Method and apparatus for supporting electronic content distribution

• US 20040010417A1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PortAuthority Technologies, Inc. (Forcepoint LLC)
• Original Assignee: PortAuthority Technologies, Inc. (Forcepoint LLC)
• Inventors: Peled, Ariel
• Application Number:
  US10/398,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010417A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said apparatus comprising: a database for holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites, a request receiver for receiving requests for said placement data from said content distribution sites, and a content distribution co-ordinator, associated with said database for sending said placement data to said distribution sites to enable said distribution sites to supply said content via said content holding sites.

Claims

1. Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said apparatus comprising:

a database for holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites,

a request receiver for receiving requests for content from said content distribution sites, and

a content distribution co-ordinator, associated with said database for using said placement data to direct said data holding sites to provide content to respective requesting consumers in accordance with said requests.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide different content items from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual content items.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a restriction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a payment unit for passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

7. Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said apparatus comprising:

a database for holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites,

a request receiver for receiving requests for said placement data from said content distribution sites, and

a content distribution co-ordinator, associated with said database for sending said placement data to said distribution sites to enable said distribution sites to supply said content via said content holding sites.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide said placement data of different content items at different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with content and wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a restriction.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide information to a content source concerning requests that coincide with restrictions.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a payment unit for passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

12. Network interactive distribution apparatus comprising:

a content distribution site for offering a range of content items to consumers and receiving requests from consumers for said content, and

a content holding site for holding content at a location on a network and sending said content to users in response to a request from said distribution site, wherein said content distribution site is able to access data indicating, for at least some of said range of content items, a corresponding holding site holding said content.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one content item is held at a plurality of said content holding sites, said distribution site comprising functionality to select a one of said holding sites being most effectively located to provide said data to a given requesting consumer.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said content holding site comprises functionality to determine that a given request requires handling by using content from a plurality of content holding sites and further comprises functionality to send requests to each of said plurality of content sites to fulfill said request.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least some of said content items are associated with distribution restrictions, said distribution site comprising functionality to query a distribution restriction and to offer an alternative content item that overcomes said distribution restriction.

16. A method of providing content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said method comprising:

holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites,

receiving requests for said placement data from said content distribution sites, and

sending said placement data to said distribution sites to enable said distribution sites to supply said content via said content holding sites.

17. A method of providing content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said method comprising:

holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites,

receiving requests for content from said content distribution sites, and

using said placement data to direct said data holding sites to provide content to respective requesting consumers in accordance with said requests.

18. Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests, the apparatus comprising:

a request gathering unit for obtaining data of user requests over a network for respective content items, said data comprising at least details of request fulfillment failures, and

a request failure analysis unit associated with said request fulfillment unit for using output of said request gathering unit to analyze said request fulfillment failures.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a content directing unit associated with said request failure analysis unit, for directing and packaging content from at least one content source, said request failure unit further being operable to use said analysis in controlling said content directing unit to overcome said failure.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said overcoming comprises a repackaging involving respective requested content.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said repackaging comprises editing of said respective requested content.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said repackaging comprises mixing at least some of said respective requested content with other content.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, being associated with a plurality of content sources.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said repackaging comprising packaging with advertising.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said content is held at distributed locations on said network, said request failure analysis unit being operable to interact with said distributed locations to direct repackaged content to said users.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a payment receipt unit for receiving payment for said repackaged content and a payment distribution unit for distributing at least some of said payment to respective sources of said repackaged content.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said repackaging comprises adding advertising content, said payment distribution unit being operable to direct payment from an advertising source to a respective content source.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said payment distribution unit is operable to distribute payment from said advertising source amongst a plurality of respective content sources.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said request failure analysis unit comprises a report compiler for compiling said analysis into reports for respective content sources.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said report compiler is operable to exclude from said reports data identifying individual consumers.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said request failure analysis unit is operable to use data in said analysis regarding at least one of a group comprising:

geographical factors, temporal market data, pricing factors, personal data of a requesting party, network infrastructure operability in the vicinity of a requesting party, and content provider distribution factors.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said personal data of a requesting party comprises at least one of legal restrictions on said party, age related restrictions on said party, contractual restriction, risk based restrictions and content provider restrictions on said party.

