Media Gifting Devices and Methods

Abstract

Various techniques are provided for the gifting between multiple electronic devices of media content provided by an online digital media provider. An offer and acceptance of a selected gift file is accomplished between a gifter device and a receiving giftee device using a near-field communication (NFC) connection. If a connection to the online provider is available, the gifter device may transmit a gift request by which the gifter's account is charged for the gift file. Thereafter, a gift file created using DRM keys associated with the giftee's account may be downloaded to the giftee device. If a network connection is unavailable, the giftee device may transfer a locked gift file and a corresponding gift license to the giftee device using a peer-to-peer connection. The giftee device may authenticate the license and unlock the gift file once a connection to the online provider is available.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing the transfer of a digital media file from a first device to a second device using a database associated with an online digital media provider, the method comprising:
 receiving information relating to the digital media file from the first device;   accessing the database, using the information relating to the digital media file, to determine at least an account belonging to a user of the first device, an account belonging to a user of the second device, and an identity of the digital media file, wherein the accounts belonging to the users of the first and second devices are associated with the online digital media provider; and   creating the digital media file to be received by the second device using the identity of the digital media file.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising transferring the digital media file from the online digital media provider to the second device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising charging the user of the first device for the digital media file. 
     
     
         4 . A method for approving a request to gift a digital media file from a first device to a second device on a server associated with an online digital media provider, the method comprising:
 receiving a gift request from the first device;   processing the gift request to determine at least an account belonging to a user of the first device, an account belonging to the user of the second device, and an identity of the digital media file, wherein the accounts belonging to the users of the first and second devices are associated with the online digital media provider; and   authorizing the creation of a gift file to be received by the second device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the gift request is received using a communication interface configured to establish a first communication path with a communication interface on the first device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein authorizing the creation of the gift file comprises determining if the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged for the gift file. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the account belonging to the user of the first device includes at least a credit card account, and wherein determining if the credit card account may be charged for the gift file comprises obtaining an authorization to charge the credit card account from an external credit card verification server. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, if the creation of the gift file is authorized, creating the gift file using a digital rights management (DRM) key associated with the account belonging to the user of the second device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to establish a second communication path with a communication interface on the second device, and wherein the created gift file is transmitted to the second device from the server using the communication interface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, if the creation of the gift file is authorized, transmitting a DRM key associated with the account belonging to the user of the second device from the server to the first device, wherein the first device is configured to create the gift file using the DRM key. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the DRM key is transmitted from the server to the first device using the communication interface. 
     
     
         12 . A method for approving the gifting of a digital media file from a first device to a second device on a server associated with an online digital media provider, the method comprising:
 receiving on the server an electronic gift certificate from the second device, wherein the electronic gift certificate was previously transmitted from the first device to the second device;   processing the electronic gift certificate to determine at least an account belonging to a user of the first device, an account belonging to the user of the second device, and the identity of the digital media file, wherein the accounts belonging to the users of the first and second device are associated with the online digital media provider;   authorizing the creation of a gift file to be received by the second device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic gift certificate is received by the server using a communication interface configured to establish a first communication path with a communication interface on the second device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein authorizing the creation of the gift file comprises determining if the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged for the gift file. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, if the creation of the gift file is authorized, creating the gift file on the server using a digital rights management (DRM) key associated with the account belonging to the user of the second device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, transmitting the gift file from the server to the second device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the gift file is transmitted from the server to the second device using the communication interface. 
     
     
         18 . A system for gifting a digital media file from a first device to a second device comprising a server associated with an online digital media provider, wherein the server is configured authorize the creation of a gift file corresponding to the digital media file. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the server is further configured to receive a gift request, the gift request comprising at least an account belonging to a user of the first device, an account belonging to the user of the second device, and the identity of the digital media file, wherein the accounts belonging to the users of the first and second device are associated with the online digital media provider. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the server is further configured to determine whether the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged for the gift file, and wherein the creation of the gift file is authorized if it is determined that the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the account belonging to the user of the first device comprises at least a credit card account, and wherein the server is configured to communicate with an external credit card verification server in order to obtain an authorization to charge the credit card account. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein, if the creation of the gift file is authorized, the server is further configured to create the gift file using a digital rights management (DRM) key associated with the account belonging to the user of the second device and to transmit the gift file to the second device using a communication interface on the server, the communication interface being configured to establish a communication path with a communication interface on the second device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein, if the creation of the gift file is authorized, the server is further configured to transmit a DRM key associated with the account belonging to the user of the second device to the first device, wherein the first device is configure to create the gift file using the DRM key and to transmit the gift file to the second device once the gift file is created. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the server is further configured to receive a request from the second device to unlock a locked gift file sent to the second device from the first device, wherein the locked gift file includes a gift license, the gift license comprising at least an account belonging to a user of the first device. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the server is further configured to determine whether the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged for the gift file, and wherein the creation of the gift file comprises permitting the second device to unlock the gift file if it is determined that the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the server is further configured to receive an electronic gift certificate from a second device, wherein the electronic gift certificate comprises at least an account belonging to a user of the first device, an account belonging to the user of the second device, and the identity of the digital media file, and wherein the authorization to create the gift file is determined based upon whether the account belonging to the user of the first device may be charged for the gift device. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the server is further configured to create the gift file using a DRM key associated with the account belonging to the user of the second device and to transmit the gift file to the second device if the account belonging to the user of the first device is charged. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more gifted media files comprises at least one of a music file, a video file, or an electronic book file, an audio book file, a software application file, or any combination thereof.