Reward-based access to media content

The present invention relates generally to distribution of media content in a wireless network, and more particularly to reward-based sharing of media content between multiple mobile devices in the wireless network.

The introduction of enhanced data services for wireless networks has resulted in an explosion of mobile devices, such as cell phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, etc., that provide both voice and enhanced data services. Enhanced data services enable a user of the mobile device to browse web pages, compose and read e-mail messages or instant messages, download media content from Internet servers, and exchange digital photographs or images with other mobile devices.

To gain a competitive edge, mobile device manufacturers expend significant resources devising improved mobile devices with a variety of enhanced data services. The high-end mobile devices that result from this effort typically have a technical advantage over their lower-end counterparts. For example, high-end devices may have more memory storage, a higher data rate, and/or a higher processing rate than a lower-end device. However, the high price tag of these high-end devices coupled with the short life cycle of a typical mobile device (˜18 months) causes consumers to be reluctant to purchase the high-end devices. Further, high-end devices often have more technical resources and features than average consumers believe they need. Thus, manufacturers continue to explore ways to increase the appeal of high-end mobile devices.

The present invention encourages the use of higher-end mobile communication devices by providing a reward-based process where sharing mobile devices receive a reward for sharing access to media content with one or more requesting mobile devices. In one embodiment, a requesting mobile device sends a media request to a content provider in the wireless communication system, wherein the media request includes a remote storage request for media content stored in the content provider. The content provider identifies and selects a sharing mobile device that is storing and allowing access to the media content. In one exemplary embodiment, the sharing mobile device may download the media content from the content provider responsive to the media request initiated by the requesting mobile device. The content provider sends a media response to the requesting mobile device, where the media response identifies the selected sharing mobile device. The requesting mobile device subsequently sends an access request to the identified sharing mobile device. Responsive to receiving the access request, the sharing mobile device provides the requesting mobile device with access to the desired media content. An accounting unit associated with the content provider accrues a reward for a user of the sharing mobile communication device that rewards the user for providing the requesting mobile device with access to the media content. In one embodiment, the accounting unit accrues the reward each time the sharing mobile device provides another mobile device with access to media content stored on the sharing mobile device.

FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication system.

FIG. 2 shows a wireless communication system according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a wireless communication system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows one exemplary mobile device.

FIG. 5 shows exemplary sharing and requesting mobile devices.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary process for the sharing mobile device.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary process for the requesting mobile device.

The present invention establishes a reward system that rewards users for sharing the technical resources of their mobile devices with other mobile devices. As used herein, the term “mobile device” may comprise a cell phone, a Personal Communication System (PCS) terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a conventional laptop and/or palmtop receiver, or any type of mobile communication device. The following describes the invention in terms of sharing and requesting mobile devices. In general, the sharing mobile device has more available resources or features, such as memory, than the requesting mobile device. In one embodiment, the sharing mobile device is a premium mobile device, such as a high-end or mid-range model, and the requesting mobile device is a standard mobile device, such as a low-end or older model. The following describes the invention in terms of a sharing mobile device that has more available memory than the requesting mobile device. Other technical features, such as data rate capability, processing capability, etc., may also be used to distinguish the sharing mobile devices from the requesting mobile devices.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary wireless communication system 5 comprising a media distribution system 8 , wireless network 20 , and multiple mobile devices 30 . The media distribution system 8 comprises a content provider 10 , user profile unit 12 , and accounting unit 14 . Content provider 10 comprises a server that provides media content from a media database 16 to the mobile devices 30 via wireless network 20 according to any wireless protocol, e.g., GSM/GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, WiFi, and OFDM. Exemplary media content includes audio content, video content, pictures, etc. User profile unit 12 stores user profile information for each mobile device 30 in the system 5 . Accounting unit 14 comprises a purchase unit 18 that tracks fees associated with media content downloads to each mobile device 30 .

To download media content from the content provider 10 in a conventional wireless communication system 5 , a mobile device 30 sends a download request to the content provider 10 via the network 20 . In response, the content provider 10 retrieves the requested media content from media database 16 and downloads the retrieved media content to the mobile device 30 . Further, purchase unit 18 accrues a download charge for the user of the mobile device 30 . Other mobile devices 30 require a similar procedure to download media content from the content provider 10 . Requiring each mobile device 30 to separately download the same media content from content provider 10 ties up network resources and does not take advantage of the potentially underutilized resources of some mobile devices 30 .

