System and method for virtual entity access

• US 7,752,451 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chipchase, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Jung
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US10/718,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 713/183, 713/185, 434/82, 434/100, 434/99, 434/88, 434/386, 406/060.4, 340/5.9, 340/5.91, 340/5.92, 717/175, 717/169
• US Class Current: 713/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

Systems and methods applicable, for example, in allowing a user to come to possess a physical entity that allows for the receipt, use, access, and/or the like of a virtual entity (e.g., a media item, software, a service, data, and/or the like). A number of form factors for physical entities might be available. Available form factors might include, for example, images, jewelry, toys, clothing, iron-ons, straps, cards, nail treatments, temporary tattoos, stickers, figurines, and/or the like. Various attributes of a physical entity might, for example, be definable and/or selectable by a user.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating virtual entity access, comprising:

storing a storage element in a computerized vending machine;

receiving a first selection associated with an electronic item through an input interface of the computerized vending machine;

electronically receiving a second selection associated with a physical item through the input interface of the computerized vending machine, wherein the physical item includes the storage element;

storing the electronic item in the storage element of the physical item in response to the received first selection and the received second selection; and

the computerized vending machine providing the physical item, wherein the electronic item is accessible from the physical item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic item is selected from the group consisting of at least one media item, at least one software item, at least one service item, and data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic item stored in said storage element is employable in accessing a virtual entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic item includes a link pointing to a virtual entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic item is configured to be read by a user device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said virtual entity exists at a remote location.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said virtual entity exists at a user device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said virtual entity is a media item.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said virtual entity is a service.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said physical item is a temporary tattoo.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said physical item is a nail treatment.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said physical item is jewelry.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third selection of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes, wherein the physical item is provided with said cosmetic attributes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more designs.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes are definable by a user.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes are predefined.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein access restrictions are imposed for said electronic item.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payment for said physical item.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein there is a correlation between payment amount and access restrictions imposed for said electronic item.

33. The system of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more decorations.

34. The system of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more designs.

36. The system of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes are predefined.

40. The method of claim 14, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more decorations.

21. A system for facilitating virtual entity access, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first selection associated with an electronic item;

receiving a second selection associated with a physical item, wherein the physical item includes a storage element;

storing the electronic item in the storage element of the physical item in response to the received first selection and the received second selection; and

providing the physical item, wherein the electronic item is accessible from the physical item.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said electronic item is selected from the group consisting of at least one media item, at least one software item, at least one service item, and data.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic item stored in said storage element is employable in accessing a virtual entity.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic item is configured to be read by a user device.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said virtual entity exists at a remote location.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein said virtual entity exists at a user device.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein said virtual entity is a media item.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein said virtual entity is software.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein said physical item is a temporary tattoo.

31. The system of claim 21 wherein said physical item is a nail treatment.

32. The system of claim 21 wherein said physical item is jewelry.

37. The system of claim 21, wherein access restrictions are imposed for said electronic item.

41. The system of claim 21, further comprising receiving a third selection of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes, wherein the physical item is provided with said cosmetic attributes.

35. The system of claim, wherein said cosmetic attributes are definable by a user.

38. A system for facilitating virtual entity access, comprising:

an input interface;

a memory having program code stored therein;

physical entity provisioning hardware; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code, wherein said processor is further disposed in communication with said physical entity provisioning hardware;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first selection associated with an electronic item through the input interface;

receiving a second selection associated with a physical item through the input interface, wherein the physical item includes a storage element; and

storing the electronic item in the storage element of the physical item in response to the received first selection and the received second selection;

wherein the physical entity provisioning hardware provides the physical item under control of the processor, and the electronic item is accessible from the physical item.

42. The system of claim 38, further comprising receiving a third selection of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes, wherein the physical item is provided with said cosmetic attributes.

39. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium containing program code that when executed causes a computerized vending machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first selection associated with an electronic item through an input interface;

receiving a second selection associated with a physical item through the input interface, wherein the physical item includes a storage element;

storing the electronic item in the storage element of the physical item in response to the received first selection and the received second selection; and

providing the physical item, wherein the electronic item is accessible from the physical item.

43. The system of claim 39, further comprising receiving a third selection of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes, wherein the physical item is provided with said cosmetic attributes.

44. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first selection associated with an electronic item;

means for electronically receiving a second selection associated with a physical item, wherein the physical item includes a storage element;

means for storing the electronic item in the storage element of the physical item in response to the received first selection and the received second selection; and

means for providing the physical item, wherein the electronic item is accessible from the physical item.