Reward-Based Access to Media Content

• US 20090017750A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marcinkiewicz, Walter M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1082 involving incentive schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

The present invention provides a reward-based process where sharing mobile devices receive a reward for sharing access to media content with one or more requesting mobile devices. A requesting mobile device asks the wireless communication system for access to media content via a sharing mobile device. A content provider identifies a sharing mobile device with the desired media content to the requesting mobile device. Subsequently, the requesting mobile device requests and receives access to the desired media content via the sharing mobile device. An accounting unit associated with the content provider accrues a reward for a user of the sharing mobile device that rewards the user for providing the requesting mobile device with access to the media content.

Claims

1. A method for sharing memory resources in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a media request from a first mobile communication device, said media request including a remote storage request for media content stored at a content provider;

selecting a second mobile communication device storing and providing access to the media content responsive to the media request;

sending a media response to the first mobile communication device identifying the second mobile communication device; and

accruing a reward for a user of the second mobile communication device for providing the first mobile communication device with access to the media content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the second mobile communication device comprises selecting the second mobile communication device from a group of candidate mobile communication devices in the wireless communication system based on one or more technical features.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more technical features comprise at least one of a memory storage size, processing capability, and data rate capability.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the reward comprises at least one of a cash reward and a discount reward.

5. A media distribution system comprising:

a content provider configured to;

receive a media request from a first mobile communication device, said media request including a remote storage request for media content stored at the content provider;

select a second mobile communication device storing and providing access to the media content responsive to the media request; and

send a media response to the first mobile communication device identifying the second mobile communication device; and

an accounting unit to accrue a reward for a user of the second mobile communication device for providing the first mobile communication device with access to the media content.

6. The media distribution system of claim 5 wherein the content provider selects the second mobile communication device from a group of candidate mobile communication devices in the wireless communication system based on one or more technical features.

7. The media distribution system of claim 6 wherein the one or more technical features comprise at least one of a memory storage size, processing capability, and data rate capability.

8. The media distribution system of claim 5 wherein the reward comprises at least one of a cash reward and a discount reward.

9. A method for sharing memory resources in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

sending a media request from a first mobile communication device to a content provider, said media request including a remote storage request for media content stored at the content provider;

sending a media response from the content provider to the first mobile communication device, said media response identifying a second mobile communication device storing and providing access to the media content;

sending an access request from the first mobile communication device to the second mobile communication device;

providing the first mobile communication device with access to the media content responsive to the access request; and

accruing a reward for a user of the second mobile communication device for providing the first mobile communication device with access to the media content.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising selecting the second mobile communication device from a group of candidate mobile communication devices in the wireless communication system based on one or more technical features.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more technical features comprise at least one of a memory storage size, processing capability, and data rate capability.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the reward comprises at least one of a cash reward and a discount reward.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein providing the first mobile communication device with access to the media content comprises downloading or streaming the media content from the second mobile communication device to the first mobile communication device.

14. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first mobile communication device to transmit a media request for accessing media content, said media request including a remote storage request for the media content;

a content provider to receive said media request and to send a media response to the first mobile communication device, said media response identifying a second mobile communication device storing and providing access to the media content;

wherein the first mobile communication device is configured to access the media content via the second mobile communication device responsive to the media response; and

an accounting unit to accrue a reward for a user of the second mobile communication device for providing the first mobile communication device with access to the media content.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 14 wherein the content provider is further configured to select the second mobile communication device from a group of candidate mobile communication devices in the wireless communication system based on one or more technical features.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 15 wherein the one or more technical features comprise at least one of a memory storage size, processing capability, and data rate capability.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 14 wherein the reward comprises at least one of a cash reward and a discount reward.

18. A method for sharing memory resources in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

sending a media request to a content provider, said media request including a remote storage request for media content stored at the content provider;

receiving a media response identifying a remote mobile communication device storing and providing access to the media content; and

accessing the media content via the remote mobile communication device responsive to the media response.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein accessing the media content comprises downloading or streaming the media content from the remote mobile communication device.

20. A mobile communication device comprising a controller configured to:

send a media request to a content provider, said media request including a remote storage request for media content stored at the content provider;

receive a media response identifying a remote mobile communication device storing and providing access to the media content; and

access the media content via the remote mobile communication device responsive to the media response.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 20 wherein the controller accesses the media content by downloading or streaming the media content from the remote mobile communication device.

22. A method for sharing memory resources in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

downloading media content from a content provider to a first mobile communication device responsive to a download request initiated by a second mobile communication device;

receiving an access request from the second mobile communication device; and

providing the second mobile communication device with access to the media content responsive to the access request.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein providing the second mobile communication device with access to the media content comprises downloading or streaming the media content from the first mobile communication device to the second mobile communication device.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising controlling one or more sharing parameters based on user input, wherein providing the second mobile communication device with access to the media content comprises providing the second mobile communication device with access to the media content when one or more of the sharing parameters are satisfied.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the sharing parameters define sharing limitations based on at least one of a type of the media content, a rating of the media content, and a size of the media content.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the sharing parameters define at least one of a group of allowable requesting devices and an amount of memory allocated for store media content.

27. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

receiving a second access request from a third mobile communication device;

providing the third mobile communication device with access to the media content responsive to the second access request; and

accruing a second reward for providing the third mobile communication device with access to the media content.

28. A mobile communication device comprising a controller configured to:

download media content from a content provider to the mobile communication device responsive to a download request initiated by a remote mobile communication device;

receive an access request from the remote mobile communication device; and

provide the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content responsive to the access request.

29. The mobile communication device of claim 28 wherein the controller provides the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content by downloading or streaming the media content to the remote mobile communication device.

30. The mobile communication device of claim 28 wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more sharing parameters based on user input, wherein the controller provides the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content by providing the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content when one or more of the sharing parameters are satisfied.

31. The mobile communication device of claim 30 wherein the sharing parameters define sharing limitations based on at least one of a type of the media content, a rating of the media content, and a size of the media content.

32. The mobile communication device of claim 30 wherein the sharing parameters define at least one of a group of allowable remote communication devices and an amount of memory allocated for store media content.