Method and system for purchasing content related material

• US 20030097338A1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Tony E. Piotrowski
• Inventors: Epstein, Michael A., Staring, Antonius A. M., Mankovich, Nicholas J.
• Application Number:
  US09/498,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097338A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A “buy” button is provided on devices that receive content material to facilitate a purchase of content related material as the content material is being presented to a consumer. If, while listening to or viewing content material from a provider, the consumer decides the purchase the content material, or an item associated with the content material, the consumer activates a “buy” button on the device that is rendering the content material. The rendering device associates an item identifier associated with the content material to this “buy” command, and forms a purchase request containing this item identifier. If the rendering device has a receive-only capability relative to the provider of the content material, the purchase request is stored until the rendering device is brought in contact with a content access device that is able to transmit to the provider. The purchase request, including certification information such as a customer identification number, a credit card number, and the like, is communicated to the provider by the content access device or by a rendering device that is able to transmit to the provider. In a preferred embodiment, to facilitate a purchase of copy-controlled content material, the rendering device includes a memory that stores the content material while it is being received, and a controller that controls access to this memory until an access authorization is received from the provider in response to the purchase request. A transfer device is also provided that facilitates the communication of purchase requests and content material between the content access device and other rendering devices.

Claims

1. A receiving system comprising:

a content access device that is configured to receive content material and an item identifier associated with the content material from a provider, and

a purchase request processor, operably coupled to the content access device and an input device, that is configured to receive a purchase request from the input device and the item identifier from the content access device, and produces therefrom a processed purchase request, and

wherein

the content access device is further configured to communicate the processed purchase request to the provider.

2. The receiving system of claim 1, further comprising:

a rendering device, operably coupled to the content access device, that is configured to render the content material, and

wherein

the content access device is further configured to associate the purchase request and the item identifier based on a coincidence of a time of receipt of the purchase request and a time interval associated with the rendering of the content material.

3. The receiving system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory, operably coupled to the content access device, that is configured to store the content material, and

wherein

the content access device is further configured to control access to the content material in the memory, the control access being dependent upon a receipt of an authorization from the provider in response to the processed purchase request.

4. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein

the purchase request processor is further configured to receive a transferred purchase request and a transferred item identifier, and to produce therefrom the processed purchase request.

5. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein

the purchase request processor is further configured to receive certification information associated with the purchase request, and

wherein

the processed purchase request includes the certification information.

6. The receiving system of claim 1, further including:

a “

buy”

switch, and

wherein

the purchase request from the input device is produced in response to an activation of the “

buy”

switch.

7. A portable device comprising:

a broadcast receiver that is configured to receive content material and an item identifier associated with the content material from a broadcast source,

a rendering device that is configured to render the content material, and

a purchase request buffer that is configured to store a purchase request and the item identifier to facilitate a subsequent purchase of an item corresponding to the item identifier.

8. The portable device of claim 7, further including

a controller that associates the purchase request and the item identifier based on a coincidence of a time of receipt of the purchase request and a time interval associated with the rendering of the content material.

9. The portable device of claim 8, wherein

the controller is further configured to receive certification information associated with the purchase request, and

wherein

the purchase request buffer further includes the certification information.

10. The portable device of claim 8, further comprising:

a memory, operably coupled to the broadcast receiver, that is configured to store the content material, and

wherein

the controller is further configured to control access to the content material in the memory, the control access being dependent upon a receipt of an authorization in response to a communication of the purchase request to a provider.

11. The portable device of claim 7, further including:

a “

buy”

switch, and

wherein

the purchase request is provided in response to an activation of the “

buy”

switch.

12. A transfer device comprising:

a purchase request buffer that is configured to;

receive a purchase request from a first device, and

transmit the purchase request to a second device.

13. The transfer device of claim 12, further comprising

a memory that is configured to:

receive content material from the second device in response to the purchase request, and

transmit the content material to the first device.

14. The transfer device of claim 12, wherein

the first device includes a memory that contains content material and a controller that controls access to the content material based on an authorization, and

the purchase request buffer is further configured to:

receive the authorization from the second device in response to the purchase request, and

transmit the authorization to the first device.

15. A method for facilitating a purchase of an item associated with content material, the process comprising:

receiving the content material and an identifier of the item,

rendering the content material,

receiving a buy command at a time that is coincident with a time interval associated with the rendering of the content material,

creating a purchase request that includes the identifier of the item in response to the buy command, and

communicating the purchase request to a provider of the item.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein

receiving the buy command includes receiving an activation signal associated with an activation of a “

buy”

switch.

17. The method of claim 15, further including:

storing the content material, and

controlling access to the content material based on receiving the buy command.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein

controlling access is further dependent upon receiving an authorization from the provider in response to the purchase request.

19. The method of claim 15, further including

transferring the purchase request to one or more intermediary devices, and

wherein

communicating the purchase request to the provider is via the one or more intermediary devices.

20. The method of claim 15, further including

attaching certification information to the purchase request that is communicated to the provider.