Method of processing rental requests and returns
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of delivering rented machine readable media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:
- providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time;
delivering a machine readable media item to the subscriber in accordance with a priority specified by the subscriber to a computing system;
incrementing a count of machine readable media items out (Nout) at the computing system;
determining if Nout>
=Nmax at the computing system;
when Nout>
=Nmax, setting a timer to a predetermined delay at the computing system; and
delivering another machine readable media item to the subscriber after expiration of said predetermined delay, even if Nout>
=Nmax;
wherein a number of machine readable media items in excess of Nmax can be in the subscriber'"'"'s possession and/or in transit to/from the subscriber.
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Abstract
A delivery mechanism for distributing media items to subscribers uses a timed based benchmark, or a triggering event, in lieu of or in addition to a conventional capacity driven model. In this manner, subscribers can temporarily have access to a number of titles exceeding a quota in some instances, in order to reduce monitoring requirements, or further some promotional interest. In other instances subscribers are consulted in advance before new titles are delivered, to give them an option of selecting their choice or a choice made automatically for them by a recommender system.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of delivering rented machine readable media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:
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providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time; delivering a machine readable media item to the subscriber in accordance with a priority specified by the subscriber to a computing system; incrementing a count of machine readable media items out (Nout) at the computing system; determining if Nout>
=Nmax at the computing system;when Nout>
=Nmax, setting a timer to a predetermined delay at the computing system; anddelivering another machine readable media item to the subscriber after expiration of said predetermined delay, even if Nout>
=Nmax;wherein a number of machine readable media items in excess of Nmax can be in the subscriber'"'"'s possession and/or in transit to/from the subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of delivering rented machine readable media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:
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providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time; wherein Nmax is identified by a computing system interacting with the subscriber; delivering a machine readable media item to the subscriber in accordance with a priority specified by the subscriber to the computing system; incrementing a count of machine readable media items out (Nout) at the computing system; determining if Nout>
=Nmax at the computing system;determining if an overcapacity triggering event has occurred at the computing system; and after determining that such overcapacity triggering event has occurred, delivering another machine readable media item to the subscriber after a predetermined delay even if Nout>
=Nmax;wherein a number of machine readable media items in excess of Nmax can be in the subscriber'"'"'s possession and/or in transit to/from the subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of delivering rented machine readable media to a subscriber comprising the steps of:
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providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time; delivering a first machine readable media item to the subscriber; monitoring returns from the subscriber and a delivery capacity for the subscriber with a computing system to identify if a second machine readable media item should be sent to the subscriber; selecting at least two candidate machine readable media items with the computing system by choosing a first title identified by the subscriber in a first session with the computing system as a title to be delivered next in sequence and a second title automatically selected for the subscriber by the computing system after said first session based on preferences of the subscriber; and presenting said at least two candidate machine readable media items to the subscriber with the computing system to permit such subscriber to select which one should be delivered next in sequence; wherein the subscriber is consulted before said second machine readable media item is sent. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of delivering rented machine readable media to a subscriber of a media rental service comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscriber can have out at any moment in time from the media rental service; (b) delivering a first machine readable media item from the media rental service to the subscriber; (c) monitoring returns from the subscriber with a computing system to identify if a second machine readable media item should be sent to the subscriber based on capacity available in a subscriber delivery queue; (d) presenting said second machine readable media item to the subscriber after step (c) with the computing system to permit such subscriber to review said second machine readable before it is actually sent from the media rental service; and (e) delivering said second machine readable media item to the subscriber based on a delay of a first time period after step (c) so that said second machine readable media item is automatically shipped from the media rental service only after said first time period expires; wherein said delay is imposed by an inventory management system based at least in part on demand for said second machine readable media item. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of delivering rented machine readable media to subscribers of a media rental service comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscribers can have out at any moment in time from the media rental service; (b) identifying a demand characteristic with a computing system for a first machine readable media item requested by both a first subscriber and a second subscriber; (c) monitoring returns from the first subscriber and second subscriber with the computing system to identify if said first machine readable media item should be sent to one or both of such subscribers based on capacity available in their respective subscriber delivery queues; and (d) delivering said first machine readable media to said first subscriber based on said demand characteristic and comparing media usage behavior of said first subscriber and said second subscriber, including determining an allotment of titles received by said first subscriber and said second subscriber from the media rental service during a prior period. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification