Methods, systems, and products for providing electronic media

• US 8,489,512 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hicks, John, Zimler, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US13/249,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 705/52, 705/26, 709/231
• US Class Current: 705/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing electronic media to a customer. One method prompts a customer to license a right to electronic media. If the customer agrees to license the right, then the license is electronically stored on behalf of the customer. The licensed electronic media is communicated to the customer via a communications network.

Claims

1. A method of providing electronic media to a customer, comprising:

providing the customer a menu of electronic media;

receiving a selection of selected electronic media from the customer;

communicating from an electronic media module executing on a server the selected electronic media via a communications network;

at the electronic media module executing on the server establishing a counter that increments as the selected electronic media is communicated to the customer;

establishing a threshold value at the electronic media module executing on the server;

when the counter equals the threshold value, then pausing retrieving of the selected electronic media from the electronic media module executing on the server;

prompting the customer to license a right to the selected electronic media; and

when the customer agrees to the license, then resuming communicating of the selected electronic media from the electronic media module executing on the server.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the customer a list of electronic media to which the customer has licensed rights.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the license right is a limited right, the limited right having a condition that causes the limited right to expire.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the customer a list of electronic media to which the customer has licensed limited rights.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein prompting the customer comprises prompting the customer before the counter equals the threshold value.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein prompting the customer comprises prompting the customer after the counter equals the threshold value.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein prompting the customer comprises prompting the customer while continuing to communicate the selected electronic media.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein prompting the customer comprises prompting the customer after the counter exceeds the threshold value.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating a royalty payment for the license.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the customer a menu of electronic media comprises providing a menu of movie files available for download.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the customer a menu of electronic media comprises providing a menu of audio files available for download.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the counter is a byte counter.

13. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

providing a customer a menu of electronic media;

receiving a selection of selected electronic media from the customer;

communicating the selected electronic media via a communications network;

establishing a counter that increments as the selected electronic media is communicated to the customer;

establishing a threshold value;

when the counter equals the threshold value, then pausing communicating of the selected electronic media;

prompting the customer to license a right to the selected electronic media; and

when the customer agrees to the license, then resuming retrieving the selected electronic media.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for providing the customer a list of electronic media to which the customer has licensed rights.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the license right is a limited right, the limited right having a condition that causes the limited right to expire.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for providing the customer a list of electronic media to which the customer has licensed limited rights.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein prompting the customer comprises prompting the customer after the counter equals the threshold value.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising initiating a royalty payment for the license.

19. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the counter is a byte counter.

20. A system for providing electronic media to a customer, comprising:

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and

an electronic media module including a processor executing the computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

providing the customer a menu of electronic media;

receiving a selection of selected electronic media from the customer;

communicating the selected electronic media via a communications network;

establishing a counter that increments as the selected electronic media is communicated to the customer;

establishing a threshold value;

when the counter equals the threshold value, then pausing retrieving of the selected electronic media;

prompting the customer to license a right to the selected electronic media; and

when the customer agrees to the license, then resuming communicating of the selected electronic media.