U.S. patent application number 11/835236 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for downloading of content.
This patent application is currently assigned to NOKIA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Sami Petteri Pippuri, Risto Matias Ylivainio.
Application Number | 20090043692 11/835236 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40341823 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090043692 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pippuri; Sami Petteri ; et
al. |
February 12, 2009 |
Downloading of Content
Abstract
Desired content may be selected from a content server and added
to a wishlist or a shopping list. If the desired content is added
to a wishlist, a receiving device other than the device from which
the selection(s) were received may be identified or selected. The
receiving device may be identified based on capabilities of the
receiving device (e.g., ability to play music or video). A sample
of the desired content may be selected, generated and/or customized
based on the capabilities (e.g., resolution, storage capacity) of
the receiving device. The sample may then be transmitted to the
receiving device at a predefined time or once specified conditions
have been met. Content added to a shopping list may be purchased by
a user and downloaded to a selected device. The selected device may
be the device on which the content was selected or an alternate
device.
Inventors: |
Pippuri; Sami Petteri;
(Bristol, GB) ; Ylivainio; Risto Matias;
(Vancouver, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.
1100 13th STREET, N.W., SUITE 1200
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-4051
US
|
Assignee: |
NOKIA CORPORATION
Espoo
FI
|
Family ID: |
40341823 |
Appl. No.: |
11/835236 |
Filed: |
August 7, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/39 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 65/60 20130101;
G06Q 30/0633 20130101; G06F 16/258 20190101; G06F 16/4387 20190101;
H04L 67/2823 20130101; G06F 3/0482 20130101; H04L 67/28 20130101;
G06Q 20/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/39 ;
705/1 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 99/00 20060101
G06Q099/00; G06Q 40/00 20060101 G06Q040/00 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: receiving, from a first device, a selection
of a content item to add to a list identifying desired content
items; selecting a second device for receiving a portion of the
content item; customizing the portion of the content item according
to one or more characteristics of the second device; and
transmitting the customized portion of the content item to the
second device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is selected
from a plurality of devices associated with an account
corresponding to the first device.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request,
from the first device, to transmit the portion of the content item
to one or more devices defined in a user's account information.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device belongs to a
first tier of devices having a first set of capabilities and the
second device belongs to a second tier of devices having a second
set of capabilities, wherein the first set of capabilities is at
least partly different from the second set of capabilities.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized portion of the
content item is transmitted to the second device without processing
a payment.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a request
to access a content service from the first device; determining a
tier of devices to which the first device belongs; and transmitting
a content service page to the first device, wherein the content
service page corresponds to the determined tier of devices.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized portion of the
content item is transmitted to the second device when a network
access cost of the second device being lower than a predefined cost
threshold.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized portion of the
content item is transmitted to the second device when the second
device is not roaming.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the second device
includes receiving an identification of the second device from the
first device.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the content item
is a sample of the content item.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a purchase
request for the content item from the second device; and in
response to receiving the purchase request, transmitting the
content item to the second device.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a purchase
request for the content item from the second device; and in
response to receiving the purchase request, transmitting the
content item to one or more devices defined in a user's account
information.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item is customized
based on one or more characteristics of the second device prior to
transmitting the content item to the second device.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein customizing the portion of the
content item includes reducing a resolution of the portion of the
content item.
15. A system comprising: a processor; and memory storing computer
readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause
the system to perform a method comprising: receiving, from a first
device, a selection of a content item to add to a list identifying
desired content items; selecting a second device for receiving a
portion of the content item; customizing the portion of the content
item according to one or more characteristics of the second device;
and transmitting the customized portion of the content item to the
second device.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to access a content service from the first
device; determining a tier of devices to which the first device
belongs; and transmitting a content service page to the first
device, wherein the content service page corresponds to the
determined tier of devices.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the portion of the content item
is a sample of the content item.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the customized portion of the
content item is transmitted when a network access cost of the
second device being lower than a predefined cost threshold.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein customizing the portion of the
content item includes reducing the length of the content item.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein the second device is selected
from a plurality of devices associated with an account
corresponding to the first device.
21. The system of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises
receiving a request, from the first device, to transmit the portion
of the content item to one or more devices defined in a user's
account information.
22. The system of claim 15, wherein the first device belongs to a
first tier of devices having a first set of capabilities and the
second device belongs to a second tier of devices having a second
set of capabilities, wherein the first set of capabilities is at
least partly different from the second set of capabilities.
