WO2003052632A2

WO2003052632A2 - Digital content distribution system

Info

Publication number: WO2003052632A2
Application number: PCT/GB2002/005649
Authority: WO
Inventors: Neil Ferris
Original assignee: Tornado Entertainment Limited
Priority date: 2001-12-14
Filing date: 2002-12-13
Publication date: 2003-06-26
Also published as: AU2002350956A8; GB0129964D0; AU2002350956A1; WO2003052632A3; GB2383149A

Abstract

A system for enabling the distribution of and for tracking the use made of items of digital content, including a database (4) for storing one or more electronic addresses of potential recipients of digital content, an management server (2) for selecting recipients, from the contacts list, for an item of promotional digital content and for defining digital rights management (DRM) rules for access to the digital content by the selected recipients. Electronic messages are sent to each selected recipient, with elements for downloading the content and for providing feedback. Content promoters can access status reports indicating access to said item of digital content by a recipient, and feedback, at any stage following the transmission of the messages.

Description

Digital Content Distribution System

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to digital content distribution. The digital content may be in the form of audio data files, software application data files, video data files, still image data files, streamed audio and/or video content, electronic book data files, other multimedia data files and suchlike.

Background of the Invention Media player applications, such as RealPlayer™ and Windows Media

Player™, are known. These applications incorporate a digital rights management (DRM) system for securing digital content and managing the rights for its access. Content that has been encrypted and secured is known as packaged content. DRM ensures that media player applications cannot play packaged content without a valid electronic license. For example, when the media player opens a packaged file, it first checks the local computer to determine if there is a license that provides the rights required to play the content. If the computer does not have a valid license, the media player contacts a license server via a network connection. The user may be required to complete certain registration information, via a Web browser application, before a license is issued allowing the media player to play the content within the terms of the license. A license can be for an unlimited time, a predetermined period of time, or a set number of playbacks, for example.

Systems for controlling and tracking the use made of digital content sold by electronic commerce systems are known. International patent publication no. WO-A-0008909 describes an electronic commerce system in which electronic stores, e.g. Web sites, sell licenses to end-users to use content. The license purchase is a commercial transaction between the end-user device and the electronic store made using standard Internet protocols. End-users play content using a media player running on an end-user device. An electronic clearinghouse is contacted over a network link whenever content is played or copied by the media player. License transactions, to enable use of content, are authorised and recorded by the clearinghouse that may then report the use made of the content to the electronic store.

Systems for controlling and tracking broadcast content are known. International patent publication no. WO-A-0055709 discloses a system for distributing content to large groups of people, for example through broadcaster systems, and tracking distributed content. A content vendor supplies content to a license management system which stamps the content with license information and a network link to a license authority. Stamped content may be preview content (for providing previews to broadcasters) or license content (for broadcasting by a broadcaster system). Preview content (or pointers to access preview content) may be supplied to broadcaster systems for appraisal. If a broadcaster wishes to broadcast the content, it requests a content license from the content vendor system. Stamped license content is then transmitted to the broadcaster system for dissemination to end-users. Playing of a content file by an end-user, using a media player, generates a message to the license server including information such as the identity of the content file, the location from which the content file was obtained, e.g. the broadcaster Website, and the location at which the file was played. The license server records this information and may generate statistical reports for the content vendor and broadcaster system.

