Providing Subscription Content Using Hosted Media Profile

Abstract

A method, system, GUI, apparatus, and machine-readable media for enabling a customer to access information associated with a hosted user profile via a third party information source are provided. A customer may request information associated with a user profile via a mechanism provided by a third party information source via, for example, a mobile communications device. The customer may be enabled to access the information associated with the hosted user profile and an account associated with the customer may be updated to reflect the access. An account associated with the user may be updated to show the transaction and a statement regarding transactions associated with the user profile may be prepared and presented to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 maintaining, on a server computer system including at least one processor:
 a user information module configured to maintain information associated with a hosted user profile of a user; 
 a user account module coupled to the user information module, the user account module configured to maintain information associated with one or more media files available through the hosted user profile; 
 a media file module configured to receive and store an upload of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile; 
 a customer information module configured to maintain information regarding a customer, including subscription information indicating that particular media files of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile media files are accessible to the customer; 
   receiving, from a third party website, a customer request for access to requested media files of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile, wherein the customer request is associated with the customer;   determining, based on the subscription information, that the customer associated with the customer request has a subscription associated with the hosted user profile entitling the customer to access the requested media files; and   in response to the determining, enabling the customer to access the requested media files through the hosted user profile using a content delivery platform.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating information included in a user account, using the user account module, to include updated user account information indicating that the customer was enabled to access the requested media files via the at least one of a plurality of third-party information sources.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection indicating a selection by a user of one or more selected third-party information sources of the plurality of third-party information sources; and   providing the user with a hosted user profile activity statement.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more media files include at least one of an MP3 file, a graphic file, a ringtone file, a document file, a game file, a wallpaper file, or a music file. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer system is further configured to:
 periodically issue a media file to the customer based on the subscription information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer system is further configured to:
 maintain a customer account module, the customer account module configured to maintain information about a customer account associated with at least one of a plurality of third-party information sources.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing reports to both the customer and the user related to access to the hosted user profile by the customer.   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   memory coupled to the processor;   a program of instructions to be stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the program of instructions including:   at least one instruction to maintain a user information module configured to maintain information associated with a hosted user profile of a user;   at least one instruction to maintain a user account module coupled to the user information module, the user account module configured to maintain information associated with one or more media files available through the hosted user profile;   at least one instruction to maintain a media file module configured to receive and store an upload of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile;   at least one instruction to maintain a customer information module configured to maintain information regarding a customer, including subscription information indicating that particular media files of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile media files are accessible to the customer;   at least one instruction to maintain receive, from a third party website, a customer request for access to requested media files of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile, wherein the customer request is associated with the customer;   at least one instruction to determine, based on the subscription information, that the customer associated with the customer request has a subscription associated with the hosted user profile entitling the customer to access the requested media files; and   at least one instruction to enable the customer to access the requested media files through the hosted user profile using a content delivery platform, in response to the at least one instruction to determine.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to update information included in a user account, using the user account module, to include updated user account information indicating that the customer was enabled to access the requested media files via the at least one of a plurality of third-party information sources.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to receive a user selection indicating a selection by a user of one or more selected third-party information sources of the plurality of third-party information sources; and   at least one instruction to provide the user with a hosted user profile activity statement.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more media files include at least one of an MP3 file, a graphic file, a ringtone file, a document file, a game file, a wallpaper file, or a music file. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to periodically issue a media file to the customer based on the subscription information.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to maintain a customer account module, the customer account module configured to maintain information about a customer account associated with at least one of a plurality of third-party information sources.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to provide reports to both the customer and the user related to access to the hosted user profile by the customer.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions configured to be stored in a memory and executed by a processor, the program of instructions including:
 at least one instruction to maintain a user information module configured to maintain information associated with a hosted user profile of a user;   at least one instruction to maintain a user account module coupled to the user information module, the user account module configured to maintain information associated with one or more media files available through the hosted user profile;   at least one instruction to maintain a media file module configured to receive and store an upload of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile;   at least one instruction to maintain a customer information module configured to maintain information regarding a customer, including subscription information indicating that particular media files of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile media files are accessible to the customer;   at least one instruction to maintain receive, from a third party website, a customer request for access to requested media files of the one or more media files available through the hosted user profile, wherein the customer request is associated with the customer;   at least one instruction to determine, based on the subscription information, that the customer associated with the customer request has a subscription associated with the hosted user profile entitling the customer to access the requested media files; and   at least one instruction to enable the customer to access the requested media files through the hosted user profile using a content delivery platform, in response to the at least one instruction to determine.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program of instructions further comprises:
 at least one instruction to update information included in a user account, using the user account module, to include updated user account information indicating that the customer was enabled to access the requested media files via the at least one of a plurality of third-party information sources.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the program of instructions further comprises:
 at least one instruction to receive a user selection indicating a selection by a user of one or more selected third-party information sources of the plurality of third-party information sources; and   at least one instruction to provide the user with a hosted user profile activity statement.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program of instructions further comprises:
 at least one instruction to periodically issue a media file to the customer based on the subscription information.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program of instructions further comprises:
 at least one instruction to maintain a customer account module, the customer account module configured to maintain information about a customer account associated with at least one of a plurality of third-party information sources.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program of instructions further comprises:
 at least one instruction to provide reports to both the customer and the user related to access to the hosted user profile by the customer.