Method of processing rental requests and returns

Abstract

A delivery mechanism for distributing media items to subscribers uses a timed based benchmark in lieu of or in addition to a conventional capacity driven model. In this manner, titles are delivered based on delays introduced intentionally and based on title demand, subscriber behavior, etc.

1 . A method of delivering machine readable media to subscribers of a media: rental service comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscribers can have out at any moment in time from the media rental service;    (b) identifying if a first subscriber has capacity available for delivery of a first machine readable media item requested by such subscriber;    (c) imposing a first delay on delivery of said first machine readable media item to the first subscriber even when said first subscriber has not reached Nmax.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first delay is only imposed for a group of subscribers determined by the computing system.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first delay is imposed for a group of machine readable media items which are high demand items determined by the computing system.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: delivering an additional media item after a second delay so that said subscriber has at least Nmax+1 titles out.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: (d) measuring a number of titles out for said subscriber relative to Nmax over a predetermined period.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further including a step: (e) adjusting said first delay based on results of step (d).  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further including a step: (d) preemptively delivering a title to the first subscriber before it is requested.  
     
     
         8 . A method of delivering machine readable media to subscribers of a media rental service comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscribers can have out at any moment in time from the media rental service;    (b) evaluating a demand characteristic with a computing system for a first machine readable media item requested by a first subscriber;    (c) identifying if said first subscriber has capacity available for delivery of said first machine readable media item based on Nmax for such subscriber;    (d) imposing a delay on delivery of said first machine readable media item to the first subscriber based on the results of steps (b) and (c);    wherein delivery of a first machine readable media item can be intentionally delayed even when said first subscriber has not reached Nmax.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said delay is only imposed for a group of subscribers determined by the computing system.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said delay is imposed for a group of machine readable media items which are high demand items determined by the computing system.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a cost and/or profit associated with delivering the item is also considered during step (d).  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further including a step (e) sending a second machine readable media item to said first subscriber before said first machine readable media item, which second machine readable media item has a demand characteristic determined by the computing system to be less than said first machine readable media item.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further including a step (e) sending a second machine readable media item to said first subscriber before said first machine readable media item, which second machine readable media item is determined automatically by a recommender system to be appropriate for the first subscriber.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said second machine readable media item is delivered preemptively to the first subscriber before it is requested.  
     
     
         15 . A method of delivering machine readable media to subscribers of a media rental service comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a maximum number of machine readable media items (Nmax) which the subscribers can have out at any moment in time from the media rental service;    (b) identifying if a first subscriber has capacity available for delivery of a first machine readable media item based on Nmax for such subscriber;    (c) measuring media useage behavior of said first subscriber;    (d) imposing a delay on delivery of said first machine readable media item to the first subscriber based on the results of steps (b) and (c);    wherein delivery of a first machine readable media item can be intentionally delayed even when said first subscriber has not reached Nmax.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein during step (c) the system measures a number of titles out for said subscriber relative to Nmax over a predetermined period.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  including a step: selecting between delivering said first machine readable media item to said first subscriber or a second subscriber based on comparing useage behavior of said first subscriber and said second subscriber.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further including a step: (e) sending a second machine readable media item to said first subscriber, which second machine readable media item has a demand characteristic determined by the computing system to be less than said first machine readable media item.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein after step (e) the first subscriber has a number of machine readable media items which exceeds Nmax.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further including a step: (d) preemptively delivering a title to the first subscriber before it is requested.