Abstract: An image commercial transactions system and method, an image transfersystem and method, an image distribution system and method, and a display device and method are disclosed. A reception dealer accepts the transfer of an image recorded on a recording medium in a predetermined format with a handling condition intrinsic to the image, and transfers the image with the handling condition, and an advertisement, in digital data format, and a charge accounting dealer effects an electronic charge accounting transaction for the transfer of data of the image with the handling condition and the advertisement. Accordingly, a forwarding request user is helpful in making public the advertisement by having the data of the advertisement along with the data of the image forwarded, instead of the reception dealer, whereby a transfer fee for the data of image can be made lower. Consequently, it is possible to enhance the usability for the transfer significantly.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed relating to authenticating software licenses associated with a software product. During an installation process, a purchaser of a software product may contact a vendor representative via a telephone connection and verbally relay a data packet, which may be an installation ID. The vendor server creates a reversible hash from the data packet, a known seed value and additional information relating to the software product or license. The server encrypts the hash to generate a confirmation ID, and sends the confirmation ID to the software product purchaser.

Abstract: A system receives account access information from a user. The account is then accessed using the received access information. Data is harvested from a web page associated with the account or received from another financial data source. The user's ability to access the account is authenticated based on the obtained information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for effectively operating Supply Chain Management (SCM) emerging as a management scheme preferred by mobile terminal manufacturers are provided. The method includes, upon detection of initial booting, gathering at least one of mobile terminal identifier information, product information, and subscriber location information, generating a sales information message comprising the gathered information, and transmitting the generated sales information message. Accordingly, an SCM system is reliably implemented in advance and determines statistical data regarding a time of sales of the mobile terminal. Further, the SCM system may determine statistical data for preferred models and colors of the mobile terminal. In addition, the determined statistical data may be utilized as marketing information or may be usefully utilized for point-of-sales inventory management by performing demand prediction.

Abstract: A system and method for servicing at least one lottery player while protecting an identity of the at least one lottery player. The system includes a server platform of a third party organization that facilitates the method. The method includes receiving a client request at the server platform via a communications network. The method further includes the third party organization obtaining at least one lottery ticket in response to the client request, and securely holding the at least one lottery ticket for the at least one lottery player specified in the client request. The method also includes the third party organization determining a status of the at least one lottery ticket via the server platform and the communications network. The method further includes the third party organization transforming the at least one lottery ticket into a monetary amount if a status of the at least one lottery ticket is or changes to a winning status.

Abstract: Electronic currency consists of data in a form suitable to be stored in a user's data storage medium, comprising information on the data value, identification of each specific set of data or data point, and authentication information suitable to verify that said data has been generated by a specific Currency Issuing Authority (CIA). A method and a system for effecting currency transactions between two users over the Internet or other communication network are also described.

Abstract: A method of managing keys is provided. According to one exemplary method, digital content data encrypted with a first encrypting key is decrypted using a first decrypting key, and re-encrypted using a second encrypting key. A second decrypting key is encrypted using a third encrypting key to produce an encrypted second decrypting key. In some embodiments, an encrypted first decrypting key that was encrypted using a fourth encrypting key is received, and the encrypted first decrypting key is decrypted using a fourth decrypting key to reproduce the first decrypting key. An application for use on a computer system is also provided.

Abstract: A content transfer control system for a wireless device and a method of controlling content transfer from a wireless device are described. The system includes a content transfer control component arranged to (a) detect licensed content and (b) transfer a content source indicating a source of the licensed content responsive to detection of licensed content. The method includes transmitting content from the wireless device if the content is not determined to be licensed content and transmitting a content source from the wireless device if the content is determined to be licensed content.

Abstract: The present invention provides according to an embodiment a method of reproducing content, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a digital content from an external source, the digital content protected by Digital Right Management (DRM) information, the DRM information authorizing a reproduction of the digital content; (b) requesting the DRM information to an external source based on URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information in order to normally reproduce the digital content; and (c) reproducing the digital content based on the DRM information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for enabling digital rights management in file transfers. One embodiment of a method for transferring digital content from a first user to a second user, includes transferring ownership of an instance of the digital content to the second user, where the instance of the digital content resides on a first device belonging to the first user. Copies of the digital content are then deleted from one or more additional devices belonging to the first user (including at least one offline device).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of electronically exchanging tickets for an event in a secondary market from ticket sellers to ticket buyers located at remote terminals. The method comprises associating the tickets with the authentication data of the ticket seller, receiving from ticket sellers electronic asks comprising an ask quantity and an ask price, receiving from a ticket buyer an electronic bid comprising a bid quantity and a bid price, comparing the bid to the asks, completing a transfer of the tickets when the bid price equals the ask price and the ask quantity is equal to or greater than the bid quantity, and reassociating the tickets with authentication data of the ticket buyer. Also disclosed is a system for performing the method.

Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems are described for obtaining at a first computer an online content item authored by an author for public online display. A credibility factor is determined for the author in association with the online content item. The credibility factor is based on information about the author to be true. In response to a query for online content, wherein the online content item is included in a set of search results, the ranking of the online content item in the set is determined in a second computer based at least in part on the credibility factor of the author. The first computer and the second computer can be the same or different computers.

Abstract: A digital content vending machine, DCVM (10), in which a client (12) on a personal computer, PC (14), contains an infrastructure (16) and an inventory (18). The infrastructure (16) and inventory (18) may both be stored in a hard drive (20), or the inventory (18) may instead be stored on a removable media (24), such as a CD (16), DVD (28), or tape (30). The infrastructure (16) presents a graphical user interface on the client (12) which metaphorically resembles a village (46) containing a plurality of stores (44) operated by vendors (42). Customers (40) shop in the stores (44) by selecting assets (22), constituting the inventory (18), and sending money (52) and an identifier (54) to a clearing house (50) via a communications system such as telephone (118), private network (120), or the Internet (122). The clearing house (50) returns a key (58) used to at least partially remove a digital wrapper (60) protecting the asset (22) from unauthorized use.

Abstract: A client obtains license information. The client has a client module for using content under conditions defined in the license information. When the client module is updated and a new function is added, the client obtains updating license information including permission of the new function. The client is allowed to use the content under the conditions defined in the previous license information and the conditions defined in the updating license information without obtaining new rights information for the updated client module.

Abstract: The invention relates to the carrying out of verification processes with regard to authorization of user and/or payment processes by means of a mobile telephone terminal, whereby an identifier associated with an authorized user and/or payer is provided in such a way that it can be called up and represented on a display device of a mobile telephone terminal associated with the authorized user and/or payer. On the instructions of the authorized user and/or payer, the identifier is represented on the display device and optically scanned in an interrogation station. A control message with a request for confirmation of a process verifying the authorization of use and/or payment process is transmitted to the mobile telephone terminal. In order to grant use and/or carry out payment, the control message receives a reply by transmitting a confirmation message from the mobile telephone terminal to the interrogation station.

Abstract: An apparatus for a flexible and common IPMP System (Intellectual Property Management and Protection) offers flexibility and interoperability by incorporating a complete IPMP Tool List stored in the content stream or downloaded from a URL location. The IPMP Tool Manager of a compliant IPMP terminal functioning as a preprocessor module is provided, the IPMP Tool List is parsed, and an IPMP Tool is acquired based on the IPMP Tool ID, related location identifier, and IPMP Tool Format ID. The IPMP Tool can be precompiled to a binary format and sent or downloaded to the IPMP terminal, and different binary formats are prepared by the content provider for use on different IPMP terminal platforms.

Abstract: Improved techniques and systems to facilitate use of credit to acquire digital media assets from a network-based media server are disclosed. Digital media assets can include media items such as songs, albums, images, slideshows, audiobooks, podcasts, or videos. A user can acquire credit in a variety of different ways including, for example, through redeeming a credit invitation. Once a user has available credit by whatever means, the user can acquire one or more digital media assets from the network-based media server using his/her available credit. In one embodiment, the credit is provided as item credits, whereby each item credit can be used to acquire a selected digital media asset. However, not all of the digital media assets available from the network-based media server are permitted to be acquired using item credits. In some cases, the digital media assets that can be acquired with credit can be designated by their cost.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for discovering whether software files are associated with licenses. One method of software execution includes dividing software code into plural functions, transforming each function into plural tokens, and comparing the plural tokens with a set of tokens that corresponds with a known function subject to a software license.

Abstract: A client device comprises a first secure element and a second secure element. The first secure element comprises a first computer-readable medium having a payment application comprising instructions for causing the client device to initiate a financial transaction. The second secure element comprises a second computer-readable medium having a security key, a payment instrument, stored authentication data and instructions for generating a secure payment information message responsive to the payment application. The secure payment information message comprises the payment instrument and is encrypted in accordance with the security key.

Abstract: Upon a first process encountering a triggering device, a second process chooses whether to proxy-execute code corresponding to the triggering device of the first process on behalf of such first process based at least in part on whether a license evaluator of the second process has determined that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions of a corresponding digital license. The license evaluator at least in part performs such determination by running a script corresponding to the triggering device in the code of the first process. Thus, the first process is dependent upon the second process and the license for operation thereof.