U.S. patent application number 13/331735 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-12 for digital content vending, delivery, and maintenance system.
This patent application is currently assigned to DIGITAL DELIVERY NETWORKS, INC.. Invention is credited to Harold L. Peterson, James B. Williams.
Application Number | 20120179611 13/331735 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22017953 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120179611 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Peterson; Harold L. ; et
al. |
July 12, 2012 |
Digital Content Vending, Delivery, And Maintenance System
Abstract
A digital content vending machine in which a client on a
personal computer, contains an infrastructure and an inventory. The
infrastructure and inventory may both be stored in a hard drive, or
the inventory may instead be stored on a removable media The
infrastructure presents a graphical user interface on the client
which metaphorically resembles a village containing a plurality of
stores operated by vendors. Customers shop in the stores by
selecting assets, constituting the inventory, and sending money and
an identifier to a clearing house via a communications system such
as telephone, private network, or the Internet. The clearing house
returns a key used to at least partially remove a digital wrapper
protecting the asset from unauthorized use. A master server may
also be provided to update the infrastructure and inventory, and to
provide additional keys used to remove the digital wrappers.
Inventors: |
Peterson; Harold L.; (Scotts
Valley, CA) ; Williams; James B.; (Santa Cruz,
CA) |
Assignee: |
DIGITAL DELIVERY NETWORKS,
INC.
Scotts Valley
CA
|
Family ID: |
22017953 |
Appl. No.: |
13/331735 |
Filed: |
December 20, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09423025 |
Oct 28, 1999 |
8126812 |
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PCT/US1998/018948 |
Sep 11, 1998 |
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13331735 |
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60058623 |
Sep 11, 1997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04H 60/63 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/51 |
International
Class: |
G06F 21/00 20060101
G06F021/00; G06Q 20/38 20120101 G06Q020/38 |
Claims
1. A system for marketing digital content on a personal computer,
comprising: communications means for communicating over a
communications medium; client means for: storing at the personal
computer an inventory of assets which are instances of the digital
content, wherein each said asset is protected from unauthorized use
by a digital wrapper requiring at least one key for unwrapping,
displaying on the personal computer information about said
inventory, accepting from a user of the personal computer a
selection representing a particular said asset, transmitting money
representing payment for said selection and an identifier
associated with said selection, via said communications means,
receiving all said keys required for unwrapping said selection, via
said communications means, and unwrapping said digital wrapper
protecting said selection; and clearing house means for: receiving
said money and said identifier from the personal computer, via said
communications means, and transmitting one said key associated with
said selection back to the personal computer.
2-25. (canceled)
26. A system for marketing digital content to a user on a personal
computer, comprising: a hard drive installed in the personal
computer, wherein an inventory of assets are stored in said hard
drive, said assets are instances of the digital content, and said
assets are protected from unauthorized use by a digital wrapper; a
logic in the personal computer to: display information about said
inventory to the user; accept a selection by the user of a
particular said asset; transmit money representing payment for said
selection and an identifier associated with said selection to a
clearing house; receive a first key from said clearing house;
transmit said first key to a master server; receive a second key
from said master server; and with said second key unwrap said
digital wrapper protecting said selection.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein said hard drive is installed by
a manufacturer of the personal computer with said inventory already
pre-stored therein.
28. A unit for use in marketing digital content to a user of a
personal computer, comprising: a hard drive for installation into
the personal computer, wherein: an inventory of assets are stored
in said hard drive; said assets are instances of the digital
content, wherein at least one said asset is an executable software
that is pre-configured to run from said hard drive once it is
installed in the personal computer; and said assets are protected
from unauthorized use by a digital wrapper; and wherein said hard
drive includes a client logic that is installable into the personal
computer to: display information about said inventory to the user;
accept a selection by the user of a particular said asset; transmit
money representing payment for said selection and an identifier
associated with said selection to a clearing house; receive a first
key from said clearing house; transmit said first key to a master
server; receive a second key from said master server; and with said
second key unwrap said digital wrapper protecting said selection.
Description
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional
application Ser. No. 60/058,623, filed Sep. 11, 1997.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the marketing
functions of vending and delivery of digital content and services
related thereto, and more particularly to interactive computer
network systems for such marketing.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Today we are seeing a merging of many products and services
into digital formats. Some typical examples of such digital
products are computer software; audio content, like music or
audio-books; and audio-visual content, like videos and movies. For
present purposes, the salient feature of such digital products is
that they can often be treated as mere bags-of-bits (BOB's), with
the underlying nature of the products ignored during most handling
after creation and before use.
[0004] Somewhat less widely appreciated is that many services are
now also digital to a considerable extent. For example, computer
users today let applets run tests and communicate the results to
providers for obtaining installation, upgrade, and problem
diagnosis of operating system and applications software; computer
game players send each other hints via e-mail; and Internet
"telephone" and "radio" are emerging as replacements for
specialized telephone and broadcast systems. Thus, often to a
considerable extent services today can be reduced to digital
communications, and can then also be treated as BOB's, in a
somewhat more dynamic sense.
[0005] For more stable forms of such digital content, such as the
products noted above, it has long been appreciated that the
particular storage media used has become largely irrelevant. Tape,
disk, and drum media are all common, as are physical, magnetic, and
optical means of impressing digital content into them. Similarly,
for digital services the channels of communication used have
similarly become largely irrelevant. Electrical current through
wires, light through fibers, and radiation through space are all
common, and substantially interchangeable communications
channels.
[0006] Of relatively recent advent are communications networks,
particularly including public networks like the Internet. Although
access to such networks is still far from universal, such networks
are increasing the trend towards the irrelevance of the underlying
media used to store digital products and the medium used to
communicate digital services. Accordingly, in the following
discussion the collective term "digital content" is used.
[0007] Because networks are overwhelmingly computerized, and thus
those most familiar already with computers can be expected to most
easily appreciate and readily adopt network storage and delivery of
digital content, examples in the context of personal computers will
be primarily used (personal computer: "PC"; used here in the broad
sense, because even most computers in business today are actually
termed PC's). It should, however, at all times also be appreciated
that the principles being discussed are valid for and extendable to
other contexts.
[0008] Turning now to an example of how the potential of digital
content is not adequately being employed, new PC's today are
usually purchased with some specific task in mind, such as
word-processing. However, often the customer also wants to try out
new PC hardware and software capabilities, much like the child in
us all likes to immediately play with a new toy. Further, when a
consumer purchases a new PC he or she usually also wants to employ
it for such intended and experimental tasks almost immediately. It
thus is not surprising that studies show that new PC owners are
twice as likely to purchase software, as compared to ones who have
owned their computers for longer than three months.
