NZ535397A - A method and apparatus for purchasing an electronic file - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for purchasing an electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster (2) is disclosed. An order signal is sent to an entity (3) associated with the broadcaster confirming a user's (6) intention to purchase the file being broadcast at the time of sending the order signal. The identified file is then sent to the user and stored on electronic storage means.

Description

PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $250.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No: 535397 Dated: 17 September 2004 A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PURCHASING AN ELECTRONIC FILE WE MULLER MONTGOMERIE MEDIA LIMITED, a New Zealand company of 139 Borell Road, Tauranga, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: Intellectual Property Office of N.z. 0 7 DEC 2005 RECEIVED A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PURCHASING AN ELECTRONIC FILE TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for purchasing an electronic file and in particular, though not solely, for purchasing an electronic multimedia file 5 broadcast by a broadcaster.

BACKGROUND ART The volume of products purchased over the Internet has increased dramatically in recent years. Similarly, the range of products able to be purchased online has also greatly increased.

With technological advances in both cellular and mobile Internet platforms buyers are now also able to purchase products using mobile telephones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDA's) and many other hand-held and/or mobile devices.

The emergence of compression algorithms (such as MP3) in conjunction with the digital file format has facilitated online sales of large multimedia products, such as digital audio 15 and video files. The digitisation and compression of these otherwise typically large non-digitised files has resulted in digital multimedia files being more economically transmittable over a network, such as the Internet, and storable on computers or video/music players.

As a result, the popularity of the conventional method of purchasing music CD's and 20 video DVD's from specialist retail stores is now diminishing as buyers are now favouring these more cost effective and accessible online and/or mobile cellular purchasing methods.

A key factor motivating a buyer to participate in any transaction is "impulse", which is a consumers desire to make a purchase immediately following awareness of a saleable 2 product. The targeting of buyers who exhibit, or at least have the potential to exhibit, such "impulse buying" habits can therefore become a very important factor when attempting to maximise product sales.

The ability for digital multimedia files to be compressed and transmitted across networks 5 connecting computers with mobile telephones, PDA's and like technologies, means that purchases and transactions involving such network transmittable multimedia files are well suited to Internet and mobile cellular technologies. A further reason is that the product itself (such as an MP3 file) may be transmitted directly to the buyer at the point of purchase. Accordingly, buyers may receive their purchased goods within the time it 10 takes for the compressed file to be transmitted over the network to a pre-specified destination.

This notional ability to receive purchased products in a relatively short time period from the time of purchase, and without having to visit specialist retails stores, is particularly amendable to the impulse driven purchasing paradigm.

Broadcast automation systems are generally used by broadcasters to schedule their play lists. Such systems utilise software which enables the broadcaster to program exactly what content (usually in the form of electronic files) will be broadcast at any particular time in a desired sequence. Such broadcast automation systems are also capable of outputting play list data in real time which identifies the content involved and the time of 20 transmission for such content. This information may be output by the broadcast automation system in real time as content is broadcast.

However, there are presently no systems known to the applicants which are specifically adapted for impulse driven purchase of multimedia files.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus 25 for impulse driven purchase of multimedia file(s) which goes at least someway towards 3 overcoming the above disadvantages or which will at least provide the public and/or industry with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes 5 prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in 10 any other country.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components 15 it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, 25 said method including the steps of; 4 (i) receiving an indication of the content of the electronic file being broadcast, and (ii) transmitting an order signal to a first entity associated with the broadcaster, said order signal confirming at least one user's intention to purchase the electronic file being broadcast at the time at which the order signal is transmitted, and (iii) receiving an electronic file identified as being broadcast at the same time as the order signal was transmitted, and (iv) storing the received electronic file in the storage means.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an identification and reception apparatus configured to request and receive an electronic file 10 when broadcast by a broadcaster, said apparatus including, a transmission means adapted to transmit an order signal confirming at least one user's intention to purchase an electronic file being broadcast at the same time the transmission means transmits an order signal, and a receiver means adapted to receive the electronic file identified by the transmission 15 time of an order signal, and a storage means adapted to store the received electronic file.

