Abstract: Web-based royalty system and user interface is described. In one embodiment, for example, a Web-based royalty system of the present invention is described that comprises: an interface for receiving product information comprising products subject to royalties; an interface for receiving sales data comprising sales records for the products; an interface for receiving royalty terms for the products; a calculation engine for calculating royalties due for the sales data, by matching each sales record with a given product listed in the product information, and determining for each matched product royalties due based on royalty terms applicable to sales of that product; and a statement generator for generating royalty reports of the calculated royalties.

Abstract: A centralized rights management system and methodologies for digital media (e.g., books) is shown and described. In one embodiment, for example, a computer-implemented method is described for automated assertion of a claim of rights in books, the method comprises steps of: maintaining a publicly-searchable registry of books subject to claims by rightsholders; receiving user input allowing a user to select a book from the registry that the user wishes to assert a claim of rights in; displaying a list representing rights that can be claimed by rightsholders for the selected book; receiving input from the user asserting a claim of rights for the selected book; and electronically storing information about the asserted claim of rights, for facilitating automated payments to the user in connection with royalties earned for the selected book.

Abstract: A digital content management system with methodologies for lifecycle management of digital content is shown and described. In one embodiment, for example, a digital content management system is described that comprises: an ingestion module for receiving from clients various components used to create digital content releases; a polishing module for matching received components to a particular release being created; a packaging module for encoding the received components that were matched for the particular release into a digital package suitable for delivery to one or more digital content providers; and a delivery module for delivering the digital package of the particular release to one or more digital content providers.

Abstract: An assembly for maintaining tension in a drive belt features a housing mounted on a base. The housing contains a biasing element that exerts torque on the housing to bias the housing. An arm is connected to the housing and rotates with the housing in response to the bias of the biasing element. A pulley is connected to the lever arm and engages a drive belt in response to the bias force of the biasing element on the lever arm. The pulley deflects the shape of the belt to provide tension in the belt. In one embodiment, the device includes one or more biasing elements that in a relaxed state have a curved configuration to correspond to the curved configuration of compartments in the housing.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system providing Web-based royalty processing and reporting is described. In one embodiment, for example, a computer-implemented method of the present invention for automatic identification of media items subject to royalty obligations, includes steps of: receiving sales input from a user comprising media items subject to royalty obligations; parsing the sales input to extract for each media item a set of fields characterizing that media item; deriving a plurality of signatures for each media item, based on different combinations of the fields for that media item; comparing the derived signatures for each media item against a database storing signatures of known media items; based on the comparison, automatically identifying media items present in the sales input; and reporting the automatically identified media items to the user.