[0009] Various vehicles for delivery of software for new PC's
exist. For example, it can be obtained at the same time as a new
PC, or by returning to the store for later purchase. Further,
obtaining the software at the same time as the PC can be achieved
as a collateral purchase, or it can be obtained as "bundled"
software coming with the PC. Unfortunately, there are a number of
problems with these methods of delivery.
[0010] The collateral purchase of software usually occurs only when
the consumer knows exactly what he or she wants, or when the price
is within the consumer's impulse purchase price range (i.e.,
relatively low in price). There are various reasons for this, but
some typical ones include the divide and conquer approach to
getting a complex system working (including even so-called turn-key
PC's today), and the palatability of separating hardware and
software costs (which are substantial, particularly together).
[0011] In theory, the bundled approach to software delivery seems
quite desirable. The consumer gets pre-installed working software,
and economy of scale keeps the price for this low. Unfortunately,
theory and reality do not mesh well here, and the desire of PC
manufacturers today is to reduce the amount of bundled software. In
surveys the reasons cited for this include cost (approx. $20 per
system; which is substantial in the low margin competitive field of
hardware sales), lack of quality in the software offerings
(so-called "shovelware"), and general customer dissatisfaction. In
fact, one top-ten PC manufacturer has found that over 20% of its
customer survey respondents sent their PC's back because the
bundled software "didn't work."
[0012] Thus, later purchase of software (i.e., post initial PC
sale) remains the overwhelming means by which consumers today
obtain software for their PC's, but even this approach has problems
which are legend. Obviously there is the awkwardness of a second
purchase, or purchases, with the attendant issues of what is now
current, where it is in stock, and whether the stores are open.
There are also heightened compatibility problems, since the
consumer is now back in the store and the PC is now at home or in
the office. And there are customer service issues. Even if the
consumer returns to the very same store where he or she bought the
PC, and perhaps even the very same clerk, he or she is now treated
as if the present software purchase is the total extent of the
commercial relationship.
[0013] However, as noted above, there are emerging new trends in
marketing itself. Computer software is one of the leading
commodities which has become digital content. For example, less
than 2% of all software sales were recorded in electronic
distribution channels in 1996, but that figure is expected to
increase rapidly. Studies now show that 1/3 of software publishers
expect 1/2 of their sales volume to be delivered electronically
within the next 12-18 months.
[0014] Unfortunately, today electronic distribution of computer
software remains merely another form of "later purchase" of
software. It does nothing about, and in some cases even
exacerbates, the existing technical issues of installation,
configuration, and compatibility. And it introduces a plethora of
new commercial issues, such as consumer trust in the mechanisms
used for transactions, protections for the intellectual property in
manufacturer's software products, and legal mechanisms to address
breakdowns in these.
[0015] Accordingly, from the above it follows that what is today
needed is a new mechanism for the marketing of computer software
and services. And, by implication, as additional forms of digital
content become common as well, such new marketing mechanisms should
be extendable to them as well.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0016] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a new mechanism for the marketing of digital content.
[0017] Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism
for the marketing of digital content which substantially eliminates
purchase-time communications of the digital content to the end
consumers.
[0018] Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism
for the marketing of digital content which is substantially
ambivalent to the underlying nature of the digital content.
[0019] And, another object of the invention is to provide a
mechanism for the marketing of digital content which operates
continuously, whenever consumers want and without need for the
actual physical availability of vendor and financial intermediary
parties.
[0020] Briefly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention
is a system for marketing digital content on a personal computer. A
communications system is provided to communicate between a client
and a clearing house. The client resides on a user's personal
computer and contains an inventory of assets, the digital content.
The assets are protected from unauthorized use by a digital wrapper
requiring at least one key for unwrapping. The client displays
information about the inventory on the personal computer so that
users can select particular assets. The client then transmits money
representing payment for the selection and an identifier for it to
the clearing house, which transmits back to the client a key
associated with the selected asset. Once the client receives all of
the required keys, the selection is unwrapped.
[0021] Briefly, a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention is a method for marketing digital content on a personal
computer. A pre-stored inventory containing a number of assets is
provided on a user's personal computer. The assets are instances of
the digital content and are protected from unauthorized use by a
digital wrapper requiring at least one key for unwrapping.
Information about the inventory is displayed on the personal
computer and a user makes a selection representing a particular
asset. Money, representing payment for the selection, is then
transmitted along with an asset identifier to a clearing house, via
a communications system. The clearing house then sends back a key.
Again, once the client receives all of the required keys, the
selection is unwrapped.
[0022] Briefly, a third preferred embodiment of the present
invention is a client for marketing digital content on a personal
computer. The client resides on a personal computer having a
storage system suitable for storing an infrastructure engine and an
inventory. The infrastructure engine includes user and
communications interfaces, and the inventory contains a number of
assets which are each instances of the digital content. Each asset
is protected from unauthorized use by a digital wrapper requiring
at least one key for unwrapping.
[0023] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a
digital content marketing mechanism operating at the speed of
digital electronics, yet which employs the conventional, time
proven, widely understood, and trusted transactional interrelation
of consumer, financial intermediary, and vendor.
[0024] Another advantage of the invention is that it in many cases
it can provide popular sizable instances of digital content to its
consumers much more rapidly than existing systems. Since the
invention permits storage of a substantial inventory of the digital
content locally, the communications delay inherent in transmission
of large BOB's (bags-of-bits) is eliminated when a desired item is
locally "in stock."
[0025] Another advantage of the invention is that it generally
handles digital content generically as BOB's, but does permit
optional inclusion of content specific after-receipt handling for
specific types digital content.
[0026] Another advantage of the invention is that it may be
entirely automated and may employ communications and outside
services which may also be entirely automated. Because the
invention uses communications services which are always available,
users never have to travel to a conventional market location, i.e.,
another geographic point. And because the outside services are
always available, e.g., financial intermediaries, or inventory
information and update providers, the users of the invention may
employ it even when conventional markets are closed.
[0027] Another advantage of the invention is that it may employ a
graphical user interface which users of conventional marketing
mechanisms readily understand and find intuitive to learn and use.
