(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (io) Pub. No.: US 2002/0065781 Al
Hillegass et al. (43) Pub. Date: May 30,2002
(54) LICENSED DIGITAL MATERIAL
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD
(76) Inventors: James C. Hillegass, Woodland, MN
(US); Yaobing Deng, Minneapolis, MN
(US); Mark Eastom, New Brighton,
MN (US); Richard R. Fritz, Maple
Grove, MN (US); John C. Gately,
Plymouth, MN (US); James A.
Grinsfelder, St. Paul, MN (US);
Stephen A. Grove, Minneapolis, MN
(US); Eric Steven Hockett,
Minneapolis, MN (US); Nikolay G.
Sokratov, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
James G. Swanson, St. Paul, MN (US);
John S. Thompson, Afton, MN (US);
Boris Mamedov, Hopkins, MN (US);
James A. Nordgaard, St. Louis Park,
MN (US); Paul E. Onnen, Issaquah,
WA (US)
Correspondence Address:
Beck & Tysver, P.L.L.C.
Suite 100
2900 Thomas Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55416 (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 09/845,041
(22) Filed: Apr. 27, 2001
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Non-provisional of provisional application No. 60/200,196, filed on Apr. 28, 2000.
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.7 G06F 17/60
(52) U.S. CI 705/59
(57) ABSTRACT
A system and method distribute licenses for copyrighted material separate from the copyrighted material itself. A producer or "vendor" of copyrighted material registers the material with a License Provider. The License Provider returns an encryption code for the producer to attach to the materials which are in digital form. The vendor distributes that material to one or more users who purchase a license from the License Provider. The license includes an encryption key to decrypt the file containing the materials. The system and method incorporate security measures to prevent unlicensed use and distribution of the materials.
