Digital content streaming playback system and method

Abstract

A digital content streaming playback system is provided with a digital content playback module configured to provide a digital content to a digital content hosting site by a content creator on a user interface displayed on a computer of a content consumer so as to enable streaming playback of the digital content over an electronic network; a tipping module; a reward download button/link display module; and a reward setup interface configured for the content creator to upload content as a reward file, the content being different from the digital content for streaming playback; wherein the tipping module comprises: a tipping button/link display module configured to display an activated tipping button/link on a user interface; and a tip processing module configured to, in response to a content consumer operating the activated tipping button/link, process payment of a tip of a specific amount according to a default setting or a setting made by the content creator; wherein the reward download button/link display module is configured to display, depending on the processing of the tip payment, an activated reward download button/link on the user interface, enabling the content consumer to download the reward file which was uploaded from the reward setup interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer program product for implementing a digital content streaming playback system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodying computer-executable program instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause one or more computers to execute:
 a digital content playback module, configured to provide digital content that was previously uploaded to a specific digital content hosting site by a user who is a content creator on a user interface displayed on a computer of a content consumer so as to enable streaming playback of the digital content over an electronic network, the digital content playback module having a digital content playback operation to allow the digital content to be played on the user interface;   a tipping module configured to operate in tandem with the digital content playback operation performed by the digital content playback module, the tipping module configured to perform a tipping process;   a reward button/link display module configured to operate in tandem with the tipping process performed by the tipping module; and   a reward setup interface configured for the user who is a content creator to upload content as a reward file, the content being different from the digital content for streaming playback;   wherein the tipping module comprises:   a tipping button/link display module configured to display an activated tipping button/link on the user interface; and   a tip processing module configured to, in response to the content consumer operating the activated tipping button/link, process payment of a tip of a specific amount according to a default setting or a setting made by the user who is a content creator;   wherein the reward button/link display module is configured to display, depending on the processing of the tip payment, an activated reward button/link on the user interface, enabling the content consumer to download, or display within an in-site page or on an external page the reward file which was uploaded from the reward setup interface.   
     
     
         2 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 the reward setup interface is further configured so that the digital content for streaming playback itself can be set as a download reward.   
     
     
         3 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reward file includes an audio file.   
     
     
         4 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reward button/link display module displays an indicator corresponding to a type of a downloadable reward as a reward button/link.   
     
     
         5 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reward setup interface is configured for the user who is a content creator to select to offer a reward or not offer a reward for the digital content which the user who is a content creator has uploaded upon payment of a tip; and   wherein the reward button/link display module is configured to:   (i) display an activated reward button/link on the user interface when the user who is a content creator has selected using the reward setup interface to offer a reward upon payment of a tip, or has not selected using the reward setup interface to not offer a reward upon payment of a tip, and   (ii) not display an activated reward button/link on the user interface when the user who is a content creator has not selected using the reward setup interface to offer a reward upon payment of a tip, or has selected using the reward setup interface to not offer a reward upon payment of a tip.   
     
     
         6 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specific amount according to a default setting is preset by an operator of the digital content playback system.   
     
     
         7 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital content is audio. 
     
     
         8 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital content is a still image. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital content is a text file.