Online purchase of digital media bundles having interactive content

• US 7,844,498 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gautier, Patrice, Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David, Wiese, Mike, Verosub, Ellis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Amee A
• Application Number:
  US11/247,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/50, 705/52
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

In one embodiment, techniques are provided for interacting with an online media store to obtain a media asset bundle, such as a digital boxset. These techniques involve, for instance, browsing for a media asset bundle that includes at least one interactive playable media asset, purchasing the media asset bundle, obtaining the media assets contained in the media asset bundle, determining if a presentation request has been made for a media asset in the media asset bundle, and presenting the requested media asset.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a media asset bundle, comprising:

(a) receiving, at a commerce server, a client request from a client device to purchase a media asset bundle, wherein the media asset bundle comprises a plurality of media assets, including at least one playable media file and at least one interactive multimedia asset, wherein the interactive multimedia asset is usable independent of playing the at least one playable media file;

(b) authorizing a payment for the request to purchase the media asset bundle at the commerce server;

(c) obtaining the media assets of the media asset bundle from a media storage device;

(d) making the media asset bundle available to the requesting client device;

(e) selecting a media asset in the media asset bundle;

(f) determining whether the media asset in the media asset bundle is interactive or non-interactive;

(g) if the media asset is determined to be interactive, playing the media asset and receiving a user interaction with the media asset being played;

(h) else, if the media asset is determined to be non-interactive, playing the media asset without any user interaction;

(i) determining whether the media asset in the media asset bundle is a non-playable file; and

(j) if the media asset is determined to be a non-playable file, viewing the non-playable file, wherein the non-playable file is viewable after purchase of the media asset bundle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-playable file is a liner note.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the viewing of the non-playable file in a non-playable media asset viewer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-playable file is selected from the group consisting of a portable document format (PDF) file, a graphics file, a multi-media file and a text file.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising presenting the non-playable file using a media management application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive media asset is an interactive multimedia presentation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the interactive multimedia presentation using a multimedia application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the multimedia application is a video application.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the multimedia application is incorporated into a media management application.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the multimedia application is spawned by a media management application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the making (d) the media asset bundle available further comprises sending the media assets of the media asset bundle to the requesting client.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sending is accomplished using a media management application.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one playable media file comprises audio files, video files or multimedia files.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one playable media file comprises songs, music videos, audio books, or interactive multimedia presentations.

15. A computer readable storage medium including at least executable computer program code readable by a machine and tangibly stored therein for obtaining a media asset bundle, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a client request to purchase a media asset bundle, wherein the media asset bundle comprises a plurality of media assets, including at least one interactive multimedia asset and at least one playable media file, wherein the interactive multimedia asset is usable independent of playing the at least one playable media file;

computer program code for authorizing a payment for the request to purchase the media asset bundle;

computer program code for obtaining the media assets of the media asset bundle;

computer program code for making the media asset bundle available to the requesting client;

computer program code for selecting a media asset in the media asset bundle;

computer program code for determining whether the media asset in the media asset bundle is interactive or non-interactive;

computer program code for if the media asset is determined to be interactive, playing the media asset and receiving a user interaction with the media asset being played;

computer program code for, if the media asset is determined to be non-interactive, playing the media asset without any user interaction;

computer program code for determining whether the media asset in the media asset bundle is a non-playable file; and

computer program code for if the media asset is determined to be a non-playable file, viewing the non-playable file, wherein the non-playable file is viewable after purchase of the media asset bundle.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the non-playable file is a liner note.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the non-playable file is viewed using a non-playable media asset viewer.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the non-playable file is a portable document format (PDF) file.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the non-playable file is a graphics file.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the non-playable file is a text file.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising:

presenting the non-playable file using a media management application.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the interactive media asset is an interactive multimedia presentation.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

computer program code for presenting the interactive multimedia presentation using a multimedia application.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the multimedia application is a video application.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the multimedia application is incorporated into a media management application.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the multimedia application is spawned by a media management application.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program code for making the media asset bundle available to the requesting client comprises:

computer program code for sending the media assets of the media asset bundle to the requesting client.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the sending is accomplished using a media management application.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the playable media file comprises audio files, video files or multimedia files.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the playable media file comprises songs, music videos, audio books, or interactive multimedia presentations.