Method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network

• US 20070214211A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew Inventions LLC
• Original Assignee: Matthew Inventions LLC
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0249 based upon budgets or funds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

A method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network are provided. The method and system allow a publisher, distributor(s), and/or users to receive a payment incentive for downloading digital files on the Internet. The present disclosure creates a method and system where every party along the distribution chain will have an incentive for further distribution of the digital content file. The method includes the steps receiving by a server of a file agent at least one digital content file from a content provider; presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase; downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one user for a transaction amount; distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.

Claims

1. A method for distributing digital content files over a network, the method comprising the steps:

receiving by a server of a file agent at least one digital content file from a content provider;

presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase;

downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one user for a transaction amount;

distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and

distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step determining the second distribution amount including:

selecting a user distribution percentage;

selecting a plurality of user threshold levels; and

determining the second distribution amount by the following formula;

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising distributing a third distribution amount of the transaction amount to the file agent of the server.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the presenting step includes posting a location of the at least one digital content file by a distributor and the method further comprising the step of distributing a fourth distribution amount of the transaction amount to the distributor.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein the distribution amounts are determined by distribution percentages, further comprising the steps:

selecting the first, second, third and fourth distribution percentages by the content provider; and

approving the distribution percentages by the file agent of the server.

6. The method as in claim 4, wherein the distribution amounts are electronically negotiated between the content provider and the file agent.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one digital content file is an audio file, a video file, a multimedia file, a text file, or a software application.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the downloading step further comprises:

encrypting the at least one digital file before downloading; and

transmitting a code to the at least one user for decrypting the at least one digital file after receiving the transaction amount from the at least one user.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the distributing step includes payment by checks, credits to bank accounts, wire transfer, issuance of cash redemption cards or payment by a payment agent.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the distributing step includes issuance of credits to a user account to be used for additional services provided by file agent.

11. A server for distributing digital content files over a network comprising:

a communication device for receiving at least one digital content file from a content provider; and

a processor for presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase, downloading the at least one digital content file via the communication device to at least one user for a transaction amount, distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider, and distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.

12. The server as in claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted for selecting a user distribution percentage, selecting a plurality of user threshold levels and determining the second distribution amount by the following formula:

13. The server as in claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted for retaining a third distribution amount of the transaction amount.

14. The server as in claim 13, wherein the processor is adapted to transmit a location of the at least one digital content file to a distributor and to distribute a fourth distribution amount of the transaction amount to the distributor.

15. The server as in claim 11, wherein the at least one digital content file is an audio file, a video file, a text file, a multimedia file or a software application.

16. The server as in claim 11, further comprising a storage device for storing the at least one digital content file.

17. The server as in claim 11, further comprising a storage device for storing a plurality of user accounts, each user account maintaining distributed credits for each user.

18. The server as in claim 11, wherein the processor includes at least one encryption algorithm for encrypting the at least one digital file before downloading.

19. The server as in claim 18, wherein the processor is adapted to transmit a code to the at least one user via the communication device for decrypting the at least one digital file after receiving the transaction amount from the at least one user.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for distributing digital content files over a network, the method steps comprising:

receiving by the machine at least one digital content file from a content provider;

presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase;

downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one user for a transaction amount;

distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and

distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.

21. The program storage device as in claim 20, further comprising the method steps determining the second distribution amount including:

selecting a user distribution percentage;

selecting a plurality of user threshold levels; and

determining the second distribution amount by the following formula;

22. The program storage device as in claim 21, wherein the distribution amounts are electronically negotiated between the content provider and the machine.