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:
Feb. 15, 2011
Filed:
May. 11, 2005
Balaji S. Thenthiruperai, Overland Park, KS (US);
Jeffery Mau, Kansas City, MO (US);
Kevin E. Hunter, Olathe, KS (US);
Balaji S. Thenthiruperai, Overland Park, KS (US);
Jeffery Mau, Kansas City, MO (US);
Kevin E. Hunter, Olathe, KS (US);
Sprint Spectrum L.P., Overland Park, KS (US);
Abstract
A digital content management system is provided in which a user's rights to access content are independent of the format in which the content is stored. A user receives a file containing electronic content, such as music or a ring tone, encoded in a particular format. The system determines the identity of that content, independent of the format in which the content is encoded. The system then determines whether the user has rights to that content. If so, the user is permitted to play the content. If the user later receives a different file that contains the same content but in a different format, the system determines that the different file encodes content that the user already has the right to play, and it allows the user to play the content in the second format.