System and method for processing media requests

• US 7,742,949 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blockbuster LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Blockbuster Incorporated (BB Liquidating, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crook, Leslie D., Taylor, John D., Craft, Joseph W. IV, Evangelist, Shane N., Butler, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US11/172,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/26.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals

Abstract

A system and method for processing media requests includes receiving a media request associated with a subscriber account. The availability of a slot associated with the subscriber account is determined. The slot includes at least one in-store slot and at least one on-line slot.

Claims

1. A method for processing media requests, comprising:

receiving, at a computer, a media request associated with a subscriber account; and

determining, at the computer, availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one in-store slot and at least one on-line slot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber account provides both an in-store experience and an on-line experience.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the in-store experience comprises receiving a media request from an in-store user and receiving a return indication from a store; and

the on-line experience comprises receiving a media request on-line and receiving a return indication of media transmission through a mail delivery.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message to fulfill the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is open.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising removing the media request from a queue that contains a plurality of pending requests associated with the subscriber account.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message to deny the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is closed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a return indication that media has been returned to an inventory location;

increasing an inventory count associated with the returned media for the inventory location that receives the media; and

opening a slot associated with the subscriber account.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein increasing an inventory count comprises increasing a visiting inventory count.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing a pending request in a queue associated with the subscriber account.

56. The method of claim 2, wherein the in-store experience comprises providing viewable shelves of media inventory and point-of-sale equipment to accommodate an in-store media request.

10. A system for processing media requests, comprising:

a plurality of computers operable to make a plurality of media requests associated with a plurality of subscriber accounts; and

hardware comprising a controller operable to receive the media requests and, for each received media request associated with a subscriber account, determine availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one in-store slot and at least one on-line slot.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to select a plurality of inventory locations to fulfill the media requests, wherein at least one of the inventory locations accommodates in-store media rental requests.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of inventory locations comprise:

a plurality of stores to accommodate in-store media requests; and

a plurality of fulfillment centers to accommodate on-line media requests.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the subscriber account provides both an in-store experience and an on-line experience.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the in-store experience comprises receiving a media request from an in-store user and receiving a return indication from a store; and

the on-line experience comprises receiving a media request on-line and receiving a return indication of media transmission through a mail delivery.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to send a message to fulfill the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is open.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to remove the media request from a queue that contains a plurality of pending requests associated with the subscriber account.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to send a message to deny the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is closed.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to receive a return indication that media has been returned to an inventory location, increase an inventory count associated with the returned media for the inventory location that receives the media, and open a slot associated with the subscriber account.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein increasing an inventory count comprises increasing a visiting inventory count.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is operable to process a pending request in a queue associated with the subscriber account.

21. A controller, comprising:

a memory operable to store a plurality of subscriber accounts;

hardware comprising a network interface operable to receive a media request; and

a processor operable to associate the media request with a particular subscriber account, the processor further operable to determine availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the particular subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one in-store slot and at least one on-line slot.

22. The controller of claim 21, wherein the processor is operable to send a message to fulfill the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is open.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein the processor is operable to remove the media request from a queue that contains a plurality of pending requests associated with the subscriber account.

24. The controller of claim 21, wherein the processor is operable to send a message to deny the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is closed.

25. The controller of claim 21, wherein the processor is operable to receive a return indication that media has been returned to an inventory location, increase an inventory count associated with the returned media for the inventory location that receives the media, and open a slot associated with the subscriber account.

26. The controller of claim 25, wherein increasing an inventory count comprises increasing a visiting inventory count.

27. The controller of claim 21, wherein the processor is operable to process a pending request in a queue associated with the subscriber account.

28. A system for processing media requests, comprising:

means for receiving a media request associated with a subscriber account; and

means for determining availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one in-store slot and at least one on-line slot.

29. A method for processing media requests, comprising:

receiving, at a computer, a media request associated with a subscriber account; and

determining, at the computer, availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one blended slot.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the subscriber account provides both an in-store experience and an on-line experience.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the in-store experience comprises receiving a media request from an in-store user and receiving a return indication from a store; and

the on-line experience comprises receiving a media request on-line and receiving a return indication of media transmission through a mail delivery.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

sending a message to fulfill the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is open.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising removing the media request from a queue that contains a plurality of pending requests associated with the subscriber account.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising sending a message to deny the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is closed.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a return indication that media has been returned to an inventory location;

increasing an inventory count associated with the returned media for the inventory location that receives the media; and

opening a slot associated with the subscriber account.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein increasing an inventory count comprises increasing a visiting inventory count.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising processing a pending request in a queue associated with the subscriber account.

38. A system for processing media requests, comprising:

a plurality of computers operable to make a plurality of media requests associated with a plurality of subscriber accounts; and

hardware comprising a controller operable to receive the media requests and, for each received media request associated with a subscriber account, determine availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one blended slot.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the controller is operable to select a plurality of inventory locations to fulfill the media requests, wherein at least one of the inventory locations accommodates in-store media rental requests.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of inventory locations comprise:

a plurality of stores to accommodate in-store media requests; and

a plurality of fulfillment centers to accommodate on-line media requests.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the subscriber account provides both an in-store experience and an on-line experience.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the in-store experience comprises receiving a media request from an in-store user and receiving a return indication from a store; and

the on-line experience comprises receiving a media request on-line and receiving a return indication of media transmission through a mail delivery.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the controller is operable to send a message to fulfill the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is open.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein the controller is operable to remove the media request from a queue that contains a plurality of pending requests associated with the subscriber account.

45. The system of claim 38, wherein the controller is operable to send a message to deny the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is closed.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein the controller is operable to receive a return indication that media has been returned to an inventory location, increase an inventory count associated with the returned media for the inventory location that receives the media, and open a slot associated with the subscriber account.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein increasing an inventory count comprises increasing a visiting inventory count.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the controller is operable to process a pending request in a queue associated with the subscriber account.

49. A controller, comprising:

a memory operable to store a plurality of subscriber accounts;

hardware comprising a network interface operable to receive a media request; and

a processor operable to associate the media request with a particular subscriber account, the processor further operable to determine availability of one of a plurality of slots associated with the particular subscriber account, wherein the slots comprise at least one blended slot.

50. The controller of claim 49, wherein the processor is operable to send a message to fulfill the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is open.

51. The controller of claim 50, wherein the processor is operable to remove the media request from a queue that contains a plurality of pending requests associated with the subscriber account.

52. The controller of claim 49, wherein the processor is operable to send a message to deny the media request if the slot associated with the subscriber account is closed.

53. The controller of claim 49, wherein the processor is operable to receive a return indication that media has been returned to an inventory location, increase an inventory count associated with the returned media for the inventory location that receives the media, and open a slot associated with the subscriber account.

54. The controller of claim 53, wherein increasing an inventory count comprises increasing a visiting inventory count.

55. The controller of claim 49, wherein the processor is operable to process a pending request in a queue associated with the subscriber account.