Method and system for payment of intellectual property royalties by interposed sponsor on behalf of consumer over a telecommunications network

• US 20010047338A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultramercial Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultramercial Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Dana Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for distributing or obtaining products covered by intellectual property over a telecommunications network whereby a consumer may, rather paying for the products, choose to receive such products after viewing and/or interacting with an interposed sponsor'"'"'s or advertiser'"'"'s message, wherein the interposed sponsor or advertiser may pay the owner or assignee of the underlying intellectual property associated with the product through an intermediary such as a facilitator.

Claims

1. A method for distribution of products over a communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a product at a networking site, said product being covered by intellectual property;

restricting access to said product;

facilitating the display of a sponsor message to a consumer; and

allowing said consumer access to said product after said step of facilitating the display of said sponsor message.

2. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, wherein said communications network is the Internet.

3. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of maintaining a consumer activity log.

4. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of paying royalties to a facilitator, said royalties being attributable to said intellectual property.

5. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of entering into a license agreement with the owner of the intellectual property of said product.

6. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of obtaining said sponsor message from a sponsor.

7. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of authoring said sponsor message on said site.

8. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of paying royalties to an owner of intellectual property that covers the accessed product.

9. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of barring the owner of said intellectual property from pretending to be said consumer.

10. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of presenting to said consumer a sign-up agreement.

11. The method for distribution of products of

claim 10

, further comprising the step of processing the sign-up agreement executed by said consumer.

12. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of issuing to said consumer a password.

13. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of verifying a submitted password.

14. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of selecting a sponsor message from a plurality of sponsor messages.

15. The method for distribution of products of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of receiving consumer response to said displayed sponsor message.

16. A method for obtaining products covered by intellectual property over a communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a specific product covered by intellectual property;

requesting to access said selected specific property product, wherein access to said selected product may be obtained by viewing a sponsor message;

confirming the viewing of a sponsor message; and

accessing said intellectual property product after viewing said sponsor message.

17. The method of obtaining products of

claim 16

, wherein said communication network is an Internet.

18. The method for obtaining products of

claim 16

, further comprising the step of completing a sign-up agreement.

19. The method for obtaining products of

claim 16

, further comprising the step of browsing through a listing of intellectual property products, said list being displayed on a networking site.

20. The method of obtaining products of

claim 16

, wherein said networking site is an Internet web site.

21. The method for obtaining products of

claim 16

, further comprising the step of retrieving a password.

22. The method for obtaining products of

claim 16

, further comprising the step of submitting a password.

23. The method for obtaining products of

claim 16

, further comprising the step of responding to the sponsor message.

24. A method for distribution of products over a communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a product list on a site that refer to a corresponding list of products, wherein at least some of products are covered by intellectual property, said products capable of being accessed over said communication network;

restricting access to said products;

facilitating the display of a sponsor message to a consumer; and

allowing said consumer to access at least one of said products after said step of facilitating the display of a sponsor message.

25. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

,

wherein said communication network is the Internet, and

wherein said site is an Internet web site.

26. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of presenting a sign-up agreement to a consumer;

.

27. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 26

, further comprising the step of processing the sign-up agreement executed by said consumer.

28. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of issuing to said consumer a password.

29. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of verifying a password submitted by said consumer.

30. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of selecting a sponsor message from a plurality of sponsor messages.

31. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of receiving from said consumer a response to said sponsor message.

32. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of receiving from said consumer a request to obtain a selected product.

33. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 32

, further comprising the step of inquiring the consumer about viewing a sponsor message as an alternative to direct payment for the selected product.

34. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of maintaining a consumer user log.

35. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of receiving royalty payments attributable to product accessed by said consumer.

36. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of licensing from an owners of said intellectual properties the right to distribute said products.

37. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of authoring a sponsor message.

38. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 25

, further comprising the step of offering an advertiser the option to exhibit an advertisement message on said Internet web site. 39. The method for distribution of products over a communication network of

claim 24

, further comprising the step of barring an owner of said intellectual properties from pretending to be said consumer.