23. The system of claim 15, further comprising the first device,
wherein the first device is a mobile communication device.
24. The system of claim 23, further comprising the second
device.
25. The system of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a purchase request for the content item from the second
device; and in response to receiving the purchase request,
transmitting the content item to one or more devices defined on a
user's account information.
26. One or more computer readable media storing computer readable
instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the
processor to perform a method comprising: receiving, from a first
device, a selection of a content item to add to a list identifying
desired content items; selecting a second device for receiving a
portion of the content item; customizing the portion of the content
item according to one or more characteristics of the second device;
and transmitting the customized portion of the content item to the
second device.
27. One or more integrated circuits configured to perform a method
comprising: receiving, from a first device, a selection of a
content item to add to a list identifying desired content items;
selecting a second device for receiving a portion of the content
item; customizing the portion of the content item according to one
or more characteristics of the second device; and transmitting the
customized portion of the content item to the second device.
28. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 27, wherein the
second device is selected from a plurality of devices associated
with an account corresponding to the first device.
29. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 27, the method
further comprising receiving a request, from the first device, to
transmit the portion of the content item to one or more devices
defined in a user's account information.
30. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 27, wherein the
first device belongs to a first tier of devices having a first set
of capabilities and the second device belongs to a second tier of
devices having a second set of capabilities, wherein the first set
of capabilities is at least partly different from the second set of
capabilities.
31. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 27, wherein the
method further comprises: receiving a purchase request for the
content item from the second device; and in response to receiving
the purchase request, transmitting the content item to one or more
devices defined on a user's account information.
32. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving, from a first
device, a selection of a content item to add to a list identifying
desired content items; means for selecting a second device for
receiving a portion of the content item; means for customizing the
portion of the content item according to one or more
characteristics of the second device; and means for transmitting
the customized portion of the content item to the second
device.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising means for
processing a payment transaction associated with the content
item.
34. A method comprising: receiving, at a first device, a content
page from a service provider; transmitting, from the first device,
a selection of a content item to the service provider for adding
the content item to a list of desired content; and designating a
second device for receiving a portion of the content item.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the content page corresponds to
a tier of devices to which the first device belongs.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the portion of the content item
is a sample of the content item.
37. The method of claim 34, further comprising designating a time
for sending the portion of the content item to the second
device.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the time corresponds to an
instance when a network access cost of the second device is below a
threshold cost.
39. The method of claim 34, wherein the first device belongs to a
first tier of devices and the second device belongs to a second
tier of devices, the first tier of devices including a first set of
capabilities and the second device including a second set of
capabilities, wherein the first set of capabilities is at least
partly different from the second set of capabilities.
40. The method of claim 34, wherein designating a second device for
receiving a portion of the content item includes transmitting a
request to the service provider to transmit the portion of the
content item to one or more devices defined on a user's account
information.
41. An apparatus comprising: a processor; and memory storing
computer readable instructions that, when executed by the
processor, cause the system to perform a method comprising:
receiving, at the apparatus, a content page from a service
provider; transmitting, from the apparatus, a selection of a
content item to the service provider for adding the content item to
a list of desired content; and designating a receiving device for
receiving a portion of the content item.
42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises
designating a time for sending the portion of the content item to
the receiving device.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the time corresponds to an
instance when the receiving device is not roaming.
44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the time corresponds to an
instance when a network access cost of the receiving device is
below a threshold cost.
45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the apparatus belongs to a
first tier of devices and the receiving device belongs to a second
tier of devices, the first tier of devices includes a first set of
capabilities and the second device includes a second set of
capabilities, wherein the first set of capabilities is at least
partly different from the second set of capabilities.
46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein designating a second device
for receiving a portion of the content item includes transmitting a
request to the service provider to transmit the portion of the
content item to one or more devices defined on a user's account
information.
47. One or more integrated circuits configured to perform a method
comprising: receiving, at a first device, a content page from a
service provider; transmitting, from the first device, a selection
of a content item to the service provider for adding the content
item to a list of desired content; and designating a second device
for receiving a portion of the content item.
48. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 47, wherein the
method further comprises designating a time for sending the portion
of the content item to the receiving device.
49. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 47, wherein the
time corresponds to an instance when the receiving device is not
roaming.
50. The one or more integrated circuits of claim 47, wherein
designating a second device for receiving a portion of the content
item includes transmitting a request to the service provider
transmit send the portion of the content item to one or more
devices defined on a user's account information.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention generally relates to the downloading of
content. In particular, at least some embodiments relate to
downloading content or a sample thereof to a different device than
that from which a selection of content is made.
