Managing digital content via block chain registers

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 system for managing the use of digital content, the system comprising:
 a content registration module that is configured to register digital content items received from owners of the digital content items;   a transaction module that is configured to perform bitcoin transactions to generate public ledger entries that represent rights transfers of the digital content items between providers and recipients; and   a public ledger module that is configured to maintain a public ledger of the generated public ledger entries for the registered digital content items.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a contract module that is configured to modify digital contracts that define the rights assigned to the digital content items in response to performed bitcoin transactions, wherein the digital contracts include information identifying right types for the rights assigned to the digital content items, information identifying bitcoin addresses associated with the rights assigned to the digital content items, and information identifying owners of the digital content items.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the content registration module includes a content input component that is configured to receive input from the owners of the digital content items, 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. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the content registration module registers digital content items received from owners by:
 receiving input from an owner that includes the digital content item and a description of the right to the digital content item to be provided to recipients;   generating a bitcoin address that represents the right to be provided to the recipients; and   transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the bitcoin address to create the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction module generates public ledger entries for digital content items 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.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction module generates public ledger entries for digital content items 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   associating data to the transfer of the digital 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.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction module generates public ledger entries for digital content items 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.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the public ledger module generates a block chain of transaction entries for each registered digital content item. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 registering digital content items received from owners of the digital content items;   performing bitcoin transactions to generate public ledger entries that represent rights transfers of the digital content items between providers and recipients; and   maintaining a public ledger of the generated public ledger entries for the registered digital content items.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 modifying digital contracts that define the rights assigned to the digital content items in response to performed bitcoin transactions, wherein the digital contracts include information identifying right types for the rights assigned to the digital content items, information identifying bitcoin addresses associated with the rights assigned to the digital content items, and information identifying owners of the digital content items.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein registering digital content items received from owners of the digital content items includes receiving input from the owners of the digital content items, 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. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein registering digital content items received from owners of the digital content items includes:
 receiving input from an owner that includes the digital content item and a description of the right to the digital content item to be provided to recipients;   generating a bitcoin address that represents the right to be provided to the recipients; and   transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the bitcoin address to create the right to the digital content item.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein performing bitcoin transactions to generate public ledger entries that represent rights transfers of the digital content items between providers and recipients includes 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. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein performing bitcoin transactions to generate public ledger entries that represent rights transfers of the digital content items between providers and recipients includes:
 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   associating data to the transfer of the digital 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.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein performing bitcoin transactions to generate public ledger entries that represent rights transfers of the digital content items between providers and recipients includes:
 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.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein maintaining a public ledger of the generated public ledger entries for the registered digital content items includes generating a block chain of transaction entries for each registered digital content item. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method for managing rights to digital content provided to a social network service, the method comprising:
 access digital content items input to the social network service by a member of the social network service; and   registering the accessed digital content items input by the member to the social network service by:
 generating bitcoin addresses that represents rights to the digital content items; and 
 transferring digital currency from a rightbase to the generated bitcoin addresses to create the rights to the digital content items. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication that another member of the social network service is authorized to perform an action associated with the digital content items within the social network service;   transferring digital currency from the generated bitcoin addresses to recipient bitcoin addresses associated the another member of the social network service; and   recording the transfer of the digital currency in a block chain associated with the digital content items.