Method and apparatus for presenting content available by digital download and fulfilling digital download purchases

• US 20020023013A1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Music Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hughes, David A., Smith, Allen J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A transaction for purchasable content is facilitated over an electronic network, wherein the purchasable content includes downloadable digital data. A first presence is maintained on the electronic network to which a consumer may connect. A first page is transmitted from the first presence to the consumer over the electronic network, such that the first page includes information concerning the purchasable content. A command is received from the consumer over the electronic network indicating that the consumer wishes the transaction for the purchasable content. The consumer is automatically linked to a second presence on the electronic network in response to the command such that the consumer may interact with the second presence over the electronic network to complete the transaction for the purchasable content.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a transaction for purchasable content over an electronic network, the purchasable content including downloadable digital data, the method comprising:

maintaining a first presence on the electronic network to which a consumer may connect;

transmitting a page from the first presence to the consumer over the electronic network, the page including information concerning the purchasable content;

receiving a command from the consumer over the electronic network indicating that the consumer wishes the transaction for the purchasable content; and

automatically linking the consumer to a second presence on the electronic network in response to the command such that the consumer may interact with the second presence over the electronic network to complete the transaction for the purchasable content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a commission from an entity associated with the second presence based on the transaction for the purchasable content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein an entity associated with the first presence does not have custody of the downloadable digital data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the entity associated with the second presence has custody of the purchasable content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchasable content includes at least one of the downloadable digital data and physical storage media.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the physical storage media include at least one of optically readable media, magnetically readable media, and mechanically readable media.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the page is capable of receiving information from the customer sufficient to complete the transaction for the physical storage media.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein linking the consumer to the second presence on the electronic network includes causing transmission of a second page from the second presence to the consumer over the electronic network, the second page including information concerning how to complete the transaction for the purchasable content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second page includes at least one of:

(i) registration inputs for registering the consumer;

(ii) login inputs for permitting the consumer access to further portions of the second page;

(iii) summary information including at least one of a list of the purchasable content selected by the consumer, and remittance information for the purchasable content selected by the consumer; and

(iv) billing inputs for receiving information from the consumer concerning a remittance method.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic network is the Internet and the first and second presences are respective web sites thereon.

11. A system for facilitating a transaction for purchasable content over an electronic network, the purchasable content including downloadable digital data, comprising:

means for maintaining a first presence on the electronic network to which a consumer may connect;

means for transmitting a page from the first presence to the consumer over the electronic network, the page including information concerning the purchasable content;

means for receiving a command from the consumer over the electronic network indicating that the consumer wishes the transaction for the purchasable content; and

means for automatically linking the consumer to a second presence on the electronic network in response to the command such that the consumer may interact with the second presence over the electronic network to complete the transaction for the purchasable content.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for receiving a commission from an entity associated with the second presence based on the transaction for the purchasable content.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein an entity associated with the first presence does not have custody of the downloadable digital data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the entity associated with the second presence has custody of the purchasable content.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the purchasable content includes at least one of the downloadable digital data and physical storage media.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the physical storage media include at least one of optically readable media, magnetically readable media, and mechanically readable media.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the page is capable of receiving information from the customer sufficient to complete the transaction for the physical storage media.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for causing transmission of a second page from the second presence to the consumer over the electronic network, the second page including information concerning how to complete the transaction for the purchasable content.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second page includes at least one of:

(i) registration inputs for registering the consumer;

(ii) login inputs for permitting the consumer access to further portions of the second page;

(iii) summary information including at least one of a list of the purchasable content selected by the consumer, and remittance information for the purchasable content selected by the consumer; and

(iv) billing inputs for receiving information from the consumer concerning a remittance method.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic network is the Internet and the first and second presences are respective web sites thereon.

21. An electronic storage medium for storing instructions which, when executed by a programmable controller, carry out a process for facilitating a transaction for purchasable content over an electronic network, the purchasable content including downloadable digital data, comprising:

maintaining a first presence on the electronic network to which a consumer may connect;

transmitting a page from the first presence to the consumer over the electronic network, the page including information concerning the purchasable content;

receiving a command from the consumer over the electronic network indicating that the consumer wishes the transaction for the purchasable content; and

automatically linking the consumer to a second presence on the electronic network in response to the command such that the consumer may interact with the second presence over the electronic network to complete the transaction for the purchasable content.

22. The electronic storage medium of claim 21, further comprising receiving a commission from the first presence based on the transaction for the purchasable content.

23. The electronic storage medium of claim 21, wherein an entity associated with the second presence has custody of the purchasable content.

24. The electronic storage medium of claim 21, wherein linking the consumer to the second presence on the electronic network is carried out only when the command indicates that the consumer wishes the transaction for the downloadable digital data.

25. The electronic storage medium of claim 21, wherein the page is capable of receiving information from the customer sufficient to complete the transaction for the physical storage media.

26. The electronic storage medium of claim 21, wherein the electronic network is the Internet and the first and second presences are respective web sites thereon.