BACKGROUND
[0002] More than ever, consumers are browsing, sampling and
purchasing music, videos and other content from on-line vendors and
service providers. A consumer will typically use a computing device
to browse an on-line catalog of content published by a service
provider and to select items for download or sampling. The selected
content items are then downloaded or streamed to the device.
However, due to the sizes, formats and other characteristics of
some types of content (e.g., audio and video), some devices may be
limited in their ability to receive and render content items or
samples thereof. For example, mobile communication device such as a
cell phone may have different capabilities than a personal
computer. Thus, the personal computer may be able to download and
play content that the mobile communication device might not.
SUMMARY
[0003] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0004] In one embodiment, a content server is configured to receive
requests for content from one or more devices and to transmit the
requested content or a sample thereof to a receiving device other
than the requesting device that is capable of playing or rendering
the requested content. Content that is selected for a wishlist may
prompt the service provider to create a sample of the content and
to transmit the sample to the receiving device automatically (i.e.,
without user intervention). The sample may be customized according
to the specifications and characteristics of the receiving device.
For example, a content sample may be customized to reduce
resolution, shorten playtime, change formats and the like. Thus, in
one example, a user using a mobile phone that is not capable of or
authorized for receiving or rendering videos may add a music video
to a wishlist. The service provider may then create a sample of the
music video, customize the sample (if necessary), and transmit the
sample to another device that is capable of or authorized for
receiving and playing the sample video. Content selected for a
shopping list or for purchasing may also be customized in a similar
manner prior to being downloaded into the receiving device. A
receiving device may be designated by a user or may be selected
automatically by the service provider.
[0005] Devices may be classified into different device tiers
depending on the features, specification and other characteristics
of the devices. Thus, devices that are capable of rendering video,
audio and text may be classified in a first tier while devices that
are capable of only receiving and rendering text may be classified
in a second tier. In some instances, a device may be classified
based on the types of content a user authorizes the device to
receive and/or play. Using such a device classification, a service
provider may identify devices that are able to receive and render a
particular type of content.
[0006] According to another embodiment, a service provider may
publish different content service pages to different tiers of
devices. The different pages may be used to enhance compatibility
of the service interface with different devices. The different
pages may also include different functionality and commands based
on the capabilities of the different devices. Thus, a mobile device
incapable or unauthorized to receive or play music or video might
be restricted to adding content items to a wishlist (i.e., not
allowed to add content to a shopping list). Other restrictions or
features may be added to content service pages depending on the
corresponding tier and capabilities associated therewith.
[0007] Still further, a user device may include a client for
coordinating the transmission of a content item from a service
provider. The client may run in the background of an operating
system of the device and, for example, check for new content items
or samples of content based on some schedule. Different clients may
be used for different types of content or, alternatively, a single
client may be configured to monitor for multiple types of
content.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Certain embodiments are illustrated by way of example and
not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference
numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a communication
network in which one or more embodiments may be implemented.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication device
according to one or more aspects described herein.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a server for distributing
content according to one or more aspects described herein.
[0012] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate content pages for browsing and
downloading content according to one or more aspects described
herein.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for receiving
and processing content requests according to one or more aspects
described herein.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a diagram of a transmission flow between two user
devices and a content server for processing a wishlist content item
according to one or more aspects described herein.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a diagram of a transmission flow between two user
devices and a content server for purchasing and downloading a
content item according to one or more aspects described herein.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for selecting
desired content items and designating one or more receiving devices
for receiving the selected items according to one or more aspects
described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] In the following description of the various embodiments,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part
hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various
embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be
understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural
and functional modifications may be made without departing from the
scope of the present invention.
[0018] Various embodiments may be used in a broad array of networks
and communication protocols. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a
communication network through which content may be downloaded
according to one or more aspects described herein. Specifically,
communication network 100 includes service provider 101, mobile
communication devices 105 and a mobile phone 110, personal computer
(PC) 115 and personal data assistant (PDA) 120. PC, as used herein,
is not limited to any particular operating system or platform.