For example, the user interface may present a village containing
stores having aisles stocked with digital content assets, which the
user selects and places in a shopping cart until a check-out
operation is used to complete purchase. The village provides a
unifying geographic metaphor, while the stores can provide either
asset category or asset source metaphors. The stores may advertise
and carry out commerce at various levels of directness, and
particularly by easily providing several audio and visual channels
in each. They can thus feature the three main activities of
shopping for digital products, viewing events (a digital service),
and communicating (also a digital service) in chat and learning
sections.
[0028] Another advantage of the invention is that it is economical
for all involved. The vendors may easily and cheaply set up stores,
since no real world physical fixtures and extensively repetitive
stock of inventory is required. Only a master copy of an asset need
be stored in the inventory, not multiple copies of such (and a
vendor will never run out of copies). The financial intermediaries
can centralize and operate using widely available communications
mediums, rather than having to operate extensive distributed
service outlets. And, ultimately, via market competition, some
portion of the reductions in operating costs caused by the above
will be passed on to the end users, the consumers.
[0029] And, another advantage of the invention is that it may
include varying levels and strengths of protection for intellectual
property rights embodied in the assets, to provide confidence to
the suppliers of the assets.
[0030] These and other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of
the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out
the invention and the industrial applicability of the preferred
embodiment as described herein and as illustrated in the several
figures of the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] The purposes and advantages of the present invention will be
apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction
with the appended drawings in which:
[0032] FIGS. 1a-b are basic stylized depictions of how the
invention may reside in a users personal computer;
[0033] FIGS. 2a-b are basic stylized depictions of the business
model used by the invention; FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of
a suitable architecture for the invention;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a functional overview of
the invention;
[0035] FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting a navigational overview
of portions of the invention which reside in a client computer
system;
[0036] FIG. 6 is a depiction of a top view, or "village" view,
presented by a graphical user interface (GUI) suitable for use on
the client computer system;
[0037] FIG. 7 shows a store GUI view, accessible via the GUI in
FIG. 6;
[0038] FIG. 8 shows an asset GUI view, accessible via the store
view in FIG. 7;
[0039] FIG. 9 shows a purchase summary and confirmation GUI view,
i.e., a "check-out" view, accessible via either the store view in
FIG. 7 or the asset view in FIG. 8;
[0040] FIGS. 10a-f show a search GUI views accessible via the GUI
views in FIG. 6-8, where
[0041] FIG. 10a depicts an asset name based search, FIG. 10b
depicts a provider name based search,
[0042] FIG. 10c depicts the search of FIG. 10b expanded to include
particular assets from a specific provider, FIG. 10d depicts a
category based search, and FIG. 10e depicts an overview search
based on a village map metaphor; and
[0043] FIG. 11 is a block diagram depicting a hierarchical overview
of an implementation of a master server application using access
via the Internet.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0044] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a digital
content vending "machine" ("DCVM"). As illustrated in the various
drawings herein, a form of this preferred embodiment of the
inventive device is depicted by the general reference character
10.
[0045] The DCVM 10 may be advantageously viewed using two
analogies. The first of these, which is alluded to by its label, is
the vending machine. This analogy serves well for providing a
general overview of the invention as a system for vending digital
content. The second analogy is the village square, which the
inventors use for the graphical user interface (GUI) of the
invention's preferred embodiment. This village square analogy
serves particularly well for giving users an easily grasped and
usable perception of the invention as a system for purchasing
digital content.
[0046] A conventional vending machine, such as a coffee machine,
for example, will sell its primary commodity (coffee), but then
often also sell parallel market items, like tea and soup, and
dispense optional items, like cream and sugar. Similarly, the DCVM
10 sells as its primary commodity digital products, but it also may
sell related information and services for such, and also dispense
customer support and access to communications with like minded
consumers. Thus, the DCVM 10 provides both digital products and
digital services, i.e., digital content.
[0047] The DCVM 10 may be implemented to resemble a conventional
town center or village square (i.e., a commercial hub, similar to a
shopping mall today). In such a real place there will typically be
shops or stores catering to different tastes, income levels,
professions, ages, etc. There will be stores that provide primarily
goods, and others that provide primarily services. There typically
will also be diverting entertainments, and areas set aside simply
for communications with those sharing similar interests. And there
usually will be directory plaques or information kiosks to help
find where things are at and to assist in getting to them. As
products and services increasingly become digital, this village
square analogy is readily extendable into the DCVM 10 as now
described.
[0048] FIGS. 1a-b present how the client 12, i.e. a client
application, resides on a user's personal computer (PC 14) and
contains both an infrastructure 16 and an inventory 18. The
infrastructure 16 is an engine that handles the functionality of
the DCVM 10, and the inventory 18 is the local collection of assets
22 of merchandise or units of service.
[0049] The infrastructure 16 is relatively static. Like most
software applications, it perhaps merits an occasional upgrade as
new features become available, but otherwise it is generally
installed and left alone. It is anticipated that the infrastructure
16 will usually be stored on a local hard drive 20, although in
some case a hard drive 20 on a local area network (LAN; not shown)
may also be acceptable. Keeping the infrastructure 16 local insures
good overall DCVM 10 responsiveness.
[0050] In contrast, the inventory 18 is relatively dynamic,
potentially including assets 22 such as computer software products,
music, video, and anything else which can be reduced to digital
format and electronically transmitted and stored. The inventory 18
may be loaded on a local device, or it may also be accessible over
a LAN having an appropriate bandwidth, since storage capacity and
transfer rate are more important than responsiveness for it.
[0051] In FIG. 1a both the infrastructure 16 and the inventory 18
are depicted residing together in fixed storage in the PC 14. Today
such fixed storage will typically be hard drives 20 (also sometimes
termed a "fixed drive"), but as other large capacity and fixed in
place storage means become common they may be used instead.
[0052] FIG. 1b depicts how the infrastructure 16 may reside in
fixed storage, but the inventory 18 instead reside in a removable
media 24 which is accessible by the PC 14. Some common current
examples of such removable media 24 are CD 26, DVD 28, and tape 30,
but still others are easily possible.
[0053] In present embodiments of the DCVM 10 which are hard drive
20 delivered approximately one to four gigabytes of storage are
used. Of this the infrastructure 16 is roughly 50-100 megabytes in
size and the inventory 18 takes up the balance. For CD 26 delivered
embodiments only about 600 megabytes are used for the inventory 18.
However, as larger capacity hard drives 20 and higher capacity
removable media, like DVD's 28, become widely available the
infrastructure 16 and particularly the inventory 18 may be made
larger, as desired.
