System and method for the distribution of software products

• US 9,892,395 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Wright, Andrew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fadok, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US14/808,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• 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 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for selling software products over a network. The system includes a server computer with access to software products. The system is configured to allow a user to purchase a subscription for the periodic acquisition of selected software products. In one embodiment, as part of the subscription, the user pays an amount during selected billing intervals. In return, the system issues to the user a number of credits for downloading at no additional charge at least one of the software products during a credit interval, which may be equal in length to the billing interval. In one embodiment, the system debits a number of credits in response to fulfilling a user'"'"'s purchase request. The system may be also configured to deduct credits that are not used within selected credit intervals.

Claims

1. Non-transitory program storage storing program instructions for use by a server that in operation is capable of communicating with a handheld client via at least one network that includes an Internet network, the instructions when executed by the server resulting in performance of operations comprising:

providing, at least in part, to the client, via the at least one network, at least one service requested, at least in part, via a user interface that the client is capable of presenting in operation of the client, the at least one service being capable of being associated, at least in part, with a subscription, the subscription being capable of being associated with;

a subscriber-selectable subscription plan associated with a recurring subscription payment and a number of credits permitting an associated number of audio books to be purchased, the number of credits to be credited at a certain time interval, the subscriber-selectable subscription plan being one of a plurality of available subscription plans, the available subscription plans being associated with respective numbers of credits and respective subscription plan payments;

relatively reduced price audio book purchase, the relatively reduced price audio book purchase being relative to relatively higher price audio book purchase that is available for a non-subscriber;

the at least one service being capable of including;

name-based audio book searching for at least one certain audio book that satisfies at least one user selectable name and is capable of being purchased via the server; and

/or

downloading, at least in part, to the client, of audio book data associated with a purchased audio book;

wherein;

the client comprises client software to be executed by the client, the client software, when executed by the client, resulting in the client being capable of downloading subscription-related client application-related instructions via the at least one network;

after an upgraded version of the client application-related instructions becomes available, the client is capable, when the client is in the operation, of receiving an automatic download of the upgraded version of the client application-related instructions from the server;

the user interface is capable of presenting, when the client is in the operation, at least one user selectable area and at least one other user selectable area, the at least one user selectable area being to request application of at least one credit for use in at least one audio book purchase, the at least one other user selectable area being to request the relatively reduced price audio book purchase;

after a user associated with the client becomes associated with another client, the client application-related instructions are to be permitted by the server to be downloaded again to the another client via the at least one network;

the user interface is also capable of presenting, when the client is in the operation, user selectable icons and user selectable items associated, at least in part, with downloadable audio book products;

the user selectable icons include top audio book icons, new audio book icons, featured audio book icons, online purchase-related icons, and audio book evaluation version-related icons;

the user selectable items include at least one free product item, at least one audio book-related channel item, and at least one audio book-related online community-related item;

the server is to maintain a subscription database that includes billing information provided to the server from the client, and the server is to update the subscription database to reflect purchase of the at least one audiobook purchase.

2. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the subscription is associated, at least in part, with at least one user account whose creation is capable of being requested, at least in part, remotely from the server, via an Internet browser.

3. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one service also is capable of including category and subcategory-based audio book searching.

4. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the subscription comprises a trial subscription.

5. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one service also is also capable of including provision of other audio data to permit user evaluation of whether to purchase another audio book associated with the other audio data.

6. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the client comprises a touch screen to receive user input in response to user prompts.

7. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one network comprises local area network.

15. The program storage of claim 1, wherein:

the searching is also based, at least in part, upon category and/or subcategory.

8. A server capable of communicating with a handheld client via at least one network that includes an Internet network, the server comprising:

program storage storing program instructions;

a processor capable of executing the program instructions, the program instructions when executed resulting in the server providing, at least in part, to the client, via the at least one network, at least one service requested, at least in part, via a user interface that the client is capable of presenting in operation of the client, the at least one service being capable of being associated, at least in part, with a subscription, the subscription being capable of being associated with;

a subscriber-selectable subscription plan associated with a recurring subscription payment and a number of credits permitting an associated number of audio books to be purchased, the number of credits to be credited at a certain time interval, the subscriber-selectable subscription plan being one of a plurality of available subscription plans, the available subscription plans being associated with respective numbers of credits and respective subscription plan payments;

relatively reduced price audio book purchase, the relatively reduced price audio book purchase being relative to relatively higher price audio book purchase that is available for a non-subscriber;

the at least one service being capable of including;

name-based audio book searching for at least one certain audio book that satisfies at least one user selectable name and is capable of being purchased via the server; and

/or

downloading, at least in part, to the client, of audio book data associated with a purchased audio book;

wherein;

the client comprises client software to be executed by the client, the client software, when executed by the client, resulting in the client being capable of downloading subscription-related client application-related instructions via the at least one network;

after an upgraded version of the client application-related instructions becomes available, the client is capable, when the client is in the operation, of receiving an automatic download of the upgraded version of the client application-related instructions from the server;

the user interface is capable of presenting, when the client is in the operation, at least one user selectable area and at least one other user selectable area, the at least one user selectable area being to request application of at least one credit for use in at least one audio book purchase, the at least one other user selectable area being to request the relatively reduced price audio book purchase;

after a user associated with the client becomes associated with another client, the client application-related instructions are to be permitted by the server to be downloaded again to the another client via the at least one network;

the user interface is also capable of presenting, when the client is in the operation, user selectable icons and user selectable items associated, at least in part, with downloadable audio book products;

the user selectable icons include top audio book icons, new audio book icons, featured audio book icons, online purchase-related icons, and audio book evaluation version-related icons;

the user selectable items include at least one free product item, at least one audio book-related channel item, and at least one audio book-related online community-related item;

the server is to maintain a subscription database that includes billing information provided to the server from the client, and the server is to update the subscription database to reflect purchase of the at least one audiobook purchase.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the subscription is associated, at least in part, with at least one user account whose creation is capable of being requested, at least in part, remotely from the server, via an Internet browser.

10. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one service also is capable of including category and subcategory-based audio book searching.

11. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the subscription comprises a trial subscription.

12. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one service also is also capable of including provision of other audio data to permit user evaluation of whether to purchase another audio book associated with the other audio data.

13. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the client comprises a touch screen to receive user input in response to user prompts.

14. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one network comprises local area network.

16. The server of claim 8, wherein:

the searching is also based, at least in part, upon category and/or subcategory.