Device, system, and method of collaborative distribution of digital merchandise

• US 20090248535A1
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vortman, Pnina, Gilat, Dagan, Wasserkrug, Segev Eliezer, Fisher, Amit, Shachor, Gal
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,175 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 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Device, system, and method of collaborative distribution of digital merchandise. For example, an apparatus for collaborative distribution of Digital Merchandise Items (DMIs) includes: a first computing device having an agent module to receive a command of a first user to purchase a DMI from a second user, to provide information to process a first electronic payment from the first user to the second user, to receive the DMI from a second computing device of the second user, to receive a confirmation that a second electronic payment was made from a third user to the first user, to transfer a copy of the DMI from the first computing device to a third computing device of the third user, to calculate a first portion of the second electronic payment to be maintained by the first user, to calculate a second portion of the second electronic payment to be transferred to the second user, and to provide information to process an electronic payment of the second portion from the first user to the second user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collaborative distribution of Digital Merchandise Items (DMIs), the apparatus comprising:

a first computing device having an agent module to receive a command of a first user to purchase a DMI from a second user, to provide information to process a first electronic payment from the first user to the second user, to receive the DMI from a second computing device of the second user, to receive a confirmation that a second electronic payment was made from a third user to the first user, to transfer a copy of the DMI from the first computing device to a third computing device of the third user, to calculate a first portion of the second electronic payment to be maintained by the first user, to calculate a second portion of the second electronic payment to be transferred to the second user, and to provide information to process an electronic payment of the second portion from the first user to the second user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agent module is to autonomously calculate the first and second portions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agent module is to calculate the first and second portions independently of another computing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agent module is to calculate the first and second portions based on payment policy information stored locally in the first computing device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the agent module is to receive the payment policy information from the second computing device in conjunction with receipt of the DMI from the second computing device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the agent module is to transfer a copy of the payment policy information to the third computing device in conjunction with transfer of the copy of the DMI from the first computing device to the third computing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agent module comprises:

a DMI rating module to store DMI rating information entered by one or more users and associated with the DMI; and

to transfer to another computing device at least a portion of the DMI rating information.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agent module comprises:

a user rating module to store user rating information entered by one or more users of one or more computing devices, the user rating information relating to one or more previous DMI transactions performed by a user of the apparatus; and

to transfer to another computing device at least a portion of the user rating information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agent module comprises:

a DMI preview module to receive from the third computing device a request to preview the DMI, and to transfer to the third computing device a preview version of the DMI.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DMI comprises a DMI selected from the group consisting of:

a digital audio file, a digital video file, a digital audio/video file, a digital photograph, a digital image, a data file, an electronic book, and a software application.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first computing device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of:

a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a Personal Digital Assistant, a cellular phone, a handheld device, a portable audio player, a portable video player, a portable audio/video player, a portable media player, an Ultra Mobile Device, an Ultra Mobile Personal Computer, and a Mobile Internet Device.

12. A method of collaborative distribution of Digital Merchandise Items (DMIs), the method comprising:

receiving in a first computing device a command of a first user to purchase a DMI from a second user;

providing information to process a first electronic payment from the first user to the second user;

receiving the DMI from a second computing device of the second user;

receiving a confirmation that a second electronic payment was made from a third user to the first user;

transferring a copy of the DMI from the first computing device to a third computing device of the third user;

calculating a first portion of the second electronic payment to be maintained by the first user;

calculating a second portion of the second electronic payment to be transferred to the second user; and

providing information to process an electronic payment of the second portion from the first user to the second user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein calculating the second portion comprises:

calculating the second portion in the first computing device independently of another computing device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein calculating the second portion comprises:

calculating the second portion based on payment policy information stored locally in the first computing device.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

receiving the payment policy information from the second computing device in conjunction with receipt of the DMI from the second computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

transferring a copy of the payment policy information from the first computing device to the third computing device in conjunction with transfer of the copy of the DMI from the first computing device to the third computing device.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising:

storing DMI rating information entered by one or more users and associated with the DMI; and

transferring to another computing device at least a portion of the DMI rating information.

18. The method of claim 12, comprising:

receiving from the third computing device a request to preview the DMI; and

transferring to the third computing device a preview version of the DMI.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the DMI comprises a DMI selected from the group consisting of:

a digital audio file, a digital video file, a digital audio/video file, a digital photograph, a digital image, a data file, an electronic book, and a software application.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving in a first computing device a command of a first user to purchase a DMI from a second user;

providing information to process a first electronic payment from the first user to the second user;

receiving the DMI from a second computing device of the second user;

receiving a confirmation that a second electronic payment was made from a third user to the first user;

transferring a copy of the DMI from the first computing device to a third computing device of the third user;

calculating a first portion of the second electronic payment to be maintained by the first user;

calculating a second portion of the second electronic payment to be transferred to the second user; and

providing information to process an electronic payment of the second portion from the first user to the second user.