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a wireless communication system 100 according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The wireless communication system 100 includes network 20 , multiple mobile devices 30 , e.g., a sharing mobile device 30 A and a requesting mobile device 30 B, and a media distribution system 108 , which comprises a content provider 110 , user profile unit 112 , and accounting unit 114 . Generally, the media distribution system 108 facilitates a process that enables the requesting mobile device 30 B to access desired content from a sharing mobile device 30 A without requiring the requesting mobile device 30 B to directly download the desired content from the content provider 110 . More particularly, the content provider 110 controls the sharing process associated with media content stored in the media database 16 . The user profile unit 112 maintains a record of the media content stored in one or more sharing mobile devices 30 A, and may store sharing parameters and/or technical features associated with the sharing mobile devices 30 A. The accounting unit 114 includes a purchase unit 18 and a reward unit 116 . The purchase unit 18 accrues charges for access to media content, while the reward unit 116 accrues rewards associated with sharing access to media content, as discussed further below. While not explicitly shown, it will be appreciated that content provider 110 , user profile unit 112 , and/or accounting unit 114 may be incorporated with network 20 .

To access desired media content, requesting mobile device 30 B sends a media request to the content provider 110 (A, FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The media request identifies the desired media content and includes a remote storage request. The remote storage request instructs content provider 110 to facilitate a file sharing process without directly downloading the identified content from the content provider 110 to the requesting mobile device 30 B. Responsive to the media request, content provider 110 searches the user profile unit 112 to identify and select a sharing mobile device 30 A for providing the requesting mobile device 30 B with access to the desired media content. In one embodiment, the content provider 110 identifies and selects a sharing mobile device 30 A that already has the desired media content. In another embodiment, the content provider 110 identifies a mobile device available to act as a sharing mobile device 30 A, and downloads the desired media content to the selected sharing mobile device 30 A (B, FIG. 3 ). In either case, the content provider 110 subsequently sends a media response to the requesting mobile device 30 B that identifies the selected sharing mobile device 30 A (C, FIGS. 2 and 3 ).

The requesting mobile device 30 B sends an access request to the identified sharing mobile device 30 A (D, FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The sharing mobile device 30 A provides the requesting mobile device 30 B with access to the desired media content responsive to the access request by either downloading or streaming the media content to the requesting mobile device 30 B using any known protocol, e.g., MSRP, RTP, FTP, etc. (E, FIGS. 2 and 3 ). In one embodiment, the sharing mobile device 30 A provides access to the desired media content using a short-range wireless communication link, e.g., an infra-red link, Bluetooth link, etc. In another embodiment, the sharing mobile device 30 A provides access to the desired media content using a long-range wireless communication link via network 20 .

To encourage use of the sharing process described herein, reward unit 116 may accrue a reward for the user of the selected sharing mobile device 30 A when the sharing mobile device 30 A provides the requesting mobile device 30 B with access to the media content. The reward may be provided by the content provider operator, network operator, the mobile device manufacturer, and/or the user of the requesting mobile device 30 A, and may comprise any suitable reward, e.g., a cash reward, subscription discount, etc.

Reward unit 116 may accrue the reward based on information provided by the content provider 110 and/or the sharing mobile device 30 A. For example, the content provider 110 and/or the sharing mobile device 30 A may notify the reward unit 116 each time requesting mobile device 30 B accesses media content from a sharing mobile device 30 A. The reward unit 116 accrues the reward according to predetermined accrual procedures. For example, the reward unit 116 may accrue the reward each time the sharing mobile device 30 A provides a requesting mobile device 30 B with access to media content. Alternatively, the reward unit 116 may only accrue the reward the first time a requesting mobile device 30 B makes a media request or the first time a requesting mobile device 30 B accesses the media content.

Content provider 110 selects the sharing mobile device 30 A based on technical features of the sharing device 30 A and/or one or more sharing parameters stored in user profile unit 112 . For example, the content provider 110 may select the sharing mobile device 30 A having the most available memory resources and/or located closest to the requesting mobile device 30 B. Other exemplary technical features/sharing parameters include, but are not limited to, communication resources available to the requesting and/or sharing mobile devices 30 B, 30 A, relationship (if any) between the requesting and sharing mobile devices 30 B, 30 A, sharing parameters set by the candidate sharing mobile devices 30 A, etc. For example, the content provider 110 may select the sharing mobile device 30 A having the highest potential data rate and/or may select the sharing mobile device 30 A belonging to the same group, e.g., family group, as the requesting mobile device 30 B. As shown in FIG. 2 , the content provider 110 may select a sharing mobile device 30 A currently storing the desired media content. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3 , content provider 110 may select a sharing mobile device 30 A based on the technical features and/or sharing parameters and download the desired media content to the selected sharing mobile device 30 A to enable the sharing mobile device 30 A to share the media content with the requesting mobile device 30 B.

