Broadcasting of electronic documents preserving copyright and permitting private copying

Abstract

The invention comprises a method of broadcasting electronic documents allowing the protection of copyright and private copying. It comprises a control server for taking customer orders that is accessible from a network such as the Internet, a delivery server and a control server that are accessible from the same network, a computer, or a mobile, or any other equipment supporting a display, intended for consulting the document. Said copy of each document is generated by the delivery server on the basis of the model of the document ordered by the customer ( 1 ). It contains a controller for checking digital rights which is intended for verifying the rights in force at the time of consultation. It also contains the other digital rights acquired definitively by the customer. The generation of said copy is triggered by the customer, by activating a URL link ( 4 ) to the delivery server. This link has been previously sent to the customer via electronic messaging by the order server ( 3 ), and contains at least the unique identifier of the copy ordered. The copy is loaded onto the customer's equipment on completion of generation ( 6 ) and can be consulted only after issuing a request to the control server ( 7 ) containing the unique identifier, and the receipt of the response permitting consultation ( 8 ).

1 ) The electronic document creation method enabling the protection of the copyrights and private copying, wherein it comprises: an order server for the handling of orders by the customers ( 1 ) accessible from a private or public network such as the Internet; a delivery server accessible from the same network, for generating the specific copy ordered by the customer; a control server accessible on the same network, intended to verify the digital rights acquired by the customer; a desktop computer, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant, or any other equipment supporting one viewer among the at least two viewers from the market, intended to consult the document. Said copy of each document is generated by the delivery server from the model of the ordered document ( 1 ) and the ordered digital rights ( 1 ) transmitted by the order server ( 2 ). It contains a supervision (or supervisor) agent intended to verify, at the moment of the consultation, the current rights, stored in the control server ( 5 ). Said copy also contains the other digital rights permanently acquired by the customer and not subsequently verified The generation of said copy is triggered by the customer ( 4 ), by activation of a URL link to the delivery server containing at least the unique identifier of the ordered copy. This link was previously sent to the customer ( 3 ) by the order server via electronic messaging, or any other means. Said copy is loaded on the customer's equipment at the end of the generation ( 6 ) and can be backed up several times by private copying. Said copy, or its duplicates, can only be consulted after sending a query containing the unique identifier of said copy, sent by the supervision agent towards the control server ( 7 ), and receiving the response authorizing the consultation ( 8 ). 
     
     
         2 ) The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the order, delivery and control servers are supported by a single machine. 
     
     
         3 ) The method according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises only one delivery server intended for the mass production of digital works on physical media from document models and digital rights, and a control server intended to control the controlled digital rights attached to each copy by the delivery server, and verified on each digital work consultation. 
     
     
         4 ) The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the response from the control server is a simple positive acknowledgment ( 8 ). 
     
     
         5 ) The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the response of the control server contains a set of digital rights applicable to the ordered copy ( 8 ). 
     
     
         6 ) A generation program supported by the delivery server, wherein it generates the copy of the work ordered by the customer ( 6 ) from the model of the ordered document and the ordered rights ( 2 ). Said program integrates with the copy a supervision agent managing the controlled digital rights like the period authorized for the consultation, the daily frequency of consultation, the total number of consultations, etc. and the set of uncontrolled digital rights acquired by the customer like the authorization to print, copy, etc. The set is sealed and cannot be modified. Said program generates the control record of the ordered copy and stores it on the control server ( 5 ). 
     
     
         7 ) The program according to  claim 6 , wherein it adds a text to the generated copy reviewing the identity and references of the acquirer of the copy of the work, and optionally the rights acquired by the acquirer. 
     
     
         8 ) A supervision agent integrated in each copy of the document, wherein it authorizes or refuses the consultation of said copy, by means of sending a query containing at least one unique identifier of the copy ( 7 ) to the control server via the public or private network. The response from the control server authorizing or refusing the consultation of the copy ( 8 ) is handled by said agent, which discloses the content of the document or not. 
     
     
         9 ) A control program supported by the control server wherein it generates a positive or negative response ( 8 ) to the requests from the copies identified by their unique identifier ( 7 ), as a function of the current digital rights concerning said documents, for example the authorized period for the consultation, the daily frequency of consultation, the total number of consultations, etc. 
     
     
         10 ) The control program according to  claim 9 , wherein it additionally generates a document reviewing the current rights relative to the copy, and potentially the contact information of the acquirer, sent to the customer workstation with the response to the query from said copy.