33. A network content interactive packaging apparatus for suiting content to consumers, the apparatus comprising:

access to at least one content provider providing content for distribution,

access to at least one distribution node,

an input for receiving data of user requests for content including data about whether said requests have been fulfilled,

a processor, associated with said input, for analyzing failures to fulfill said requests and to use said analysis to repackage said content to minimize said failures to fulfill, or to obtain pre-repackaged content.

34. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said processor comprises a repackager for repackaging said content, said repackager being associated with said access to said at least one distribution node, thereby being operable to repackage by instructing said distribution node in selection of content for sending to fulfill a user request.

35. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said repackaging is provided on a per content provider basis.

36. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said repackaging is provided on a per request basis.

37. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said repackaging comprises editing of said content.

38. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said repackaging comprises addition of other content to respective requested content.

39. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said repackaging comprises addition of advertising material.

40. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said processor further comprises a report generator for providing reports of said analysis.

41. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, wherein said per content report generator is operable to exclude from said reports data identifying individual consumers.

42. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a payment receipt unit for receiving payment for said repackaged content and a payment distribution unit for distributing at least some of said payment to respective sources of said repackaged content.

43. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 42, wherein said repackaging includes advertising content, said payment distribution unit being operable to direct payment from an advertising source to a respective content source.

44. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 43, wherein said payment distribution unit is operable to distribute payment from said advertising source amongst a plurality of respective content sources.

45. The network distribution apparatus of claim 33, wherein said processor is operable to use, in said analysis, data regarding at least one of a group comprising:

geographical factors, temporal market data, pricing factors, personal data of a requesting party, network infrastructure operability in the vicinity of a requesting party, and content provider distribution factors.

46. The network distribution apparatus of claim 45, wherein said personal data of a requesting party comprises at least one of legal restrictions on said party, age related restrictions on said party, contractual restrictions, risk based restrictions, and content provider restrictions on said party.

143. The network distribution apparatus of claim 42, wherein said personal data of a requesting party comprises at least one of legal restrictions on said party, age related restrictions on said party, contractual restrictions, risk based restrictions, and content provider restrictions on said party.

47. Network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via said network, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

analyzing on line said data of non-completed requests to determine why an individual request was not completed,

offering to a requesting party an alternative to said request which overcomes a reason for non-completion determined in said analysis, and

directing, over said network, packaging and routing to said consumer of said alternative.

48. The method of claim 47, comprising providing different items of content, product or service from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual items

50. The method of claim 49, comprising providing alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a distribution restriction.

51. The method of claim 47, comprising providing information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions

52. The method of claim 47, further comprising passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

53. The method of claim 47, further comprising using said analysis for any one of a group of uses comprises altering distribution channels, modifying a distribution policy, and modifying distribution rules.

54. The method of claim 47, further comprising at least one of correlating, gathering and weighting said details with additional information.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said additional information comprises any one of. information about content that was actually sold, information about content that was sought, and information of content that was distributed in other ways.

56. The method of claim 47, further comprising using said analysis to evaluate existing market segmentation criteria

57. The method of claim 47, further comprising using said analysis to focus marketing efforts on potential market segments.

58. The method of claim 47, further comprising directing said analysis to unauthorized content distribution.

59. Network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

statistically analyzing said data of non-complicated requests taken together to determine why requests are not being completed, and

providing, results of said statistical analysis.

60. The method of claim 59, comprising providing different items of content, product or service from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual items

62. The method of claim 61, comprising providing alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a distribution restriction.

63. The method of claim 59, comprising providing information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions

64. The method of claim 59, further comprising passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

65. The method of claim 59, further comprising using said analysis for any one of a group of uses comprises altering distribution channels, modifying a distribution policy, and modifying distribution rules.

66. The method of claim 59, further comprising at least one of correlating, gathering and weighting said details with additional information.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein said additional information comprises any one of. information about content that was actually sold, information about content that was sought, and information of content that was distributed in other ways.