According to a further aspect the present invention may be broadly said to consist in a method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, said method including the steps of; (i) receiving an indication of the content of the electronic file being broadcast, (ii) receiving an identifier from the broadcaster, said identifier being adapted to uniquely identify the electronic file broadcast, (iii) transmitting an order signal including said identifier to a first entity associated with the broadcaster, said order signal confirming at least one users intention to purchase the electronic file identified by said identifier, and (iv) receiving the identified electronic file and storing same in a storage means.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an identification and reception apparatus configured to request and receive an electronic file when broadcast by a broadcaster, said apparatus including, an input means adapted to receive an identifier associated with an electronic file being broadcast, and a transmission means adapted to transmit an order signal including an input identifier to confirm the user's intention to purchase the electronic file identified, and a receiving means adapted to receive the electronic file identified, and a storage means adapted to store the received electronic file.

The present invention encompasses a method of identifying and receiving an electronic 15 file and also an apparatus configured to assist in the identification and reception of such an electronic file. These aspects of the present invention may be employed by a user to receive an indication of the content of an electronic file being broadcast and to subsequently transmit an order signal identifying this file, and to receive a copy of the file for the user's own purposes.

The present invention may allow for the identification of an electronic file to be purchased through matching a transmission time for an order signal with a time at which an electronic file is broadcast by a broadcaster. Order signals transmitted during the broadcast time of an electronic file may therefore confirm at least one user's intention to purchase the electronic file currently being broadcast. 6 Alternatively, electronic files may be identified through the order signal involved also incorporating an identifier adapted to uniquely to identify an electronic file being broadcast, or an electronic file which has previously been broadcast. This identifier may allow some flexibility with respect to when order signals should be transmitted in such 5 embodiments.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, said electronic file being stored within a first storage means, said method being characterised by the steps of; (i) receiving an order signal from a user, said order signal having a transmission time adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file which is broadcast at the same time as the transmission time of the order signal, and (ii) querying a second storage means for the electronic file identified by the transmission time of the order signal, and (iii) retrieving the identified electronic file from the second storage means and transmitting said retrieved electronic file to a user.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an identification and delivery apparatus adapted to deliver at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, said apparatus including a receiving means adapted to receive an order signal from a user, said order signal having an associated transmission time adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file being broadcast at the same time as the order signal's transmission time, and a storage means adapted to store a plurality of electronic files, and 7 a transmission means adapted to transmit an electronic file identified by the transmission time of a user's order signal to said ordering user.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file being broadcast by broadcaster, said electronic file being stored within a first storage means, said method being characterised by the steps of; (i) receiving an order signal from a user, said order signal including an identifier adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file, and (ii) querying a second storage means for an electronic file matching the identifier received within the order signal, and (iii) retrieving the matching electronic file from the second storage means and transmitting said retrieved electronic file to a user.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an identification and delivery apparatus adapted to deliver at least one electronic file being broadcast from a broadcaster, said apparatus including, a receiving means adapted to receive an order signal from a user, said order signal including an identifier adapted to uniquely to identify an electronic file being broadcast, and a storage means adapted to store a plurality of electronic files, and a transmission means adapted to transmit an electronic file identified by a user's order signal to said ordering user.

Further aspects of the present invention may also encompass a method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file, and also an identification and delivery apparatus configured to implement such a method. Preferably these aspects of the 8 present may be employed by an entity associated with the broadcaster to transmit such electronic files to users on receipt of an order signal from such users.

A method of identifying an electronic file to be delivered may be implemented through in one instance investigating the transmission time of a received order signal from a user. 5 This transmission time may be matched to a broadcast time to identify the electronic file being broadcast and hence the electronic file to be purchased and delivered to a user. Conversely in other instances, a unique identifier may be associated with an electronic file where the reception of an order signal incorporating this identifier at anytime during or after the file has been broadcast may uniquely identify the file to be purchased and 10 delivered.

Preferably an indication of the content of the electronic file being broadcast may encompass the broadcasting of the entire electronic file.