When promoting content, such as music tracks, vendors or other promoters often provide promotional copies of the material to carefully selected persons for marketing purposes. For example, music vendors may provide promotional copies of music tracks to disc jockeys (DJs) of radio stations or clubs for potential pre-release air play. Typically, music vendors have distributed promotional content on recording media such as compact discs (CDs), sometimes known as "white labels". One problem with this method is that the music vendor has no means of controlling the use made of the content. Another problem is that the music vendor often has no knowledge of the use made of the content. Inevitably, some "white labels" remain unplayed by the recipients during the period of promotional activity. Knowledge of the use made of promotional content may be valuable to music vendors in determining whether or not, and if so, how to follow up with the contact.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a data processing system for enabling the distribution of items of digital content, the system comprising a management application adapted to provide an administrator user interface for defining data relating to the distribution of an item of content, said application comprising: a first user interface part for defining one or more digital rights management rules for access to a selected item of digital content; a second user interface part for defining distribution list data identifying recipients to receive said selected item of digital content; and wherein said system is adapted to transmit a message to a recipient on a distribution list defined using the second user interface part to allow the recipient to access the selected item in a manner whereby digital rights management rules defined using the first user interface part are applied.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing system for enabling the distribution of and for tracking the use made of items of digital content, the system comprising: a first data storage part for storing one or more electronic contact addresses of recipients of digital content; a second data storage part for storing one or more digital rights management rules for an item of digital content; a data entry part adapted for the selection of recipients, having electronic contact addresses storable in said first data storage part, and for the definition of digital rights management rules, storable in said second data storage part, for a selected item of digital content; a message formatting part, responsive to said data entry part, adapted to format electronic messages for sending to each selected recipient, each of said formatted messages comprising data enabling an item of digital content to be accessed by a recipient in accordance with digital rights management rules stored in said second data storage part; and a message transmission part adapted to send said formatted messages to said selected recipients using electronic contact addresses stored in said first data storage part.

Advantageously, the present invention provides content promoters, such as music vendors, with a means for managing the distribution of promotional digital content, such as music tracks, to selected contacts, such as representatives of broadcast media organisations.

Furthermore, the content promoters may conveniently track the use made of the content by those contacts after distribution. For example, users may be informed of how many times a music track has been played by a contact. This may be useful in determining whether or not and, if so, how to follow up with the contact.

The present invention also allows content promoters to send electronic messages, such as e-mails, to contacts with or without an item of digital content being promoted, which can be large files. Where digital content is made available for download to a contact, the present invention allows content promoters to monitor whether or not, and if so, when the item of digital content is actually downloaded, which may also be useful in determining whether or not and, if so, how to follow up with the contact. Furthermore, the present invention allows content promoters to set access rules items of digital content provided to contacts. Such rules may be set on a per item basis, and/or on a contact-specific basis. Thus, undesirable use made of potentially sensitive promotional content may be controlled more effectively by the content promoter.

Brief Description of Diagrams

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrams, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a digital content distribution and tracking management system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed schematic illustration of components illustrated in

Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a flow diagram showing procedures carried out by a software application for managing content distribution in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 4 to 16 are illustrations of data entry and reporting interfaces used in an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 17 is an illustration of an e-mail message formatted by a data processing system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

In the following, digital content files to be distributed are exemplified as audio data files, in particular music tracks and/or albums. However, in alternative embodiments other types of product files are distributed, such alternatives including software applications, game data files, video data files, still image files, electronic books and any other digital content files in various different content player formats. In further alternative embodiments, the digital content is in the form of an audio and/or video stream to be downloaded and replayed during the streaming process.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the digital content distribution and tracking system 14 in one embodiment of the invention includes a management server 2 connected to a management database 4, to a content database 10 and to a public data communications network 6, such as the Internet. System 14 also includes a download server 8 connected to content database 10 and to network 6 via high bandwidth links and a license server 12 connected to content database 10 and to network 6. The system 14 includes components of a DRM platform, in one embodiment the platform used is the Windows Media™ DRM platform provided by Microsoft Corporation.

Management server 2, management database 4, download server 8, content database 10 and license server 12 are preferably local to each other and may be implemented on a single computing device, or over several computing devices interconnected via a local area network (LAN). However, it is to understood that in alternate embodiments, any of management server 2, management database 4, download server 8, content database 10 and license server 12 may be implemented on computing devices remote from each other and connected over a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, preferably by secure links. It will be understood that, in alternate embodiments, any or all of management database 4, download server 8, content database 10 and license server 12 may be under the control of a different organisation or administrative domain than management server 2. For instance, download server 8 and content database 10 may be controlled by a music vendor, whereas management server 2 and management database 4 may be controlled by a separate marketing organisation, and license server 12 by a trusted third party.