Communication through network 100 is not limited to the illustrated
devices and may include other apparatuses such as a home video
storage system, a portable audio/video player, a digital
camera/camcorder, a positioning device such as a GPS (Global
Positioning System) device, a mobile television, a STB (Set-top
Box), a digital video recorder, and the like and in any combination
of the aforementioned. Devices 105, 110, 115 and 120 may be
connected to each other and server 101 through various types of
networks. For example, mobile communication devices 105 and 110 may
communicate with server 101 through a cellular network, a short
range communication connection (such as a Bluetooth.RTM., UWB
(Ultra Wide Band), infrared, WiBree), a wireless local area network
(WLAN) and/or a high-speed wireless data network, e.g.,
Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) networks, Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS) networks and/or Enhanced Data
rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) networks. In one or more
arrangements, mobile communication devices 105 and 110 and other
devices like PC 115 and PDA 120 may communicate using a wired
network communication. Further, devices 105, 110, 115 and 120 may
use various communication protocols such as Internet Protocol (IP),
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
(SMTP) among others known in the art.
[0019] Devices 105, 110, 115 and 120 may include different
capabilities and features. For example, mobile communication device
105 may include the ability to play music and/or render video while
mobile communication device 110 might not have such features or
capabilities. In another example, PC 115 may be configured to
handle a higher processing load than mobile communication devices
105 and 110 or PDA 120. Further, according to one or more aspects,
devices and/or sets of capabilities may be classified into a
plurality of tiers. That is, devices having a first set of
capabilities may be classified into a first tier, devices having a
second set of capabilities may be classified into a second tier and
so on. In one or more configurations, a second set of capabilities
may be a subset of a first set of capabilities containing fewer
capabilities than the first set, or partly different capabilities
than the first set of capabilities. Various capabilities on which
tiers may be defined include download and/or storage capacity,
bandwidth of network, media rendering capabilities, digital rights
management enforcement features, transceivers, network connection
stability, network access costs, user preferences and the like.
Thus, in one example, a mobile communication device such as device
105 may be classified in a first tier and a personal computer such
as PC 115 may be classified in a second tier due to the larger
storage capacity and greater rendering capabilities of PC 115.
[0020] Categorizing devices and determining device capabilities may
allow a service provider to identify devices capable of rendering
or receiving a particular content item. By way of example, if a
user purchases video content using his or her mobile communication
device (e.g., device 105) that is incapable of playing video, the
service provider may automatically, or by request, download the
video to a PC (e.g., PC 115) associated with the user or user's
account. Users may also specify whether a device is authorized to
receive certain types of content. Such restrictions may be factored
into tier determination and assignment process.
[0021] FIG. 2, describing one embodiment of the invention, is a
block diagram of a communication device such as mobile
communication device 105 including processor 228 connected to user
interface 230, memory 234 and/or other storage, and display 236.
Communication device 212 may also include battery 250, speaker(s)
253 and antennas 254. User interface 230 may further include a
keypad, touch screen, voice interface, one or more arrow keys,
joy-stick, data glove, mouse, roller ball, touch screen, or the
like. Mobile terminal 212 may comprise a computer, PDA, mobile
telephone and the like.
[0022] Computer executable instructions and data used by processor
228 and other components within communication device 212 may be
stored in a computer readable memory 234. The memory may be
implemented with any combination of read only memory modules or
random access memory modules, optionally including both volatile
and nonvolatile memory. Software 240 may be stored within memory
234 and/or storage to provide instructions to processor 228 for
enabling communication device 212 to perform various functions.
Alternatively, some or all of communication device 212 computer
executable instructions may be embodied in hardware or firmware
(not shown).
[0023] Communication device 212 may be configured to receive,
decode and process digital radio or television broadcast
transmissions that are based, for example, on the DVB (Digital
Video Broadcasting) standards, through a specific DVB receiver 241.
The mobile device may also be provided with other types of
receivers for digital broadcast transmissions, such as MediaFLO,
DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), ISDB (Integrated Services
Digital Broadcasting), HDTV (High-definition television), DAM
(Digital Audio Broadcasting), DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), etc.
Additionally, communication device 212 may also be configured to
receive, decode and process transmissions through FM/AM Radio
receiver 242, WLAN transceiver 243, and wireless telecommunications
transceiver 244. Transceivers 243 and 244 may, alternatively, be
separated into individual transmitter and receiver components (not
shown). In one example, transceiver 244 may include a broadcast
receiver (not shown) and a backward channel receiver (not shown)
for communicating over the broadcast channel and the backward
channel, respectively. In one aspect of the invention,
communication device 212 may receive Radio Data System (RDS)
messages. Other transmission and reception systems may also be used
including BLUETOOTH.RTM., WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access) i.e., Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard, and/or UWB (Ultra-wideband)
transceivers. In one or more instances, signals may be transmitted
to and received from another mobile terminal (not shown). For
example, audio, video and other signals may be transmitted between
two communication devices using various transmissions protocols
such as wireless local area networks (WLANs), General Packet Radio
Service (GPRS), third generation mobile system technology (3G),
Bluetooth and/or Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). Such networks may
be used to access or support local networks or remote networks such
as the Internet.
