DATA STORAGE AND ACCESS SYSTEMS

摘要

Data storage and access systems enable downloading and paying for data such as audio and video data, text, software, games and other types of data. A portable data carrier has an interface for sending and receiving data, data memory for storing received content data, and payment validation memory for providing payment validation data to an external device. The carrier may also store a record of access made to the stored content, and content use rules for controlling access to the stored content. Embodiments store further access control data and supplementary data such as hot links to web sites and/or advertising data. A complementary data access terminal, data supply computer system, and data access device are also described. The combination of payment data and stored content data and use rule data helps reduce the risk of unauthorized access to data such as compressed music and video data, especially over the Internet.

主权项

1. A multimedia terminal comprising:
a network interface configured to interface with a network for accessing a remote computer system; memory configured to store multimedia content, wherein said multimedia content comprises one or more of music, films, TV programs, text, software, or games software; a program store storing processor control code; a processor coupled to said memory, said program store, said network interface and a user interface to allow a user to select and play said multimedia content; wherein the processor control code comprises: code to request identifier data identifying one or more items of multimedia content stored in the memory; code to receive said identifier data; code to present to a user on a display coupleable to said multimedia terminal said identified one or more items of multimedia content available from the memory; code to receive a user selection to select at least one of said one or more of said stored items of multimedia content; code responsive to said user selection of said at least one selected item of multimedia content to transmit payment data relating to payment for said at least one selected item of multimedia content via said network interface for validation by a payment validation system; code to receive payment validation data via said network interface defining if said payment validation system has validated payment for said at least one selected item of multimedia content; and code to control access to said at least one selected item of multimedia content on said terminal responsive to said payment validation data, wherein said user interface is operable to enable a user to select said at least one item of multimedia content available from said memory; and wherein said user interface is operable to enable a user to access said at least one selected item of multimedia content responsive to said code to control access permitting access to said at least one selected item of multimedia content.