Claims
- 1. A method for facilitating electronic transactions via a device capable of communicating with a network, the method comprising:
providing a catalog of assets on the network; communicating with the network via the device; providing the catalog to the device; discontinuing communication with the network via the device; selecting at least one desired transaction within the catalog; storing the at least one desired transaction on the device; recommunicating with the network via the device; and completing the at least one desired transaction.
- 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein multiple desired transactions are selected.
- 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the catalog includes multiple sections and a user selects which sections to download.
- 4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising updating the catalog when recommunicating with the network.
- 5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein assets purchased by a user are removed from the catalog during an update.
- 6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein updating the catalog comprises:
requesting an update of the catalog on the device from the network; identifying changes made since a previous catalog update; comparing a last update date and time for the catalog on the device to a list of changes made to the catalog on the network to determine items that need to be provided to the device in the update; downloading from the network to the device only the items; and updating the catalog on the device with the items.
- 7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the updating occurs automatically.
- 8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the updating occurs aperiodically.
- 9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device recommunicates with the network automatically.
- 10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device recommunicates with the network automatically.
- 11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device recommunicates with the network manually due to a user.
- 12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device is an electronic book reading device.
- 13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transaction involves the purchase of textual content.
- 14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the textual content comprises a book.
- 15. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein assets that are included within the catalog are determined by predetermined criteria.
- 16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the criteria comprise featured assets, newer assets, limited time assets, most popular assets, and assets not yet purchased by a user.
- 17. A method for updating a catalog of assets on a device for facilitating electronic transactions, the method comprising:
requesting an update of the catalog on the device from a network; identifying changes made since a previous catalog update; comparing a last update date and time for the catalog on the device to a list of changes made to a catalog on the network to determine items that need to be provided to the device in the update; downloading from the network to the device only the items; and updating the catalog on the device with the items.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the catalog includes multiple sections and a user selects which sections to download to create the catalog on the device.
- 19. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the updating occurs automatically.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the updating occurs aperiodically.
- 21. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein assets purchased by a user are removed from the catalog during an update.
- 22. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein assets that are included within the catalog are determined by predetermined criteria.
- 23. A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein the criteria comprise featured assets, newer assets, limited time assets, most popular assets, and assets not yet purchased by a user.
- 24. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the device is an electronic book reading device.
- 25. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the electronic transactions involve the purchase of textual content.
- 26. A method in accordance with claim 25 wherein the textual content comprises a book.
- 27. A method of personalizing a catalog stored on a device for facilitating electronic transactions, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of sections within the catalog; identifying at least one of the plurality of sections within the catalog; downloading the at least one of the plurality of sections within the catalog to the device from a network if the at least one section is desired; and removing the at least one of the plurality of sections within the catalog from the device if the at least one section is not desired.
- 28. A method in accordance with claim 27 further comprising repeating the identifying, downloading and removing steps to create a customized catalog on the device.
- 29. A method in accordance with claim 28 further comprising updating the customized catalog, wherein updating the customized catalog comprises:
requesting an update of the customized of the catalog on the device from the network; identifying changes made since a previous catalog update; comparing a last update date and time for the customized catalog on the device to a list of changes made to a catalog on the network to determine items that need to be provided to the device in the update; downloading from the network to the device only the items; and updating the customized catalog on the device with the items.
- 30. An electronic transactions system comprising:
a network; a device capable of communicating with the network; and a catalog representing a plurality of desired transactions; wherein the catalog is downloaded to the device from the network; wherein a desired transaction is indicated on the catalog when the device is not in communication with the network; and wherein the desired transaction is completed when the device subsequently communicates with the network.
- 31. An electronic transactions system in accordance with claim 30 wherein the device is an electronic book.
- 32. An electronic transactions system in accordance with claim 30 wherein the catalog further comprises a plurality of downloadable selections for the electronic book.
- 33. An electronic transactions system in accordance with claim 30 wherein the catalog includes multiple sections and a user selects which sections to download.
- 34. A method for facilitating electronic transactions via a device capable of communicating with a network, the method comprising:
providing a catalog on the device; selecting at least one desired transaction within the catalog; storing the at least one desired transaction on the device; communicating with the network via the device; and completing the at least one desired transaction.
- 35. An electronic transactions system comprising:
means for providing a centralized catalog of assets; means for reading textual content and being capable of communicating with the means for providing a centralized catalog of assets; means for downloading a catalog from the means for providing a centralized catalog of assets to the means for reading textual content; means for selecting a desired transaction from the catalog at the means for reading textual content when the means for reading textual content is not communicating with means for providing a centralized; and means for completing the desired transaction means for reading textual content subsequently communicates with the network.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/280,460 (Attorney Docket No. 20694N-009300US) filed Mar. 30, 2001; No. 60/280,461 (Attorney Docket No. 20694N-009400US) filed Mar. 30, 2001; No. 60/280,459 (Attorney Docket No. 20694N-009500US) filed Mar. 30, 2001; No. 60/280,458 (Attorney Docket No. 20694N009600US) filed Mar. 30, 2001 and No. 60/280,456 (Attorney Docket No. 20694N-009700US) filed Mar. 30, 2001, which are all incorporated herein in their entireties by reference for all purposes.
Provisional Applications (5)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60280460 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60280461 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60280459 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60280458 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60280456 |
Mar 2001 |
US |