[0054] In one preferred embodiment, initial delivery of the
infrastructure 16 is on the hard drives 20 of new PC's 14. However,
the DCVM 10 may also be "delivered" on a new hard drive 20 used for
upgrading an existing PC 14. Or it may even be delivered via
conventional software installation by loading it from removable
media 24 into the PC 14, or by downloading it from an online source
and then installing it (a newer installation technique becoming
common today). Initial delivery of the inventory 18 may similarly
be in pre-loaded format on the hard drive 20, or by provision on
removable media 24 which is then placed as needed into the PC 14
for access by the infrastructure 16 (typically depending upon the
capacity of the hard drive 20).
[0055] Of course, like in real world stores, the inventory 18 of
the DCVM 10 needs to be replenished as sales occur, updated as new
versions become available, and expanded as suppliers change and new
offerings become available. Therefore, the DCVM 10 may be
maintained and updated using intelligent push technology over
modern networks, like the Internet. Such push technology (e.g.,
compatible with ACTIVE DESKTOP.TM. Microsoft Corporation, and
NETCASTER.TM. Netscape Corporation) may also be used to provide a
one-to-one buying and selling experience for users, and to allow
individual preferences to be collected and catered to without need
of human intervention.
[0056] FIG. 2a depicts, in simplified form, the business model used
by the inventive DCVM 10. The end users are termed customers 40 and
those entities providing the digital content are termed vendors 42.
The vendors 42 operate stores 44 (a term used broadly to denote a
point of supply for any digital content, regardless of whether
overtly commercial in nature). A graphical user interface (GUI),
termed the village 46, is used to present collection of the stores
44 as a virtual setting in which the vendors 42 vend and the
customers 40 consume. The stores 44 in the village 46 advertise and
carry out commerce at various levels of directness, and
particularly through several audio and visual channels in each. It
is expected that each store 44 typically will feature three main
activities: shopping for digital content, viewing events, and
communicating.
[0057] FIG. 2b depicts a more complete version of the business
model. In addition to their local presence, the vendors 42 are also
collectively represented on a master server 48, and all can invoke
the assistance of a financial intermediary termed a clearing house
50. The clearing house 50 facilitates complex purchase scenarios,
permits large numbers of stores 44, and more dynamically provides
service to both the customers 40 and the vendors 42.
[0058] In a typical example purchase scenario, a customer 40
transmits money 52 and an identifier 54 to the clearing house 50.
The clearing house 50 then credits the account of the particular
vendor 42, and transmits back to the customer 40 a key 58. Next,
usually automatically under control of the infrastructure 16, the
customer 40 sends this key 58, or part of it, on to the master
server 48, which sends back another key 58 (the keys 58 are
typically all unique). Again automatically, if desired, the
infrastructure 16 uses this second key 58 to digitally "unwrap" an
asset 22 of inventory 18, which has now been "purchased." Since the
money 52, identifier 54, and the keys 58 can all be relatively
small, compared to the asset 22 being purchased (typically many
megabytes in size), even transactions in very sizable digital
content can be carried out quite quickly.
[0059] Of course, simpler purchase scenarios are possible. The
customer 40 might deal directly and entirely with the master server
48. However, at least for the near future, there is no reason to
expect that customers 40 and vendors 42 will feel secure without
some "online" commercial intermediary such as the clearing house
50. Alternately, if the asset 22 is already part of the inventory
18, and if the vendor 42 completely trusts the clearing house 50,
and if the clearing house 50 is willing to carry appropriate keys
58, the key 58 sent back from the clearing house 50 may be made
suitable for directly digitally unwrapping the asset 22. However,
since some communications already must take place anyway, and since
that will often already be occurring over a medium such as the
Internet, there is relatively little burden added by the customer
40 to master server 48 communication legs to the transaction.
[0060] The keys 58 play an important security role. They unlock a
digital wrapper 60 (not shown; but numbered for reference)
protecting the asset 22 once it has been paid for. In most cases
the vendors 42 will strongly want such protection, to suppress
unauthorized copying of their intellectual property. The digital
wrapper 60 may use simple serial number entry to enable or disable
a reminder feature, or it may use soft or hard encryption (both
conventional concepts). Alternately, the digital wrapper 60 may use
what the inventors term a "two sector steal."
[0061] In the two sector steal, embodiments of the inventive DCVM
10 that store the inventory 18 on a hard drive 20 have two disk
sectors of information (an amount empirically found preferable by
the inventors) initially omitted. Upon asset 22 purchase, data in
the appropriate "stolen" sectors can be supplied, either as part of
a key 58 itself, or via use of a key 58 to unlock sector data which
has been present all along in an encrypted format. In this manner
the asset 22 remains unusable until the missing parts are supplied,
yet can be unwrapped reasonably quickly, particularly if the key is
electronically communicated to the PC 14.
[0062] The two sector steal provides particular advantages to OEM
suppliers of PC's 14 and upgrade hard drives 20. The assets 22 can
be supplied entirely pre-installed and default configured, but with
the sectors stolen (note that sector stealing eliminates the need
for bulk encryption). When such an asset 22 is then purchased the
sectors are merely installed (or in place decrypted) and the asset
22 is immediately and assuredly ready for use, which will eliminate
many technical support calls to the OEM suppliers. And when the
customers 40 do have to seek help, the issue of who is to blame for
the problem is substantially reduced, which greatly increases their
willingness to pay for support and still hold the supplier in high
regard.
[0063] For additional security, in addition even to the use of keys
58, at the option of the vendor 42 (perhaps under a contractual
obligation with the actual software publisher), assets 22 may be
"machine bound" to a limited number of physical hard drives 20. For
example, as discussed further below, even verbal delivery of keys
58 to customers 40 via the telephone can be used by the DCVM 10.
Such keys 58 obviously must be manageable in size and directly
enter able by the customers 40, yet it is highly desirable by the
vendors 42 that the customers 40 not be able to use one key 58 to
unwrap more than one copy of an asset 22. This is easily provided
for if the keys 58 are each specifically related to some relatively
unique indicia on the hard drives 20. A Help/About menu access in
the village 46 can provide a short code based upon such a unique
indicia, and a customer 40 can then enter such a code with a
telephone touch-tone pad to receive a key 58 which only unwraps an
instance of the particular asset 22 on their hard drive 20. In this
manner, each asset 22 purchased from the DCVM 10 may be restricted
from even highly skilled and determined efforts at unauthorized
use.
