Application catalog on an application server for wireless devices

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program for providing an application catalog of served applications and data to wireless devices on a wireless network seeking to download the applications and/or data. The application catalog is displayable to a wireless device across the wireless network, and the application catalog lists at least a plurality of applications and/or data downloadable to wireless devices and the application catalog is optimized based upon predetermined criteria such that the preferred application and/or data to be downloaded by a wireless device is initially displayed to a wireless device attempting to access the application catalog.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless device, comprising:
 a processor;   a wireless communication interface, coupled to said processor;   a display, coupled to said processor; and   a memory, coupled to said processor;   wherein:   said processor is configured to request an application catalog from an application server over a wireless network, the application catalog comprising a plurality of applications that are configured in either a first set of preferred applications or a second set of applications based on at least one ranking criteria that includes, for one or more of the plurality of applications, a fiscal factor related to profit associated with purchasing of the one or more of the plurality of applications, to receive the application catalog via said wireless communication interface, store said application catalog in said memory, and display said application catalog on said display in accordance with a prioritized presentation scheme that presents the first set of preferred applications more prominently than the second set of applications based on the fiscal factor,   wherein the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog is changeable based upon an end-user input.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ranking criteria further includes preferential list placement within the application catalog that is allocated to an advertiser for the one or more of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each application in the plurality of applications is sorted into one of the first set of preferred applications within the application catalog and the second set of applications within the application catalog. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 detect the end-user input, and   override the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog in response to the end-user input.   
     
     
         5 . The wireless device of  claim 4 , wherein the end-user input corresponds to selection of a virtual button that is displayed to an end-user via the display. 
     
     
         6 . A method of obtaining an application to download onto a wireless device, comprising:
 requesting an application catalog from an application server on a wireless network, the application catalog comprising a plurality of applications that are configured in either a first set of preferred applications or a second set of applications based on at least one ranking criteria that includes, for one or more of the plurality of applications, a fiscal factor related to profit associated with purchasing of the one or more of the plurality of applications;   receiving the application catalog; and   presenting the application catalog on a user interface of the wireless device in accordance with a prioritized presentation scheme that presents the first set of preferred applications more prominently than the second set of applications based on the fiscal factor,   wherein the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog is changeable based upon an end-user input.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one ranking criteria further includes preferential list placement within the application catalog that is allocated to an advertiser for the one or more of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each application in the plurality of applications is sorted into one of the first set of preferred applications within the application catalog and the second set of applications within the application catalog. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 detecting the end-user input; and   overriding the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog in response to the end-user input.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the end-user input corresponds to selection of a virtual button that is displayed to an end-user. 
     
     
         11 . A wireless device, comprising:
 means for requesting an application catalog from an application server on a wireless network, the application catalog comprising a plurality of applications that are configured in either a first set of preferred applications or a second set of applications based on at least one ranking criteria that includes, for one or more of the plurality of applications, a fiscal factor related to profit associated with purchasing of the one or more of the plurality of applications;   means for receiving the application catalog; and   means for presenting the application catalog on the wireless device in accordance with a prioritized presentation scheme that presents the first set of preferred applications more prominently than the second set of applications based on the fiscal factor,   wherein the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog is changeable based upon an end-user input.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one ranking criteria further includes preferential list placement within the application catalog that is allocated to an advertiser for the one or more of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each application in the plurality of applications is sorted into one of the first set of preferred applications within the application catalog and the second set of applications within the application catalog. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 means for detecting the end-user input; and   means for overriding the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog in response to the end-user input.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless device of  claim 14 , wherein the end-user input corresponds to selection of a virtual button that is displayed to an end-user. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:
 a first set of instructions for requesting an application catalog from an application server on a wireless network, the application catalog comprising a plurality of applications that are configured in either a first set of preferred applications or a second set of applications based on at least one ranking criteria that includes, for one or more of the plurality of applications, a fiscal factor related to profit associated with purchasing of the one or more of the plurality of applications;   a second set of instructions for receiving the application catalog; and   a third set of instructions for presenting the application catalog on a wireless device in accordance with a prioritized presentation scheme that presents the first set of preferred applications more prominently than the second set of applications based on the fiscal factor,   wherein the prioritized presentation scheme is changeable after the application catalog is received at the wireless device based upon an end-user input.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one ranking criteria further includes preferential list placement within the application catalog that is allocated to an advertiser for the one or more of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein each application in the plurality of applications is sorted into one of the first set of preferred applications within the application catalog and the second set of applications within the application catalog. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a fourth set of instructions for detecting the end-user input; and   a fifth set of instructions for overriding the prioritized presentation scheme of the application catalog in response to the end-user input.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the end-user input corresponds to selection of a virtual button that is displayed to an end-user.