Management server 2 runs software which is accessible, over network 6, to users of terminals 16, 18, 20 each operating a Web browser application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer™. Through user interactions with management server 2, content promoters may use terminals 16, 18, 20 to manage the distribution and tracking of digital content using system 14 as will be described in detail below. User terminals 16, 18, 20 may also be used by content promoters to upload digital content via management server 2 for storage in content database 10 and for subsequent download to users of terminals 22, 24, and 26. Terminals 22, 24, and 26 comprise an e-mail client application, such as Microsoft Outlook™ and a Web browser application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer™. Furthermore, each of user terminals 22, 24, and 26 includes a media player application incorporating a DRM system, such as Windows Media Player™. When using the digital content distribution and tracking system 14, a content promoter using one of terminals 16, 18, or 20 accesses user interfaces, such as Web pages, served by management server 2. Through interaction with the user interfaces, users may specify one or more recipients to whom digital content is to be distributed. Contacts data is stored in management database 4 and includes data representing the name, organisation represented, an e-mail address, a user identifier and a password for the contact. Furthermore, content promoters specify DRM rules for use of the content, such as the number of times a media file may be accessed. Having uploaded an item digital content to content database 10 and specified one or more contacts, including an e-mail address, a content promoter may create a distribution list of one or more recipients to whom to distribute each of one or more items of content. Distribution lists for items of content are stored in management server 2 along with DRM rules for the item of content. Furthermore, for each item of content, a set of one or more DRM rules may be specified individually for each contact on a distribution list. To distribute the digital content to the recipients specified in a distribution list, an e-mail message is auto-generated by management server 2 for each contact using the e-mail address stored in management database 4, and the set of messages are sent automatically in succession to each recipient. The e-mail contains a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) URL pointer to a network resource at download server 8 for downloading the item of content. The e-mail address of the recipient from the contacts list is appended to the URL to identify the recipient when download server 8 is contacted for downloading the content. The e-mail message also contains an element for providing feedback on the item of content.

Upon receipt of the e-mail, the recipient may activate the embedded URL to download the item of content. Activation causes the terminal's Web browser application to be navigated to a Web page served by download server 8. To download the digital content, the recipient must enter his or her user identifier and password, which is separately communicated to the recipient by e-mail or other means. On authentication, the identified data file or other content is downloaded. Download server 8 maintains a record, in content database 10, of the identity of the item of content downloaded, the identity of the recipient, and the time and date of the download. Content for download is packaged using a DRM system and contains an embedded pointer to license server 12 for authorising access to the content. A unique identifier, such as the e-mail address, of the recipient is appended to the content to identify the recipient when license server 12 is contacted for licensing use of the content.

When a recipient attempts to play or otherwise access the packaged content using a media player application, the application contacts license server 12 through the network 6. License server 12 checks the DRM rules stored for that particular item of content, and for that particular contact, and authorises or denies the requested use accordingly. Management server 2 maintains a record of the identity of the item of content requested for use, the identity of the contact requesting use, and the time and date of the license request. Recipients may also provide feedback on items of digital content using the message element. On receipt of feedback, management server 2 maintains a record of the identity of the contact, the feedback text and the time and date of receipt. Using the data maintained concerning the e-mails sent to recipients, any subsequent download of an item of content by a recipient, any licensing of the content for use, and any feedback received, management server 2 may generate reports for content promoters showing the distribution of items of digital content and tracking of the use made of the items, including any of the data recorded in response to downloads, license requests and receipt of feedback.