68. The method of claim 59, further comprising using said analysis to evaluate existing market segmentation criteria

69. The method of claim 59, further comprising using said analysis to focus marketing efforts on potential market segments.

70. The method of claim 59, further comprising directing said analysis to unauthorized content distribution.

71. Network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via said network, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

analyzing on line said data of non-completed requests to determine why an individual request was not completed,

offering to a requesting party an alternative to said request which overcomes a reason for non-completion determined in said analysis,

directing, over said network, the packaging and directing to said consumer of said alternative,

statistically analyzing said data of non-completed requests taken together to determine why requests are not being completed,

providing, over said network, to content providers, results of said statistical analysis.

72. The method of claim 71, comprising providing different items of content, product or service from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual items

74. The method of claim 73, comprising providing alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a distribution restriction.

75. The method of claim 71, comprising providing information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions

76. The method of claim 71, further comprising passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

77. The method of claim 71, further comprising using said analysis for any one of a group of uses comprises altering distribution channels, modifying a distribution policy, and modifying distribution rules.

78. The method of claim 71, further comprising at least one of correlating, gathering and weighting said details with additional information.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein said additional information comprises any one of. information about content that was actually sold, information about content that was sought, and information of content that was distributed in other ways.

80. The method of claim 71, further comprising using said analysis to evaluate existing market segmentation criteria.

81. The method of claim 71, further comprising using said analysis to focus marketing efforts on potential market segments.

82. The method of claim 71, further comprising directing said analysis to unauthorized content distribution.

83. A data carrier operable with a general purpose computer to provide a network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via said network, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

analyzing on line said data of non-completed requests to determine why an individual request was not completed,

offering to a requesting party an alternative to said request which overcomes a reason for non-completion determined in said analysis,

directing, over said network, the packaging and directing to said consumer of said alternative,

statistically analyzing said data of non-completed requests taken together to determine why requests are not being completed,

providing, over said network, to content providers, results of said statistical analysis.

84. An interface within a networked distribution arrangement, the arrangement comprising a plurality of nodes including at least two of a content source node, a monitoring node, a content distribution node and a content holding node, the interface linking at least some of said nodes and comprising consumer related details, thereby to allow distribution restriction control from each of said nodes linked by said interface.

85. The interface of claim 84, comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer consumer and content related details

86. The interface of claim 84, further comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer specific consumer related details.

87. The interface of claim 84, comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer specific consumer group related details.

88. The interface of claim 84, comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer specific consumer groups specifications.

89. The interface of claim 87, wherein said transfer is performed in response to a plurality of queries about subsets of said details.

90. The interface of claim 89, wherein said queries are performed reactively as responses to queries not relating to said details.

91. The interface of claim 89, further comprising an identification detection mechanism for detecting details that identify a consumer and suppressing said details from data to be transferred thereby to ensure that a node receiving said transfer is not provided with consumer identifying details.

92. The interface of claim 91 further comprising a transaction identification mechanism operable to identify a transaction without identifying a requesting consumer.

93. The interface of claim 92, wherein said identification mechanism is operable to utilize a temporary ID.

94. The interface of claim 93, wherein said temporary ID comprises a transaction ID.

95. The interface of claim 93, wherein said temporary ID comprises a session ID.

96. The interface of claim 84, wherein said details comprise consumer preferences.

97. The interface of claim 84, wherein said information includes consumer specific content price.

98. The interface of claim 93, wherein said details comprise consumer related restrictions.

99. The interface of claim 84, wherein said details comprise consumer specific content restrictions.

100. The interface of claim 93, wherein said details comprise consumer specific content usage preferences.

101. The interface of claim 93, wherein said details comprise consumer specific available content information.

102. The interface of claim 93, wherein said details comprise consumer specific authorized content information.

103. The interface of claim 93, wherein said details comprise consumer service information.

104. Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said apparatus comprising:

a database for holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites,

a request receiver for receiving requests for content from said content distribution sites, and

a content distribution co-ordinator, associated with said database for using said placement data to direct said data holding sites to provide content to respective requesting consumers in accordance with said requests, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual content items, and wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a restriction.

