System and Method for Pricing and Exchanging Content

• US 20110238505A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Inventors: Inaltekin, Hazer, Chiang, Mung, Poor, H. Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 10,055,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.69
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A system and method for pricing and exchanging content is provided, which includes a data plane formed by a peer-to-peer content sharing network or a central server allowing for client-server content transfers, and a control plane formed by a central server in communication with the data plane via the Internet. The data plane allows for the storage of digital content provided by users and the transfer of content therebetween, and the control plane provides a virtual market in which such content is sold between users using virtual currency that can be exchanged for real currency.

Claims

1. A method for pricing and exchanging content, comprising the steps of

allowing a seller to log into an account stored on a first network in communication with a second network;

allowing the seller to provide a description of an item of content stored on the second network;

allowing the seller to specify a desired price for the content expressed in units of virtual currency;

transmitting the description of the content to a plurality of users of the second network;

receiving at the first computer network an offer from a buyer expressed in units of virtual currency, the buyer having an account with the first network;

determining whether the offer is equal to or greater than the desired price; and

if the offer is equal to or greater than the desired price,

deducting virtual currency from the buyer'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the offer;

deducting a transaction fee from the offer to calculate a remainder;

crediting virtual currency to an operator'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the transaction fee;

crediting virtual currency to the seller'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the remainder; and

transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing the seller to exchange virtual currency in the seller'"'"'s account for real currency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing the seller to purchase content from a user of the second network using virtual currency in the seller'"'"'s account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a copyright royalty fee for the content on the second network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of crediting virtual currency to an author of the content in an amount equal to the copyright royalty fee.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting an auction for the content amongst users of the second network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the seller to sell the content in a marked price transaction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network comprises transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a peer-to-peer network interconnecting the seller and the buyer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network comprises transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a central server in the second network.

10. A method for pricing and exchanging content, comprising the steps of:

allowing a buyer to log into an account stored on a first network in communication with a second network;

allowing the buyer to provide a description of a desired item of content;

searching through the second network for matching content;

locating a matching item of content on the second network;

allowing the buyer to specify an offering price for the matching content expressed in units of virtual currency;

determining whether the offering price is equal to or greater than a desired price specified by a seller of the content, the seller having an account on the first network; and

if the offer is equal to or greater than the desired price,

deducting virtual currency from the buyer'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the offer;

deducting a transaction fee from the offer to calculate a remainder;

crediting virtual currency to an operator'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the transaction fee;

crediting virtual currency to the seller'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the remainder; and

transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of allowing the buyer to exchange virtual currency in the buyer'"'"'s account for real currency.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of determining a copyright royalty fee for the content on the second network.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of crediting virtual currency to an author of the content in an amount equal to the copyright royalty fee.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising conducting an auction for the content amongst users of the second network.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising allowing the seller to sell the content in a marked price transaction.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network comprises transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a peer-to-peer network interconnecting the seller and the buyer.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network comprises transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a central server in the second network.

24. The first network of claim 15, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of determining a copyright royalty fee for the content on the second network.

26. The first network of claim 15, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of conducting an auction for the content amongst users of the second network.

27. The first network of claim 15, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the seller to sell the content in a marked price transaction.

28. The first network of claim 15, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a peer-to-peer network interconnecting the seller and the buyer.

29. The first network of claim 15, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a central sewer in the second network.

40. The first network of claim 26, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the user to purchase content from another user of the second network using virtual currency in the user'"'"'s account.

18. A method for advertising content, comprising the steps of:

allowing an advertiser to log into an account stored on a first network in communication with a second network;

allowing the advertiser to upload an advertisement to the second network;

allowing the advertiser to purchase virtual currency in an amount equal to an advertisement fee;

allowing the advertiser to specify an advertisement access fee on the first network;

transmitting a link to the advertisement to a user of the second network, the user having an account with the first network;

allowing the user to view the advertisement; and

if the advertiser views the advertisement,

deducting virtual currency from the advertiser'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the offer;

deducting a transaction fee from the advertisement access fee to calculate a remainder;

crediting virtual currency to an operator'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the transaction fee; and

crediting virtual currency to the user'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the remainder.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of allowing the user to exchange virtual currency in the user'"'"'s account for real currency.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of allowing the user to purchase content from another user of the second network using virtual currency in the user'"'"'s account.

25. The first network of claim 18, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of crediting virtual currency to an author of the content in an amount equal to the copyright royalty fee.

21. A first network for pricing and exchanging content, the first network in communication with a second network and programmed to perform the steps of:

establishing accounts for a buyer, a seller, and an operator on the first network;

allowing the seller to provide a description of an item of content stored on the second network;

allowing the seller to specify a desired price for the content expressed in units of virtual currency;

transmitting the description of the content to a plurality of users of the second network;

receiving at the first network an offer from a buyer expressed in units of virtual currency;

determining whether the offer is equal to or greater than the desired price; and

if the offer is equal to or greater than the desired price,

deducting virtual currency from the buyer'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the offer;

deducting a transaction fee from the offer to calculate a remainder;

crediting virtual currency to the operator'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the transaction fee;

crediting virtual currency to the seller'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the remainder; and

transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network.

22. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the seller to exchange virtual currency in the seller'"'"'s account for real currency.

23. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the seller to purchase content from a user of the peer-to-peer network using virtual currency in the seller'"'"'s account.

32. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of determining a copyright royalty fee for the content on the second network.

33. The first network of claim 23, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of crediting virtual currency to an author of the content in an amount equal to the copyright royalty fee.

34. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of conducting an auction for the content amongst users of the second network.

35. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the seller to sell the content in a marked price transaction.

36. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a peer-to-peer network interconnecting the seller and the buyer.

37. The first network of claim 21, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through a central server in the second network.

30. A first network for pricing and exchanging content, the first network in communication with a second network and programmed to perform the steps of:

establishing accounts for a buyer, a seller, and an operator on the first network;

allowing the buyer to provide a description of a desired item of content;

searching through the second network for matching content;

locating a matching item of content on the second network;

allowing the buyer to specify an offering price for the matching content expressed in units of virtual currency;

determining whether the offering price is equal to or greater than a desired price specified by a seller of the content; and

if the offer is equal to or greater than the desired price,

deducting virtual currency from the buyer'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the offer;

deducting a transaction fee from the offer to calculate a remainder;

crediting virtual currency to the operator'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the transaction fee;

crediting virtual currency to the seller'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the remainder; and

transferring the content from the seller to the buyer through the second network.

31. The first network of claim 30, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the buyer to exchange virtual currency in the buyer'"'"'s account for real currency.

38. A first network for advertising content, the first network in communication with a second network and programmed to perform the steps of:

establishing accounts for an advertiser, a user, and an operator on the first network;

allowing the advertiser to upload an advertisement to the second network;

allowing the advertiser to purchase virtual currency in an amount equal to an advertisement fee;

allowing the advertiser to specify an advertisement access fee on the first network;

transmitting a link to the advertisement to a user of the second network;

allowing the user to view the advertisement; and

if the user views the advertisement,

deducting virtual currency from the advertiser'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the offer;

deducting a transaction fee from the advertisement access fee to calculate a remainder;

crediting virtual currency to the operator'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the transaction fee; and

crediting virtual currency to the user'"'"'s account in an amount equal to the remainder.

39. The first network of claim 38, wherein the first network is further programmed to perform the step of allowing the user to exchange virtual currency in the user'"'"'s account for real currency.