Preferably, the broadcaster is a computer or television or radio system or a system formed from the combination thereof.

Preferably, the electronic files are multimedia files.

Preferably, a first storage means is associated with the broadcaster and is adapted to store all electronic files broadcast.

Preferably, the electronic files are stored in the first storage means in a first format.

Preferably, the electronic files are stored in a second storage means in a second format.

Preferably, a second storage means may be associated with the first entity, which can be adapted to store the same electronic files stored in the first storage means.

Preferably, the first and second formats are not the same. 9 Preferably, an electronic file stored in the second format provides compressed digitised multimedia.

Preferably, the present invention may facilitate the purchase of an electronic file by a user, where this electronic file is currently or has previously been broadcast to the user. 5 The present invention may facilitate the purchase of such files so that the user may store same and replay or reuse a file on demand. Such users may transmit an order signal to a first entity associated with the broadcaster where this order signal identifies the electronic file the user wishes to purchase.

In a further preferred embodiment such an order signal may also encompass or 10 incorporate identification or address details for the user to facilitate payment for the electronic file delivered and provide an address to deliver the electronic file to.

Preferably, on receipt of such an order signal a second storage means may be queried for an electronic file matching the identifier received with the order signal. Alternatively, the second storage means may be queried for an electronic file with a broadcast time 15 which it matches the transmission time of a received order signal. Any matching electronic file may then be retrieved from such a second storage means and delivered to the ordering user.

Preferably, the electronic file identified by an identifier may be the electronic file currently being broadcast by the broadcaster. Alternatively, the electronic file identified by the 20 identifier is an electronic file previously broadcast by the broadcaster. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that in instances where an order signal incorporates an identifier the transmission time of the order signal need not necessarily be correlated within the broadcast time of the electronic file involved.

Preferably, the identified electronic file is transmitted to a third storage means 25 associated with the user.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to broadly consist in a computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions adapted to carry out the method according to the first aspect.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to broadly consist in computer 5 software comprising computer executable instructions adapted to carry out the method according to the first aspect.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to broadly consist in an electronic device having computer software comprising computer executable instructions adapted to carry out the method according to the first aspect.

For the purposes of the foregoing description those skilled in the art should appreciate that a computer system may be formed from a programmable logic unit or other processing device on which computer software may be run. Computer software may be defined as a set of instructions able to be interpreted by a computer system and capable of performing a task.

A computer system loaded with and appropriate computer software may be employed to implement a method of purchasing an electronic file, a more preferably, multimedia files, in accordance with preferred methods of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that computer hardware loaded with appropriate software can be used to codify and arrange a variety of information formats (such as compressed video, audio 20 and image formats) and translate such content into a form capable of being transmitted via a transmission network to a buyer.

Such video content information may incorporate image sequences of a kind similar to digital video, streaming video, flash animations, 3D animations or any moving picture expert group (mpeg) standard. Furthermore, the video format information may also 25 incorporate still images of a kind similar to graphic image file (GIF), joint photographic 11 expert group (JPEG), Macintosh picture (PICT), tagged image file (TIFF) or Imagepac file formats.

The audio format content with which the present invention is amenable may be defined as any sequence of signals being within the acoustic range available to humans that, 5 when generated by a computer system provides an audibly recognised output. For example, such audio content may be formed as wave (WAV) files, MP3 format files or may be formed using other high quality audio compression and streaming technologies.

Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the form and scope of the video format content and audio format content may vary according to the requirements or desires of 10 users of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an apparatus which may be used to implement the method of the present invention in accordance with one embodiment, and Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing consecutive processes executed by a system adapted to perform the method of the present invention in accordance 20 with preferred embodiments.

Figure 3 shows a schematic block diagram of a system which may be used to implement methodology of the present invention where order signal transmission times are employed to identify the electronic file to be purchased. 12 Figures 4 and 5 show universal modelling language sequence and system diagrams which illustrate one particular method of implementing aspects of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus adapted to enable the purchase of electronic files, and more preferably, multimedia files being broadcast by a broadcaster.

