METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GIFTING OVER A DATA NETWORK

• US 20080301007A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Minear, Brian, Nguyen, Phil Tien, Horel, Gerald Charels
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method for providing a content gift to a gift-receiving terminal is provided. The method includes a gift server communicating with the gift-receiving terminal over a wireless communication link to determine what content is owned by the gift-receiving terminal. The method further includes the gift server generating catalog data including at least one content gift targeted for the gift receiving terminal. Further included in the method is the gift server wirelessly transmitting the catalog data to a gift-giving terminal. Additionally, the method includes the gift server receiving a selection of a content gift from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link. Further included is the gift server facilitating delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

Claims

1. A method for providing a content gift to a gift-receiving terminal, the method comprising:

a gift server communicating with the gift-receiving terminal over a wireless communication link to determine what content is owned by the gift-receiving terminal;

the gift server generating catalog data including at least one content gift targeted for the gift receiving terminal;

the gift server wirelessly transmitting the catalog data to a gift-giving terminal;

the gift server receiving a selection of a content gift from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link; and

the gift server facilitating delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the catalog data further comprises including an authentication code in the catalog data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating costs of the content gift with the gift-receiving terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the content gift comprises transmitting the content gift to the gift-receiving terminal using a communication channel that is selected from channels comprising one of wired or wireless communication channels.

5. A method for a gift-giving terminal to provide a content gift to a gift-receiving terminal, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the gift-giving terminal, an identifier associated with the gift-receiving terminal to a gift server over a wireless communication link to request catalog data corresponding to the gift-receiving terminal;

receiving catalog data from the gift server over a wireless communication link, the catalog data including at least one content gift previously communicated to the gift server as targeted for the gift-receiving terminal; and

transmitting an identifier for a content gift from the catalog data to the gift server over a wireless communication link to facilitate delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

including security information in the catalog data so that the catalog data can be authenticated.

7. A method for providing a service feature to a gift-receiving terminal, the method comprising:

a gift server receiving data from the gift-receiving terminal over a wireless communication link, the data identifying at least one service feature;

the gift server generating catalog data including at least one service feature targeted for the gift-receiving terminal;

the gift server wirelessly transmitting the catalog data to a gift-giving terminal;

the gift server receiving a selection of a catalog data service feature from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link; and

the gift server facilitating activation of the selected service feature with respect to the gift-receiving terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the catalog data further comprises including an authentication code in the catalog data.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising associating costs of the selected service feature with the gift-receiving terminal.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the selected service feature comprises transmitting the selected service feature to the gift-receiving terminal using a communication channel that is selected from channels comprising one of wired or wireless communication channels.

11. A method for a gift-giving terminal to provide a service feature gift to a gift-receiving terminal:

transmitting, by a gift-giving terminal, an identifier associated with a gift-receiving terminal to a gift server over a wireless communication link to request catalog data corresponding to the gift-receiving terminal;

receiving catalog data from the gift server over a wireless communication link, the catalog data including at least one service feature previously communicated to the gift server as targeted for the gift-receiving terminal; and

transmitting an identifier for a service feature from the catalog data to the gift server over a wireless communication link to facilitate activation of the selected service feature for the gift-receiving terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

including security information in the catalog data so that the catalog data can be authenticated.

13. A gift server for use with a gift-giving terminal to provide a content gift to a gift-receiving terminal, comprising:

a catalog request receiver that operates to receive a catalog request from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link, the request identifying the gift-receiving terminal;

a catalog transmitter that operates to generate catalog data including at least one content gift targeted for to the gift-receiving terminal by reference to data received from the gift-receiving terminal and wirelessly transmitting the catalog data to the gift-giving terminal;

a gift request receiver that operates to receive a selection of a catalog data content gift from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link; and

a gift transmitter that operates to facilitate delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the catalog transmitter further includes an authentication code in the catalog data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the catalog transmitter further associates costs of the content gift with the gift-receiving terminal.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the gift transmitter provides the content gift to the gift-receiving terminal using a communication channel that is selected from channels comprising one of wired or wireless communication channels.

17. A gift-giving terminal operable to provide content gift to a gift-receiving terminal, comprising:

a catalog requester that operates to transmit an identifier associated with a gift-receiving terminal to a gift server over a wireless communication link to request catalog data corresponding to the gift-receiving terminal;

a catalog receiver that operates to receive catalog data from the gift server over a wireless communication link, the catalog data including at least one content gift previously communicated to the gift server as targeted for the gift-receiving terminal; and

a gift selector that operates to transmit an identifier for a content gift from the catalog data to the gift server over a wireless communication link to facilitate delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the catalog requester receives catalog data that includes security information in the catalog data so that the catalog data can be authenticated.

19. A processor for use in a server terminal used with a gift-giving terminal to provide a content gift to a gift-receiving terminal, comprising:

means for receiving a catalog request from a gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link, the request identifying the gift-receiving terminal;

means for generating catalog data including at least one content gift targeted for the gift-receiving terminal by reference to data received from the gift-receiving terminal and wirelessly transmitting the catalog data to the gift-giving terminal;

means for receiving a selection of a catalog data content gift from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link; and

means for facilitating delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the means for generating catalog data further includes an authentication code in the catalog data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the means for generating catalog data further associates costs of the content gift with the gift-receiving terminal.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the means for facilitating delivery provides the content gift to the gift-receiving terminal using a communication channel that is selected from channels comprising one of wired or wireless communication channels.

23. A processor for use in a gift-giving terminal to provide content data to a gift-receiving terminal, comprising:

means for transmitting an identifier associated with a gift-receiving terminal to a gift server over a wireless communication link to request catalog data corresponding to the gift-receiving terminal;

means for receiving catalog data from the gift server over a wireless communication link, the catalog data including at least one content gift previously communicated to the gift server as targeted for the gift-receiving terminal; and

means for transmitting an identifier for a content gift from the catalog data to the gift server over a wireless communication link to facilitate delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the means for receiving receives catalog data that includes security information in the catalog data so that the catalog data can be authenticated.