Method and service for providing access to premium content and dispersing payment therefore

• US 9,076,174 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daisy Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zepfrog Corp.
• Inventors: Rodov, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/947,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method and system for providing premium content and dispersing payment therefore. The method includes entering into an agreement with at least one partner that provides premium content and entering into an agreement with at least one customer that grants the customer access to premium content provided by at least one partner. The method further includes collecting defined parameter data of at least one customer accessing the premium content and dispersing payment to at least one partner where the payment is determined from the defined parameter data. The defined parameter data can be approximate time spent.

Claims

1. A method for dispersing payment to a supplier of premium content, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one customer with access to premium content from a supplier, wherein the at least one customer accesses the premium content via an internet connection from a device that is capable of connecting to the internet;

using a server to monitor when the at least one customer accesses the premium content;

subsequent to the at least one customer accessing the premium content, collecting on a server defined parameter data of the at least one customer'"'"'s interaction within the premium content over one or more periods of time, wherein the defined parameter data comprises approximate time spent interacting within the premium content;

calculating a payment for the supplier based on the collected defined parameter data; and

dispersing the payment to the supplier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one customer is a plurality of customers and the dispersed payment is determined from the approximate time spent by each of the plurality of customers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one is a plurality of customers and the dispersed payment is determined from the approximate time spent by all customers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting approximate time spent data includes using web beacons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting approximate time spent data includes using automatic counting software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting approximate time spent data includes using statistical sampling.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined parameter data further comprises unique visits.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined parameter data further comprises survey data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined parameter data further comprises variables determined from a customer rating mechanism.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading the premium content onto the device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the premium content comprises a plurality of items.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the premium content comprises a single item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the providing step, the at least one customer enters into an agreement.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the agreement provides access to a single item of premium content for a single fee.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the premium content is at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

articles, eBooks, sound files, music, interactive applications, software, games, video files, movies, and a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the device that is capable of connecting to the internet is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a portable music player, a portable media player, a portable communications device, a video game console, and a computer.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one customer accesses the premium content from the device that is capable of connecting to the internet via a graphical user interface (GUI).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the GUI is selected from the group consisting of:

a website, a browser toolbar, a standalone web browser, and a standalone software application.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the GUI is configured to require authentication information prior to providing access to the premium content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the authentication information is selected from the group consisting of:

a user name, a password, and a combination thereof.