[0064] The keys 58 may also play an important commercial role,
facilitating payment and accountability of all parties involved.
They may act as customer 40 receipts for payment, and vendor 42
vouchers for payment. Assuming that unique keys 58 are used and are
retired after one complete transactional cycle, if the a key 58 is
ever lost it can simply be reissued, since it will only work once
and then for only its intended purpose. As noted above, use of a
second key 58 is optional, but much can be gained by doing so. This
permits the vendor 42 to closely track its market, and, more
importantly, keeping the vendor 42 in the "loop" permits better
customer 40 support. For example, say that a customer 40 starts a
purchase scenario for an asset 22 which is in the local inventory
18 in version 4.10, but the master server 48 now has a newer
version 4.15 of that asset 22 in stock. Rather than simply return a
key for version 4.10, an offer can be communicated to the customer
40 to (1) go ahead and send the key 58 for version 4.10, or (2)
transmit version 4.15 of the asset 22 to update the local inventory
18 and also send the key 58 which will unwrap it, or (3) cancel the
transaction (perhaps to be resumed after the customer is mailed a
CD 26 containing an updated inventory 18).
[0065] The master server 48 can also take an active role in
maintaining the infrastructure 16 and the inventory 18, by send
updates 62 to the PC 14 containing fixes and enhancements of the
infrastructure 16 and new assets 22 for the local inventory 18. By
using the master server 48 as a collector of preferences of the
customer 40 to selective apply such updates 62 the inventory 18 can
be particularly tailored to the preferences and statistical
purchase history of the customer 40.
[0066] To assist the master server 48 in this role, customer 40
click (and key stroke) streams can be tracked on the client 12
running on the PC 14. This in addition to a substantially unique
indicia for the client 12 can then be used with Internet push
technology for determining and transmitting appropriately tailored
updates 62, or at least prioritizing such updates 62. The indicia
used may be a code pre-stored in a hard drive 20 or a removable
media 24, or it may be generated on the first execution of the
client 12, or it may be provided as a registration process on the
master server 48.
[0067] FIG. 3 depicts a suitable architecture for implementing a
full featured embodiment of the inventive DCVM 10. The client 12
runs on the PC 14 of the customer 40, a master application 70 runs
on the master server 48, a clearing house application 72 runs on
the clearing house 50, and a streaming media service 74 is
provided.
[0068] The client 12 resides on the PC 14 in a layered structure.
The lowest layer (hardware and BIOS layers in the PC 14 are not
shown) is a suitable operating system (a client OS 76; e.g.,
WINDOWS 95 or WINDOWS 98.TM. Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,
Wash.). The next layer includes the inventory 18, a village profile
78, and a preference log 80. Atop this is a layer formed by a
village manager 82, which using the village profile 78 and
preference log 80 permits tailoring for particular customer 40
needs and preferences. At a higher layer are a village interface 84
and an update sub-client 86. Since the village interface 84 itself
needs updating from time to time, the update sub-client 86 needs to
be in at least as high a layer. Atop this is a layer that includes
an order entry interface 88, and client protocols 90 (e.g.,
Marimba, BackWeb, and/or Intervu tuners for use with the Internet)
for communications. Finally, within the client 12, is a
communications layer which includes a telephone module 92, a
private network module 94, and an Internet module 96 for
respectively accessing these mediums of communication.
[0069] The master application 70 similarly resides in a layered
structure on the master server 48. The lowest layer (again hardware
and BIOS layers are not shown) is a suitable operating system (a
server OS 98; e.g., WINDOWS NT.TM. Microsoft Corporation of
Redmond, Wash.). Atop this are a master interface 100; a profile
database 102, from which portions transmitted to a client 12 become
stores 44; and a master inventory 104, from which portions
transmitted to a client 12 become assets 22 in the inventory 18.
The next layer includes a financial peer 106 (discussed further
presently) and an update sub-server 108. Atop this is a layer
including an order interface 110 and server protocols 112 (e.g., a
Marimba or BackWeb transmitter for use with the Internet). Finally,
within the master application 70, is a communications layer which
includes a telephone module 92, a private network module 94, and an
Internet module 96.
[0070] The clearing house application 72 is run by the clearing
house 50, and thus effectively is also a server. It also has as a
lowest layer a suitable operating system (another server OS 98).
Atop this are financial modules 114, which handle services like
anti-fraud, pre-authorization, reporting, etc. And atop this is a
financial peer 106, for communicating directly with the equivalent
in the master application 70.
[0071] The streaming media service 74 has a suitable server OS 98
which supports an audio- visual database 116, atop that server
protocols 112 (e.g., an Intervu transmitter for use with the
Internet), and also an Internet module 96.
[0072] The client 12 communicates with the master application 70
via either telephone 118 (touch-tone entry or using voice
recognition, and pre-recorded or generated message replies), a
private network 120, or the Internet 122. Notably, the first two of
these reach customers 40 who are not yet on the Internet 122 (still
about 60% of current PC 14 owners according to some surveys).
[0073] If a telephone 118 is used (say to an 800 number), the
customer 40 may manually enter credit card information on the tone
pad, and then hear recited back a simple key 58 which is used to
unwrap the asset 22 purchased (of course, this could also be a
conventional verbal human transaction, but such are inefficient).
The key 58 may be entered by the customer 40 at the PC 14 either as
it is received, or it may be written down and used later when the
customer 40 is off the telephone 118. If a private network 120 is
used, the infrastructure 16 may alternately automatically unlock
the purchased asset 22, the customer 40 may still note the key 58
(presumably a simpler one) for later manual entry. If the Internet
122 is used, the infrastructure 16 will automatically use the key
58 to unwrap the asset 22 now purchased, and the key can
accordingly be larger and more complex. It should also be
appreciated that groups of customers 40 anywhere on a local network
can also use the private network 120 and the Internet 122
variations.
[0074] In FIG. 3 the master application 70 and the clearing house
application 72 are depicted as connected via a dedicated link 124,
i.e., all commercial transactions go physically through the master
server 48, but with minimal involvement of the master application
70 itself. This provides for universal access by the client 12 via
the master application 70, even over the telephone 118 or private
network 120. This also provides for very high security, but that
may be dispensed with as alternate security means and confidence in
them become widespread, perhaps soon with secured communications
over the Internet 122.