105. The apparatus of claim 104, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide different content items from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

106. The apparatus of claim 104, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions.

107. The apparatus of claim 104, further comprising a payment unit for passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

108. Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests to content distribution sites, said content being held in content holding sites, said apparatus comprising:

a database for holding data of placement of content around said content holding sites,

a request receiver for receiving requests for said placement data from said content distribution sites, and

a content distribution co-ordinator, associated with said database for sending said placement data to said distribution sites to enable said distribution sites to supply said content via said content holding sites, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with content and wherein said coordinator is operable to provide alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a restriction.

109. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide said placement data of different content items at different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

110. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein said co-ordinator is operable to provide information to a content source concerning requests that coincide with restrictions.

111. The apparatus of claim 108, further comprising a payment unit for passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

112. Network interactive distribution apparatus comprising:

a content distribution site for offering a range of content items to consumers and receiving requests from consumers for said content, and

a content holding site for holding content at a location on a network and sending said content to users in response to a request from said distribution site, wherein said content distribution site is able to access data indicating, for at least some of said range of content items, a corresponding holding site holding said content, wherein at least some of said content items are associated with distribution restrictions, said distribution site comprising functionality to query a distribution restriction and to offer an alternative content item that overcomes said distribution restriction.

113. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein at least one content item is held at a plurality of said content holding sites, said distribution site comprising functionality to select a one of said holding sites being most effectively located to provide said data to a given requesting consumer.

114. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein said content holding site comprises functionality to determine that a given request requires handling by using content from a plurality of content holding sites and further comprises functionality to send requests to each of said plurality of content sites to fulfill said request.

115. Network interactive distribution auxiliary apparatus for association with content distribution over a network from content sources in accordance with user requests, the apparatus comprising:

a request gathering unit for obtaining data of user requests over a network for respective content items, said data comprising at least details of request fulfillment failures, and

a request failure analysis unit associated with said request fulfillment unit for using output of said request gathering unit to analyze said request fulfillment failures.

116. The apparatus of claim 115, further comprising a content directing unit associated with said request failure analysis unit, for directing and packaging content from at least one content source, said request failure unit further being operable to use said analysis in controlling said content directing unit to overcome said failure.

117. The apparatus of claim 116, wherein said overcoming comprises a repackaging involving respective requested content.

118. The apparatus of claim 117, wherein said repackaging comprises editing of said respective requested content.

119. The apparatus of claim 117, wherein said repackaging comprises mixing at least some of said respective requested content with other content.

120. The apparatus of claim 115, being associated with a plurality of content sources.

121. The apparatus of claim 117, wherein said repackaging comprising packaging with advertising.

122. The apparatus of claim 116, wherein said content is held at distributed locations on said network, said request failure analysis unit being operable to interact with said distributed locations to direct repackaged content to said users.

123. The apparatus of claim 122, further comprising a payment receipt unit for receiving payment for said repackaged content and a payment distribution unit for distributing at least some of said payment to respective sources of said repackaged content.

124. The apparatus of claim 123, wherein said repackaging comprises adding advertising content, said payment distribution unit being operable to direct payment from an advertising source to a respective content source.

125. The apparatus of claim 124, wherein said payment distribution unit is operable to distribute payment from said advertising source amongst a plurality of respective content sources.

126. The apparatus of claim 115, wherein said request failure analysis unit comprises a report compiler for compiling said analysis into reports for respective content sources.

127. The apparatus of claim 126, wherein said report compiler is operable to exclude from said reports data identifying individual consumers.

128. The apparatus of claim 115, wherein said request failure analysis unit is operable to use data in said analysis regarding at least one of a group comprising:

geographical factors, temporal market data, pricing factors, personal data of a requesting party, network infrastructure operability in the vicinity of a requesting party, and content provider distribution factors.