Figure 2 illustrates elements of the digital content distribution and tracking system in greater detail. The management server includes a central management application 30, which is a software application providing administrative functions to human administrators of the system and control functions to remaining components of the system. The management application 30 provides data entry interfaces which are presented via a Web server 32 to an administrator. The management application 30 uses e-mail server 34 to distribute e-mail messages, containing recipient IDs and content IDs, to recipients on a distribution list defined by an administrator for an item of content.

The management database 4 includes four different sets of data. A first set of data 36 is in the form of a contacts database which holds recipient data including an electronic address for each recipient, in this embodiment an e-mail address. A second data set 38 holds identifying details for items of digital content 48 stored in content store 10, including a unique identifier for each content file. A third set of data 40 defines distribution list data, associating a set of recipients for which contact data is held in the management database 4 with a selected item of digital content. A fourth set of data 42 defines digital rights management (DRM) rules associated with a selected item of content and a selected recipient. In this embodiment, the DRM rules data includes default DRM rule data associated with a selected item of content, and exception digital rights management rules associated with a selected recipient on a distribution list for a selected item of content. The download server 8 includes a Web server 44 whereby items of digital content are downloaded by recipients over a data communications link. Prior to download, the item of content is packaged by DRM content packaging application 46. On receipt of a request to download an item of content, DRM packaging application 46 contacts management application 30 with the recipient ID and content ID, received in the download request, to check a recipient's authority to receive the requested item. Management application 30 checks the distribution list for the selected item of content, and provides or declines authorisation as appropriate. If authorisation is given, the DRM packaging application 46 packages the content with a unique package identifier, following which Web server 44 downloads the item to the recipient. The item is one of a number of items of digital content 48 stored in the content server 10. The package ID is stored in the management database 4 along with distribution list data 40. License server 12 includes a Web server 50 for allowing media player applications to request and receive licenses via a public data communications network link. A license generating application 52 generates a license, containing an appropriate decryption key, on receiving an authorised request for a license. License generating application 52 checks with management application 30 the DRM rules associated with a particular recipient for a selected item of content prior to the generation of the license. The license generating application 52 sends management application 30 , an authorisation request with the package ID received in the license request. In response, management application 30 accesses data housed in management database 4 to determine the digital rights management rules associated with the particular item of content and the particular recipient corresponding to the package ID received. If a license is deemed to be available, authorisation is given for the license server 12 to generate the requested key, containing the appropriate DRM rules as defined in the database 4. Figure 3 illustrates procedures carried out by management application 30 in managing the distribution of an item of content to selected recipients. In a first step, 60, an administrator uploads an item of content via Web server 32 to the management server 2. Management application 30 stores the item of content in content store 10 and a corresponding content ID in content list 38 of management database 4. In a second step, 62, management application 30 generates data entry pages, presented to an administrator via Web server 32, allowing the administrator to define default DRM rules to be associated with the item of content. After being defined, the DRM rules are stored in management database 4. In a third step, 64, management application 30 provides a data entry screen allowing the administrator to select a recipient to be added to a distribution list for the item of content, from a contact list stored in management database 4. On selection of a recipient, the management application 30 provides a data entry screen allowing the administrator to define one or more DRM rule exceptions, step 66, following which processing returns to step 64 to allow a further recipient to be selected. Once the distribution list is complete, step 68, the list data is stored in management database 4, step 70, and management application 30 initiates the transmission of e-mail messages containing download links containing the recipient ID and content ID for each recipient in the distribution list, step 72. Following distribution of the e-mail messages, the management application 30 is contacted by download server 8 and license server 12, repeatedly, steps 74 and 76, for authorisations to, respectively, download an item of content to a specified recipient, and to provide a license for a specified item of content to a specified recipient. Figures 4 to 16 show exemplary data entry screens, in this embodiment containing Web pages, for presentation to and use by content promoters using terminals 16, 18, and 20. Web browser application window 100 presents each page to the administrator. The pages include a navigation menu 104 for navigation between main pages of the digital content distribution and tracking system 14.

