Subscribing to content

• US 7,542,754 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ACK Ventures Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: ACK Ventures Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Kargman, Harry B., Strickon, Joshua A., Ng, Peter S., Hill, Clayton D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US11/131,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414.1, 705 35- 41, 705/26, 705/29, 705/402, 705/403, 725/5, 725/6, 725/87, 725/97, 725/101, 725/104, 725/120, 725/126
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method includes (a) receiving periodic subscription fees from subscribers of a content subscription service, (b) updating an electronically maintained account of the subscriber to reflect an additional amount of scrip corresponding to each subscription fee, and (c) enabling the subscriber to obtain items of content in amounts and at times determined arbitrarily by the subscriber in exchange for amounts of scrip in the subscriber'"'"'s account.

Claims

1. A method comprising

maintaining an electronic account for a subscriber of a content subscription service, the electronic account indicating at any time a balance of scrip associated with respect to a subscription of the subscriber, the subscription having successive time intervals,

updating the balance by adding an amount of scrip corresponding to a subscription fee received from the subscriber with respect to each of the successive time intervals of the subscription,

enabling the subscriber to use scrip belonging to the balance to acquire items of content from a remote source, each item of content having an associated value in units of scrip,

reducing the balance by the amount of scrip used to acquire the items of content, and

carrying forward at least some of the scrip, if any, belonging to the balance from each time interval of the subscription to the next time interval of the subscription.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the subscription fee is expressed in terms of money.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the amount of scrip corresponding to the subscription fee differs based on the timing of the subscription fee or the identity of the subscriber or both.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content comprise digital content, media, or applications or combinations of them.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the amount of scrip belonging to the balance not used in exchange for items of content remains undiminished as long as the subscriber remains in good standing.

6. The method of claim 1 also including extinguishing at least part of the scrip in the subscriber'"'"'s account in connection with a termination of the subscriber'"'"'s subscription.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the amount of scrip exchanged for items of content is equal to or lower than the monetary value that would be required to buy the items of content.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the amount of scrip exchanged for items of content differs based on the identity or type of content.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the amount of scrip exchanged for items of content differs based on the time when the exchange occurs.

10. The method of claim 1 also including enabling the subscriber to add scrip to the balance by paying an additional fee.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the additional fee is paid one time.

12. The method of claim 10 in which the additional fee is in the form of an increase in the subscription fee.

13. The method of claim 1 also including enabling a subscriber to supplement scrip with money in an exchange for items of content.

14. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content comprise wall paper images or ring tones.

15. The method of claim 1 also including enabling the subscriber to add scrip to the balance upon activities of a subscriber other than monetary payment.

16. The method of claim 1 also including adding scrip to the balance based upon an action of the content subscription service.

17. The method of claim 1 in which the amount of scrip corresponding to the subscription fee received from the subscriber is based upon a promotional exchange rate.

18. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content comprise telephonic tones.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the telephonic tones are utilized in connection with call processing.

20. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content comprise goods.

21. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content comprise text, images or both.

22. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content are distributed in tangible form.

23. The method of claim 1 in which the items of content are distributed electronically.

24. A method comprising:

at a server, maintaining a content subscription service enabling the acquisition of items of content by a subscriber by;

maintaining information about the items of content available to a subscriber;

maintaining a balance of scrip associated with a subscription of a subscriber, the subscription having successive time intervals;

updating the balance by a determined amount of scrip used to acquire the items of content; and

enabling the subscriber access to the server to use scrip belonging to the balance to acquire the items of content during a time interval of the subscription, each item of content having an associated value in units of scrip, and at least some of the scrip, if any, belonging to the balance at the end of that time interval being carried over to the next time interval of the subscription.