[0024] Referring again to FIG. 1, server 101 is generally
configured to distribute various types of content to devices 105,
110, 115 and 120 including media items, such as music, videos,
images, ringtones, maps and text (e.g., e-books, articles), and
applications (e.g., games). Server 101 may obtain or receive
content from one or more content sources (not shown). These content
sources may include media network servers, websites, databases
storing collections of content and/or combinations thereof. To
facilitate access to such content, server 101 may publish such
content in one or more services. For example, server 101 may
publish available content by generating a webpage listing available
music and/or videos and transmitting the webpage to devices 105,
110, 115 and 120. Server 101 may further charge a fee for the
service and/or for each content item. Alternatively or
additionally, server 101 may offer subscriptions allowing a device
or user to have unlimited access to available content for a fixed
fee (e.g., a monthly or yearly subscription fee).
[0025] In one or more embodiments, server 101 may be a distributed
system that comprises multiple component servers or systems. The
multiple component servers may be distributed in multiple different
locations or, alternatively, may be located in the same place.
[0026] FIG. 3, describing one embodiment of the invention, is a
block diagram of a service provider such as server 101 of FIG. 1,
from which content may be received. Service provider 300 includes
multiple components including content billing server 305, content
server 310, content item information server 310, content sample
server 320 and user account server 325. Servers 305, 310, 315, 320
and 325 may exist in firmware, software, hardware or combinations
thereof and may be located in the same system or may be distributed
across multiple different systems. Each of servers 305, 310, 315,
320 and 325 may communicate with each of the other servers through
a direct connection or indirectly through one or more of the other
servers.
[0027] Content billing server 305 is generally configured to
process charges and payments for uses of the service or content
items downloaded from service provider 300. For example, content
billing server 305 may determine an appropriate amount to charge
for a number of content items downloaded or purchased.
Additionally, content billing server 305 may generate a bill for
the purchaser and/or process a payment transaction, e.g.,
authorizing a credit card transaction or initiating an electronic
funds transfer (EFT) from a purchaser's bank account. Content
billing server 305 may also deduct charges from a purchaser's
account if the account contains sufficient funds. Content billing
server 305 may further store financial records associated with the
various services provided by service provider 300 (e.g., for
auditing purposes). Additionally or alternatively, content billing
server 305 may be configured to monitor payments and amounts owed
and to generate and send reminders for bills.
[0028] Content server 310 is configured to retrieve and store
available content items. For instance, content server 310 may be
configured to request content items from one or more other content
servers or sources in response to a user's request. Content server
310 may determine which content items to store based on the
popularity of the items, the size of the content items, an
accessibility of the content items from other sources and the like.
Thus, in one example, more popular content items may be stored in
content server 310 for easier accessibility while other content
items may be stored on other servers and retrieved from the other
server upon request by a user. Content server 310 may use various
protocols for storing the content items including storage by
content type (e.g., music versus video), item size or
category/genre.
[0029] In storing and managing content items, content server 310
operates in conjunction with content information server 315.
Content information server 315 is configured to store and maintain
a database of metadata or other identifying information associated
with content items. Metadata stored in content information server
315 may be linked to content items stored in server 315 or
otherwise identify a content item to which the information is
associated. In that manner, content items may be retrieved from
content server 310 and/or other servers based on associated
metadata. Thus, in one example, service provider 300 may search
content information server 315 to identify all movies in the sci-fi
genre or all music by a specified artist.
[0030] Content sample server 320 provides samples of various
content items to potential purchasers. For example, content sample
server 320 is configured to create and/or store samples of content
items for perusal by a purchaser and to aid the purchaser in
deciding whether to purchase a content item or not. Content sample
server 320 may generate samples in response to a purchaser
requesting a preview of a particular content item. Alternatively,
content sample server 320 may generate samples prior to receiving
requests. According to one or more aspects, content sample server
320 may further be configured to generate a sample based on the
specifications of the receiving device. Thus, if a device is unable
to render 1080.times.720 video, the content sample server 320 may
prepare a sample using 640.times.320 resolution instead. Content
customization is discussed in further detail below.
