Streaming media software firm Liquid Audio on Thursday
announced it had secured a copyright protection patent to allow playback of
multimedia while enforcing the rights of content owners.
The Redwood City, CA-based firm, which markets software that lets consumers
download and purchase digital files off the Internet, said the U.S Patent
Office has granted Patent No. 6,367,019 that provides a digital rights
system.
Liquid Audio, which has been embroiled in patent infringement disputes with
Network Commerce and the In Touch Group said the securing of the patents
reflects the company’s respect for copyright protection. “(We have) always
strived to build technology that respects the rights of content owners. This
patent reflects our pioneering efforts to provide technology solutions for
device manufacturers, giving them access to protected content,” said Liquid
Audio VP of engineering Leon Rishniw.
The patent is considered a part of Liquid Audio’s Secure Portable Player
Platform (SP3), which enables consumer electronics companies and chipset
manufacturers to create portable devices that playback digital audio in
accordance with the rights and business rules of content owners.
The SP3 software allows for authorized playback of digital content on either
internal or external memory; sharing of content between authorized playback
systems; unauthorized tampering of content metadata; and relocation and
renewal of security keys on a device.
The company said clients like ARM, AIWA, Cirrus Logic, Hitachi, I-O Data,
Mpuls3, Palm, Sanyo, TDK and Texas Instruments have licensed the SP3
technology.
Liquid Audio, which has won favor from record companies to sell digital
music through Web-based retailers, does most of its business
internationally.
Last month, the company inked a deal Bertelsmann AG’s BMG music division to
encoding, hosting, digital rights management and clearinghouse services.
The agreement would cover both full-length recordings and singles by BMG’s
artists.
