Activation of digital products on mobile electronic devices

• US 9,390,440 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bull, William E., Wood, Policarpo
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US12/167,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,932 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for distribution of digital products to portable electronic devices are disclosed. Digital products, such as digital assets or digital gifts, can be a purchased from a centralized location and associated with particular ones of the portable electronic devices. In one embodiment, the digital product is a digital asset (e.g., digital media asset) that is pre-stored to a portable electronic device, and after the digital asset is purchased, the digital asset can be activated on the portable electronic device. In another embodiment, the digital product is a digital gift that can be associated with a portable electronic device or a user account for a user of the portable electronic device. Optionally, a personalized message can be provided and associated with a portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for activating digital assets pre-stored on a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of two or more digital assets pre-stored on a portable electronic device that are to be purchased, where the two or more digital assets are in a locked state and are unusable on the portable device;

receiving a selection to unlock two or more of the two or more digital assets pre-stored on the portable electronic device;

processing a purchase of the portable electronic device and the selected two or more pre-stored digital assets;

initiating transmission of activation information of the selected two or more pre-stored digital assets to a remote activation manager, where the activation information includes asset identifiers for the selected two or more pre-stored digital assets; and

receiving an activation code, where the activation code unlocks the selected two or more digital assets pre-stored on the portable electronic device so that the selected two or more digital assets are usable in an unlocked state without the need of using the activation code for subsequent uses on the portable electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation information comprises a device identifier for the portable electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by an online store from which the portable electronic device and the two or more pre-stored digital assets are being purchased.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed at a retail location offering the portable electronic device and the two or more pre-stored digital assets for purchase.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more pre-stored digital assets being purchased are digital media assets that can be presented by the portable electronic device after being purchased.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a personalization message for the portable electronic device;

storing the personalization message to defer delivery of the personalization message until the purchase of the portable electronic device; and

delivering the personalization message to the portable electronic after the processing of the purchase of the portable electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the personalization message being received was formed by entering text and/or by recording an audio and/or video message.

8. A digital asset purchase and activation system for portable electronic devices, comprising:

a store configured to operatively connect to a network, the store offering for purchase (i) portable electronic devices having two or more pre-stored inactive digital assets stored thereon, and (ii) the two or more pre-stored inactive digital assets stored on the portable electronic devices;

where the store is further configured to receive a selection of two or more of the two or more pre-stored inactive digital assets; and

an activation manager configured to operatively connect to the network, the activation manager configured to (i) manage activation of certain pre-stored digital assets that have been purchased;

(ii) receive activation information for a received selection of two or more of the two or more pre-stored inactive digital assets;

(iii) receive a portable electronic device information;

(iv) determine whether to provide an activation code based on the received activation information and the portable electronic device information; and

(v) based on the determination transmit the activation code to activate the selected two or more of the two or more pre-stored inactive digital assets.

9. The digital asset purchase and activation system of claim 8, wherein the store is configured to (i) receive an indication of two or more digital assets pre-stored on a portable electronic device that are to be purchased, (ii) process the purchase of the portable electronic device and the two or more pre-stored digital assets;

and (iii) initiate transmission of activation information to the activation manager.

10. The digital asset purchase and activation system of claim 8, wherein the store is an online store.

11. The digital asset purchase and activation system of claim 8, wherein the store is a retail store.

12. A method for activating a digital asset pre-stored on a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

retrieving a device identifier from the portable electronic device by a host computer, where the act of retrieving is performed while the portable electronic device is connected to the host computer;

sending the device identifier to a remote activation manager;

determining whether an activation code is received by the host computer from the remote activation manager in response to the sending of the device identifier to the remote activation manager, the activation manager configured to activate the two or more inactive digital assets pre-stored on the portable electronic device; and

activating the two or more inactive digital assets that are pre-stored on the portable electronic device in accordance with the received activation code;

wherein the activation code is at least configured to allow the activated two or more inactive digital assets to be useable without the need of using the activation code for later uses.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the two or more digital assets comprise two or more digital media assets.

14. A method for activating one or more digital assets pre-stored on a first client device, the method comprising:

receiving identifiers of one or more pre-stored digital assets in an unusable form on the first client device;

receiving a device identifier for the first client device;

sending the identifiers of the one or more pre-stored digital assets and the device identifier to a network device;

receiving from the network device an activation code;

determining whether the activation code received from the network device is based on the sent identifiers and the device identifier; and

based on the determination, either activating the one or more pre-stored digital assets or de-activating the one or more pre-stored digital assets on the first client device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a personalization message for the first client device; and

delivering the personalization message to the first client device when the one or more pre-stored digital assets has been activated.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the first client device is connected to a second client device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising based on the determination, identifying whether the first client device has the one or more pre-stored digital assets stored on the first client device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising based on the identification, requesting identifiers for the one or more pre-stored digital assets stored on the first client device.

19. An apparatus for activating one or more digital assets pre-stored on a client device, the apparatus comprising:

a storage apparatus;

at least one interface configured to communicate with a network device;

at least one processor, the processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, the computer program stored at the storage apparatus and comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

determine whether a client device is connected;

receive a unique client device identifier for one or more pre-stored digital assets in an unusable form on the client device;

transmit the unique client device identifier for the one or more pre-stored digital assets to the network device, the unique client device identifier comprising at least digital asset identifiers for the one or more pre-stored digital assets and the client device;

receive from the network device an activation code;

determine whether the activation code received from the network device is based on the sent unique client identifier; and

based on the determination, either activate or de-activate the one or more pre-stored digital assets on the client device;

wherein the activation of the one or more pre-stored digital assets on the client device allows the one or more pre-stored digital assets to be used for following uses without a use of the activation code.