On-Device Offline Purchases Using Credits

• US 20130166442A1
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Nakajima, Taido, Mincey, Tyler, Lin, Gloria, Darragh, Joey
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated

Abstract

This is directed to providing offline purchasing of media items using an electronic device. One or more media items that are not part of a user'"'"'s media library can be stored on an electronic device. When a user later wishes to play back one of the media items, but the device cannot connect to a communications network to provide payment information for purchasing the media items, the electronic device can use pre-paid credits that were purchased and stored by the device when a communications network was available to complete the purchase. By using pre-paid credits, the media store can be assured that the user has sufficient funds for the media item purchase.

Claims

1. A system for transferring credit to an electronic device for offline transactions, comprising:

an electronic device comprising communications circuitry and control circuitry, the control circuitry operative to;

direct the communications circuitry to purchase credits from a payment processing module operative to change a payment amount to a user'"'"'s account while communications between the electronic device and the payment processing module are available, wherein the credits are locally stored on the device;

store at least one media item provided by a media store, wherein access to the media item is restricted until a fee is paid;

receive a request to purchase access to the at least one media item;

deduct the fee from the locally stored credits in response to receiving the request to purchase access to the at least one media item while the electronic device is offline; and

remove the access restriction in response to deducting the fee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

determine that the amount of locally stored credits is less than the fee; and

prevent the removal of the access restriction of the at least one media item.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the access restrictions comprise at least one of:

the playback duration of the at least one media item;

the number of times the at least one media item can be played back;

the playback quality of the at least one media item; and

transfers of the at least one media item to other devices.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a payment processing module operative to;

receive payment information from an electronic device, wherein the payment information identifies an account of a user of the electronic device; and

transfer money from the account of the user of the electronic device to an account of the media store in exchange for credits from the media store.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a host device comprising storage and a communications port, the storage storing media items of a media library; and

wherein the control circuitry is further operative to;

detect that the electronic device is connected to the communications port of the host device; and

transfer the at least one media item to the host device for inclusion in the media library.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the host device is operative to:

connect to the payment processing module to purchase credits; and

transfer at least some of the purchased credits to the electronic device via the communications port.

7. A method for purchasing credits for use in offline media transactions, comprising:

storing at least one media item not already part of a user'"'"'s media library on an electronic device, wherein access to the at least one media item is restricted by a media store;

storing purchased credits on the electronic device, wherein the credits are purchased while communications between the electronic device and the payment processing module are available;

receiving a request to add the at least one media item to the user'"'"'s media library;

determining that no suitable communications path with the media store is available; and

deducting, from the stored purchased credits, a cost of the at least one media item in response to determining that no suitable communications path with the media store is available.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that a suitable communications path with the media store is available; and

directing the media store to charge the cost of the at least one media item to an account of the user.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the at least one media item from a host device, wherein the at least one media item is recommended based on preferences of the user.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that credits are stored by a host device having a suitable communications path with the media store; and

directing the host device to transfer the purchased credits to the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that a suitable communications path with the media store is available;

determining that the amount of stored purchased credits is less than a minimum threshold; and

purchasing additional credits from the media store to reach at least the minimum threshold via the communications path.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

a medium configured to store computer-readable instructions thereon; and

the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processing device cause the processing device to perform a method, comprising;

storing at least one media item not already part of a user'"'"'s media library on an electronic device, wherein access to the at least one media item is restricted by a media store;

storing purchased credits on the electronic device, wherein the credits are purchased while communications between the electronic device and the payment processing module are available;

receiving a request to add the at least one media item to the user'"'"'s media library;

determining that no suitable communications path with the media store is available; and

deducting, from the stored purchased credits, a cost of the at least one media item in response to determining that no suitable communications path with the media store is available.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions further causing the processing device to perform the steps of:

determining that a suitable communications path with the media store is available; and

directing the media store to charge the cost of the at least one media item to an account of the user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions further causing the processing device to perform the steps of:

receiving the at least one media item from a host device, wherein the at least one media item is recommended based on preferences of the user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions further causing the processing device to perform the steps of:

determining that credits are stored by a host device having a suitable communications path with the media store; and

directing the host device to transfer the purchased credits to the electronic device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions further causing the processing device to perform the steps of:

determining that a suitable communications path with the media store is available;

determining that the amount of stored purchased credits is less than a minimum threshold; and

purchasing additional credits from the media store to reach at least the minimum threshold via the communications path.