Figure 4 shows a page 116 for adding and maintaining details of users of terminals 16, 18, 20, 22, 24. These may be either users of the digital content distribution and tracking system 14 (described as clients) or potential recipients of digital content (described as recipients). Page 116 also includes a hyperlink 118 for navigating to a page for adding details of a new organisation, and users list 120 showing the names of users already defined categorised by organisation. The individual names of users list 120 are shown in the form of hyperlinks pointing to pages for editing the details maintained for the named users.

Figure 5 shows a page 122 for editing the details of an individual user. Pull down prefilled list boxes and text entry boxes, 124, are provided for editing the details of a user, in this example organisation represented, type, user identifier and password, e-mail address, forenames and surname, and Save and Cancel push buttons, 126, are provided for returning to the page shown in Figure 4 with or without amending the details.

Figure 6 shows a page 128 for adding general information concerning an item of digital content uploaded to content database 10. A pull down list box and text entry boxes, 130, are provided for editing the details of the content - such as file owner (i.e. client user), artist name and track title. Pull down list boxes and text entry boxes, 132, are provided for editing the details of default DRM rules associated with an item of content, in this example the number of available licenses to each recipient, the number of CD burns and the number of file exports alleged by a recipient, download from and until dates defining a period during which downloads are allowed, and a listen until date after which further playback is to be prevented. A text entry box 134 is also provided for adding a synopsis of the content. Save and Cancel push buttons, 126, are provided for returning to a previous page with or without amending the details. Figure 7 shows a page 128 of Figure 6 with the pull down list boxes and text boxes 130, 132, and 134 completed in an exemplary manner for an item of content, in this case an audio book data file.

Figure 8 shows a page 136 for managing the distribution of digital content. Several items of digital content are shown in table 138, listed by name and owner (i.e. client user). Each entry is a hyperlink to a page, such as that shown in Figure 9, for displaying any distribution list for the named item of digital content.

Figure 9 shows a page 140 for displaying a distribution list for an item of digital content. Table 142 shows the list of recipient users currently selected for distribution of the item of content (in this case none). Push buttons 144, 146, and 148 are also provided for returning to the main content distribution management page (shown in Figure 8), progressing to a page, such as that shown in Figure 10, for editing the distribution list and uploading the file containing the relevant new digital content to the content database 10 respectively.

Figure 10 shows a page 150 for composing the distribution list for a selected item of digital content. Section 154 includes a contact list of all recipient users held in management database 4 for possible inclusion in the distribution list and "add «" hyperlinks for adding the corresponding user to section 152 which lists the currently selected recipient users (which is initially empty as shown). Push button 156 is also provided for returning to the previous content distribution page (shown in Figure 9).

Figure 11 shows the page 150 of Figure 10 with several recipient users added to the distribution list shown at section 152 each with "remove »" hyperlinks for removing the corresponding user back to section 154. The name of each added recipient user forms a hyperlink which may be used to access a page, as shown in Figure 13, for setting exceptions to the default DRM rules for that particular recipient for that particular item of digital content. When all recipient users have been selected, push button 156 may be selected to return to a page, such as that shown in Figure 12, for displaying the finished distribution list for the item of digital content.

Figure 12 shows a page 158 for displaying the composed distribution list for an item of digital content. Push buttons 144, and 146, are provided for returning to the main content distribution management page (shown in Figure 8), and progressing to a page for editing the distribution list (shown in Figure 10) respectively. Furthermore, push button 166 is provided for initiating the transmission of auto-generated e-mail messages, such as those shown in Figure 17, to each of the selected recipients. Table 142 shows the list of recipient users currently selected for distribution of the item of content including, for each recipient: their name; the organisation they represent; the date an e-mail message was sent to them (if any); the date a license was issued to them by license server 12 (if any); and the date feedback was received (if any). Each recipient name also forms a hyperlink for accessing a page for setting DRM rules for the particular recipient for the particular item of digital content.