129. The apparatus of claim 128, wherein said personal data of a requesting party comprises at least one of legal restrictions on said party, age related restrictions on said party, contractual restriction, risk based restrictions and content provider restrictions on said party.

130. A network content interactive packaging apparatus for suiting content to consumers, the apparatus comprising:

access to at least one content provider providing content for distribution,

access to at least one distribution node,

an input for receiving data of user requests for content including data about whether said requests have been fulfilled,

a processor, associated with said input, for analyzing failures to fulfill said requests and to use said analysis to repackage said content to minimize said failures to fulfill, or to obtain pre-repackaged content.

131. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said processor comprises a repackager for repackaging said content, said repackager being associated with said access to said at least one distribution node, thereby being operable to repackage by instructing said distribution node in selection of content for sending to fulfill a user request.

132. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said repackaging is provided on a per content provider basis.

133. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said repackaging is provided on a per request basis.

134. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said repackaging comprises editing of said content.

135. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said repackaging comprises addition of other content to respective requested content.

136. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said repackaging comprises addition of advertising material.

137. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, wherein said processor further comprises a report generator for providing reports of said analysis.

138. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 137 wherein said report generator is operable to exclude from said reports data identifying individual consumers.

139. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 130, further comprising a payment receipt unit for receiving payment for said repackaged content and a payment distribution unit for distributing at least some of said payment to respective sources of said repackaged content.

140. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 139, wherein said repackaging includes advertising content, said payment distribution unit being operable to direct payment from an advertising source to a respective content source.

141. The network content interactive packaging apparatus of claim 140, wherein said payment distribution unit is operable to distribute payment from said advertising source amongst a plurality of respective content sources.

142. The network distribution apparatus of claim 130, wherein said processor is operable to use, in said analysis, data regarding at least one of a group comprising:

geographical factors, temporal market data, pricing factors, personal data of a requesting party, network infrastructure operability in the vicinity of a requesting party, and content provider distribution factors.

144. Network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via said network, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

analyzing on line said data of non-completed requests to determine why an individual request was not completed,

offering to a requesting party an alternative to said request which overcomes a reason for non-completion determined in said analysis, and

directing, over said network, packaging and routing to said requesting party of said alternative.

145. The method of claim 144, comprising providing different items of content, product or service from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

146. The method of claim 144, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual items.

147. The method of claim 146, comprising providing alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a distribution restriction.

148. The method of claim 144, comprising providing information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions.

149. The method of claim 144, further comprising passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

150. The method of claim 144, further comprising using said analysis for any one of a group of uses comprises altering distribution channels, modifying a distribution policy, and modifying distribution rules.

151. The method of claim 148, further comprising at least one of correlating, gathering and weighting said information with additional information.

152. The method of claim 151, wherein said additional information comprises any one of information about content that was actually sold, information about content that was sought, and information of content that was distributed in other ways.

153. The method of claim 144, further comprising using said analysis to evaluate existing market segmentation criteria.

154. The method of claim 144, further comprising using said analysis to focus marketing efforts on potential market segments.

155. The method of claim 144, further comprising directing said analysis to unauthorized content distribution.

156. Network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

statistically analyzing said data of non-completed requests taken together to determine why requests are not being completed, and

providing, results of said statistical analysis.

157. The method of claim 156, comprising providing different items of content, product or service from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

158. The method of claim 156, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual items.

159. The method of claim 158, comprising providing alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a distribution restriction.

160. The method of claim 156, comprising providing information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions

161. The method of claim 156, further comprising passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

162. The method of claim 156, further comprising using said analysis for any one of a group of uses comprises altering distribution channels, modifying a distribution policy, and modifying distribution rules.

163. The method of claim 156, further comprising at least one of correlating, gathering and weighting details with additional information.

164. The method of claim 163, wherein said additional information comprises any one of. information about content that was actually sold, information about content that was sought, and information of content that was distributed in other ways.

165. The method of claim 156, further comprising using said analysis to evaluate existing market segmentation criteria.

166. The method of claim 156, further comprising using said analysis to focus marketing efforts on potential market segments.