[0031] Subscribers or users of the service provided by service
provider 300 may create accounts that are stored by user account
server 325. User account server 325 facilitates the creation,
storage and maintenance of user accounts including tracking
activity in the account and maintaining lists of content items that
have been downloaded and/or that interest the user. For example,
user account server 325 may store one or more wishlists or shopping
lists of music for a user based on a user's selection, preference,
purchasing history and the like. Further, user account server 325
may store payment data such as credit card numbers, bank account
and routing numbers, billing address and the like so that a user
does not have to repeatedly enter the information when making
purchases.
[0032] User account server 325 may also store information regarding
devices associated with the user including device type (e.g.,
mobile, PC, PDA), storage capacity, and network connection type. A
user may add or associate different devices to his or her account
to allow multiple devices to access the service and to receive
content items. Device information may be manually specified by a
user or may be automatically detected by service provider 300. For
example, service provider 300 may detect bandwidth capacity using
methods known in the art. Using the device information stored in
user account server 325, service provider 300 is able to determine
whether a purchasing device is capable of receiving and/or
rendering the purchased content. If not, service provider 300 may
identify an alternate device associated with the user's account
that is capable and/or authorized of receiving and rendering the
purchase content and transmit the content item to that device
instead (or in addition to sending the purchase content to the
purchasing device). Additionally, the user account may include
other devices than the user's own. That is, the user account may
include devices of friends, devices of family members, devices of
an interest group and/or devices of a team. The user or the service
provider may also initiate delivery of content samples to those
devices.
[0033] Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the categorization
of devices into various tiers or categories is relevant to
determining what services and content are available to those
devices. For example, a service provider such as service provider
300 of FIG. 3 may publish different service pages for different
tiers of devices. The pages may be optimized e.g. for Wireless
Application Protocol (WAP), SMS, email, and/or web based delivery.
The different pages may provide different amounts of video, text
and/or images to enhance the compatibility and viewability of the
page on different tiers of devices. For example, a mobile device
might not be able to render video or has limited capacity for
images. Thus, a page may be defined for a mobile device tier that
includes fewer images (as compared to a page defined for a PC) and
no video. Furthermore, the pages provided to different tiers of
devices may provide different functions or commands.
[0034] FIG. 4A illustrates a content page 400 that, in one or more
embodiments, may be provided to a tier of devices that have limited
or no capability to play or receive music or to render video (e.g.,
due to limited bandwidth in the type of network connection, user
restrictions, lack of storage, lack of music playing and/or video
rendering capabilities/application, lack of a GPS application).
Wishlist, as used herein, refers generally to a list of content for
which samples are sent to a receiving device without a monetary
transaction. Content page 400 allows devices and users thereof to
identify desired content from a list of content items 405 prior to
purchasing them. Samples of the identified content may then be
downloaded to a different device of a tier of devices having the
capability to play and receive music or video at a later time.
Content page 400 includes schedule option 430 that allows a user to
schedule the time or options of time frames at which the sample
content item will be downloaded to the receiving device. Wishlist
410 may be displayed in content page 400 and include identification
415 of one or more devices to which the content sample will be
downloaded. For example, the device may be identified by a name
assigned by the user or by device model. Device change option 420
may also be included in content page 400 to allow a user to change
or select the one or more receiving devices. Further, content page
400 may provide stream option 425 to allow a device to stream
content such as music or videos. This option may be provided to
devices that might not have the bandwidth to receive a content
sample file but is able to stream content. Further, in one
embodiment, a device might not have the ability to receive content
items due to various reasons such as digital rights management
protections or device capability limitations. However, the device
may be able to receive a streaming sample or preview of a content
item that is, e.g., not copyright protected or that is compatible
with the device's capabilities. The streaming sample or preview may
then be used to trigger a full content item download to one or more
other devices.
[0035] FIG. 4B, describing one embodiment of the invention,
illustrates an alternative content page 450 that may be published
to a device belonging to a tier of devices able to receive and/or
play music and video content. Content page 450 includes a wishlist
455 in addition to shopping cart or list 460 for purchasing content
items. A shopping cart or list such as list 460, unlike a wishlist,
displays and stores content that is sent in its entirety to a
receiving device in association with a monetary transaction.
Content items may be selected for addition to a shopping cart by
selecting add to shopping cart option 480. FIG. 4B illustrates a
shopping cart 460 with a total calculated and checkout option 465.
