Flexible magazine management service
AssigneeTime Inc.
InventorsMilton J. Block, Steven M. Sachs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for managing a magazine subscription management service is disclosed. A magazine package is associated with a consumer, wherein the package includes a price based on a number of magazines in the package. Selections for the number of magazines are received from a consumer, each selected magazine having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery. Distribution of issues of each of the selected magazines according to the corresponding publication frequency is enabled.
Claims19
A method for managing a magazine management service, comprising:
- creating a consumer account associated with a consumer;
- associating a magazine package with the consumer account, wherein the magazine package includes a set number of different magazine titles and a periodic fee;
- receiving, by computer, selections for the magazine titles to include in the magazine package from the consumer, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery, wherein the consumer may later change one or more magazine titles within the magazine package;
- processing purchase of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles;
- and
- enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.
A method for managing a magazine management service, comprising:
- creating a consumer account associated with a consumer;
- receiving, by computer, a selection for a magazine package from the consumer, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;
- associating the selected magazine package with the consumer account;
- receiving selections for magazine titles to include in the magazine package from the consumer, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery, wherein the consumer may change the magazine titles within the magazine package at any time;
- processing purchase of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles;
- and
- enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.
A system for managing a magazine management service, comprising:
- a computer system, comprising:
- an associating component configured to associate a magazine package with a consumer account, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;
- a receiving component configured to receive selections for the number of magazine titles from the consumer, wherein the consumer may change one or more of the magazine titles within the magazine package at any time, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery;
- and
- a processing component configured to process purchasing of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles and to enable distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.
A system for managing a magazine management service, comprising:
- a computer system, comprising:
- means for associating a magazine package with a consumer, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;
- titles;
- means for receiving selections for the magazine titles from the consumer, wherein the consumer may later change one or more magazine titles within the package, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery;
- and
- means for processing purchase of the magazine based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles and for enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.
A computer-readable medium including instructions operable to cause a computer system to perform operations for managing a magazine management service, the operations comprising:
- associating a magazine package with a consumer account, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;
- receiving selections for magazine titles from the consumer, wherein the consumer may later change one or more magazines magazine titles within the magazine package, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery;
- processing purchase of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles;
- and
- enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.