Temporary Content Access Control for Pre-Purchase Evaluation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content use systems do not allow users to fully evaluate non-purchased content, such as tone color data for electronic musical instruments, without risking unauthorized continuous use.

Innovation Solution

An electronic equipment and content use method that enables unlimited trial use of non-purchased content, followed by prohibition of use upon power-off, and allows purchase and permanent storage of content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If trial conditions are imposed on non-purchased content to prevent unauthorized use, then content security is improved, but user ability to fully evaluate content deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent securityVSAvoiduser ability to evaluate content

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the content usage rights changeable based on user actions. Non-purchased content is initially provided with temporary usage rights that can be fully exercised during evaluation, then automatically convert to prohibited status after a triggering event (power off). This dynamic transition resolves the contradiction by allowing full evaluation capability when needed while ensuring security when the evaluation period ends.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing users with full usage rights to non-purchased content before any purchase decision is made. Users can evaluate the content without restrictions during the trial period, and only after the trial period ends (upon power off) does the system prevent further use. This preliminary unrestricted access resolves the contradiction by enabling complete content evaluation while maintaining subsequent security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If non-purchased content is made available for use, then user satisfaction and evaluation capability are improved, but risk of unauthorized continuous use increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser satisfactionVSAvoidunauthorized continuous use

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dynamics to create a usage rights system that transitions from permissive to restrictive based on user actions. During the trial period, users enjoy full access to non-purchased content for evaluation purposes. However, upon power off, the usage rights automatically change to prohibited status, preventing unauthorized continuous use. This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing high user satisfaction during evaluation while blocking harmful unauthorized use afterward.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing unauthorized continuous use through automatic prohibition upon power off. The system anticipates the potential harm of unauthorized use and implements a countermeasure (automatic usage prohibition) before the harm can occur. This resolves the contradiction by allowing full content access for evaluation while preemptively blocking any unauthorized continuous use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If purchase processing is required before content can be used, then content security and revenue protection are improved, but user ability to evaluate content deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent securityVSAvoidcontent evaluation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing users with access to non-purchased content for evaluation before any purchase processing occurs. Users can fully evaluate the content during the trial period without needing to complete purchase procedures first. Only after the trial period ends does the system require purchase processing for continued use. This resolves the contradiction by enabling complete content evaluation before purchase while maintaining security through automatic prohibition after trial expiration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses dynamics to create a staged usage rights system that evolves based on user actions and time. Initially, users receive full usage rights for non-purchased content to enable evaluation. After a triggering event (power off), the usage rights dynamically change to prohibited status, at which point purchase processing becomes necessary for continued access. This dynamic transition resolves the contradiction by providing evaluation access before purchase while ensuring security after trial expiration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12518258B2Electronic equipment, recording medium for recording content use program, and content use method

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 ROLAND CORP

AI summary

An electronic equipment is provided. The electronic equipment includes: a content acquisition part for acquiring a content including a non-purchased content, which is a content that has not been purchased; a usage part for using the non-purchased content acquired by the content acquisition part regardless of whether the content has been purchased or not; and a prohibition part for prohibiting the usage part from using a non-purchased content that is the non-purchased content not being purchased after being acquired by the content acquisition part when a predetermined operation is performed.