Additionally, a user may add content items to a wishlist using
option 475 and view the wishlisted items by selecting wishlist 455
(i.e., the tab associated with wishlist 455). Wishlist 455,
although not fully illustrates in FIG. 4B, may look similar to
wishlist 410 of FIG. 4A.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a flowchart for a method of receiving and
processing content requests according to aspects described herein.
In step 500, a service provider may receive a request to access a
content download service. For example, the service provider server
may receive a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request from a
user's device requesting access to a service page. In step 505, the
service provider may determine a tier to which the user's device
belongs. The determination may be made by searching a database of
known or registered devices. Alternatively, the service provider
may make such a determination by detecting various characteristics
associated the device such as type of connection, storage capacity
and the like. A default tier may be defined for devices that are
unknown and for which information is not available or accessible.
For example, a default tier may be defined as a set of devices
having a minimal set of features and capabilities. In step 510, the
service provider may respond to the access request by identifying
and transmitting a page corresponding to the determined tier.
Expression, style and/or content of the transmitted page may be
configured corresponding to the determined tier.
[0037] In step 515, the service provider may receive a request to
add a content item to a list of desired content. The list may be a
wishlist or a shopping cart or a combination thereof. In response
to the request, the service provider may add the specified content
item to the list associated with the user or account in step 520.
In addition, the service provider may automatically (e.g., without
user intervention) initiate a download process including selecting
one or more receiving devices to receive the content item in step
525. The receiving device may be selected based on user preferences
or selections made and stored in a user account profile.
Alternatively or additionally, the service provider may
automatically select a device for receiving the content item based
on an associated tier and device capabilities. In one or more
configurations, a service provider may send the content or a sample
of the content that may be modified or customized, to multiple or
all devices registered to a user's account. In step 530, the
service provider may identify a time at which to download the
content item to the receiving device. The time may be based on a
set time of day. Additionally, in the step 530 any operating
condition of the receiving device may be defined. For example, if
the receiving device is a mobile device, the service provider may
schedule the download for when the mobile device is not roaming
and/or is connected to a wireless data network or when network
access costs are below a threshold. Various types of conditions may
be set for the download time.
[0038] In step 535, the service provider may determine whether the
download conditions have been met. If so, in step 540, the service
provider may customize the content item or a portion/sample thereof
(depending on whether the content item was added to a shopping cart
or a wishlist, respectively) to insure compatibility with the
receiving device. A content item or a portion thereof may be
modified/customized based on one or more characteristics of the
receiving device such as resolution, supported audio encoding
formats, supported video encoding formats, storage capacity (which
may affect a downloadable length) and the like. In step 545, the
content item or sample may be transmitted to the receiving device.
If the downloading conditions have not been met, however, the
service provider may continue waiting and monitoring for the
relevant conditions in step 550. In one or more arrangements, if
the content item is protected by copyright protection mechanisms,
the service provider may also transmit or issue a license for the
content item.
[0039] A user may further purchase and download a full content item
(rather than a sample) in a manner similar to that described in
FIG. 5. For example, instead of generating a sample, the full
content item may be customized for downloading to the identified
receiving device. Once customized, the content file may be sent to
the receiving device at the scheduled time. In addition, payment
processing may also be performed for the purchased item.
[0040] FIG. 6, describing one embodiment of the invention, is a
diagram showing transmission flow for wishlist content items
between a first device, a service provider and a second device.
Generally, the first device initially accesses a predefined page of
the service provider, where the predefined page corresponds to a
device tier to which the first device belongs. For example, the
first device may transmit a page access request (as illustrated in
step A) to the content server (i.e., service provider). In step B,
the content server may respond with a content page. The first
device then selects content for addition and sends those selections
to the service provider, e.g., step C. Samples of the selected
content are then transmitted to the second device in step D. Again,
the samples may be customized based on the needs and
characteristics of the second device. The sample of the selected
content may optionally be sent to the first device as well in step
E.
[0041] FIG. 7, describing one embodiment of the invention, is a
diagram showing transmission flow for shopping list content items
(e.g., items to be purchased) between a first device, a service
provider and a second device. As with the diagram of FIG. 6, the
first device initially accesses a predefined page of the service
provider corresponding to the first device's tier as illustrated by
steps A and B. Subsequently, one or more content items may be
identified to the service provider for purchase in step C. The
content file may then be transmitted in step D and optionally step
E to the second device and, in some instances, the first device.
