ON-LINE SUBSCRIPTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20040078274A1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: AARNIO, ARI
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A system and a method of providing on-line subscription services from a subscription server to a user of a mobile terminal through the Internet. The subscription server receives from the mobile terminal user-specific information relating to the user'"'"'s mobile terminal capabilities, the user'"'"'s preferences of products, and the user'"'"'s financial information. The subscription server sends to the mobile terminal at least locally or remotely retrieved information related to a product based on the user-specific information. The subscription server receives from the mobile terminal a request indicating whether the user wishes to either cancel or purchase the product. The subscription server cancels the product when the user indicates so, and downloads the product to the mobile terminal when the user desires to purchase the product.

Claims

1. A method of providing on-line subscription services from a subscription server to a user of a mobile terminal connected to a wireless communication network and a wide area network, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting from the mobile terminal to the subscription server of user-specific information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile terminal capabilities, the user'"'"'s preferences of products, and information relating to the user;

(b) receiving by the subscription server of the user-specific information;

(c) sending to the mobile terminal in response to step (b) at predetermined time intervals at least information related to a product when the user is authorized to receive the product based on the user-specific information received from the mobile terminal;

(d) receiving from the mobile terminal a request indicating whether the user wishes to purchase the product; and

(e) transmitting the product in digital form to the mobile terminal when the user indicates a desire to purchase the product.

2. The method of claim 1, subsequent to step (e), further comprising the step of (f) determining whether the mobile terminal is capable of presenting the product, and if so, the product is presented on the mobile terminal, and if not, the product is transferred from the mobile terminal to a player capable of presenting the product.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in step (f), the product is transferred using wireless devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific information comprises financial information concerning how the user pays for the product and the information related to the product comprises a price of the product.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of charging the user the price of the product transmitted to the mobile terminal.

6. A system of providing on-line subscription services from a subscription server to a user of a mobile terminal connected to a wireless communication network and a wide area network, comprising:

(a) means for transmitting by the mobile terminal to the subscription server user-specific information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile terminal capabilities, the user'"'"'s preferences of products, and information relating to the user;

(b) means for receiving by the subscription server the user-specific information;

(c) means for determining when the user is authorized to receive a product;

(d) means for sending to the mobile terminal at predetermined time intervals, in response to the user-specific information transmitted by the mobile terminal, at least information related to the product when the user is authorized to receive the product based on the user-specific information received from the mobile terminal;

(e) means for receiving from the mobile terminal a request indicating whether the user wishes to one of receive the product and not receive the product; and

(f) means for transmitting the product in digital form to the mobile terminal when the user indicates a desire to receive the product.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the user-specific information further comprises information relating to how the user is to pay for the product and the information related to the product comprises a price of the product, and further comprising means for charging the user the price of the product when downloaded by the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the product includes a book.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the product includes music.

10. A method of providing on-line subscription services from a subscription server to a user of a mobile terminal connected to a wireless communication network and a wide area network, comprising in sequence the steps of:

(a) transmitting from the mobile terminal to the subscription server of user-specific information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile terminal capabilities, the user'"'"'s preferences of products, and information relating to the user;

(b) receiving by the subscription server of the user-specific information;

(c) sending to the mobile terminal in response to step (b) at predetermined time intervals at least a portion of a product in digital form and a remaining portion of the product in digital form when the user is authorized to receive the product based on the user-specific information received from the mobile terminal, the remaining portion of the product having a gateway lock for preventing unauthorized access by the user;

(d) presenting only the at least a portion of a product to the user;

(e) receiving from the mobile terminal a user request indicating whether the user wishes to purchase the product; and

(f) transmitting a decoding message to the mobile terminal for unlocking the gateway lock when the user indicates a desire to purchase the product, so that the user may access the at least a portion of the product and the remaining portion of the product.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein in step (c) the entire product is transmitted to the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step (g) of transmitting from the mobile terminal to the subscription server a cancellation message when the user indicates a desire not to purchase the product.