Electronic delivery and management of digital media items

• US 20070174888A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rubinstein, Jon
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2396 characterized by admission policies admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for network security using user profiles for access control H04L63/102; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

In an electronic delivery system, digital media items (e.g., videos, music, video games, ebooks, etc.) are stored in an ordered list (e.g., queue) at a provider system. The provider system automatically delivers digital media items to a user system (e.g., via a network connection). The user is permitted to check out (e.g., view, play, read, etc.) a maximum allowed number of items at the user system. If the user checks in an item, or an item expires or is removed from the queue, then the user is permitted to check out (or renew) digital media items in the queue until the maximum allowed number of digital media items are checked out. In some implementations, digital media items are automatically delivered in response to one or more trigger events (e.g., an item is removed from the queue, etc.).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing digital media items, comprising:

receiving by electronic delivery a plurality of digital media items specified in a list of digital media items which can be updated by a user;

receiving a first request to electronically check out a first digital media item;

determining if a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been checked out; and

denying the first request if the maximum allowed number of digital media items have been checked out.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum allowed number of digital media items that can be checked out is less than the plurality of digital media items electronically delivered.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first request to electronically check out a digital media item includes receiving input from a user via a user interface displayed at the user system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a maximum allowed number of digital media items are checked, further comprises:

incrementing a count each time a digital media item is checked out; and

comparing the count with the maximum allowed number.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a second request to electronically check in a second digital media item;

in response to the second request, checking-in the second digital media item; and

decrementing the count.

6. A computer-implemented method of electronically delivering digital media items to a user system, comprising:

maintaining a list of digital media items to be electronically delivered to a user system;

prior to electronically delivering a digital media item from the list, checking to see whether a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been previously delivered to the user system; and

electronically delivering a digital media item from the list if the maximum allowed number of digital media items have not been delivered to the user system.

7. A method of electronically delivering digital media items to a user system, comprising:

maintaining an ordered list of digital media items to be electronically delivered to a user system;

electronically delivering one or more digital media items from the list to the user system;

receiving an indication that at least one digital media item previously delivered to the user system has been disabled; and

in response to the indication, permitting an additional digital media item from the list to be electronically delivered to the user system.

8. A computer-implemented method of managing electronic delivery of digital media items from a provider system to a user system, comprising:

receiving by electronic delivery one or more digital media items from an ordered list of digital media items maintained by the provider system;

receiving a first request to check out a first digital media item at the user system; and

denying the first request if a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been previously checked out at the user system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a second request to check in a second digital media item at the user system;

in response to the second request, checking in the second digital media item at the user system;

receiving a third request to check out a third digital media item at the user system; and

in response to the third request, permitting the third digital media item to be checked out at the user system.

10. A computer-implemented method of electronically delivering digital media items to a user system, comprising:

maintaining an ordered list of digital media items to be electronically delivered to a user system;

electronically delivering one or more digital media items from the list to the user system;

receiving an indication that at least one digital media item previously delivered to the user system has expired; and

in response to the indication, permitting the expired digital media item to be renewed by a user at the user system.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

receiving by electronic delivery a plurality of digital media items, wherein the digital media items are included in an ordered list of digital media items which can be updated by a user;

receiving a first request to electronically check out a first digital media item;

determining the number of digital media items for which a check out request was previously granted; and

granting the first request if the number of digital media items for which the first request was previously granted is less than a threshold number.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the threshold number is less than the plurality of digital media items electronically delivered.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein receiving a first request to electronically check out a digital media item includes receiving input from a user via a user interface displayed at the user system.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining the number of digital media items for which a check out request was previously granted further comprises:

incrementing a count each time a check out request is granted; and

comparing the count with the threshold number.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second request to electronically check in a second digital media item;

in response to the second request, checking-in the second digital media item; and

decrementing the count.

16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

maintaining a list of digital media items to be electronically delivered to the user;

prior to electronically delivering a digital media item from the list, checking to see whether a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been previously delivered; and

electronically delivering a digital media item from the list if the maximum allowed number of digital media items have not been delivered.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

maintaining an ordered list of digital media items to be electronically delivered to a user system;

electronically delivering one or more digital media items from the list to the user system until a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been delivered;

receiving an indication that at least one digital media item previously delivered to the user system has been disabled; and

in response to the indication, causing an additional digital media item from the list to be electronically delivered to the user system.

18. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

receiving by electronic delivery one or more digital media items from an ordered list of digital media items;

receiving a first request to check out a first digital media item; and

denying the first request if a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been previously checked out.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a second request to check in a second digital media item;

in response to the second request, checking in the second digital media item;

receiving a third request to check out a third digital media item; and

in response to the third request, permitting the third digital media item to be checked out.

20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

maintaining an ordered list of digital media items to be electronically delivered to a user system;

electronically delivering one or more digital media items from the list to the user system until a maximum allowed number of digital media items have been delivered;

receiving an indication that at least one digital media item previously delivered to the user system has expired; and

in response to the indication, permitting the expired digital media item to be renewed by a user at the user system.

21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

presenting a user interface to a user at a user system, wherein the user interface includes elements configured to respond to user input;

receiving a user request via an element to check out a digital media item previously electronically delivered from a provider system, wherein the item is maintained in a list of digital media items by the provider system; and

in response to the request, determining if a maximum allowed number of items have been checked out; and

denying the request if the maximum allowed number of items have been checked out.

22. A system for managing requests for access to digital media items, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of;

receiving by electronic delivery a plurality of digital media items, wherein the digital media items are included in an ordered list of digital media items which can be updated by a user;

receiving a request to electronically access a digital media item;

determining if a maximum allowed number of digital media items are being concurrently accessed; and

denying the request if the maximum allowed number of digital media items are being concurrently accessed.

23. A computer-implemented method of managing access to digital media items, comprising:

receiving multiple digital media items electronically downloaded from a provider system to a user system;

receiving a request to simultaneously access M digital media item(s) at the user system, where M is an integer value greater than or equal to one;

determining if access to M digital media item(s) is restricted;

permitting access to M digital media item(s) if access is not restricted; and

permitting access to less than M digital media item(s) if access is restricted.