SYSTEM, METHOD AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DELIVERY OF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFERINGS AT A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT

• US 20080097858A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: VUCINA, DAVID, Martin, Scott, Keeler, James, Williams, Gregory, Mathis, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,291,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1482 involving use of telephony infrastructure for billing for the transport of data, e.g. call detail record [CDR] or intelligent network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and system for providing distributed network access point installation and management. A network provider installs and/or operates a plurality of access points at locations of a retail entity. Each access point may provide services such as Internet access, and/or content such as audio, video, text, and/or graphics, among other types of services. A carrier, such as a telephone or cable company, may compensate the network service provider for installation and operation of the access points. The carrier may in turn charge its subscribers for network access at the retail entity locations. A plurality of different carriers may provide compensation and allow respective subscriber access. The network access points may be configured to allow each carrier to present a point of presence to its subscribers at the retail entity locations. The installed network may also provide service for retail entity back office functions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an access point coupled to a network, wherein the access point is installed at a retail establishment and is configured to receive identification information from a portable computing device suitable for operation by a user of the portable computing device; and

a content server coupled to the network and configured to deliver digital content to a personal computing device wirelessly communicating with the access point, wherein the digital content is associated with the retail establishment where the access point is installed, and wherein the content server transmits the digital content to the portable computing device through the access point in response to receipt of credentials from the portable computing device indicating authorization for the user to access the content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital content is related to the geographic location of the retail establishment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital content is specific to a particular time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the credentials provide a payment discount for the digital content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the credentials are a code entered on the portable computing device by a user of the portable computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital content is presented in a menu of multiple digital content options that can be selected by the user of the portable computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital content is music.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital content is video.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital content is games.

10. A method comprising:

receiving identification information from a portable computing device from an access point coupled to the portable computing device over a wireless communication link;

accessing digital content on a content server that is associated with the retail establishment where the access point is located; and

transmitting the digital content to the portable computing device via the wireless communication link through the access point if the received identification information enable access to the digital content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital content is related to the geographic location of the retail establishment.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital content is specific to a particular time.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information provides a payment discount for the digital content.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving the identification information comprised of a code entered on the portable computing device by a user of the portable computing device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising presenting the digital content in a menu of multiple digital content options that can be selected by the user of the portable computing device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital content is music.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital content is video.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital content is games.

19. A program product comprising a machine-readable medium including program logic therein that when executed perform the functions of:

receiving identification information from a portable computing device from an access point coupled to the portable computing device over a wireless communication link;

accessing digital content on a content server that is associated with the retail establishment where the access point is located; and

transmitting the digital content to the portable computing device via the wireless communication link through the access point if the received identification information enable access to the digital content.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein the digital content is related to the geographic location of the retail establishment.

21. The program product of claim 19, wherein the digital content is specific to a particular time.

22. The program product of claim 19, wherein the identification information provides a payment discount for the digital content.

23. The program product of claim 19, further comprising receiving the identification information comprised of a code entered on the portable computing device by a user of the portable computing device.

24. The program product of claim 19, further comprising presenting the digital content in a menu of multiple digital content options that can be selected by the user of the portable computing device.

25. The program product of claim 19, wherein the digital content includes at least one of music, video and games.