The user of the sharing mobile device 30 A may further control the sharing process by setting one or more device-specific sharing parameters. In one embodiment, the user may set sharing parameters based on the content, source, rating, size, etc., of the media content. Alternatively or in addition, the user may limit the amount of memory or other resources available to the sharing process. For example, the user may set a sharing parameter that permits sharing only for audio files, refuses sharing for movies having a rating of “R” or higher, permits sharing for a selected few mobile devices, refuses sharing for media content requiring more than a predetermined amount of memory, refuses sharing when a predetermined amount of the memory resource has been used, permits sharing with family members, requires user input before sharing with non-family members, etc. The user may further set sharing parameters that define when the sharing mobile device 30 A is available to the sharing process. For example, the user may prioritize those functions being implemented by the sharing mobile device 30 A, e.g., phone calls, data transfers, etc., over sharing operations with requesting mobile devices 30 B. The user of one or both of the sharing and requesting mobile devices 30 A, 30 B may further require user permission during the sharing process. The above examples only illustrate, and therefore, do not limit the invention described herein. It will be appreciated that some of the sharing parameters set by the user may be stored in the user profile unit 112 to facilitate the selection process.

FIG. 4 shows one exemplary mobile device 30 that applies to both the sharing mobile device 30 A and the requesting mobile device 30 B. Mobile device 30 comprises a processor 32 , memory 34 , transceiver 36 , and user interface 38 . Processor 32 controls operation of the mobile device 30 according to instructions stored in memory 34 . Transceiver 36 transmits and receives wireless signals over a short-range and/or long-range wireless link according to any known communication protocol. User interface 38 includes a display and a plurality of control keys that enable the user to interface with and control the mobile device 30 .

FIG. 5 shows exemplary mobile devices 30 A, 30 B implementing the processes 200 , 250 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , respectively. Sharing mobile device 30 A comprises processor 32 A, memory 34 A, transceiver 36 A, and user interface 38 A and executes the process 200 shown in FIG. 6 to share access to desired media content with a requesting mobile device 30 B. If necessary, the processor 32 A controls transceiver 36 A to download the media content requested by a requesting mobile device 30 B (block 202 ). Subsequently, memory 34 A stores the media content (block 204 ). Memory 34 A may optionally also store one or more sharing parameters. The processor 32 A controls transceiver 36 A to receive an access request from the requesting mobile device 30 B (block 206 ), and further controls the transceiver 36 A to provide the requesting mobile device 30 B with access to the desired media content (block 208 ) as discussed above.

Requesting mobile device comprises processor 32 B, memory 34 B, transceiver 36 B, and user interface 38 B and executes the process 250 shown in FIG. 7 to obtain access to desired media content from a sharing mobile device 30 A. Accordingly, the processor 32 B generates the media request and controls transceiver 36 B to transmit and receive the media request and media response, respectively (blocks 252 , 254 ). Processor 32 B further controls the transceiver 36 B to request and receive and access to the media content from the identified sharing mobile device 30 A (blocks 256 , 258 ), and controls the user interface 38 B to output the accessed media content to the user (block 260 ).

The above-described sharing process encourages users to purchase higher-end mobile devices that have more technical features, such as more memory, by providing a reward when such resources are used to share access to media content with other mobile devices. Further, the above-described process may benefit the network operator by reducing the amount of resources, e.g., transmission power, bandwidth, etc., required to provide multiple mobile devices with access to the same media content. For example, once media content is stored in a sharing mobile device 30 A, that media content may be accessed by other mobile devices 30 C in the wireless communication system 100 , dependent on the sharing parameters, as shown in FIG. 3 . Further still, the sharing process described herein encourages users of requesting mobile devices 30 B that would otherwise be unable to download media content to purchase access to the media content. It will be appreciated that some embodiments may allow the sharing mobile device 30 A access to the downloaded media content free of charge or at a reduced rate when the media content is downloaded to the sharing mobile device 30 A responsive to a media request from a remote mobile device, such as requesting mobile device 30 B.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.