Reward-based access to media content

• US 8,583,164 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marcinkiewicz, Walter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zewdu, Meless
• Application Number:
  US11/776,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20090017750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,315 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.03, 455/41.2, 455/403, 455405-406, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/418, 455/500, 455/550.1, 455/514, 455517-518, 455/520, 455/556.2, 455/566, 705 141- 1413, 705/14.19, 705/14.23, 705/14.49, 705/14.64, 705 1469- 147
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1082 involving incentive schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

The present invention provides a reward-based process where sharing mobile devices receive a reward for sharing access to media content with one or more requesting mobile devices. A requesting mobile device asks the wireless communication system for access to media content via a sharing mobile device. A content provider identifies a sharing mobile device with the desired media content to the requesting mobile device. Subsequently, the requesting mobile device requests and receives access to the desired media content via the sharing mobile device. An accounting unit associated with the content provider accrues a reward for a user of the sharing mobile device that rewards the user for providing the requesting mobile device with access to the media content.

Claims

1. A method for sharing memory resources between a requesting mobile communication device and a sharing mobile communication device in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, at the sharing mobile communication device, a download request for media content from the requesting mobile communication device;

downloading the requested media content from a content provider to the sharing mobile communication device responsive to the content provider receiving a download request for the media content from the requesting mobile communication device;

receiving, at the sharing mobile communication device, an access request to access the downloaded media content from the requesting mobile communication device;

providing the requesting mobile communication device with access to the downloaded media content responsive to the access request; and

receiving, at the sharing mobile communication device, a reward from the content provider for providing the requesting mobile communication device with the access to the downloaded media content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the requesting mobile communication device with access to the media content comprises downloading or streaming the media content from the sharing mobile communication device to the requesting mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling one or more sharing parameters based on user input, wherein providing the requesting mobile communication device with access to the media content comprises providing the requesting mobile communication device with access to the media content when the one or more of the sharing parameters are satisfied.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sharing parameters define sharing limitations based on at least one of a type of the media content, a rating of the media content, and a size of the media content.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the sharing parameters define at least one of a group of allowable requesting devices and an amount of memory allocated for storing the media content.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second access request from a third mobile communication device;

providing the third mobile communication device with access to the media content responsive to the second access request; and

accruing a reward for providing the third mobile communication device with access to the media content.

7. A mobile communication device comprising:

a memory; and

a controller configured to;

download media content from a content provider to the memory of the mobile communication device responsive to the content provider receiving a download request from the a remote mobile communication device;

receive, at the mobile communication device, an access request from the remote mobile communication device to access the downloaded media content;

provide the remote mobile communication device with access to the downloaded media content responsive to the access request; and

receive, at the mobile communication device, a reward from the content provider for providing the remote mobile communication device with the access to the downloaded media content.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7 wherein the controller provides the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content by downloading or streaming the media content to the remote mobile communication device.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more sharing parameters based on user input, wherein the controller provides the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content by providing the remote mobile communication device with access to the media content when the one or more of the sharing parameters are satisfied.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9 wherein the sharing parameters define sharing limitations based on at least one of a type of the media content, a rating of the media content, and a size of the media content.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 9 wherein the sharing parameters define at least one of a group of allowable remote communication devices and an amount of the memory allocated for storing the media content.