[0075] FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a functional overview of
the inventive DCVM 10. The client 12 is typically installed onto
the hard drive 20 of a PC 14 by either an original equipment
manufacturer (OEM) (step 130) or loaded by a potential customer 40
(step 132) from a removable media 24, such as a CD 26. The client
12 then contains the infrastructure 16, which provides the GUI of
the village 46 to the customer 40, and which is the engine that
presents the stores 44 and accesses an inventory database 134 and
the inventory 18 itself (either on the hard drive 20 or still on
the removable media 24).
[0076] As an aside, the impression may have been conveyed that the
stores 44 always reside on the hard drive 20 as part of the
infrastructure 16. However, while often desirable, this need not
always be the case. Since the DCVM 10 permits addition and deletion
of stores 44, and since large number of stores 44 may be provided,
general access to particularized sub-sets of the inventory 18 may
be accomplished by putting only popular stores 44 onto the hard
drive 20, and leaving the rest on the removable media 24. Further,
as the customer 40 deletes some stores 44 and as the village 46
accumulates actual usage information, the stores 44 actually on the
hard drive 20 can be changed.
[0077] For local updating of the client 12 after installation,
particularly for updating the sizable inventory database 134 and
the inventory 18 (say if it is stored on a hard drive 20),
additional removable media 24, such as CD's 26 or DVD's 28, may
later have their contents copied into the PC 14 (step 136).
However, this can be reduced considerably, or even eliminated, if a
suitable communications means is available.
[0078] Once the client 12 is installed, communications with the
master application 70 can ensue, directly from the customer 40
through the infrastructure 16 and indirectly from the inventory
database 134 and the inventory 18 (as depicted in FIG. 4 in
uniformly dashed lines). The master application 70 and the clearing
house application 72 are also depicted as able to directly
communicate. Further, communications from technical support 138 can
pass through the master application 70 to and from the client 12.
Since a large percentage of PC's 14 on which the DCVM 10 will be
loaded will employ step 130 (OEM loading), it is particularly
anticipated that this will facilitate access to OEM supplied
technical support 138.
[0079] The customer 40 can also request fulfillment of orders for
hard goods 140 via the client 12. Such hard goods 140 may be
ancillary to the inventory 18, e.g., manuals for computer software
asset 22 in the inventory 18, or they may be entirely separate,
i.e., permitting the DCVM 10 to optionally be used as a catalog
server for entirely non-digital content as well.
[0080] However, the customer 40 is not restricted to only
communicating via the client 12 to the master application 70. The
customer 40 may still use a simple telephone, say using a toll free
number, to verbally communicate with phone support 142, and via the
phone support 142 to also access the technical support 138
(depicted in FIG. 4 in non-uniformly dashed lines). This
particularly facilitates the customer 40 being able to get
assistance when the client 12 is "broken" and to advise that
something has gone awry in the master application 70.
[0081] FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting a navigational overview
of the client 12. At the highest level is the village 46, which has
a village template 150 including a village video 152, village ad's
154, and a number of store controls 156 (combination button-icons).
From the village 46 access is also available to a search feature
158, which provides a quick way to find particular assets 22
(described below), and to an extra assets feature 160 which
provides access to digital content not presently in the inventory
18 (i.e., in the master inventory 104 on the master server 48).
From the search feature 158 there is also access to this extra
assets feature 160.
[0082] The store controls 156 of the village 46 provide access to
the stores 44. Each store 44 has a store template 162, aisles 164,
and a shopping cart 166. The store template 162 includes store data
168 (e.g., name, etc.); a store video 170, describing the store 44;
and store ad's 172, analogous to traditional end-cap
advertisements; optional Internet links 174 for the store 44, i.e.,
for alternately reaching the sponsoring vendor 42; optional
promotional ad's 176, for particular assets 22, i.e., "hot deals";
and aisle controls 178.
[0083] The aisle controls 178 provide access to the aisles 164,
usually with a plurality appearing for each store 44. Each aisle
164 has an associated aisle template 180.
[0084] The aisle templates 180 each include a number of asset
controls 182, each in turn associated with an asset template 184.
An asset template 184 includes asset data 186 (e.g., name,
provider, category, version, etc.), an asset price 188, an asset
description 190, an asset video 192, an asset ad 194, a third-party
opinion 196 (i.e., a review of the asset 22), and an asset link 198
pointing to where the particular asset 22 is stored in the
inventory 18.
[0085] By appropriate customer 40 selection when viewing an asset
template 184 appropriate information, such as the asset price 188
and the asset link 198, are sent to the shopping cart 166, a place
where information identifying prospective asset 22 purchases
accumulates prior to formal purchase. Later, back at the store 44
level, the customer 40 can then access the shopping cart 166 and
invoke an order module 200 to selectively complete formal purchase
of chosen assets 22 in the shopping cart 166.
[0086] FIG. 6 depicts a suitable village view 210 for presentation
to the customer 40. A series of ad cells 212 are placed about the
village view 210. These may contain either fixed or banner
advertisements from the village ad's 154. The major features of the
village view 210 are the store controls 156, each with respective
store data 168 prominently displayed, and a centrally placed video
display 214. Further provided, at the bottom of the village view
210, are a video control 216, to start/restart the village video
152 in the video display 214; a search control 218, which invokes
features described below; a guarantee control 220, which invokes
display in the video display 214 of business information about the
parties operating the master application 70, the clearing house
application 72, and the respective vendors 42; and a delete village
control 222, to entirely eliminate the DCVM 10 from the PC 14.
[0087] FIG. 7 depicts a suitable store view 230 for presentation to
the customer 40. The store data 168 (at least the store name) and
the store ad 172 are displayed at the top. Below is a row
containing the aisle controls 178. And below that row is an aisle
sub-view 232, which changes depending upon which aisle control 178
is currently selected. The aisle sub-view 232 includes a video
display 234, asset controls 182, an aisle update control 236, a
next page control 238 (to display a subsequent view of assets,
since aisles may often contain more than will fit on one view), and
a delete aisle control 240. At the bottom of the store view 230 are
the video control 216, to here start/restart playback of the store
video 170; a promo control 242, to start/restart playback of the
promotional ad's 176; the guarantee control 220; a links control
244, to display the Internet links 174 for the store 44; the search
control 218; an update store control 246; a return to village
control 248, to return to the village view 210; a checkout control
250; and a delete store control 252, to remove the present store 44
from the client 12.
[0088] FIG. 8 depicts a suitable asset view 260 for presentation to
the customer 40. Displayed at the top are the asset control 182
(here acting only as an icon, since it cannot be selected to go to
another view), the asset data 186 (at least the asset name), and
the asset price 188. Below is an asset sub-view 262 which includes
an asset display 264 and the asset ad 194 (typically a banner type
ad, which "rotates" continuously).
