The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 20, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 12, 1999
Lori J. Fucarile, Melrose, MA (US);
Susan B. Hoover, Barrington, IL (US);
Murray S. Mazer, Arlington, MA (US);
Mary C. Murphy, Bedford, MA (US);
Stephen A. Ward, Watertown, MA (US);
Patrick J. Lopresti, Cambridge, MA (US);
Curl Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a licensing mechanism allowing for different forms of license for use in an environment of interconnected servers providing content. The invention comprises both methods and a system for licensing individual content based upon the nature of the use, thus facilitating the distribution of content without a license for non-commercial purposes and content with a license for commercial purposes. The system utilizes a special form placed within the content, the form containing either a legal assertion of the non-commercial nature of the use, or an identification of the licensee and other related data. If the form includes an identification of the licensee, a license server may be contacted to validate the license. The invention also includes a licensing tool or server to generate the appropriate form for insertion within the content.