METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING TIME-LIMITED CONTENTS IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130132908A1
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Boran, KIM, Yuran, JANG, Sihak
• Application Number:
  US13/683,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132908A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A time-limited content management method and device for presenting the types and expiry dates of time-limited contents at a side of the content view screen and an execution screen is provided in order for the user to manage the time-limited contents efficiently as intended. The time-limited content management method of an electronic device according to the present invention includes requesting for displaying at least one time-limited content; and displaying a view screen having the at least one content arranged in response to the request, wherein the view screen comprises type and expiry period information of the at least one time-limited content. The time-limited content management method and device is capable of displaying the type and expiry period of the executed time-limited content at a side of the content execution screen so as to facilitate management of the time-limited contents.

Claims

1. A time-limited content management method of an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a request for displaying at least one time-limited content; and

displaying a view screen showing the at least one time-limited content arranged in response to the request,

wherein the at least one time-limited content being shown by the view screen comprises type of content and expiry of the at least one time-limited content and wherein the expiry is shown based on at least one first reference value.

2. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a specific time-limited content on the view screen; and

displaying a content execution screen with the type and expiry period of the specific time-limited content displayed proximately to each other.

3. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, wherein displaying the view screen comprises:

dimming the time-limited content for which rental period has expired;

displaying a text notifying of the expiry of the time limited content for which its rental period has expired, a rental period extension menu, and a deletion menu displayed proximately to the corresponding thumbnail image or to the corresponding list item on the view screen;

displaying a text notifying of the expiry of a subscription period of a subscription content at a side of the corresponding thumbnail image or at a side of the corresponding list item on the view screen; and

displaying a purchase menu at a side of the corresponding thumbnail image or the corresponding list item on the view screen allowing for a repurchase of the subscription content for which the subscription period has expired.

4. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, wherein the view screen comprises one of a list view screen for presenting the at least one time-limited content in the form of a list and a thumbnail view screen for presenting the at least one time-limited content in the form of a thumbnail image, and a view switching menu for switching between the list view screen and the thumbnail view screen.

5. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, wherein the view screen displays a plurality of related time-limited contents with a representative content and wherein each of the related time-limited contents has an expiry period having a value within a range including a shortest expiry period to a longest expiry period,

wherein the expiry period of the representative content is set to the shortest expiry period among the expiry periods of the plurality of related time-limited contents.

6. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, when the time-limited content is a subscription content and a new issue of the subscription content which has been published in the subscription period, an icon notifying of existence of the new issue and a download menu at a side of the view screen.

7. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, wherein the view screen further comprises a content type selection menu allowing for selecting any one or more of rental contents, subscription contents, and normal contents having no time limit.

8. The time-limited content management method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a second reference value for notifying of an approaching expiry of the time-limited content;

determining whether any time-limited content has an expiry period matching the second reference value; and

notifying, when any time-limited content having an expiry period matching the second reference value, of the approaching expiry of the time-limited content.

9. The time-limited content management method of claim 8, wherein the second reference value is configured per one of an individual time-limited content and all of the time-limited contents identically.

10. The time-limited content management method of claim 8, wherein each time-limited content has one or more second reference values.

11. A time-limited content management device, comprising:

a control unit which controls display of a view screen having the at least one time-limited content arranged in response to a request for displaying at least one time-limited content; and

a display panel which displays the view screen,

wherein the view screen display comprises type and expiry period of the at least one time-limited content and wherein the expiry period is displayed based on at least one first reference value.

12. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the control unit controls displaying, when execution of a specific time-limited content is requested, a content execution screen with the type and expiry period of the specific time-limited content positioned proximately with respect to each other.

13. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the control unit controls dimming the time-limited content of for which rental period has expired and displaying a text notifying of the expiry of the time limited content for which rental period has expired, a rental period extension menu, and a deletion menu positioned proximately with respect to one of the corresponding thumbnail image and the corresponding list item on the view screen,

wherein the control unit controls displaying a purchase menu allowing for repurchase of the subscription content for which a subscription period has expired positioned proximately to one of the corresponding thumbnail image and the corresponding list item on the view screen.

14. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the view screen comprises a list view screen for presenting the at least one time-limited content in the form of a list and a thumbnail view screen for presenting the at least one time-limited content in the form of one or more thumbnail images, and a view switching menu for switching between the list view screen and the thumbnail view screen.

15. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the view screen displays a plurality of related time-limited contents as a representative content and wherein each of the related time-limited contents has an expiry period having a value within a range including a shortest expiry period to a longest expiry period,

wherein the expiry period of the representative content is set to the shortest expiry period among the expiry periods of the plurality of related time-limited contents.

16. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the control unit controls displaying, when the time-limited content is a subscription content having a subscription period, and a new issue of the subscription content having been published during the subscription period, an icon notifying existence of the new issue and a download menu positioned proximately to the view screen.

17. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the control unit controls displaying, when the at least one time-limited content is requested to be displayed, the time-limited contents and normal contents having no priority on the view screen together and a content type selection menu allowing for selecting all or any one or more type of the time-limited and normal contents.

18. The time-limited content management device of claim 11, wherein the control unit determines whether any time-limited content having an expiry period matching the second reference value;

and notifies, when any time-limited content of which expiry period matches the second reference value, of an expiry of the time-limited content.

19. The time-limited content management device of claim 18, wherein the second reference value is configured per one of an individual time-limited content and for all of the time-limited contents identically.

20. The time-limited content management device of claim 18, wherein each time-limited content has one or more second reference values.