Multimedia contents service system and a method thereof

• US 20020161713A1
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Byeong-Seok Oh
• Original Assignee: Byeong-Seok Oh
• Inventors: Oh, Byeong-Seok
• Application Number:
  US09/980,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161713A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

To provide a multimedia contents at a lower price or for free, the present invention provides a multimedia contents service system from which an audience can select at least one multimedia content through communication network comprising: a memory for storing at least one of multimedia contents and advertisement contents; a contents price control unit for decreasing a price or prices of the selected multimedia contents in case the audience allow the advertisement contents to be played together with the selected multimedia contents; and a contents providing unit for retrieving from the memory the selected multimedia contents and/or the advertisement contents and providing the retrieved content(s) to the audience through communication network, wherein the advertisement contents is retrieved in case the audience allows it to be played.

Claims

1. A multimedia content providing service system for providing a multimedia content selected by a user through a communication network comprising:

a storage device for storing at least one of multimedia contents and at least one of advertisement contents;

a content price control unit for asking said user if said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents besides at least one of said multimedia contents which said user has selected to watch, and for discounting price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents in case said user answers that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents; and

a content providing unit for retrieving said selected at least one of multimedia contents from said storage devices retrieving at least one of said advertisement contents in case said user answers that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents, and providing said selected at least one of multimedia contents and/or at least one of said advertisement contents to said user through said communication network.

2. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said content price controlling unit adjusts discount rate of price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents according to the number of said advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

3. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said content price controlling unit adjusts discount rate of price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents according to playing time of at least one of said advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

4. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an information communication control unit for sending and/or receiving information between said system and said user.

5. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said content price controlling unit for sending content information on said advertisement contents stored in said storage device in order for said user to select at least one of said advertisement contents to watch in case said user has answered that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents.

6. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, instead of said content price controlling unit, comprising an incentive controlling unit for asking said user if said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents besides at least one of said multimedia contents which said user has selected to watch, and for giving a predetermined incentive to said user in case said user answers that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents.

7. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said incentive controlling unit adjusts quality and/or quantity of said incentive according to the number of advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

8. A multimedia content providing service system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said incentive controlling unit adjusts quality and/or quantity of said incentive according to playing time of at least one of said advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

9. A multimedia content providing service method for providing a multimedia content selected by a user through a communication network comprising steps of:

displaying content information on available multimedia contents;

asking said user if said user will watch at least one of advertisement contents besides at least one of said available multimedia contents which said user has selected to watch;

discounting price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents in case said user answers that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents;

retrieving said selected at least one of multimedia contents from said storage device;

retrieving at least one of said advertisement contents in case said user answers that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents; and

providing said selected at least one of multimedia contents and/or at least one of said advertisement contents to said user through said communication network.

10. A multimedia content providing service method as claimed in claim 9, wherein discount rate of price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents are adjusted according to the number of said advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

11. A multimedia content providing service method as claimed in claim 9, wherein discount rate of price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents are adjusted according to playing time of at least one of said advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

12. A multimedia content providing service method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a step of displaying information on said at least one of advertisement contents in order for said user to select at least one of said advertisement contents to watch in case said user has answered that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents.

13. A multimedia content providing service method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, instead of said step of discounting price of said selected at least one of multimedia contents, comprising a step of:

giving a predetermined incentive to aid user in case said user answers that said user will watch at least one of said advertisement contents.

14. A multimedia content providing service method as claimed in claim 13, wherein quality and/or quantity of said incentive is/are adjusted according to the number of advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.

15. A multimedia content providing service method as claimed in claim 13, wherein quality and/or quantity of said incentive is/are adjusted according to playing time of at least one of said advertisement contents which said user answers to watch.