With reference initially to Figure 1, there is shown an apparatus 1 comprising a broadcaster 2 and a first entity formed as computer server 3.

Broadcaster 2 may be formed as a computer, television or radio system, or combination thereof, and may be adapted to broadcast multimedia files having audio and/or video content. For example, the broadcaster 2 may be a radio station which also provides online streaming of their radio programme from an associated website. Such online radio stations play digitised music running from hard drives associated with in-house computing systems which show details of the current "on-air" song to be shown on their website. Alternatively, broadcaster 2 may be a terrestrial or cable television network and/or may also be adapted to broadcast multimedia files having content derived from live and/or pre-recorded events, such as music concerts, stage shows, sporting fixtures and the like.

Reference throughout this specification will now be made to the broadcaster 2 being a radio station which broadcasts stored multimedia files as audible sound files. However, those skilled in the art should appreciate that the broadcaster 2 may be a formed from any one of the above mentioned systems and need not be limited to a radio system adapted to broadcast only music files. 13 The broadcaster 2 is therefore adapted to broadcast sound files in a manner which renders a sequence of signals being within the acoustic range available to humans that produces an audibly recognisable output. Accordingly, an electronic file may be considered to produce an audible output when broadcast by broadcaster 2. For 5 example, an electronic file may be a file corresponding to a musical track.

Such sound files to be broadcast are stored in a first storage means 4 associated with the broadcaster 2. The sound files may be stored in the first storage means in any one of a variety of formats. However, in the radio industry the most common storage format for such sound files is waveform sound (WAV) format. Accordingly, reference will now 10 be made to the sound files being stored in a first storage means 4 in WAV format, but this should in no way be seen as limiting.

Throughout this specification reference will now be made to persons listening to the broadcast being made by broadcaster 2 as being a plurality of users 6a - 6c (hereinafter referred to as user 6).

Initially, user 6 will receive an indication of the content of the sound file being broadcast by broadcaster 2. An indication of the content of the electronic file may be provided by the broadcaster 2 playing the sound file "on-air" or broadcasting the name of a sound track about to be played "on-air". The user 6 will, upon hearing a sound file being played by the broadcaster 2, have thus received an indication of the content of the electronic 20 file.

Prior to, during or after receiving an indication of the content of the sound file being broadcast, the user 6 may also receive an identifier from the broadcaster 2.

This identifier may act as an alert to a user 6 as to the ability for the sound file being broadcast to be purchased. For example, the identifier may be given "on-air" as the title 25 of the sound file, or a code comprising a word or alphanumeric sequence of letters and numbers which uniquely identify the electronic file currently available for purchasing. 14 Accordingly, the identifier may also be an audible broadcast made "on-air" by the broadcaster 2 to uniquely identify the sound file being broadcast.

Furthermore, the identifier may serve to identify a sound file about to be, or currently being broadcast by the broadcaster 2. In alternative embodiments the identifier may 5 identify a sound file previously broadcast by the broadcaster 2.

Those skilled in the art should however appreciate that for an electronic file to be identified for purchase it may not be necessarily for a user to receive an identifier from the broadcaster. As discussed previously, a transmission time for an order signal maybe matched to a broadcast time for a specific electronic file to identify this electronic file for 10 purchase.

Upon receiving or hearing the identifier as supplied in such embodiments, a user 6 may then purchase the sound file being broadcast by the broadcaster 2. In particular, the user 6 may transmit an order signal which includes the identifier to confirm an intention to purchase the identified sound file. However, in alternative embodiments, the 15 transmission time of the order signal may be used to identify an electronic file to be purchased.

Such an order signal may be transmitted from user 6 as an e-mail from a computing device or as a text message or e-mail from a mobile phone, PDA or other communications device.

The order signal may be transmitted from user 6 to a first entity, which is preferably formed as a computing server 3. The server 3 may include all the computing hardware and software necessary to receive and extract the identifier (from the signal) in order to identify the sound file intended to be purchased by the user 6.

