System and apparatus for a third party web-based application to build and automatically generate project web pages offering crowdfunding opportunities for artists

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for marketing and timed delivery of digital entitlements to patrons of a creative project from an inventory of entitlements, includes executing instructions in a computer system to perform the operations of creating a timed funding project, creating sales containers, and creating inventory items accessible by availability date to accept and deliver digital media stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The method allows the optimization of storage medium and bandwidth sources by association of one file to multiple sales containers and reducing storage usage by allowing delayed upload to the storage medium based on a future availability date. The computer implemented method automates the delivery of digital entitlements to patrons upon the completion of a funding project.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for marketing and delivery of digital entitlements to patrons of a creative project, the computer-implemented method comprising executing instructions in a computer system to perform the operations of:
 exposing a web application interface (API) to an artist manager, wherein the API exposes functionality for:   receiving, by way of the interface, a request from an artist client device to create a first inventory database record, the request comprising data identifying an availability date;   receiving, by way of the interface, a request from an artist client device to store a first, digital file to an associated computer-readable storage medium; and   creating, by way of the interface, a first inventory item by associating a first digital file to a first inventory database record.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first inventory item is made accessible through one or more sales containers.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein
 the sales containers are created, by way of the interface, by receiving a request from an artist client device to create a first sales container database record, the request comprising data identifying a level of patronage for a project.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein
 a project is created, by way of the interface, by receiving a request from an artist client device to create a first project database record, the request comprising data identifying start and end dates for the first project to be funded by patrons.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein
 a project is marketed to patrons, by way of the web application, by receiving a request from a web browser to display project data containing a plurality of sales containers by querying the database and displaying data from a plurality of projects whose project database records' start date and end date fall within the range of the current date read and interpreted directly from the machine date stamp.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein
 a project is displayed to patrons, by way of the web application, allowing patrons to directly fond an artist's creative project by purchasing first sales container among a plurality of displayed sales containers.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein
 a patron is allowed access, by way of the web application, to the first inventory item after verifying the purchase of first sales container, verifying the availability date of the inventory item and verifying the upload file status of the first inventory item.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein
 associating a first digital file to a first inventory database record, by way of the interface, includes updating the database record upload file status.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method for marketing and delivery of digital entitlements to patrons of a creative project, the computer-implemented method comprising executing instructions in a computer system to perform the operations of:
 exposing a web application to a first Patron, wherein the application provides functionality for:   receiving, by way of the application, a request from a first patron to access a first entitlement, the request comprising identification information of a first inventory item;   communicating, by way of the interface, with a database to verify the purchase of first sales container by first patron;   communicating, by way of the interface, with a database to verify the inclusion of first inventory item in first sales container;   communicating, by way of the interface, with a database to verify the availability date and upload file status of first inventory item in first sales container; and   transmitting, by way of the interface, the first inventory item to the Patron after verification.