# US 8,572,104 B2 · Sales of collections excluding those already purchased > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,572,104 B2 - Document ID: US8572104B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/991,085 - Filed: 2004-11-17 - Published: 2005-06-02 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2003-04-18 - Assignees: Kaleidescape, Inc. - Applicants: Stephen Watson - Inventors: Stephen Watson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8572104B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The invention provides a method and system capable of allowing users to complete collections of objects without unwanted duplication thereof. The system automatically, and in response to user direction, determines if objects are available that would complete a user's collection. The system can automatically purchase and obtain delivery of objects identified as being needed to complete a collection. The system allows a user to statically define and derive the parameters of a desired collection of objects and can create, and suggest to the user, collections of which the user already has a portion. The system includes functionality that provides user-definable collections. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: maintaining a database on a digital media storage device, said database including a first plurality of digital media items; defining a digital media collection, comprising a list of a second plurality of digital media items, each having a similar set of characteristics, said characteristics indicative of intrinsic and extrinsic features of said digital media items; based at least in part on information regarding said defined digital media collection, automatically identifying a set of digital media items present in said second plurality and not present in said first plurality; determining if a threshold number of digital media items present in said second plurality are present in said first plurality; and in response to said determining, specifying, without user intervention, a commercial transaction to obtain said set of digital media items, such that said database would contain a complete copy of said defined digital media collection, wherein the method is performed by one or more processors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said defining is performed by a combination of a vendor and a user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said intrinsic features include one or more of: 1) aspect ratio, 2) cast and crew, 3) media stream lengths, 4) MPAA rating, 5) audio encoding, and 6) extra footage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said extrinsic features include one or more of: 1) price, 2) availability, 3) user preferences, and 4) vendor preferences. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said defining is based on an intrinsic feature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said defining is based on an extrinsic feature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said defining is based on a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic features. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including completing said specified commercial transaction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including: modifying said specified commercial transaction to create a modified commercial transaction; and completing said modified commercial transaction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including allowing a user to opt to automatically complete said specified commercial transaction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said threshold number depends on a number of digital media items present in said first plurality of digital media items. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said threshold number does not depend on a number of digital media items present in said first plurality of digital media items. ### Claim 13 A method, comprising; maintaining a first database and a second database, wherein said first database is logically related to a user and maintained on a digital media storage device, and wherein said second database is logically related to a vendor; defining a collection model, wherein said defined collection model includes a set of selected features indicative of a class of preferred items; based at least in part on said defined collection model, automatically identifying a set of items in said second database not present in said first database; determining if a threshold number of digital media items present in said second database are present in said first database; and in response to said determining, specifying, without user intervention, a commercial transaction to obtain said identified set of items, wherein the method is performed by one or more processors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said defining is predefined by a system provider. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, including completing said specified commercial transaction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, including: modifying said specified commercial transaction to create a modified commercial transaction; and completing said modified commercial transaction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, including allowing a user to opt to automatically complete said specified commercial transaction. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: comparing a user media library with a digital media collection, wherein said user media library comprises a plurality of digital media accessible via a digital media storage device, and said digital media collection comprises a first listing of digital media items with a shared characteristic; based at least in part on said shared characteristic, automatically identifying a set of digital media items from said digital media collection not present in said user media library; dynamically updating said digital media collection with a second listing of digital media items; examining said user media library with reference to a threshold value, wherein said threshold value indicates how many of said first or second listing of digital media items with a shared characteristic should appear in said user media library. comparing said user media library with said updated digital media collection; and if said threshold value is exceeded, preparing a commercial transaction to obtain each of said set of digital media items, if available, from a specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library, wherein the method is performed by one or more processors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said comparing comprises examining a log corresponding to the contents of said user media library. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: maintaining said user media library. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining whether a specific item from said set of digital media items is available. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: obtaining said specific item for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein said determining further comprises determining whether said specific item is available from a specified vendor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: obtaining said specific item from said specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: preparing a commercial transaction to obtain said specific item from said specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: obtaining each of said set of digital media items, if available, for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: preparing a commercial transaction to obtain each of said set of digital media items, if available, from a specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 28 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said shared characteristic comprises metadata associated with each digital media item included in said first or second listing. