How to Buy Digital Media Once and Get Multiple Formats
A system that lets you pay for a digital file once and download it in different formats from various providers without paying again.
Original patent title: “Method and system for managing access to media files”
A system that lets you pay for a digital file once and download it in different formats from various providers without paying again. Granted to Amazon Technologies Inc in 2011 with 24 claims and 12 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a digital 'master key' system for media. When you buy a song or movie, the system records that you have rights to that content. It then sends an authorization signal to other content providers you didn't buy from directly. This signal tells those providers to let you download the same file in different formats—like MP3, FLAC, or different video resolutions—without you needing to pay for each version individually.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover the actual conversion of file formats (transcoding).
- Does not cover systems where the same company handles both the purchase and the file delivery.
- Does not cover subscription-based access models where rights are time-limited.
- Does not cover physical media purchases (e.g., buying a DVD and getting a digital code).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation is the decoupling of the purchase transaction from the content delivery. By sending an authorization signal to a third-party provider, the system allows a central 'rights manager' to grant access across a distributed network of servers.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Cross-platform digital music lockers
Cloud-based media synchronization services
Universal digital media entitlement systems
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent was filed during the early transition from physical media to fragmented digital ecosystems. It aimed to solve the frustration of 'format lock-in,' where a user might own a song but couldn't play it on a specific device because the file format wasn't compatible. It represents an attempt to create a unified digital library across different service providers.
Filed
October 19, 2009
Granted
January 25, 2011
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Amazon remains a key player, having integrated these concepts into their 'AutoRip' and digital locker services. Other major cloud media providers and digital storefronts utilize similar entitlement management systems to handle cross-device and cross-format compatibility.
Market impact
This patent helped formalize the 'buy once, play anywhere' philosophy in digital media. It provided a framework for companies to manage digital rights across diverse ecosystems, reducing the friction that previously forced users to re-purchase content when switching between hardware platforms or software players.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a digital 'master key' system for media. When you buy a song or movie, the system records that you have rights to that content. It then sends an authorization signal to other content providers you didn't buy from directly. This signal tells those providers to let you download the same file in different formats—like MP3, FLAC, or different video resolutions—without you needing to pay for each version individually.
The clever bit
The innovation is the decoupling of the purchase transaction from the content delivery. By sending an authorization signal to a third-party provider, the system allows a central 'rights manager' to grant access across a distributed network of servers.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover the actual conversion of file formats (transcoding).
- Does not cover systems where the same company handles both the purchase and the file delivery.
- Does not cover subscription-based access models where rights are time-limited.
- Does not cover physical media purchases (e.g., buying a DVD and getting a digital code).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
16/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$87K – $280K
Midpoint $175K · 3.3 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
24 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Gordon, C., & Siegel, H. B. (2011). How to Buy Digital Media Once and Get Multiple Formats (U.S. Patent No. 7,877,330). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7877330/kindle-e-reader
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US7877330"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
More to explore
More in Consumer Electronics
US 7657849 · 2010 · Apple Inc
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 7479949 · 2009 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
US 4528643 · 1985 · FPDC Inc
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
US 7469381 · 2008 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How to Buy Digital Media Once and Get Multiple Formats cover?
A system that lets you pay for a digital file once and download it in different formats from various providers without paying again.
Who owns patent US 7877330?
Amazon Technologies Inc owns this patent, granted in 2011.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on January 25, 2031, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 7877330 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 12 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent was filed during the early transition from physical media to fragmented digital ecosystems. It aimed to solve the frustration of 'format lock-in,' where a user might own a song but couldn't play it on a specific device because the file format wasn't compatible. It represents an attempt to create a unified digital library across different service providers.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover the actual conversion of file formats (transcoding).
Same assignee
More from Amazon Technologies Inc
Patent monitoring