Method and apparatus for offering digital content for sale over a communications network

• US 9,141,980 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Lindner, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Refai, Ramsey
• Application Number:
  US10/275,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,181 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/21, 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Content in digital form like pictures, music files, videos, software etc. from a plurality of content providers (110) is sold to a plurality of users (130) over a communication network like the internet. The content provider submits to a service provider (100) information about the content to be sold and the service provider provides controlled user access to the content for sale under the conditions defined by the information submitted by the content provider. Purchase data about sold items are stored and the user authentification and payment process for all content providers is carried out centrally through a payment system (120) thus offering low transaction costs.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing content from a first computer system, wherein said first computer system is associated with a content provider;

storing said content in a memory of a second computer system, wherein said second computer system is associated with a service provider;

displaying, using said second computer system, a first graphical user interface for enabling a user to select said content for purchase;

scanning said first computer system for updated content at regular intervals;

determining updated content by comparing a timestamp of a file of said content in said first computer system to a timestamp of a content file most recently moved from said first computer system to said second computer system;

overwriting said content stored in said memory of said second computer system when said updated content is determined; and

replacing said updated content in the first computer system with a dummy file, said dummy file having a file name that is the same as a file name of said updated content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing further comprises storing said content in a protected area of said memory.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing a file extension associated with said content.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a file to said first computer system, wherein said file includes a link to said content in said memory of said second computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said content is selected from a group consisting of at least one image, at least one music file, software, at least one moving picture, text information, technical advice, at least one address, medical information, legal information, and lifestyle information.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning authentication information to said content provider to enable transfer of said content from said first computer system to said second computer system.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing a website associated with said content provider to automatically identify a plurality of content files, wherein said plurality of content files includes said content.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

displaying a listing of said plurality of content files using a second graphical user interface, and

wherein said accessing said content further comprises accessing said content responsive to a selection of said content by said content provider using said second graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing information associated with said content from said content provider, wherein said information is selected from a group consisting of a price of said content, a time period associated with a sale of said content, and a description of said content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said information is selected from a group consisting of data entered into a graphical user interface, a table, and a text document.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing data associated with said purchase of said content; and

distributing revenue to said content provider based on said data.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking said content for a file which has been changed that exceeds a file size threshold.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said checking said content comprises preventing further action when a file exceeding said file size threshold is determined.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said checking said content comprises generating an error report when a file exceeding said file size threshold is determined.

37. The method of claim 2, wherein said service provider has read and write access to content in said protected area.

38. The method of claim 2, wherein said user has read access to content in said protected area and does not have write access to content in said protected area.

39. The method of claim 2, wherein said accessing further comprises:

checking said content to determine a presence of a plurality of files in said content with a same file name and different extensions;

preventing further action when said presence is detected; and

generating an error report based on said presence.

40. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

responsive to a purchase of said content using a payment system, sending a link to a user for enabling said user to access said content from said second computer system, wherein said link is provided by said payment system, and wherein said payment system has administrative rights over said memory of said second computer system.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method comprising:

accessing content from another computer system associated with a content provider;

storing said content in a memory of said computer system, wherein said computer system is associated with a service provider;

displaying, using said computer system, a first graphical user interface for enabling a user to select said content for purchase;

scanning said first computer system for updated content at regular intervals;

determining updated content by comparing a timestamp of a file of said content in said first computer system to a timestamp of a content file most recently moved from said first computer system to said second computer system;

overwriting said content stored in said memory of said second computer system when said updated content is determined; and

replacing said updated content in the first computer system with a dummy file, said dummy file having a file name that is the same as a file name of said updated content.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said storing further comprises storing said content in a protected area of said memory.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

changing a file extension associated with said content.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

providing a file to said another computer system, wherein said file includes a link to said content in said memory of said computer system.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said content is selected from a group consisting of at least one image, at least one music file, software, at least one moving picture, text information, technical advice, at least one address, medical information, legal information, and lifestyle information.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

assigning authentication information to said content provider to enable transfer of said content from said another computer system to said computer system.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

analyzing a website associated with said content provider to automatically identify a plurality of content files, wherein said plurality of content files includes said content.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises:

displaying a listing of said plurality of content files using a second graphical user interface, and

wherein said accessing said content further comprises accessing said content responsive to a selection of said content by said content provider using said second graphical user interface.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

accessing information associated with said content from said content provider, wherein said information is selected from a group consisting of a price of said content, a time period associated with a sale of said content, and a description of said content.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein said information is selected from a group consisting of data entered into a graphical user interface, a table, and a text document.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

storing data associated with said purchase of said content; and

distributing revenue to said content provider based on said data.

23. A system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein said memory comprises instructions that when executed by said system implement a method comprising:

accessing content from another system associated with a content provider;

storing said content in said memory, wherein said system is associated with a service provider;

displaying, using said system, a first graphical user interface for enabling a user to select said content for purchase;

scanning said first computer system for updated content at regular intervals;

determining updated content by comparing a timestamp of a file of said content in said first computer system to a timestamp of a content file most recently moved from said first computer system to said second computer system;

overwriting said content stored in said memory of said second computer system when said updated content is determined; and

replacing said updated content in the first computer system with a dummy file, said dummy file having a file name that is the same as a file name of said updated content.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said storing further comprises storing said content in a protected area of said memory.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises:

changing a file extension associated with said content.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises:

providing a file to said another system, wherein said file includes a link to said content in said memory of said system.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein said content is selected from a group consisting of at least one image, at least one music file, software, at least one moving picture, text information, technical advice, at least one address, medical information, legal information, and lifestyle information.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises:

assigning authentication information to said content provider to enable transfer of said content from said another system to said system.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises:

analyzing a website associated with said content provider to automatically identify a plurality of content files, wherein said plurality of content files includes said content.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said method further comprises:

displaying a listing of said plurality of content files using a second graphical user interface, and

wherein said accessing said content further comprises accessing said content responsive to a selection of said content by said content provider using said second graphical user interface.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises:

accessing information associated with said content from said content provider, wherein said information is selected from a group consisting of a price of said content, a time period associated with a sale of said content, and a description of said content.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said information is selected from a group consisting of data entered into a graphical user interface, a table, and a text document.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises:

storing data associated with said purchase of said content; and

distributing revenue to said content provider based on said data.