System and method for providing a permanent data record for a creative work

Abstract

System and method for providing a permanent data record for a creative work. In one embodiment, a process is provided to include receiving a request for a permanent data record to be issued for the creative work. The request can indicate a type of data record to be issued. Data corresponding to the creative work may also be received. The process can include generating the permanent data record using the received data, such that the received data is unalterable. Further, the permanent data record can be associated with the creative work.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a permanent provenance data record for a creative work, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a request from a user for a permanent provenance data record to be issued for the creative work, wherein the request indicates a type of provenance data record to be issued and the permanent provenance data record is a record of ownership of the creative work;   verifying the identity of the user making the request;   accepting the request for the type of provenance data record to be issued based on the identity of the user;   receiving data corresponding to the creative work;   generating via a processor the permanent provenance data record using the received data such that the received data is unalterable, wherein the permanent provenance data record is configured to facilitate appending additional data to the permanent provenance data record; and   associating the permanent provenance data record with the creative work.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of provenance data record relates to a provenance data record associated with one of an author credited with creating the creative work, a user having rights to the creative work and a general user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a unique identification number usable to access the permanent provenance data record. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received data relates to one or more of a description, image, title, author name, date, log information, current owner name and any type of data describing the creative work in general. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising issuing the provenance data record in an electronic form. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent provenance data record comprises a non-editable computer readable file having contents which are unalterable. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving additional data associated with the creative work to be appended to the permanent provenance data record. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the permanent provenance data record with the creative work comprises labeling the creative work with a tag corresponding to the permanent provenance data record. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a network;   a user device coupled to the network;   a database configured to store data records associated with creative works; and a server coupled to the network and the database, the server configured to:
 receive a request from a user for a permanent provenance data record to be issued for the creative work, wherein the request indicates a type of provenance data record to be issued and the permanent provenance data record is a record of ownership of the creative work; 
 verify the identity of the user making the request; 
 accept the request for the type of provenance data record to be issued based on the identity of the user; 
 receive data corresponding to the creative work; 
 generate the permanent provenance data record using the received data such that the received data is unalterable, wherein the permanent provenance data record is configured to facilitate appending additional data to the permanent provenance data record; and 
 associate the permanent provenance data record with the creative work. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the type of provenance data record relates to a provenance data record associated with one of an author credited with creating the creative work, a user having rights to the creative work and a general user. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the server is further configured to receive a unique identification number, from the user device over the network, usable to access the permanent provenance data record. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the received data relates to one or more of a description, image, title, author name, date, log information current owner name and any type of data describing the creative work in general. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the server is further configured to issue the provenance data record in an electronic form to the user device over the network. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the permanent provenance data record comprises a non-editable computer readable file having contents which are unalterable. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the server is further configured to receive additional data associated with the creative work to be appended to the permanent provenance data record. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein associating the permanent provenance data record with the creative work comprises labeling the creative work with a tag corresponding to the permanent provenance data record. 
     
     
         17 . A method for accessing a permanent provenance data record for a creative work, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a request from a user to access a permanent provenance data record associated with the creative work, wherein the permanent provenance data record is a record of ownership of the creative work;   verifying the identity of the user making the request;   accepting the request for the type of provenance data record to be accessed based on the identity of the user;   receiving data in the permanent provenance data record corresponding to the creative work; and   permitting the user to access the permanent provenance data record, wherein the permanent provenance data record is configured to facilitate appending additional data to the permanent provenance data record.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the received data relates to one or more of a description, image, title, author name, date, log information, current owner name and any type of data describing the creative work in general. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the permanent provenance data record comprises a non-editable computer readable file having contents which are unalterable. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of receiving additional data associated with the creative work to be appended to the permanent provenance data record.