However, in contrast to FIG. 6, a payment transaction may be
performed between either the first device and the service provider
or the second device and the service provider in steps F and G. The
payment transaction may also take place either before or after the
transmission of the content. In one example, a copyright protected
content item may be transmitted prior to payment. However, a
license key for accessing the content item might only be
transmitted after payment. A full content file (rather than a
sample) is also transmitted to either the first device or the
second device or both depending on user preferences and the
capabilities of each device. Prior to transmitting the content file
to the receiving device, the content may be customized based on the
receiving device. If there are multiple receiving devices, a copy
of the content may be customized for each receiving device.
Additionally, any of the devices that have received any of the
samples may purchase full content of the samples. A device electing
to purchase full content corresponding to a sample may further
designate one or more devices, e.g. included in the user account
information, for receiving/downloading the full content, and
optionally conditions under which the full content is to be
received/downloaded.
[0042] According to one or more aspects, a receiving device such as
PC 115, mobile communication device 105 or 110 or PDA 120 may
include a content downloading client to facilitate the transfer of
content or samples of content from a service provider like provider
300. The client may be specific to a type of content or may be
configured to download multiple types of content from the content
server. In one embodiment, a client running on a receiving device
may automatically receive or download content that has been
wishlisted or purchased by a user.
[0043] FIG. 8, describing one embodiment of the invention, is a
flowchart illustrating a method for selecting desired one or more
content items and designating one or more receiving devices. In
step 800, a user device such as a mobile phone, PC or PDA may
request access to a content service from a service provider server.
The request may take the form of a HTTP request or other request
formats depending on the communication protocol and/or application
used. In step 805, the device may receive a response from the
service provider with a content service page. The content service
page may correspond to a tier of devices to which the user device
belongs or is associated. Once the page is received, a user may
browse the content listings and other information on the page. In
step 810, the device may transmit a selection of one or more
content items to the service provider. The selection may also
identify a list (e.g., a wishlist or a shopping list) to which the
one or more content items is to be added.
[0044] In step 815, the device may further designate one or more
receiving devices for receiving the selected one or more content
items or samples thereof. The designation may be made manually by a
user or based on preferences stored in the user device or on the
user's account. Alternatively, the designation may include an
authorization for the service provider to automatically choose an
appropriate receiving device. Further, in step 820, the device may
specify a time at which the one or more content items or samples
thereof are to be downloaded to the designated receiving device(s).
The time may correspond to a condition that must be satisfied. For
example, a content item may be scheduled for delivery when the
network access cost(s) of a receiving device is below a certain
threshold. In another example, a content item may be scheduled for
delivery when the receiving device is not roaming. If the user
device is designated as a receiving device, the receiving device
may subsequently receive the selected one or more content items or
samples thereof in step 825.
[0045] The methods and features recited herein may further be
implemented through any number of computer readable mediums that
are able to store computer readable instructions. Examples of
computer readable mediums that may be used include RAM, ROM,
EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, DVD or
other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
magnetic storage and the like.
[0046] Additionally or alternatively, in at least some embodiments,
the methods and features recited herein may be implemented through
one or more integrated circuits (ICs). An integrated circuit may,
for example, be a microprocessor that accesses programming
instructions and/or other data stored in a read only memory (ROM).
In some such embodiments, ROM stores programming instructions that
cause IC to perform operations according to one or more of the
methods described herein. In at least some other embodiments, one
or more the methods described herein are hardwired into IC. In
other words, IC is in such cases an application specific integrated
circuit (ASIC) having gates and other logic dedicated to the
calculations and other operations described herein. In still other
embodiments, IC may perform some operations based on execution of
programming instructions read from ROM and/or RAM, with other
operations hardwired into gates and other logic of IC. Further, IC
may output image data to a display buffer.
[0047] Further, in one or more embodiments, the content service
provider may provide content recommendations to the user by
comparing the user's wishlist to other users' wishlists stored in
the system of the content service provider. Further, the content
service provider may provide commercials to the user based on the
content on the wishlist. In an additional embodiment, the content
service provider may provide electronic coupons or vouchers, e.g.
including offers or benefits that the user may use for downloading
content from the wishlist.
[0048] Although specific examples of carrying out the invention
have been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
there are numerous variations and permutations of the
above-described systems and methods that are contained within the
spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended
claims. Additionally, numerous other embodiments, modifications and
variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will
occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this
disclosure.
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