Method and system for ensuring royalty payments for data delivered over a network

摘要

A method and system for delivering data over a communication network (18) which ensures proper payment of royalties while preserving free access to data for purposes such as browsing or research. An exemplary method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of providing a partially-degraded version (44) of the data over the network, without payment of a royalty fee, to a customer at a user terminal connected to the network; and providing a higher quality version of the data to the customer over the network if the customer is entitled to receive the higher quality version. The determination as to whether the customer is so entitled may be made by, for example, determining if a royalty fee payment has been received. The partially-degraded version of the data is substantially recognizable when displayed, printed, played, run or otherwise utilized by the customer at the user terminal, and may be generated by, for example, deleting or encrypting a portion of the undegraded data. The higher quality version may be provided by transmitting the complete higher quality version, or transmitting remaining data such as the deleted portion or a decryption key, to the user terminal.