Method and apparatus for conducting e-commerce on a mobile handset

• US 9,454,783 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ho, Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US11/490,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,721 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705 51- 59, 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A method and apparatus for system and method that enables e-commerce on a mobile handset device is provided.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating activity on a mobile handset without disrupting an application that is run on the mobile handset, the method comprising:

receiving, by the mobile handset from a server computer, streaming content and associated metadata on said mobile handset, wherein said metadata comprises data associated with a product related to said content and data for generating a user-selectable option to purchase said product;

receiving, by the mobile handset from said server computer, a customized user interface generated by said server computer based on user customization information comprising personalized recommendations, the personalized recommendations being determined from user behavior information collected by said server computer;

running, by the mobile handset, an application on said mobile handset to render said content;

generating, by the mobile handset, said user-selectable option on said user interface to be displayed on said mobile handset, the generating said user-selectable option being based on the metadata; and

responsive to detecting, by the mobile handset, selection of said user-selectable option, initiating, by the mobile handset, purchase of said product without terminating said application rendering said content,

wherein the initiating comprises;

communicating, by the mobile handset, to the server computer an indication of the user-selectable option being selected;

transmitting, by the server computer, a request for said product to a third-party server through an Internet network, the third-party server configured to sell the product related to the content, and

providing, by the server computer, said product, received from said third-party server, to said mobile handset, without launching a website of said third-party server on said mobile handset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said content is audio content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said product is a ringtone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said product is music-related.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said content is video content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said product is a ringtone.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said product is a video DVD.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said product is a video-on-demand product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said user-selectable option is one of a button, a menu item and a link, configurable to launch an e-commerce application to initiate purchase of said product.

10. A method for facilitating activity on a mobile handset without disrupting an application that is run on the mobile handset, the method comprising:

streaming, by a mobile handset service unit comprising a server computer, content and associated metadata to a mobile handset, wherein said metadata comprises an identifier for a product related to said content and data for generating a user-selectable option to purchase said product;

generating, by said mobile handset service unit, a customized user interface to be rendered by an application on said mobile handset, wherein said customized user interface is generated based on user customization information comprising personalized recommendations, the personalized recommendations being determined from user behavior information collected by said mobile handset service unit, and wherein said user-selectable option on said user interface is generated by the mobile handset to be displayed on said mobile handset, the generating said user-selectable option being based on the metadata;

receiving, by said mobile handset service unit, a signal from said mobile handset indicating selection of said user-selectable option; and

communicating, by said mobile handset service unit to and/or from a seller'"'"'s computing device configured to sell said product to enable purchase of said product without terminating said application,

wherein the communicating comprises;

transmitting a request for said product to a third-party server through an Internet network, the third-party server configured to sell the product related to the content, and

providing said product, received from said third-party server, to said mobile handset, without launching a website of said third-party server on said mobile handset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said content is audio content.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said product is a ringtone.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said product is music-related.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said content is video content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said product is a ringtone.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said product is a video DVD.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said product is a video-on-demand product.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

billing, by a system associated with said mobile handset service unit, said user of said mobile handset directly for said purchase of said product;

wherein said user-selectable option is one of a button, a menu item and a link, configurable to launch an e-commerce application to initiate purchase of said product.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending transaction information to said seller'"'"'s computing device for billing said user of said mobile handset for said purchase of said product;

wherein said user-selectable option is one of a button, a menu item and a link, configurable to launch an e-commerce application to initiate purchase of said product.

20. A system for facilitating activity on a mobile handset without disrupting an application that is run on the mobile handset, the system comprising:

a server computer; and

a mobile handset comprising;

circuitry configured to receive, from a server computer, streaming content and associated metadata, wherein said metadata comprises an identifier for a product related to said content and data for generating a user-selectable option to purchase said product;

circuitry configured to receive, from said server computer, a customized user interface generated by the server computer based on user customization information comprising personalized recommendations, the personalized recommendations being determined from user behavior information collected by said server computer;

a processor configured to execute an application on said mobile handset to render said content;

circuitry configured to generate said user-selectable option on said user interface to be displayed on said mobile handset, wherein said user-selectable option is generated based on the metadata; and

circuitry configured to initiate, responsive to detecting selection of said user-selectable option, purchase of said product without terminating said application rendering said content,

wherein the mobile handset is configured to, without launching a website on the mobile handset;

communicate to the server computer an indication of the user-selectable option being selected; and

receive, from the server computer, the product, wherein the product is sold by a third-party server, and

the server computer configured to;

transmit a request for said product to said third-party server through an Internet network; and

provide said product, received from said third-party server, to said mobile handset, without launching a website of said third-party server on said mobile handset.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said content is audio content.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said content is video content.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said product is a ringtone.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said product is music-related.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said product is a ringtone.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein said product is a video DVD.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein said product is a video-on-demand product.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein:

said user-selectable option is one of a button, a menu item and a link, configurable to launch an e-commerce application to initiate purchase of said product.