Method 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.

1 . A method for generating revenue from supplied content, said content provided by at least one content provider to a consumer via a network, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a content service that allows the consumer to select and retrieve content together with a clearing of the selectable content to an operator used by the consumer to select and retrieve the content via the network,    directly supplying any content selected by the consumer to the consumer via the operator, and    charging the operator for the supplied content.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of licensing content from the at least one content provider to provide selectable content within said content service.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 generating a content playlist for the consumer, and    providing individual content selections by the consumer for allowing the consumer to select content within said content service.    
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operator used by the consumer charges the consumer for the retrieved content.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the operator offers the content service to consumers that subscribe to the content service with the operator.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the operator offers said content service and is allowed to send a predetermined amount of content within said content service to the consumer for a payment of a regular subscription fee.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the operator offers said content service and is allowed to send content within said content service to the consumer for a payment of a content based fee.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content is provided as a streaming and/or download service to the consumer.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one content provider receives royalties based on time of streaming content used by the consumer.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one content provider receives royalties based on content items downloaded by the consumer.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content service provided to the consumer comprises at least one of a telephone, internet and broadcast service.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content comprises audio content.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content comprises text content.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content comprises audiovisual content.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a content access client that allows the usage of the content service by the consumer.