Crowd pricing system and method having tier-based ratings

Abstract

A crowd pricing system and method having tier-based ratings includes a pricing table hosted on a memory. The pricing table has a plurality of pricing tiers, wherein the pricing table is correlated to at least one downloadable media item. A download popularity value is calculated based on a quantity of downloads of the at least one downloadable media item within an evaluation period, wherein a position of the at least one downloadable media item is movable between the plurality of pricing tiers based on the download popularity value, wherein position movement of the at least one downloadable media item is regulated by at least one control factor. A ratings designation is paired with each of the plurality of pricing tiers, the ratings designation having a cumulative user ratings score calculated by the processor, wherein the cumulative user ratings score provides an indication of cumulative user rating of the at least one downloadable media item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-based crowd pricing system having tier-based ratings comprising:
 a non-transitory memory having a plurality of instructions executable by a processor;   a pricing table hosted on the non-transitory memory, the pricing table having a plurality of pricing tiers, wherein the pricing table is correlated to at least one downloadable media item;   a download popularity value calculated based on a quantity of downloads of the at least one downloadable media item within an evaluation period, wherein a position of the at least one downloadable media item is movable between the plurality of pricing tiers based on the download popularity value, wherein position movement of the at least one downloadable media item is regulated by at least one control factor; and   a ratings designation paired with each of the plurality of pricing tiers, the ratings designation having a cumulative user ratings score calculated by the processor, wherein the cumulative user ratings score provides an indication of cumulative user rating of the at least one downloadable media item.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one control factor further comprises an accelerated tier climbing factor, wherein the accelerated tier climbing factor increases position movement of the at least one downloadable media item within the evaluation period. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 2 , wherein the accelerated tier climbing factor is based on at least one of:
 before an end of the evaluation period, a number of downloads of the at least one downloadable media item exceeding a definable metric of downloads at a next higher tier of the plurality of pricing tiers in a preceding evaluation period; and   before an end of the evaluation period, the number of downloads of the at least one downloadable media item exceeding the definable metric of downloads of an average of multiple prior evaluation periods.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 3 , wherein the definable metric includes at least one of: a minimum number of downloads, a median number of downloads, a mean number of downloads, and a standard deviation from the median number of downloads. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one control factor further comprises a buffered tier decline factor, wherein the buffered tier decline factor controls a decreasing position movement of the at least one downloadable media item, wherein the decreasing position movement is limited to one pricing tier of the plurality of pricing tiers per the evaluation period. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a points and sustained performance unit calculating a point value award to the at least one downloadable media item, wherein the point value award is calculated as a factor of a pricing tier level of the plurality of pricing tiers of the at least one downloadable media item. 
     
     
         7 . The computerized apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the point value award is calculated as a factor of the pricing tier level of the at least one downloadable media item during the evaluation period and as a factor of the pricing tier level at a previous evaluation period. 
     
     
         8 . The computerized apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the points and sustained performance unit further comprises a tier-points table, wherein the point value award is retrievable from the tier-points table. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , wherein the cumulative user ratings score is based on an overall rating of the at least one downloadable media item. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , wherein the cumulative user ratings score is based on at least two attributes of the at least one downloadable media item. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a current tier indicator of the at least one downloadable media item within the plurality of pricing tiers. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-based crowd pricing system of  claim 1 , wherein a perceived value of the at least one downloadable media item is achieved relative to at least one of the pricing tiers of the plurality of pricing tiers. 
     
     
         13 . A computerized system for providing interactive-based pricing tiers to a plurality of users, the computerized system comprising:
 a non-transitory memory having a quantity of instructions executable by a processor;   a plurality of modules stored within the non-transitory memory, wherein the quantity of instructions are correlated with at least one of the plurality of modules, wherein the plurality of modules comprises:
 a pricing table module hosted on the non-transitory memory, the pricing table module visually displaying a pricing table having a plurality of pricing tiers on a display device, wherein the pricing table is correlated to at least one downloadable media item; 
 a download popularity value module calculating a download popularity value based on a quantity of downloads of the at least one downloadable media item within an evaluation period, wherein the at least one downloadable media item is movable between the plurality of pricing tiers based on the download popularity value, wherein position movement of the at least one downloadable media item is regulated by at least one control factor; and 
 a ratings designation module providing a ratings designation, wherein the ratings designation is paired with each of the plurality of pricing tiers, each ratings designation having a cumulative user ratings score calculated by the processor, wherein the cumulative user ratings score provides an indication of cumulative user rating of the at least one downloadable media item. 
   
     
     
         14 . A method for providing a crowd pricing system having tier-based ratings, the method comprising the steps of:
 hosting a pricing table on a non-transitory memory of a computerized device, the pricing table having a plurality of pricing tiers;   correlating the pricing table to at least one downloadable media item;   calculating a download popularity value based on a quantity of downloads of the at least one downloadable media item within an evaluation period;   moving the at least one downloadable media item between the plurality of pricing tiers based on the calculated download popularity value;   regulating position movement of the at least one downloadable media item with at least one control factor; and   pairing at least one ratings designation with each of the plurality of pricing tiers, wherein each of the ratings designations having a cumulative user ratings score calculated by the processor, wherein the cumulative user ratings score provides an indication of cumulative user rating of the at least one downloadable media item.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one control factor further comprises an accelerated tier climbing factor, further comprising the step of increasing the position movement of the at least one downloadable media item within the evaluation period based on the accelerated tier climbing factor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one control factor further comprises a buffered tier decline factor, further comprising the steps of:
 decreasing a position movement of the at least one downloadable media item based on the buffered tier decline factor; and   limiting the decreasing position movement to one pricing tier of the plurality of pricing tiers per the evaluation period.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of calculating a point value award to the at least one downloadable media item with a points and sustained performance unit, wherein the point value award is calculated as a factor of a pricing tier level of the plurality of pricing tiers of the at least one downloadable media item. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the point value award is calculated as a factor of the pricing tier level of the at least one downloadable media item during the evaluation period and as a factor of the pricing tier level at a previous evaluation period. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the points and sustained performance unit further comprises a tier-points table, wherein the point value award is retrievable from the tier-points table. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of indicating a current tier position of the at least one downloadable media item within the plurality of pricing tiers using a current tier indicator.