Movielink, LLC

Blockbuster LLC

Bryan Gentry Spaulding

Todd Avery Outten

Scott Jeffrey Sherr

Ira Steven Rubenstein

Yair Landau

Michael R Arrieta

Thomas M Rodriguez

Harish Mandyam

John Christopher Russell

John P Godwin

Brian David Lakamp

Luan Le-Chau

Andrew Mosson

Douglas Daiseug Chey

Douglas Daiseung Chey

Mary Abraham

Ernesto Brodersohn

Mary Korman

Jeremy Eli Barnett

Chris Russell

Bruce Anderson

Kenneth Goeller

John Christopher Park Russell

A method for accurately determining the geographic location of a PC or other networked device on the Internet. Client software furnished by a service provider performs trace-route or other network analysis commands to known servers (e.g., eBay, Yahoo, Amazon) or even servers at random locations. The client collects an array of IP address and other network information as a result of the trace-routes, and the trace-route IP information is then transmitted to the service provider that is trying to identify the geographic location of the client. Using the array of IP addresses thus generated, the Internet server software can analyze location information of each Internet hop within each trace-route. For example, the server might look at the first five hops from the client to the server. If four of the five routers have addresses within the geographic area of interest, the server can conclude that the client is probably within the geographic area.

Network geo-location system

Embodiments of the present invention overcome the problems in the existing art described above by providing a secure digital content licensing system and method. Rental of the digital content occurs within an online environment including one or more user network-enabled devices and one or more server network devices connected by a communications link to the one or more user network-enabled devices. A user selects content displayed on a main website and requests download of the selected content to the user network-enabled device. To be able to access the content the user must obtain a license. The user's request for a license for specific content comprises information about a desired rental model, an expiration date for the rental model, and information that identifies the user's user network-enabled device, along with other information. A license for the content is generated which comprises the above information and also includes an encryption key for the selected movie. Media player and security technology residing on the user network-enabled device provides protection against unauthorized access to the content by ensuring that only licensed content is viewed and is accessed according to the rental model contained in the license. Media player and security technology also provides security against tampering by performing integrity checks on its various components and other components within the user network-enabled device. Revocation of access rights is made possible by revocation certificates that inhibit accessing of particular content for various reasons including compromised files or components.

Secure digital content licensing system and method

Network systems and processes for delivery of electronic content to recipient processors may be configured to facilitate the delivery of relatively large content items and/or a relatively large number of content items. In one example, a movie rental system and process delivers (downloads) movie files to customers across the Internet. System network architecture includes three or more layers of servers, including a main server supporting an interface for recipient processors to request content items, a plurality of parent servers, and a plurality of edge servers. Edge servers are distributed throughout a region in which the system provides content delivery services to recipient processors. Parent servers, spaced across the service region, support edge servers. A copy of each content item available through the service is distributed from the main server to each parent servers for storage. Parent servers distribute content to edges servers, pursuant to instructions from the main server or requests from the edge servers. The main server receives and processes requests for content items from recipient processors and directs recipient processors to edge servers for obtaining requested content items. The main server also authenticates licenses and publishes rules for the distribution of content items.

Network configured for delivery of content for download to a recipient

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Bryan Gentry Spaulding