[0089] At the bottom of the asset view 260 are a shopping cart
control 266 (to add the present asset to the shopping cart 166),
the video control 216, an opinion control 268, the guarantee
control 220, the search control 218, the checkout control 250, a
return to store control 270, the return to village control 248, and
a delete asset control 272.
[0090] Depending upon operation by the customer 40, the asset
display 264 presents either the asset description 190 (the
default), the asset video 192, the third-party opinion 196, or
guarantee information.
[0091] FIG. 9 depicts a suitable checkout view 280 for presentation
to the customer 40. Included is an asset table 282 which displays
information about all of the assets 22 presently in the shopping
cart 166. Across the top of the asset table 282 are column headings
284, indicating availability options, e.g., "without hardgoods,"
"with hardgoods," and "media type." Along the left side of the
asset table 282 are row headings 286 containing respective asset
names (from the asset data 186). Depending upon which columns they
are in, the cells of the asset table 282 contain asset prices 188
or availability options, and in some cases also function as
controls.
[0092] For example, assuming the availability options listed above
in the asset table 282 presented in FIG. 9, the topmost row 288
contains data only in cell 290 (the leftmost). Further, cell 290
contains an asset price 188 which is not highlighted (in FIG. 9
heavy cell outline designates highlighting). This situation depicts
that the asset 22 in row 288 is only available without hardgoods,
and that the customer 40 has not yet selected this cell to confirm
that they do want to purchase this.
[0093] The middle row 292 in this example contains asset prices 188
both in cell 294 and in cell 296, and cell 298 is highlighted and
contains text describing a media type. This situation depicts that
the asset 22 in row 292 is available both with and without
hardgoods, at the respective prices, and that the "with hardgoods"
option has already been selected by the customer 40 (as indicated
by the highlighting of cell 296 rather than cell 294). The customer
40 here may chose among multiple media types (as indicated by the
presence of highlighting in cell 298). Further, since cell 298 is
highlighted, the customer 40 may operate it as a control, say with
a mouse double-click, to cycle between the available media type
choices.
[0094] The bottom row 300 in this example contains nothing in cell
302, designating that this asset 22 always comes with hardgoods
(say a manual); a price in cell 304 (un-highlighted, and thus as
yet un-selected); and un-highlighted text in cell 306. The absence
of highlighting for a media type indicates that no choice is
available, so the customer 40 should be particularly sure that they
can use the media type being noted.
[0095] Also appearing in the checkout view 280 are a sub-total box
308, a grand total box 310, a sub-total control 312, and a purchase
control 314. The sub-total box 308 displays a running total of the
asset prices 188 for selected assets 22 in the asset table 282
(note that only one of the three displayed assets 22 is actually
selected in the example, so only its price is used in the
sub-total). By activating the sub-total control 312 the customer 40
requests display in the grand total box 310 of the amount in the
sub-total box 308 plus applicable shipping costs and taxes (here
the sub-total plus 8.25% tax and $3.00 shipping and handling).
Activating the purchase control 314 formally requests that purchase
take place.
[0096] Across the bottom of the checkout view 280 are the guarantee
control 220, the return to store control 270, and the return to
village control 248.
[0097] FIG. 10a-e are stylized depictions of the information
presented to the customer 40 when the search control 218 is
selected. A search view 320 then appears which includes an asset
control 322, a provider control 324, a category control 326, a map
control 328, a text entry box 330, a character selection array 332,
and a list box 334. In some cases the list box 334 can further
include a sub-list 336 (FIG. 10c), and in one case the text entry
box 330, the character selection array 332, and the list box 334
may all be replaced with a map sub-view 338 (FIG. 10e).
[0098] FIG. 10a shows the default of a search view 320, i.e., a
view first seen by the customer 40. The asset control 322 is
highlighted (shown with a heavy lining in the figure) to confirm to
the customer 40 that the asset based variation of the search view
320 is currently active. The customer 40 may select a provider
control 324, a category control 326, or a map control 328 to use
other variations of the search view 320. Or, if they have already
done so, selecting the asset control 322 will return them to the
variation of FIG. 10a.
[0099] In the asset based search view 320 of FIG. 10a, the customer
40 may either type initial letters of the asset name (as it appears
in the asset data 186) into the text entry box 330 (as depicted in
FIG. 10a), or mouse click a first letter in the character selection
array 332. These operations scroll the list box 334, which in this
variation displays names for assets 22. Alternately, the customer
40 can directly scroll the list box 334. By appropriate choice,
perhaps as a setup option, selection of a particular entry in the
list box 334 cause an associated asset 22 to be added to the
shopping cart 166, or this can take the customer 40 to the asset
view 260, with the selected asset 22 there displayed.
[0100] If the customer 40 selects the provider control 324 the
search view 320 changes to the variation shown in FIG. 10b. Again
letters can be entered in the text entry box 330 or mouse clicking
may be used to select a first letter in the character selection
array 332 to scroll the list box 334 (the case depicted in FIG.
10b), but now provider names are instead displayed for assets 22 in
both the inventory 18 (the names as recorded in the asset data 186)
and also the master inventory 104.
[0101] FIG. 10c shows how selection of a particular provider name
in the list box 334 can then cause further display of a sub-list
336 to show assets 22 available from the selected provider.
Highlighting, underlining (used in FIG. 10c), or some other
convention may be used to distinguish which assets 22 are present
locally in the inventory 18, and which are in the master inventory
104. As discussed for FIG. 10a, above, selection of a particular
asset entry can be configured to take the user to the asset view
260 or add the selection to the shopping cart 166.
[0102] If the customer 40 selects the category control 326 the
search view 320 changes to the variation shown in FIG. 10d. Again
letters can be entered in the text entry box 330 or mouse clicking
may select a letter in the character selection array 332 (the case
depicted in FIG. 10d) to scroll the list box 334, but now it
instead displays categories of assets 22 in both the inventory 18
and also the master inventory 104. Selection of a particular entry
in the list box 334 presents the sub-list 336, only now containing
assets by category, and moving to the asset view 260 or addition to
the shopping cart 166 can proceed.
