Patent · US Expired

Consumer-driven electronic information pricing mechanism

US5752238A · kind A · utility

348Cited by
15References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 3, 1994
Grant dateMay 12, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 3, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q30/0273
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A consumer-driven electronic information pricing mechanism including a pricing modulator and pricing interface is contained within a client system. The pricing modulator contains multiple pricing options for electronic content and multiple content to advertisement ratios associated with the pricing options. The pricing interface is coupled to the pricing modulator and provides an end user with the pricing options and associated content to advertisement ratios, and also accepts pricing option selections from the end user. In one embodiment, a metering server is coupled to the client system. The metering server contains the multiple pricing options which are to be made available to the end user and transfers these pricing options to the client system. In one embodiment, the pricing interface can be accessed by the end user at any time during the operation of the client system. The end user can change the pricing option during system operation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.