Figure 13 shows a page 160 for setting exceptions to the initially-set default DRM rules for a particular recipient user of a distribution list for a particular item of digital content, in this example a music track audio data file. Page 160 provides number and date entry boxes 162 for entering settings for the DRM rules initially set using the general information entry page shown in Figure 6. The default settings are shown next to each of the data entry boxes 162. Entering data in any of these boxes sets individual exceptions to the default DRM rules for the recipient in question.

Figure 14 shows a page 170 for displaying a summary report for all items of digital content. Table 172 shows each item of digital content, organised by client user, together with the number of recipients to which e-mails have been sent, the number of playbacks recorded and the number of items of feedback received in total for that item of content. A playback is recognized as occurring whenever a license is validly requested from license server 12. The names of each item of digital content form hyperlinks for accessing a page showing a summary report for that particular item of content.

Figure 15 shows a page 174 for displaying a summary report for a particular item of digital content. Table 176 shows the recipient users of the distribution list for the selected item of content together with the date an e-mail message was sent to them (if any); the date a license was issued to them by license server 12 (if any); the date feedback was received (if any); and the content of that feedback (if any). The names of each recipient form hyperlinks for accessing a page, such as that shown in Figure 16, showing a summary report for that recipient for that particular item of content. Push button 178 is provided for returning to page 170 for displaying a summary report for all items of digital content.

Figure 16 shows a page 178 for displaying a summary report for a particular recipient of a particular item of digital content. Table 180 shows the recipient name and e-mail address together with the date an e-mail message was sent to him or her (if any); the date a license was issued to him or her by license server 12 (if any); the date feedback was received (if any); and the content of that feedback (if any). Push button 182 is provided for returning to page 174 for displaying a summary report for the particular item of digital content. Figure 17 illustrates the content of an e-mail message received by a recipient from management server 2. The message is presented by an e-mail application on the user terminal, such as Microsoft Outlook™, in an e-mail viewing screen 200. The message includes Hypertext Markup Language (HTML content, containing a URL hyperlink 202, containing parameters uniquely identifying the item of content to be downloaded and data uniquely identifying the recipient. The parameters may be in the form of a unique transaction reference and or the recipient ID and the content ID. The hyperlink is directed at an Internet address corresponding to download server 8. On clicking the hyperlink, a Web browser application is activated on the user terminal and the user is navigated to a download page, provided by the download server 8, allowing the specified item of content, packaged by the DRM system, to be downloaded. On download, a media player application on the user terminal transmits a license request to the license server. On receipt of the license request, the license server transmits a form back to the user terminal to collect the username and password from the user, and transmits these with a license authorization request to the management application 30. On authenticating the user, the management application transmits the DRM rules associated with the selected item of content for the user to the license server, and the license server generates a license containing a decryption key allowing the content to be accessed along with a data record detailing the DRM rules to be applied by the media player.

Also included in the e-mail message is a text entry box 204 allowing the recipient to enter textual comments, along with an associated URL hyperlink 206 for returning the comments as form data in a posting back the download server 8 (or another component of the distribution system). On receipt of the comments, the download server presents a username and password entry screen in a Web browser application on the user terminal, to validate the source of the comments as the person to whom the e-mail was originally sent, and if so, send the data to the management application 30, which stores the comments in the distribution list part 40 of the management store, for subsequent viewing by an administrator.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the e-mail message originally sent to the recipient includes a URL containing a "mailto:" e-mail protocol header together with a pre-filled subject header specifying the content ID so that the feedback may be referenced to the particular item of content (the identity of the sender of feedback may also be added, or determined from the sender e-mail address). The recipient adds feedback in the form of text to the e- mail. The e-mail is sent back to the e-mail server 34, for storage of the comments in the distribution list part 40 of the data store. In the above-described embodiments, various DRM rule parameters are associable with an item of content, in this example the number of available licenses to each recipient, the number of CD burns and the number of file exports alleged by a recipient, download from and until dates defining a period during which downloads are allowed, and a listen until date after which further playback is to be prevented. These are typically applicable in relation to an item of audio content. Similar parameters may be used in relation to video content. In relation to other types of content, these and other types of DRM rule parameters may be applicable. For example, in the case of graphical and/or text content, such as in the case of ebooks, parameters relating to the number of viewing occasions, the number of printed copies, and other rules, which may be allowed by the media player (in this case a graphics and/or text viewer) may be included instead of or in addition to those previously mentioned. In the case of game content, the parameters may include a number of games which may be played within the terms of the license. In the case of game and other software application content, the parameters may include an amount of allowed runtime and/or time parameters defining an allowed usage period.

