Systems and methods for selling content over a network

Abstract

A method to generate revenue from supplied content is provided. Content is provided to a consumer via a network by providing a content service that allows the consumer to select and retrieve content as a package together with a clearing of the selectable content to an operator used by the consumer to select and retrieve the content via the network. Any content selected by the consumer is supplied directly to the consumer via the operator. The operator is charged for the supplied content.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Computer readable storage comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a content access device to implement a content access client to at least:
 offer usage of a content access service to be accessed via a network associated with a network operator, the offer to be presented by a display device of the content access device, the usage of the content access service to cause a fee to be incurred for access to particular content by the content access device, the fee for the particular content to be paid to the network operator;   request, responsive to a user input, the particular content from the content access service, the particular content to be downloaded or streamed from the content access service to the content access device via the network; and   cause at least one of the display device or an audio output device of the content access device to present the particular content.   
     
     
         2 . The computer readable storage of  claim 1 , wherein the content access device is implemented with a mobile phone. 
     
     
         3 . The computer readable storage of  claim 2 , wherein the network operator is a mobile network operator. 
     
     
         4 . The computer readable storage of  claim 1 , wherein the offer includes an offer to use the content access service as part of a subscription service, and the fee is to be included in a subscription payment. 
     
     
         5 . The computer readable storage of  claim 1 , wherein the particular content includes audio content. 
     
     
         6 . The computer readable storage of  claim 1 , wherein the particular content includes text or news content. 
     
     
         7 . The computer readable storage of  claim 1 , wherein the particular content includes media content. 
     
     
         8 . The computer readable storage of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are to cause the content access client to obtain information from the content access service that is to identify a personalized set of content from which the particular content is to be selected. 
     
     
         9 . A content access device comprising:
 a display device;   an audio output device;   a user input device;   an antenna; and   a processor to execute software to implement a content access client, the content access client to at least:
 cause an offer to use a content access service to be presented on the display device, the content access service to be accessed via a network associated with a network operator, the usage of the content access service to cause a fee to be incurred for access to particular content by the content access device, the fee for the particular content to be paid to the network operator; 
 responsive to a user input, request the particular content from the content access service, the particular content to be downloaded or streamed from the content access service to the content access device via the network; and 
 cause at least one of the display device or the audio output device to present the particular content. 
   
     
     
         10 . The content access device of  claim 9 , wherein the content access device is implemented with a mobile phone. 
     
     
         11 . The content access device of  claim 10 , wherein the network operator is a mobile network operator. 
     
     
         12 . The content access device of  claim 9 , wherein the offer includes an offer to use the content access service as part of a subscription service, and the fee is to be included in a subscription payment. 
     
     
         13 . The content access device of  claim 9 , wherein the particular content includes audio content. 
     
     
         14 . The content access device of  claim 9 , wherein the particular content includes text or news content. 
     
     
         15 . The content access device of  claim 9 , wherein the particular content includes media content. 
     
     
         16 . The content access device of  claim 9 , wherein the software is to cause the content access client to obtain information from the content access service that is to identify a personalized set of content from which the particular content is to be selected. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 causing, with a content access client of a content access device, an offer to use a content access service to be presented on a display device of the content access device, the content access service to be accessed via a network associated with a network operator, the usage of the content access service to cause a fee to be incurred for access to particular content by the content access device, the fee for the particular content to be paid to the network operator;   responsive to a user input, requesting, with the content access client, the particular content from the content access service, the particular content to be downloaded or streamed from the content access service to the content access device via the network; and   causing, with the content access client, at least one of the display device or an audio output device of the content access device to present the particular content.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the content access device is implemented with a mobile phone. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the network operator is a mobile network operator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the offer includes an offer to use the content access service as part of a subscription service, and the fee is to be included in a subscription payment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the particular content includes audio content. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the particular content includes text or news content. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the particular content includes media content. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , further including causing the content access client to obtain information from the content access service that is to identify a personalized set of content from which the particular content is to be selected.