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Apparatus and methods for inventory, sale, and delivery of digitally transferable goods

  • US 6,799,165 B1
  • Filed: 07/28/1998
  • Issued: 09/28/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of conducting a commercial transaction that includes a transfer of digitally transferable goods from a provider to a shopper through a globally accessible computer network, comprising:

  • providing in the globally accessible computer network a storage and distribution region for storage of an inventory of digitally transferable goods, the storage and distribution region including multiple provider areas assigned to corresponding multiple remotely located providers for storage of digitally transferable goods uploaded by the multiple remotely located providers;

    establishing common administrative control of uploading of digitally transferable goods from any of the multiple remotely located providers to the corresponding assigned provider area;

    establishing in response to a request by any of the multiple remotely located providers and in operative association with the common administrative control a digitally transferable goods transfer communication link within the globally accessible computer network, the goods transfer communication link providing a pathway by which the remotely located provider can upload a set of digitally transferable goods to and store the set of digitally transferable goods in the corresponding assigned provider area of the storage and distribution region;

    establishing within the globally accessible computer network a network connection to the storage and distribution system in response to a request by a shopper for product information about a member item of the set of digitally transferable goods uploaded by one or more of the multiple remotely located providers;

    causing in response to a purchase order made by the shopper a transfer of an ordered member item of the set of digitally transferable goods by downloading to the shopper the ordered member item by way of the globally accessible computer network from the storage and distribution region; and

    providing for the remotely located provider whose member item was ordered and transferred an accounting record of the transfer of the ordered member item.

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