Method of processing rental requests and returns

• US 20040267669A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Media Queue LLC
• Original Assignee: Media Queue LLC
• Inventors: Gross, John N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects

Abstract

A delivery mechanism for distributing media items to subscribers uses a timed based benchmark, or a triggering event, in lieu of or in addition to a conventional capacity driven model. In this manner, subscribers can temporarily have access to a number of titles exceeding a quota in some instances, in order to reduce monitoring requirements, or further some promotional interest. In other instances subscribers are consulted in advance before new tides are delivered, to give them an option of selecting their choice or a choice made automatically for them by a recommender system.

Claims

1. A method of delivering rented media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:

providing a maximum number of media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time;

delivering a media item to the subscriber in accordance with a priority specified by the subscriber;

incrementing a count of media items out (Nout);

determining if Nout>

=Nmax;

when Nout>

=Nmax, setting a timer to a predetermined delay;

delivering another media item to the subscriber after expiration of said predetermined delay, even if Nout>

=Nmax;

wherein a number of media items in excess of Nmax can be in the subscriber'"'"'s possession and/or in transit to/from the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein distributions of media items to subscribers are provided at least partially on a time basis, and not on a subscriber capacity basis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when Nout=Nmax+1, returns from the subscriber are monitored to identify if Nout should be decremented.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said media items are identified in a delivery queue by the subscriber.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said media items are digital versatile disks (DVDs) rented over an Internet connection.

6. The method of claim 1, further including a step:

monitoring a delinquency period for the subscriber, which delinquency period is a period of time in which Nout>

=Nmax for the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 6 further including a step:

preventing a delivery of another media item to the subscriber when said delinquency period of time for the subscriber exceeds a threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined delay is a function of Nout.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined delay is a function of when a prior title was delivered to the subscriber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined delay is a function of a demand for said media item.

11. A method of delivering rented media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:

providing a maximum number of media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time;

delivering a media item to the subscriber in accordance with a priority specified by the subscriber;

incrementing a count of media items out (Nout);

determining if Nout>

=Nmax;

determining if an overcapacity triggering event has occurred;

delivering another media item to the subscriber after expiration of said predetermined delay, even if Nout>

=Nmax;

wherein a number of media items in excess of Nmax can be in the subscriber'"'"'s possession and/or in transit to/from the subscriber.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said overcapacity triggering event is a promotion for said another media item.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said overcapacity triggering event is based on a demand associated for said another media item.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said overcapacity triggering event is based on a timer associated with the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said overcapacity triggering event is based on a recommender system prediction given for the subscriber.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said overcapacity triggering event is based on monitoring a status of media items in a delivery queue maintained for the subscriber.

17. A method of delivering rented media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:

providing a maximum number of media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time;

delivering a first media item to the subscriber;

monitoring returns from the subscriber and a delivery capacity for the subscriber to identify if a second media item should be sent to the subscriber;

selecting at least two candidate media items by choosing a first title identified by the subscriber and a second title automatically selected for the subscriber based on preferences of the subscriber;

presenting said at least two candidate media items to the subscriber to permit such subscriber to select which one should be delivered next in sequence;

wherein the subscriber is consulted before said second media item is sent.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the subscriber is consulted by email.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the subscriber is directed to a website to select from additional candidate media items.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the second tide is selected by a recommender system operating at an Internet site.