Integrated content viewing and payment

• US 8,301,505 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Farouki, Karim Taji, Arcas, Blaise Hilary Aguera y
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEIKH, ASFAND M
• Application Number:
  US11/653,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,114 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A content purchaser can freely and fluidly zoom into and out of content at a continuous range of resolutions. The price for the viewed content is calculated using a price function, such as a binary price function, a discrete price function, or a continuous price function. Payment can be made automatically without interrupting the process of viewing the content. If payment cannot be made automatically, various user interfaces may be provided that are integrated with the viewing process for allowing a would-be purchaser to buy the content at any desired resolution.

Claims

1. A method for integrating content viewing with payment for viewed content, the method comprising:

offering content for viewing at a continuous range of resolutions, the continuous range of resolutions having been created utilizing adaptive rendering algorithms that allow for fluid and continuous transitions between resolutions by interpolating between stored resolutions to arrive at a desired resolution in a fluid, continuous manner;

receiving a request to view the content at the desired resolution of the continuous range of resolutions;

receiving a price function associated with the content, the price function adapted to associate the continuous range of resolutions to different prices of the content;

calculating, based on the price function, a price for the content at the desired resolution;

providing the content for viewing at the desired resolution; and

charging the price for the content at the desired resolution while the content is being viewed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to view the content is received from a client computer, and wherein the method further comprises prior to providing the content for viewing at the desired resolution:

determining whether the client computer is authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution; and

in response to determining that the client computer is authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution, providing the content for viewing at the desired resolution and charging the price for the content at the desired resolution while the content is being viewed.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the content for viewing at a resolution lower than the desired resolution in response to determining that the client computer is not authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to determining that the client computer is not authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution, providing a rendered message in place of the content at the desired resolution, the rendered message indicating that payment is required to view the content at the desired resolution and including one or more user interface controls for paying for the content at the desired resolution.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to determining that the client computer is not authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution, causing a user interface dialog box to be displayed that indicates that payment is required to view the content at the desired resolution and that includes one or more user interface controls for paying for the content at the desired resolution.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating a price for the content at the desired resolution comprises calculating a price for the content at the desired resolution using a binary price function.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating a price for the content at the desired resolution comprises calculating a price for the content at the desired resolution using a discrete price function.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating a price for the content at the desired resolution comprises calculating a price for the content at the desired resolution using a continuous price function.

9. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a signal having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

expose content at a continuous range of resolutions to a client computer, the continuous range of resolutions having been created utilizing adaptive rendering algorithms that allow for fluid and continuous transitions between resolutions by interpolating between stored resolutions to arrive at a desired resolution in a fluid, continuous manner;

receive a request for the content at the desired resolution of the continuous range of resolutions from the client computer;

receive a price function associated with the content, the price function adapted to associate the continuous range of resolutions to different prices of the content;

compute, based on the price function, a price for the content at the desired resolution using a price function;

determine whether the client computer is authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution; and

in response to determining that the client computer is authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution, provide the content to the client computer at the desired resolution and charge the price for the content.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to provide the content to the client computer at a resolution lower than the desired resolution in response to determining that the client computer is not authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

in response to determining that the client computer is not authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution, to provide a rendered message to the client computer in place of the content at the desired resolution, the rendered message indicating that payment is required to view the content at the desired resolution and including one or more user interface controls for paying for the content at the desired resolution.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

in response to determining that the client computer is not authorized to receive the content at the desired resolution, to cause a user interface dialog box to be displayed at the client computer, the user interface dialog box indicating that payment is required to view the content at the desired resolution and including one or more user interface controls for paying for the content at the desired resolution.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the price function comprises a binary price function.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the price function comprises a discrete price function.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the price function comprises a continuous price function.

16. A method for integrating content viewing with payment for viewed content, the method comprising:

exposing content at a continuous range of resolutions for viewing at a client computer, the continuous range of resolutions having been created utilizing adaptive rendering algorithms that allow for fluid and continuous transitions between resolutions by interpolating between stored resolutions to arrive at a desired resolution in a fluid, continuous manner, the continuous range of resolutions between a low resolution and a high resolution;

receiving a request to view the content at the desired resolution within the continuous range of resolutions between the low resolution and the high resolution;

determining whether an account exists that can be charged for the content at the desired resolution while the content is being viewed; and

in response to determining that an account exists that can be charged for the content at the desired resolution, responding to the request with the content at the desired resolution and charging the account for the content at the desired resolution without interrupting viewing of the content at the client computer by receiving a price function associated with the content, the price function adapted to associate the continuous range of resolutions to different prices of the content computing, based on the price function, a price for the content at the desired resolution using a price function that defines the price as a function of the desired resolution and charging the price to the account.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to determining that an account does not exist that can be charged for the desired resolution, providing the content to the client computer at a resolution lower than the desired resolution and causing a user interface control to be displayed at the client computer which, when selected, will cause a user interface to be displayed at the client computer through which payment may be made for the content at the desired resolution.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to determining that an account does not exist that can be charged for the content, providing a rendered message to the client computer in place of the content at the desired resolution, the rendered message indicating that payment is required to view the content at the desired resolution and including one or more user interface controls through which payment may be made for the content at the desired resolution.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to determining that an account does not exist that can be charged for provision of the desired resolution, causing a user interface dialog box to be displayed at the client computer, the user interface dialog box including a message indicating that payment is required to view the content at the desired resolution and further including one or more user interface controls through which payment may be made for the content at the desired resolution.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the price function comprises one of a binary price function, a discrete price function, or a continuous price function.