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said shared characteristic comprises at least one of the following: genre; director; actor; rating; award nominations; or award recipient. ### Claim 30 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said shared characteristic is defined by a user associated with said user media library. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said shared characteristic is defined by a vendor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: generating said digital media collection with reference to said user media library. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein said generating comprises: examining said user media library to identify a plurality of digital media items having said shared characteristic; and accessing a database of digital media information to identify other digital media items having said shared characteristic. ### Claim 34 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: periodically repeating said comparing and said identifying. ### Claim 35 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: comparing a first proposed commercial transaction to obtain said set of digital media items with a second proposed commercial transaction to obtain said set of digital media items, in order to determine a preferred commercial transaction, wherein said first proposed commercial transaction prevents obtaining a digital media item already present in said user media library, and said second proposed commercial transaction allows obtaining a digital media item already present in said user media library. ### Claim 36 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: comparing said user media library with a plurality of digital media collections, wherein each of said plurality of digital media collections comprises a third listing of digital media items with a different shared characteristic; and automatically identifying a set of digital media items from each of said plurality of digital media collections not present in said user media library. ### Claim 37 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said comparing comprises determining a set of rights corresponding to said plurality of digital media. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising: obtaining said rights, from said set of rights, corresponding to said set of digital media items from said digital media collection. ### Claim 39 A system, comprising: means for comparing a user media library with a digital media collection, wherein said user media library comprises a plurality of digital media accessible via a digital media storage device, and said digital media collection comprises a first listing of digital media items with a shared characteristic; means for automatically identifying a set of digital media items from said digital media collection not present in said user media library, wherein said identifying said set of digital media items is based at least in part on said shared characteristic; means for dynamically updating said digital media collection with a second listing of digital media items; means for examining said user media library with reference to a threshold value, wherein said threshold value indicates how many of said first or second listing of digital media items with a shared characteristic should appear in said user media library. means for comparing said user media library with said updated digital media collection; and means for preparing a commercial transaction to obtain each of said set of digital media items, if available, from a specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library, if said threshold value is exceeded. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, wherein said means for comparing examines a log corresponding to the contents of said user media library. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, further comprising: means for maintaining said user media library. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, further comprising: means for determining whether a specific item from said set of digital media items is available. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The system of claim 42, further comprising: means for obtaining said specific item for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The system of claim 42, wherein said means for determining further determines whether said specific item is available from a specified vendor. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, further comprising: means for obtaining said specific item from said specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, further comprising: preparing a commercial transaction to obtain said specific item from said specified vendor for inclusion in said user media library. ### Claim 47 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, wherein said shared characteristic comprises metadata associated with each digital media item included in said first or second listing. ### Claim 48 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, wherein said shared characteristic comprises at least one of the following: genre; director; actor; rating; award nominations; or award recipient. ### Claim 49 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, wherein said shared characteristic is defined by a user associated with said user media library. ### Claim 50 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, wherein said shared characteristic is defined by a vendor. ### Claim 51 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, further comprising: means for generating said digital media collection with reference to said user media library. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The system of claim 51, wherein said means for generating comprises: means for examining said user media library to intensify a plurality of digital media items having said shared characteristic; and means for accessing a database of digital media information to identify other digital media items having said shared characteristic. ### Claim 53 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, further comprising: means for comparing said user media library with a plurality of digital media collections, wherein each of said plurality of digital media collections comprises a third listing of digital media items with a different shared characteristic; and means for automatically identifying a set of digital media items from each of said plurality of digital media collections not present in said user media library. ### Claim 54 A system, comprising: a device including a processor and a database, wherein the database includes a second plurality of digital media items; and wherein the processor is configured to: receive a request regarding a digital media collection; based at least in part on the request, compare a list of the second plurality to a list of a first plurality of digital media items, wherein items on the list of the second plurality of digital media items share a similar set of characteristics, the set of characteristics indicative of intrinsic and extrinsic features of the second plurality of the digital media items; based at least in part on information regarding the digital media collection, automatically identify a set of digital media items present in the second plurality and not present in the first plurality; determine if a threshold number of digital media items present in the second plurality are present in said first plurality; and in response to the determination, specify, without user intervention, a commercial transaction to obtain the set of digital media items, such that the device offers for sale the set of digital media items. ### Claim 55 (depends on 54) The system of claim 54, wherein the processor is configured to complete the specified commercial transaction by a user.