167. The method of claim 156, further comprising directing said analysis to unauthorized content distribution.

168. Network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via said network, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

analyzing on line said data of non-completed requests to determine why an individual request was not completed,

offering to a requesting party an alternative to said request which overcomes a reason for non-completion determined in said analysis,

directing, over said network, the packaging and directing to said requesting party, of said alternative,

statistically analyzing said data of non-completed requests taken together to determine why requests are not being completed,

providing, over said network, to content providers, results of said statistical analysis.

169. The method of claim 168, comprising providing different items of content, product or service from different data holding sites to fulfill a single request.

170. The method of claim 168, wherein distribution restrictions are associated with individual items.

171. The method of claim 170, comprising providing alternatives in the event that a request coincides with a distribution restriction.

172. The method of claim 168, comprising providing information concerning requests that coincide with restrictions.

173. The method of claim 168, further comprising passing payment between content distribution parties according to a contribution to a finally packaged content product as sent to a consumer.

174. The method of claim 168, further comprising using said analysis for any one of a group of uses comprises altering distribution channels, modifying a distribution policy, and modifying distribution rules.

175. The method of claim 168, further comprising at least one of correlating, gathering and weighting details with additional information.

176. The method of claim 175, wherein said additional information comprises any one of. information about content that was actually sold, information about content that was sought, and information of content that was distributed in other ways.

177. The method of claim 168, further comprising using said analysis to evaluate existing market segmentation criteria.

178. The method of claim 168, further comprising using said analysis to focus marketing efforts on potential market segments.

179. The method of claim 168, further comprising directing said analysis to unauthorized content distribution.

180. A data carrier operable with a general purpose computer to provide a network content distribution support method for supporting the distribution of electronic content, products or services via distribution sites over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via said network, from said distribution sites, information of requests for said content, products or services, including data of non-completed requests,

analyzing on line said data of non-completed requests to determine why an individual request was not completed,

offering to a requesting party an alternative to said request which overcomes a reason for non-completion determined in said analysis,

directing, over said network, the packaging and directing to said requesting party of said alternative,

statistically analyzing said data of non-completed requests taken together to determine why requests are not being completed,

providing, over said network, to content providers, results of said statistical analysis.

181. An interface within a networked distribution arrangement, the arrangement comprising a plurality of nodes including at least two of a content source node, a monitoring node, a content distribution node and a content holding node, the interface linking at least some of said nodes and comprising consumer related details, thereby to allow distribution restriction control from each of said nodes linked by said interface.

182. The interface of claim 181, comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer consumer and content related details.

183. The interface of claim 181, further comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer specific consumer related details.

184. The interface of claim 181, comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer specific consumer group related details.

185. The interface of claim 181, comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer specific consumer groups specifications.

186. The interface of claim 184, wherein said transfer is performed in response to a plurality of queries about subsets of said details.

187. The interface of claim 186, wherein said queries are performed reactively as responses to queries not relating to said details.

188. The interface of claim 186, further comprising an identification detection mechanism for detecting details that identify a consumer and suppressing said details from data to be transferred thereby to ensure that a node receiving said transfer is not provided with consumer identifying details.

189. The interface of claim 188 further comprising a transaction identification mechanism operable to identify a transaction without identifying a requesting consumer.

190. The interface of claim 189, wherein said identification mechanism is operable to utilize a temporary ID.

191. The interface of claim 190, wherein said temporary ID comprises a transaction ID.

192. The interface of claim 190, wherein said temporary ID comprises a session ID.

193. The interface of claim 181, wherein said details comprise consumer preferences.

194. The interface of claim 181, wherein said consumer related details include consumer specific content price.

195. The interface of claim 190, wherein said details comprise consumer related restrictions.

196. The interface of claim 181, wherein said details comprise consumer specific content restrictions.

197. The interface of claim 190, wherein said details comprise consumer specific content usage preferences.

198. The interface of claim 190, wherein said details comprise consumer specific available content information.

199. The interface of claim 190, wherein said details comprise consumer specific authorized content information.

200. The interface of claim 190, wherein said details comprise consumer service information.