In alternative embodiments, such as those in which the broadcaster 2 is formed as an 25 online streaming radio system, the user may utilise a computing peripheral devices, such as a mouse, to click on an on-screen icon which represents an sound file purchase option. Once the on-screen icon has been clicked a signal which includes the identifier for the selected sound file may be generated and transmitted to the server 3 via a communications network (such as the Internet).

Similarly, server 3 may provide a hosting website able to be visited by user 6 to independently purchase sound files in a manner used by standard electronic commerce applications. In such an embodiment, user 6 may authenticate personal information by logging into the website prior to being permitted to purchase saleable sound files.

Associated with the server 3 is a storage means 5 which is adapted to store the same 10 sound files as are stored in storage means 4. In preferred embodiments, the sound files are stored in storage means 5 in a second format which is different from the format in which the sound files are stored in the storage means 4.

For example, the sound files may preferably be stored in storage means 5 in MP3 format to enable their efficient retrieval and subsequent economical transmission via a 15 communications network to users 6. However, those skilled in the art should appreciate that alternative information formats of the sound files stored in the storage means 5 are envisaged and reference to MP3 format only should in no way be seen as limiting. Accordingly, all sound files are stored in the storage means 4 in WAV format and these same electronic files are also stored in the storage means 5 in MP3 format.

Once the transmitted signal has been received by server 3, and the sound file identifier extracted from that signal, the identifier is then matched with the corresponding sound file stored in storage means 4. Once the appropriate sound file has been located it may then be retrieved from storage means 4 and transmitted to a user specified storage means or destination.

Accordingly, user 6 may, upon hearing a sound track being broadcast, send an appropriate signal to server 3 to effect the almost instantaneous purchase of that sound 16 file. Once the user 6 has thus confirmed an intention to purchase the sound file, that sound file in MP3 format is then transmitted to storage means specified by the user.

The present invention may also provide a method adapted to facilitate payment for the purchase of such sound file(s). For example, a user's mobile phone account may be 5 debited by a nominal fee corresponding to the retail price of the sound file. Alternatively, a users Internet service provider account, landline telephone account, electricity/gas account or a credit card account may be debited as appropriate to pay for the purchase. Furthermore, the user may have a subscriber account with the broadcaster 2 which may be debited as necessary.

Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing consecutive processes executed by a system adapted to perform the method of the present invention in accordance with preferred embodiments.

Shown are boxes 10, 11 and 12 which respectively represent a radio system, a radio/television system with streaming website functionality and a cable and/or terrestrial 15 television network. It is to be appreciated that these entities represent real time impulse purchase stimulus.

When a user elects to purchase an electronic file representing a multimedia file or presentation (such as a sound file or television/video presentation), that user will transmit an order signal which can include an identification code (which uniquely identifies the 20 multimedia file) to an electronic commerce website running a web server 13. The web server 13 will be adapted to receive the transmitted order signal and extract the identification code from same. Alternatively, the web server may match the transmission time of the order signal with an electronic file being broadcast at the same time. Such a signal may be transmitted to web server 13 via text message, e-mail message, on-25 screen icon "clicking" or the like. 17 If the user is making a purchase of a multimedia file using a mobile phone the web server 13 will typically check that user's mobile phone number against a database 15 of registered customers. This will ensure prearranged authorisation for making such purchases has been given by the owner of the mobile phone. If the user is a first time 5 user then that user may optionally be directed to an ecommerce website 18 via a text message and required to fulfil registration requirements before the purchase is further processed. Accordingly, a user may still purchase (without pre-registration) a multimedia file(s) and have the purchase cost added to their mobile phone account.

Further checks will include ascertaining whether the pre-existing user has sufficient 10 mobile phone credit (if that is the preferred payment option) to pay for the intended purchase. Such a feature may be implemented using a standard credit check subroutine 14 provided by mobile cellular service providers. Other preference checks 20 will include ascertaining that users account purchasing preferences to ensure all personalised payment options are correctly followed with the current purchase 15 procedure.

