Method for retailing electronic media
First Claim
1. A method comprising the steps of a) receiving, at a retail venue, selections of media files from a customer;
- b) receiving, from the customer, payment for selected media files;
c) downloading electronic media files pertaining to said selections of media files from at least one remote source to a local server within said retail venue;
d) saving the electronic media files on a storage medium as a portable media product; and
e) delivering the portable media product to a designated end user.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a unique method of retailing electronic multimedia in a controlled environment, and to a system which enables such a retailing method. Such an environment is generated by requiring the creation of portable and/or hard copies of such multimedia files to be generated only in specific retail locations. Such retail locations would physically contain no pre-recorded media files. Rather, they would comprise one or more local servers located in the retail locations and connected via a network to one or more remote sources. Such remote sources may comprise servers, libraries, databases, and the like. While no pre-recorded electronic media is stored on the local server, it can be downloaded and held in a cache on the local server. From the local server, the media can be saved onto a portable storage medium. Eliminating local storage of the electronic media files increases control over their distribution and maximizes distribution efficiency.
88 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of
a) receiving, at a retail venue, selections of media files from a customer; -
b) receiving, from the customer, payment for selected media files;
c) downloading electronic media files pertaining to said selections of media files from at least one remote source to a local server within said retail venue;
d) saving the electronic media files on a storage medium as a portable media product; and
e) delivering the portable media product to a designated end user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system comprising:
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a) a traditional retail outlet; and
b) a device comprising;
i.) a local server/controller connected to remote sources of electronic media files via a network; and
ii.) at least one subsystem processing device capable of generating a commercial media product. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A retailing device comprising:
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a) a local server/controller connected to remote sources of electronic media files via a network; and
b) at least one subsystem processing device capable of generating a commercial media product. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An integrated computer program comprising:
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a) program instructions for searching for electronic media files on remote file sources;
b) program instructions for processing payment transactions;
c) program instructions for downloading electronic media files from remote file sources to cache memory within a local server/controller; and
d) program instructions for saving the electronic media on a storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method comprising the steps of
a) receiving, at a retail venue, selections of media files from a customer; -
b) receiving, from the customer, payment for selected media files;
c) loading electronic media files pertaining to said selections of media files from at least one source;
d) saving the electronic media files on a storage medium as a portable media product; and
e) delivering the portable media product to a designated end user.
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Specification