Intelligent delivery and acquisition of digital assets

• US 9,830,642 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Christopher B., Kelly, Sean B., Manickam, Olagappan, Alsina, Thomas, Mirrashidi, Payam, Chu, Michael Kuohao, Lafferty, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Palavecino, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US13/171,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,345 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

Improved techniques and systems for delivery and acquisition of digital assets are disclosed. The techniques and systems are especially suitable and useful for delivering digital assets (e.g., media assets) that are available for acquisition and electronic delivery from online stores to electronic devices. In accordance with one aspect, when a digital asset is acquired form an online store via an electronic device associated with a user, the digital asset can be arranged for delivery to a number of other of electronic devices also associated with the user. It will be appreciated that the digital asset can be delivered and acquired without requiring explicit user input or instruction in accordance with another aspect. Other aspects of the techniques and systems include customization of configuration and user interfaces that are provided to facilitate acquisition of digital assets in a more efficient manner.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a processor of a server device corresponding to an online store, that a first digital asset has been acquired from the online store by an acquisition device associated with a first user account;

arranging, by the processor, delivery of the first digital asset to the acquiring device by the online store;

determining, by the processor, that a second electronic device, other than the acquisition device, is associated with the first user account;

receiving, by the processor, automatic download options data for the second electronic device indicating user selected media types that should be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device;

based on the automatic download options data for the second electronic device, determining, by the processor, that the first digital asset corresponds to a media type that should be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device;

arranging, by the processor, based on the determination, delivery of the first digital asset to the second electronic device by the online store when the first digital asset corresponds to a media type that the automatic download options data indicates should be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device; and

preventing the second device from downloading the first digital asset when the first digital asset is a media type that the automatic download options data indicates should not be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the arranging delivery to the second electronic device does not require a user request after the digital asset has been acquired via the acquisition device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the arranging delivery to the second electronic device automatically delivers the first digital asset to the second electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquisition of the first digital asset comprises purchasing the first digital asset from the online store.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the arranging delivery of the first digital asset to the second electronic device comprises:

determining that a Wi-Fi connection is established between the online store and the second electronic device; and

allowing the second electronic device to download the first digital asset over the Wi-Fi connection when the automatic download options data indicates that automatic downloading of digital assets over a cellular data connection is disabled for the second electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device and the acquisition device are both registered to the first user account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the arranging delivery of the first digital asset to the second electronic device comprises:

queuing the first digital asset in a delivery queue for delivery to the second electronic device; and

sending, to the second electronic device, a push notification indicative of the first digital asset being available for download from an online repository.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the queuing the first digital asset comprises:

prioritizing contents of the delivery queue associated with the second electronic device such that digital content explicitly requested by the first user account would be delivered to the second electronic device before the first digital asset acquired via the acquisition device.

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

sending an automatic download token to the second electronic device;

receiving the token from the second electronic device; and

thereafter, facilitating download of the first digital asset to the second electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises one or more of the following:

storing automatic download data indicative of digital content to be downloaded automatically to the second electronic device;

facilitating cancellation of automatic downloads to the second electronic device; and

facilitating the removal or deletion of digital content downloaded to the second electronic device.

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

sending to the second electronic device at least one push indication indicative of availability of an automatic download option.

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

sending to the second electronic device at least one push indication indicative of availability of content for download.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the first digital asset should be delivered to the second electronic device is dependent upon at least one of:

a device number limit, available network bandwidth, a device capacity, a device capability, a user preference, or a user input provided by a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected media types include music.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected media types include electronic books.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected media types include movies.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected media types include applications.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

detect, by the computing device corresponding to an online store, that a first digital asset has been acquired from the online more by an acquisition device associated with a first user account;

arrange delivery of the first digital asset to the acquiring device by the online store;

determine that a second electronic device, other than the acquisition device, is associated with the first user account;

receive automatic download options data for the second electronic device indicating user selected media types that should be automatically downloaded to the second electronic, device;

based on the automatic download options data for the second electronic device, determine that the first digital asset corresponds to a media type that should be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device;

arrange, based on the determination, delivery of the first digital asset to the second electronic device by the online store when the first digital asset corresponds to a media type that the automatic download options data indicates should be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device; and

prevent the second device from downloading the first digital asset when the first digital asset is a media type that the automatic download options data indicates should not be automatically downloaded to the second electronic device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to arrange delivery to the second electronic device include instructions that deliver the first digital asset to the second electronic device without a user request after the digital asset has been acquired via the acquisition device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to arrange delivery to the second electronic device include instructions that automatically deliver the first digital asset to the second electronic device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to detect the acquisition of the first digital asset include instructions that cause the computing device to detect the purchase of the first digital asset from the online store.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to arrange delivery of the first digital asset to the second electronic device include instructions that cause the computing device to:

determine that a Wi-Fi connection is established between the online store and the second electronic device; and

allow the second electronic device to download the first digital asset over the Wi-Fi connection when the automatic download options data indicates that automatic downloading of digital assets over a cellular data connection is disabled for the second electronic device.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the second device and the acquisition device are both registered to the first user account.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to arrange delivery of the first digital asset to the second electronic device include instructions that cause the computing device to:

queue the first digital asset in a delivery queue for delivery to the second electronic device; and

send, to the second electronic device, a push notification indicative of the first digital asset being available for download from an online repository.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to queue the first digital asset include instructions that cause the computing device to:

prioritize content of the delivery queue associated with the second electronic device such that digital content explicitly requested by the first user account is delivered to the second electronic device before the first digital asset acquired by the acquisition device.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to:

send an automatic download token to the second electronic device;

receive the token from the second electronic device; and

thereafter, facilitate download of the first digital asset to the second electronic device.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to perform one of the following:

store automatic download data indicative of digital content to be downloaded automatically to the second electronic device;

facilitate cancellation of automatic downloads to the second electronic device; and

facilitate the removal or deletion of digital content downloaded to the second electronic device.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to:

send the second electronic device at least one push indication indicative of availability of an automatic download option.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to:

send the second electronic device at least one push indication indicative of availability of content for download.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to determine that the first digital asset should be delivered to the second electronic device is dependent upon at least one of:

a device number limit, available network bandwidth, a device capacity, a device capability, a user preference, or a user input provided by a user.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user selected media types include music.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user selected media types include electronic books.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user selected media types include movies.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user selected media types include applications.