On-line media store that supports pre-ordering of digital media assets

• US 20060247976A1
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Verosub, Ellis M., Mirrashidi, Payam, Neumann, David Lawrence, Posokhow, Bruno, Scheck, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Techniques to facilitate pre-ordering of digital media assets from an on-line media store are disclosed. A user of the on-line media store can view advance listings for digital media assets that have not yet been released. A user can also choose to pre-order a digital media asset that has not yet been released. Such a pre-order is recorded and monitored so that the desired digital media asset can be purchased and delivered to the user once the digital media asset become available. Since the monitoring is computerized and the delivery is electronic, once a digital media asset becomes available, delivery of any pre-order can occur nearly immediately.

Claims

1. A method for pre-ordering a digital media asset from an on-line media store, said method comprising:

(a) configuring the on-line media store to provide media asset content for a digital media asset in advance of the digital media asset being released;

(b) subsequently receiving a pre-order request for the digital media asset via the on-line media store;

(c) determining when the digital media asset of the pre-order request becomes available; and

(d) processing a purchase operation for the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said determining (c) determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request becomes available.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing (d) comprises:

(d1) processing electronic payment for the purchase of the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said determining (c) determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available; and

(d2) thereafter electronically delivering the digital media asset of the pre-order request.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing (d) comprises:

(d1) electronically delivering the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said determining (c) determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available; and

(d2) thereafter processing electronic payment for the purchase of the digital media asset of the pre-order request.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing (d) comprises:

(d1) processing electronic payment for the purchase of the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said determining (c) determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available; and

(d2) electronically delivering the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said determining (c) determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the pre-order request is from a requester, and

wherein, after said determining (c) determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request becomes available, said processing (d) comprises:

(d1) confirming with the requestor that the digital media asset of the pre-order request is to be purchased;

(d2) processing electronic payment for the purchase of the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said confirming (d1) confirms that the digital media asset of the pre-order request is to be purchased; and

(d3) electronically delivering the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said confirming (d1) confirms that the digital media asset of the pre-order request is to be purchased.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the pre-order request is from a requester, and

wherein said method further comprises storing pre-order data for the pre-order request, the pre-order data being stored in association with the requester.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said processing (d) is performed when the requestor logs in to the on-line media store after the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said processing (d) comprises sending a notification message to the requestor to inform the requester of the availability of the digital media asset of the pre-order request.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said processing (d) comprises sending a notification message to the requestor to inform the requestor of the availability of the digital media asset of the pre-order request and invites the requestor to access the on-line media store to electronically acquire the digital media asset.

10. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said processing (d) comprises sending a cancellation message to the requestor to inform the requester of the cancellation of the pre-order request.

11. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for pre-ordering a digital media asset from an on-line media store, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving, at the on-line media store, media asset content for a digital media asset in advance of the digital media assets being released;

computer program code for subsequently receiving a pre-order request for the digital media asset via the on-line media store;

computer program code for determining when the digital media asset of the pre-order request becomes available; and

computer program code for purchasing and delivering the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said computer program code for determining determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available.

12. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said computer program code for purchasing and delivering comprises:

computer program code for processing electronic payment for the purchase of the digital media asset of the pre-order request after it is determined that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available; and

computer program code for electronically delivering the digital media asset of the pre-order request after it is determined that the digital media asset of the pre-order request has become available.

13. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein said computer program code for processing sends a notification message to a requestor to inform the requestor of the availability of the digital media asset of the pre-order request.

14. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for enabling cancellation of the pre-order request for the digital media asset of the pre-order.

15. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for sending a cancellation message to a requester informing the requestor of the cancellation of the pre-order request.

16. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for providing a pre-order management page.

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for assisting an administrator in providing the media asset content for the digital media asset to the on-line media store in advance of the digital media assets being released.

18. A network-based media store server, said server comprising:

means for configuring the on-line media store to provide media asset content for a digital media asset in advance of the digital media asset being released;

means for receiving a pre-order request for the digital media asset via the on-line media store;

means for determining when the digital media asset of the pre-order request becomes available; and

means for processing a purchase operation for the digital media asset of the pre-order request after said means for determining determines that the digital media asset of the pre-order request becomes available.