Box 17 represents the establishment of process and payment methods wherein a user is able to select default payment methods from a collection of alternatives (as described above).

In instances in which the real time impulse purchase stimulus is Internet based an 20 ecommerce hosting web site displays (on-screen) all information required by a user to facilitate purchase of the multimedia file. Accordingly, box 16 represents a user clicking on an on-screen icon to indicate an intention to purchase a multimedia file broadcast by a radio/television system having streaming website functionality and/or a cable/terrestrial television network.

Once a user elects to purchase a multimedia file then an on-screen prompt such as a login screen (represented as box 19) serves to gather authorisation information from the 18 user to validate that user's purchasing rights. For example, the login routine may request that a user enters their e-mail address, mobile phone number and or password details. Once the user has been authenticated then the system is in an activate mode 21 and is ready to process the user request.

Accordingly, and irrespective of the specific real time impulse stimulus the purchased multimedia file is sent to storage means associated with the user. The alternative transmission modes associated with the purchased files are represented in Figure 2 as boxes 22-25.

Box 22 illustrates the transmission of purchased files as MP3 format multimedia files to a 10 user's mobile phone. Box 23 illustrates the transmission of purchased files as MP3 format electronic files to a users e-mail address.

Boxes 24 and 25 represent the option for a user to receive a text or e-mail message respectively, the text or e-mail message comprising login information to a web site such that the when the user logs onto the website, access to a web page containing the 15 purchased multimedia file as a downloadable electronic file is achieved.

Figure 3 shows a schematic block diagram of a system which may be used to implement methodology of the present invention where order signal transmission times are employed to identify the electronic file to be purchased.

Figure 3 illustrates the use of a broadcast automation system (1) which produces output 20 data and supplies same to a first entity (2) provided in accordance with the present invention. This first entity is also in communication with a number of users, preferably through a cellular communication network (3) or internet protocol computer network (4) communications.

The first entity may interrogate the output data provided by the broadcast automation 25 system to build a database in real time which will record information such as the name of 19 the particular kind of file (such as a song track or name), and the start and end of broadcast times for that particular electronic file.

The first entity (2) may also receive communications from users linked via cellular networks in a form of SMS or text messages which provide the order signal required to 5 indicate the user's intention to purchase a particular electronic file. A similar approach may also be taken with respect to users linked to the first entity (2) via computer or internet based communications. In such instances personal computers may be used to dispatch order signals to the first entity (2) to instigate the methodology of the present invention.

The first entity may be configured in such embodiments to match the time at which order signals are transmitted to a particular electronic file indicated as being broadcast at the same time from the data received from the broadcast automation system.

Those skilled in the art should also appreciate that the functions of identifying electronic files, retrieving and delivering electronic files, and subsequently facilitating purchase and 15 payment transactions may all be separated or become compartmentalised with respect to one another.

For example, in one preferred embodiment, the first entity may be configured to only identify electronic files from a received order signal, where the purchase payment and file delivery functions may be implemented by other components or entities if required. 20 In such embodiments the first entity may in fact function only to identify a particular electronic file to be purchased, and subsequently advise a delivery system to deliver this file to a particular user, as well as instructing a purchasing system to debit the user for the cost of the electronic file purchased. In such instances the first entity may act as a facilitator between cellular service or internet service providers (who may handle the 25 payment management functions), and also media retail organisations that may facilitate the delivery of electronic files on demand to users.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an efficient and unobtrusive method and apparatus for purchasing an electronic file, and in particular, multimedia files broadcast by radio and/or television systems.

It is advantageous for users to be able to hear or see a multimedia presentation, such as 5 a sound or video file, and then simply text, e-mail or interact with an on-screen icon to impulsively purchase that musical track or video.

Figures 4 and 5 show universal modelling language sequence and system diagrams which illustrate one particular method of implementing aspects of the present invention.

Radio and television broadcasters employ broadcast automation software to schedule 10 and control the broadcast of their tracks/programmes.

These modern automation systems which run the broadcasters "playlists" have the capacity to output information which details the 'track' or 'programme' that is currently playing.