Terminals 22, 24, and 26 may comprise any or all of a personal computer terminal with storage capabilities in the form of a hard disk or the like, a mobile computing device such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant comprising data storage in the form of flash memory or the like, a digital television receiver, an internet access device such as an internet tablet device, or another suitable type of user terminal. The user terminals may include an in-built storage device for storing audio data files, such as non-volatile memory or an internal hard drive. The user terminals may also include a recording device for removable storage content, such as removable flash memory devices and optical recording devices, examples of which include CD-R, CD-RW, DND-R, DND-RW, DND-RAM, etc. reader/writers. Terminals 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 22 may be connected to network 6 via fixed line, optical, cellular radio and/or other types of data communications links.

It will also be appreciated that, in alternate embodiments of the present invention, any or all of terminals 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 may be connected to any or all of management server 2, download server 8, and license server 12 via a LAN.

It will be appreciated that user interfaces, such as dedicated graphical user interfaces provided by the management application, other than Web pages such as those described above with reference to Figures 4 to 16 may be used. Furthermore, any type of electronic message other than e-mail may be sent, such as Short Message Service (SMS) messages, Enhanced Message Service (EMS) messages or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) messages. Also, means other than HTTP URLs may be used to enable the recipient of an electronic message to download the item of digital content. In general a pointer to any type of network resource capable of causing the download the item of digital content may be used. Alternatively, the item of content may be included in or attached to the electronic message itself. It will also be appreciated that system architectures other than that shown in Figure 1 may be used.

The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. Further embodiments of the invention are envisaged. For example, Rather than identifying each item of content in the URL sent in the e-mail message, an e-mail message may be formatted with information informing the recipient that new matter has been posted on a personal file sharing Web page held on management server 2, to which the recipient is granted access on entry of a username and password. New items may be listed in the file sharing Web page for download and feedback as desired by the recipient. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to one embodiment may also be used in other of the embodiments. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A data processing system for enabling the distribution of items of digital content, the system comprising a management application adapted to provide an administrator user interface for defining data relating to the distribution of an item of content, said application comprising: a. a first user interface part for defining one or more digital rights management rules for access to a selected item of digital content; b. a second user interface part for defining distribution list data identifying recipients to receive said selected item of digital content; and wherein said system is adapted to transmit a message to a recipient on a distribution list defined using the second user interface part to allow the recipient to access the selected item in a manner whereby digital rights management rules defined using the first user interface part are applied.

2. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said second part is adapted for setting default digital rights management rules, to be applied to a plurality of recipients, and individual digital rights management rules, to be applied to individual recipients.

3. A data processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said system comprises means for storing feedback from a recipient and means for providing a third user interface part for presenting said feedback in the context of the distribution list defined using the second user interface part

4. A data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said message comprises an element in the message body for the provision of feedback to said system.

5. A data processing system according to any preceding claim, wherein said message comprises a network resource identifier for conducting a download of a specified item of digital content.

6. A data processing system according to claim 5, wherein said network resource identifier comprises an identifier for uniquely identifying said recipient and/or said item of content.

7. A data processing system according to any preceding claim, comprising a data store for storing contact list details for potential recipients, and wherein said second user interface part is adapted to allow the selection of recipients from said contact details.

