherein the request to download digital content data includes a session identifier obtained from a successful login request, and
 the application server is further configured to, in response to the download request, authenticate the download request based on the session identifier included in the download request.   
     
     
         97 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 96 , wherein the session identifier is valid for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         98 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 93 , wherein the digital content data downloaded over the network to the client is encrypted. 
     
     
         99 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 98 , wherein the application server is further configured to:
 generate the license for decrypting the encrypted digital content data.   
     
     
         100 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 99 , wherein the generated license is valid for only a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         101 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 99 , wherein the application server is further configured to:
 generate a separate license for each unit of the digital content data.   
     
     
         102 . The digital content distribution system of  claim 94 , wherein the administration server is further configured to:
 obtain information identifying rights assignment for the license based on information identifying the digital content data and license, the information identifying rights assignment including a method for calculating royalty payment to the rights holder; and   calculate an amount royalty payment based on the method for calculating royalty payment and a time period during which the digital content data is cached in the client device.   
     
     
         103 . A computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions, the instructions being executable by at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to:
 receive, from a client, a request to download digital content data over a network;   generate, in response to the download request, a download address for the digital content data, the download address being transmitted to the client and including a token or checksum to enable an authentication of the download request;   authenticate, at a content server, the download request based on the token or checksum in the download address;   download, over the network to the client, the digital content data after the download address is authenticated by the content server;   receive, from the client, a request for a license to access and playback the downloaded digital content data, the license request including at least one of a session identifier and a client identifier to enable an authentication of the license request;   authenticate, at an application server, the license request based on at least one of the session identifier or the client identifier;   provide, to the client device, the license for the digital content data after the license request is authenticated by the application server, the license enabling the client device to access and playback the digital content data; and   store, in an administration server, information identifying the digital content data and license to enable royalty tracking and the determination of payments to a rights holder of the digital content data.