Digital content rights transactions using block chain systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing media, such as digital content, using block chain technology are described. In some example embodiments, the systems and methods provide rights of a digital content item to a user, by transferring digital currency from a parent address node associated with an owner of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of a right to the digital content item, and recording the transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node to the child address node in a block chain associated with the digital content item.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing rights of a digital content item to a user, the method comprising:
 transferring digital currency from a parent address node associated with an owner of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of a right to the digital content item; and   recording the transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node to the child address node in a block chain associated with the digital content item.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating data to the transfer of the currency that includes information identifying a type of the right to the digital content item provided to the recipient and information associated with a digital contract that contains a description of the right to the digital content item provided to the recipient.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transferring digital currency from a parent address node associated with an owner of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of the digital content item includes transferring an entire digital currency balance associated with the parent address node to the child address node. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from the owner that includes the digital content item and a description of the right to the digital content item to be provided to recipients;   generating the parent address node as a bitcoin address that represents the right to be provided to the recipients; and   transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the parent address node to create the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from the owner that includes a request to transfer the right to the digital content item to the recipient; and   generating the child address node as a bitcoin address that represents the recipient.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the parent address node to maintain the right to the digital content item for the owner;   receiving input from the owner that includes a request to provide a clone of the right to the digital content item to the recipient; and   generating the child address node as a bitcoin address that represents the recipient;   wherein the transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node associated with the owner of the digital content item to the child address node associated with the recipient of the right to the digital content item provides the recipient with the clone of the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that an amount of digital currency associated with the parent address node is below a threshold minimum transaction amount; and   transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the child address node associated with the recipient of the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method for providing rights of a digital content item to a user, the method comprising:
 transferring digital currency from a parent address node associated with an initial ownership of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of a right to the digital content item; and   recording the transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node to the child address node in a block chain associated with the digital content item.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 associating data to the transfer of the currency that includes information identifying a type of the right to the digital content item provided to the recipient and information associated with a digital contract that contains a description of the right to the digital content item provided to the recipient.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein transferring digital currency from a parent address node associated with an initial ownership of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of the digital content item includes transferring an entire digital currency balance associated with the parent address node to the child address node. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving input from the owner that includes the digital content item and a description of the right to the digital content item to be provided to recipients;   generating the parent address node as a bitcoin address that represents the right to be provided to the recipients; and   transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the parent address node to create the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving input from the owner that includes a request to transfer the right to the digital content item to the recipient; and   generating the child address node as a bitcoin address that represents the recipient.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the parent address node to maintain the right to the digital content item for the owner;   receiving input from the owner that includes a request to provide a clone of the right to the digital content item to the recipient; and   generating the child address node as a bitcoin address that represents the recipient;   wherein the transfer of the digital currency from the parent address node associated with the owner of the digital content item to the child address node associated with the recipient of the right to the digital content item provides the recipient with the clone of the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining that an amount of digital currency associated with the parent address node is below a threshold minimum transaction amount; and   transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the child address node associated with the recipient of the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         15 . A system for managing digital content transactions, the system comprising:
 a public ledger component that generates a block chain of transaction entries for digital content, wherein each of the transaction entries represents a transfer of a right to digital content from a provider of the digital content to a recipient of the digital content; and   a transaction component that performs transactions to transfers rights of the digital content from providers to recipients, wherein the performed transactions include transfers of digital currency between bitcoin addresses associated with the providers of the digital content and bitcoin addresses associated with the recipients of the rights to the digit content.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the bitcoin addresses associated with the providers of the digital content include a bitcoin address that represents a generated right to the digital content, and wherein the bitcoin addresses associated with the recipients of the rights to the digital content include a bitcoin address that represents a transferred right of the digital content to a recipient. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the transfer component performs transactions that include attached data, the attached data including information identifying a right type for the right to the digital content, and information representing a contract that describes the right to the digital content. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the transaction component performs a transaction by:
 transferring digital currency from a parent address node associated with an owner of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of a right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the transaction component performs a transaction by:
 transferring an entire balance of digital currency from a parent address node associated with an owner of a digital content item to a child address node associated with a recipient of a right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a content input component that receives input from the providers of the digital content, wherein the input includes digital content items provided to an online website to be displayed by the online website and information identifying rights to be assigned to use of the digital content items.