[0103] In keeping with the village 46 analogy, a map variation of
the search view 320 may also be invoked, by selecting the map
control 328. This variation is depicted in FIG. 10e, which has the
text entry box 330, the character selection array 332, and the list
box 334 all replaced with a map sub-view 338. The map sub-view 338
presents a graphic somewhat resembling a conventional map, but
since geographic location need not be represented, what is instead
displayed are general categories presented as regions encompassing
related sub-categories. Here selecting a category or subcategory
takes the customer 40 to an appropriate other view.
[0104] In the preferred embodiment, the DCVM 10 is a hybrid
application that combines web content (HTML, Java, Shockwave, chat
streams, etc.) and traditional C++ programming to create a dynamic
and engaging shopping environment in the setting of the stores 44
throughout the village 46. The DCVM 10 may employ features such as
digital certificates, Active Movie and a content advisor system.
The invention is also scalable, making it able to work in most
current PC 14 environments. The inventor's preferred base hardware
platform is a 90 MHz Pentium microprocessor with 16 MB of RAM, 50
MB of free hard drive space, video capability of 800.times.600 SVGA
and 1 MB VRAM, a 16 bit sound system, a 4.times. CD-ROM drive, the
client OS 76 previously described, an analog or ISDN telephone
connection (or Ethernet network connection to a system having one
of these), and Internet access software. Access to the Internet 122
is desirable, but optional. In addition to the above mentioned
examples, various other modifications and alterations of the
inventive DCVM 10 may be made without departing from the
invention.
[0105] Up to this point discussion has primarily been of the client
12. This has been because the master application 70 may be
substantially implemented using conventional client-server and
hypertext markup-up language (HTML) techniques. For example, FIG.
11 is a hierarchical overview of an implementation of the master
application 70 of the inventive DCVM 10, using access via the
Internet 122. The client 12 accesses the master application 70 by
connection to a hypothetical site at www.master.com ("master" is
used here as a hypothetical site domain name). At an HTML home page
350, registered and non-registered clients 12 can enter here, as
well as those accessing entirely other features 352 (although
registered clients 12 will more typically go directly to desired
lower level services). Alternately, accessing www.master.com/view
invokes a browse module 354, so that the customer 40 using a
registered client 12 can view extra assets 22 not in the inventory
18 of the client 12; accessing www.master.com/buy invokes a
purchase module 356, for customers 40 to directly purchase such
non-local assets 22 and/or hard goods 140 from out of the master
inventory 104; accessing www.master.com/update invokes an update
module 358, to update the inventory 18 in the client 12;
www.master.com/comm invokes an issue service module 360, for
support for issue resolution and access to frequently asked
question (FAQ) lists; and www.master.com/fix invokes a technical
update module 362, to obtain bug fixes and updates of the
infrastructure 16 in the client 12. Finally, also shown in FIG. 11
are a customer database 364, a log file 366, and a report generator
368, all of which may also be largely conventional in nature.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0106] The present DCVM 10 is well suited for customers 40 with
personal computers (PC's 14) to shop at the stores 44 in the
village 46. The customers 40 can browse for "best of class"
software, learn new computer skills, and obtain the latest news or
other information on topics of interest. It is anticipated that
these digital content assets 22 will initially primarily be
software and computer related services, but the underlying concept
here easily extends to include music and video content, as
consumers of such increasingly gain computer sophistication. For
example, the stores 44 may provide top software titles (say the top
200, as determined by best seller lists), with some stores 44
specializing in children's interests, others in adult's interests,
others in business interests, etc. Since top-selling (i.e., high
desirability) assets 22 may be made available in the stores 44
virtually immediately, they are available at precisely the times
that the customers 40 are most likely to buy--right after they
purchase a PC 14, or later as impulse or need directs. There is no
driving to a store 44; the stores 44 are open twenty-four hours a
day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Shopping in the stores 44
is friendly and hassle free (e.g., there is no sales pressure); and
delivery of assets 22 from the local inventory 18 is virtually
instantaneous, is guaranteed, and is free. In sum, the customers 40
may receive superior service, gain confidence in, and have access
to what they want (which as described below, can be pre-loaded, and
even default configured, i.e., virtually assuring that it will
work).
[0107] The present DCVM 10 is similarly well suited for the vendors
42. Traditional vendors 42 can easily set up stores 44 the village
46 and concentrate on their product or service sales missions,
leaving system management to the provider of the master server 48
and financial matters to the clearing house 50. Further, in the
DCVM 10 the stores 44 can have potentially huge customer 40 traffic
yet have very low operating cost. Thus, many additional and diverse
potential vendors 42 may chose to operate stores 44 in the village
46.
[0108] The vendors 42 can also provide communications with
shopkeepers, customer support, and technical support personnel in
the stores 44. The DCVM 10 particularly lends itself to various
marketing incentives for original equipment manufactures (OEM's) of
PC's 14. The system builders of PC's 14 can set up their own
outlets and customer service centers (i.e., become vendors 42) in
the village 46 shipped with the PC's 14 which they supply. They can
also use the inherent push technology of the Internet 122 to keep
these current and to promote special offers, upgrades, rebates, or
software service programs. Securing a spot in the village 46
enables system builders to establish and maintain a channel of
communications between themselves and their individual customers
40. Thus suppliers can easily enter the software business
profitably and create an annuity stream that can continue for
years. To "boot strap" the customers 40 into this new manner of
commerce, one store 44 can even sell Internet subscription and
setup.
[0109] The present DCVM 10 is similarly well suited for maintaining
the traditional roles of the financial and governmental sectors,
which are major concerns today in Internet based commerce. All
transactions can be screened for fraud by the clearing houses 50,
which may be operated by leading members of the financial industry.
To ease commerce via licensing and to minimize disputes, or easily
resolve those that do occur, the DCVM 10 may conform to the buying
and license management schemes as defined by the Software
Publisher's Association, thus assuring compliance with industry
standards for credit card and intellectual proprietary protection.
Finally, to facilitate governmental regulatory and taxation roles,
the master server 48 and the clearing house 50 are highly audit
able.
[0110] The key to the inventive DCVM 10 being able to function as
described above is that it is stored in the PC 14 of the customer
40, thus bringing a plethora of digital content deliverable goods
and services from a wide variety of vendors 42 directly to the
customer 40. Accordingly, wide and rapid acceptance of the DCVM 10
can be expected.
[0111] In addition to the above mentioned examples, various other
modifications and alterations of the inventive DCVM 10 may be made
without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the above
disclosure is not to be considered as limiting and the appended
claims are to be interpreted as encompassing the true spirit and
the entire scope of the invention.
* * * * *
References