Connecting devices to a media sharing service

• US 8,145,532 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, David, Plastina, Daniel, Haveson, Ryan Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Will
• Application Number:
  US11/549,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 272, 705 51- 59, 370/351, 370400-401
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Sharing media content between entities. A computing device detects and connects to another computing device within a predefined proximity. Media content items and associated metadata are selected and exchanged between the connected computing devices. A subsequent purchase opportunity is provided to the users to purchase the exchanged media content items.

Claims

1. A media content purchasing system comprising:

a memory area associated with a media service, said memory area storing a plurality of media content items and associated metadata;

a media server communicating with the media service via a data communications network, said media server being remote from the media service and the memory area of the media service;

a portable computing device associated with a user; and

a processor associated with the portable computing device, said processor being configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

establishing a connection to the media server when the media server and the portable computing device are within a predefined physical proximity;

authenticating the media server via the established connection;

authenticating the user to the authenticated media server via the established connection;

transmitting digital content distribution criteria to the authenticated media server via the established connection;

receiving, responsive to transmission of the digital content distribution criteria, promotional copies of one or more of the media content items and associated metadata from the memory area via the media service, said one or more of the media content items being identified by the media service based on the transmitted digital content distribution criteria;

purchasing, when the portable computing device is outside the predefined physical proximity, at least one of the one or more media content items from the memory area via the media service, said purchasing occurring via the metadata associated with said at least one of the one or more of the received promotional copies of the media content items;

associating a digital rights management policy including an expiration date with the purchased media content item;

transmitting the purchased media content item with the associated digital rights management policy associated therewith to the portable computing device for storage thereon; and

deleting the transmitted media content item from the portable computing device after the expiration date.

2. The media content purchasing system of claim 1, further comprising means for providing the purchase opportunity.

3. The media content purchasing system of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device comprises one or more of the following:

a mobile telephone, a personal data assistant, a portable digital media player, a laptop, and a personal computer.

4. The media content purchasing system of claim 1, wherein said purchasing includes transmitting, to the media service, metadata for the at least one of the one or more of the received promotional copied of the media content items being purchased and an identifier identifying the operator of the media server.

5. The media content purchasing system of claim 4, wherein the operator of the media server is rewarded by the media service responsive to the purchase by the user of the one or more of the transmitted media content items.

6. The media content purchasing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for synchronizing the received metadata with another computing device, wherein the user purchases one or more of the transmitted media content items via the synchronized metadata on the other computing device.

7. The media content purchasing system of claim 1, wherein the received promotional copies include one or more advertisements from the operator.

8. The method of claim 1, said establishing of the connection to the media server occurring without user input.

9. A method of purchasing media content comprising:

establishing, by a portable computing device, a connection to a media server when the media server and the portable computing device are within a predefined proximity, said media server communicating with a media service via a data communications network, said media server being remote from the media service and a memory area associated with the media service;

authenticating, by the portable computing device, the media server via the established connection;

transmitting, by the portable computing device, digital content distribution criteria to the authenticated media server via the established connection;

receiving, by the portable computing device, responsive to the transmission of the digital content distribution criteria, promotional copies of one or more of the media content items and associated metadata from the memory area via the media service, said one or more of the media content items being identified by the media server based on the transmitted digital content distribution criteria;

purchasing, by the portable device when the portable computing device is outside the predefined proximity, at least one of the one or more media content items selected by the user from the memory area via the media service, said purchasing occurring via the metadata associated with said at least one of the one or more of the received promotional copied of the media content items;

associating a digital rights management policy with the purchased media content item;

transmitting the purchased media content item with the associated digital rights management policy associated therewith to the portable computing device for storage thereon; and

restricting operations on the transmitted media content item by the portable computing device after an expiration date in accordance with the digital rights management policy, wherein restricting operations includes deleting the transmitted media content item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable computing device comprises one or more of the following:

a mobile telephone, a personal data assistant, a portable digital media player, a laptop, and a personal computer.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising authenticating the user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the received promotional copies include one or more advertisements from the operator.

13. The method of claim 9, said establishing of the connection to the media server occurring without user input.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for:

establishing, by a portable computing device, a connection to a media server when the media server and the portable computing device are within a predefined proximity, said media server communicating with a media service via a data communications network, said media server being remote from the media service and a memory area associated with the media service;

authenticating, by the portable computing device, the media server via the established connection;

transmitting, by the portable computing device, digital content distribution criteria to the authenticated media server via the established connection;

receiving, by the portable computing device, responsive to the transmission of the digital content distribution criteria, promotional copies of one or more of the media content items and associated metadata from the memory area via the media service, said one or more of the media content items being identified by the media server based on the transmitted digital content distribution criteria;

purchasing, by the portable device when the portable computing device is outside the predefined proximity, at least one of the one or more media content items selected by the user from the memory area via the media service, said purchasing occurring via the metadata associated with said at least one of the one or more of the received promotional copied of the media content items;

associating a digital rights management policy with the purchased media content items;

transmitting the purchased media content items with the associated digital rights management policy associated therewith to the to the portable computing device for storage thereon; and

deleting the transmitted media content items from the portable computing device after an expiration date in accordance with the digital rights management policy, wherein the metadata associated with the deleted media content items is not deleted from the portable computing device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, said establishing of the connection to the media server occurring without user input.