One way this is done is for the automation software to write a text file which contains 15 information such as track title, artist, and may include the time the track started playing, duration etc.

The present invention may interrogate the outputted data from the automation system and add this information to a database.

The invention may be associated with an SMS gateway which will receive text messages 20 from the cellular networks and relay them to the invention. The Short-Code sent to an SMS number associated with the invention would be a code number for "buy the currently playing track now".

The invention, upon receiving an SMS request, will check the time at which the cellular gateway received the SMS message (the information travels with the SMS message). 21 The invention will then interrogate the database to identify which track/programme was playing at the time the SMS request as received.

An SMS message will then be sent back through the SMS gateway to the user, identifying the track/programme and/or advising them how to complete the purchase.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims. 22

Claims (1)

1. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 3. 4. A method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, said method including the steps of; (i) receiving an indication of the content of the electronic file being broadcast, and (ii) transmitting an order signal to a first entity associated with the broadcaster, said order signal confirming at least one user's intention to purchase the electronic file being broadcast at the time at which the order signal is transmitted, and (iii) receiving an electronic file identified as being broadcast at the same time as the order signal was transmitted, and (iv) storing the received electronic file in the storage means. A method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indication of the content of an electronic file encompasses the broadcasting of the entire electronic file. A method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file as claimed in any previous claim, wherein an electronic file includes multimedia. A method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file as claimed in any previous claim, wherein a broadcaster transmits radio frequency broadcasts. A method of identifying and receiving at least one electronic file as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a broadcaster transmits television based signals. 23 Intellectual Property Office oi * Z. 21, APR 2007 6. An identification and reception apparatus configured to request and receive an electronic file when broadcast by a broadcaster, said apparatus including, a transmission means adapted to transmit an order signal confirming at least one user's intention to purchase an electronic file being broadcast at the same time the transmission means transmits an order signal, and a receiver means adapted to receive the electronic file identified by the transmission time of an order signal, and a storage means adapted to store the received electronic file. 7. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, said electronic file being stored within a first storage means, said method being characterised by the steps of; (i) receiving an order signal from a user, said order signal having a transmission time adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file which is broadcast at the same time as the transmission time of the order signal, and (ii) querying a second storage means for the electronic file identified by the transmission time of the order signal, and (iii) retrieving the identified electronic file from the second storage means and transmitting said retrieved electronic file to a user. 8. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in claim 7, wherein an electronic file includes multimedia. Intellectual Property Office of ,v 2- 2 b APR 2007 R ECEJV E-JS. 9. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein a broadcaster transmits radio frequency broadcasts. 10. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein a broadcaster transmits television based signals. 11. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the first storage means is associated with the broadcaster, and stores electronic files in a first format. 12. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in claim 11, wherein electronic files are transmitted to a user from the second storage means, said electronic files being stored in said second storage means in a second format. 13. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first format used to store an electronic file is not the same as the second format used to store said electronic file. 14. A method of identifying and delivering at least one electronic file as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein an electronic file in the second format provides compressed digitised multimedia. 15. An identification and delivery apparatus adapted to deliver at least one electronic file being broadcast by a broadcaster, said apparatus including a receiving means adapted to receive an order signal from a user, said order signal having an associated transmission time adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file being broadcast at the same time as the order signal's transmission time, and j i-iieiiOCriUai -IV 25 I 0f'ice of N.Z. I 2 7 JUN ?007 a storage means adapted to store a plurality of electronic files, and a transmission means adapted to transmit an electronic file identified by the transmission time of a user's order signal to said ordering user. 16. A method of identifying and delivering an electronic file which does not use an identifier adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings and/or examples. 17. A method of identifying and receiving an electronic file which does not use an identifier adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings and/or examples. 18. An identification and reception apparatus which does not use an identifier adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings and/or examples. 19. An identification and delivery apparatus which does not use an identifier adapted to uniquely identify an electronic file substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings and/or examples. MULLER MONTGOMERIE MEDIA LIMITED by its Attorneys