8. A data processing system for enabling the distribution of and for tracking the use made of items of digital content, the system comprising: a first data storage part for storing one or more electronic contact addresses of recipients of digital content; a second data storage part for storing one or more digital rights management rules for an item of digital content; a data entry part adapted for the selection of recipients, having electronic contact addresses storable in said first data storage part, and for the definition of rules, storable in said second data storage part, for a selected item of digital content; a message formatting part, responsive to said data entry part, adapted to format electronic messages for sending to each selected recipient, each of said formatted messages comprising data enabling an item of digital content to be accessed by a recipient in accordance with digital rights management rules stored in said second data storage part; and a message transmission part adapted to send said formatted messages to said selected recipients using electronic contact addresses stored in said first data storage part.

9. A data processing system according to claim 8, comprising: an access tracking part for receiving data indicating access to said item of digital content by a recipient of any of said one or more sent messages; a third data storage part for storing said received data; and a reporting part adapted to generate a report for presentation to a user of said system, said report indicating access to an item of digital content by a recipient of said formatted messages.

10. A data processing system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said one or more formatted messages each comprise said item of digital content.

11. A data processing system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said data enabling an item of digital content to be accessed comprises a pointer to a network resource from which the transmission of said item of digital content may be initiated.

12. A data processing system according to claim 11, comprising means for receiving data indicating subsequent transmittal of said item of digital content to a recipient of a said formatted message.

13. A data processing system according to any preceding claim, wherein said item of digital content is adapted such that a recipient accessing said item of digital content at a terminal causes data indicating said access to be sent to said data processing system.

14. A data processing system according to claim 13, wherein said item of digital content is packaged using a digital rights management system, and wherein said accessing causes a license request to be sent to a license server.

15. A data processing system according to any preceding claim, wherein said data entry part is adapted for setting default digital rights management rules, to be applied to a plurality of recipients, and individual digital rights management rules, to be applied to individual recipients.

16. Computer software for enabling the distribution of and for tracking the use made of items of digital content, the system comprising: a first data storage part for storing one or more electronic contact addresses of recipients of digital content; a second data storage part for storing one or more digital rights management rules for an item of digital content; a data entry part adapted for the selection of recipients, having electronic contact addresses storable in said first data storage part, and for the definition of rules, storable in said second data storage part, for a selected item of digital content; a message formatting part, responsive to said data entry part, adapted to format electronic messages for sending to each selected recipient, each of said formatted messages comprising data enabling an item of digital content to be accessed by a recipient in accordance with digital rights management rules stored in said second data storage part; and a message transmission part adapted to send said formatted messages to said selected recipients using electronic contact addresses stored in said first data storage part.

17. A method of enabling the distribution of and of tracking the use made of items of digital content, the method comprising: storing a list of one or more electronic contact addresses of potential recipients of digital content, said electronic contact addresses being selected by a user of a data processing system; selecting recipients from said list and defining digital rights management rules capable of being set individually for each recipient; formatting one or more electronic messages for sending to each of said electronic contact addresses; sending said one or more formatted messages to said selected recipients; controlling access to said item of digital content in accordance with the defined digital rights management rules for each recipient in turn; receiving data indicating access to said item of digital content by a recipient of any of said one or more sent messages; storing said received data; and generating a report for presentation to a user of said computer system, said report indicating access to said item of digital content by a recipient of any of said one or more sent messages.

18. Computer software for enabling the distribution of items of digital content, the software comprising a management application adapted to provide an administrator user interface for defining data relating to the distribution of an item of content, said application comprising: a. a first user interface part for defining one or more digital rights management rules for access to a selected item of digital content; b. a second user interface part for defining distribution list data identifying recipients to receive said selected item of digital content; and wherein said software is adapted to format a message to a recipient on a distribution list defined using the second user interface part to allow the recipient to access the selected item in a manner whereby digital rights management rules defined using the first user interface part are applied.