Method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network

Abstract

A method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network are provided. The method and system allow a publisher, distributor(s), and/or users to receive a payment incentive for downloading digital files on the Internet. The present disclosure creates a method and system where every party along the distribution chain will have an incentive for further distribution of the digital content file. The method includes the steps receiving by a server of a file agent at least one digital content file from a content provider; presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase; downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one user for a transaction amount; distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.

1 . A method for distributing digital content files over a computer network, the method comprising the steps:
 a) receiving, by a server of a file agent, at least one digital content file from a computing device of a content provider;   b) selecting at least first and second user download threshold levels;   c) selecting at least first and second user distribution percentages and associating the at least first user distribution percentage to the at least first user download threshold level and the at least second user distribution percentage to the at least second user download threshold level;   d) presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase on a website of the server;   e) downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one end user for a fixed transaction amount;   f) distributing a first distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the content provider;   g) distributing a second distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the file agent of the server;   h) determining the number of times the at least one digital content file has been purchased and downloaded; and   iteratively repeating steps e), f), g) and h) wherein:   when the determined number of times the at least one digital content file has been downloaded reaches the at least first user download threshold level, distributing a third distribution amount, based on the at least first user distribution percentage, to each of the at least one end user that downloaded the at least one digital content file within the at least first user download threshold level; and   
       when the determined number of times the at least one digital content file has been downloaded reaches the at least second user download threshold level, distributing a fourth distribution amount, based on the at least second user distribution percentage, to each of the at least one end user that downloaded the at least one digital content file within the at least first user download threshold level and the at least second user download threshold level. 
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least first user distribution percentage is greater than the at least second user distribution percentage. 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the presenting step includes posting a location of the at least one digital content file by a distributor and the method further comprising the step of distributing a fifth distribution amount of the transaction amount to the distributor. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 3 , wherein the distribution amounts are determined by user distribution percentages, further comprising the steps:
 selecting the user percentages by the content provider; and   approving the user distribution percentages by the file agent of the server.   
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 4 , wherein the user distribution percentages are electronically negotiated between the content provider and the file agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one digital content file is an audio file, a video file, a multimedia file, a text file, or a software application. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the downloading step further comprises:
 encrypting the at least one digital file before downloading; and   transmitting a code to the at least one end user for decrypting the at least one digital file after receiving the transaction amount from the at least one end user.   
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the distributing step includes payment by checks, credits to bank accounts, wire transfer, issuance of cash redemption cards or payment by a payment agent. 
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the distributing step includes issuance of credits to a user account to be used for additional services provided by file agent. 
     
     
         10 . A server for distributing digital content files over a network comprising:
 a communication device for receiving at least one digital content file from a computing device of a content provider; and   a processor which selects at least first and second user download threshold levels, selects at least first and second user distribution percentages and associates the at least first user distribution percentage to the at least first user download threshold level and the at least second user distribution percentage to the at least second user download threshold level and presents the at least one digital content file for purchase on a website of the server,   upon a purchase of the at least one digital content file, the processor downloads the at least one digital content file to at least one end user for a fixed transaction amount, distributes a first distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the content provider, distributes a second distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the file agent of the server, and determines the number of times the at least one digital content file has been purchased and downloaded;   wherein when the determined number of times the at least one digital content file has been downloaded reaches the at least first user download threshold level, the processor distributes a third distribution amount, based on the at least first user distribution percentage, to each of the at least one end user that downloaded the at least one digital content file within the at least first user download threshold level, and   when the determined number of times the at least one digital content file has been downloaded reaches the at least second user download threshold level, the processor distributes a fourth distribution amount, based on the at least second user distribution percentage, to each of the at least one end user that downloaded the at least one digital content file within the at least first user download threshold level and the at least second user download threshold level.   
     
     
         11 . The server as in  claim 10 , wherein the at least first user distribution percentage is greater than the at least second user distribution percentage. 
     
     
         12 . The server as in  claim 10 , wherein the processor transmits a location of the at least one digital content file to a distributor and distributes a fifth distribution amount of the transaction amount to the distributor. 
     
     
         13 . The server as in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one digital content file is an audio file, a video file, a text file, a multimedia file or a software application. 
     
     
         14 . The server as in  claim 10 , further comprising a storage device for storing the at least one digital content file. 
     
     
         15 . The server as in  claim 10 , further comprising a storage device for storing a plurality of user accounts, each user account maintaining distributed credits for each user. 
     
     
         16 . The server as in  claim 10 , wherein the processor includes at least one encryption algorithm for encrypting the at least one digital file before downloading. 
     
     
         17 . The server as in  claim 16 , wherein the processor transmits a code to the at least one end user via the communication device for decrypting the at least one digital file after receiving the fixed transaction amount from the at least one end user. 
     
     
         18 . A method for distributing digital content files over the Internet, the method comprising the steps:
 providing a web site for distributing digital content files hosted by at least one server in communication with the network;   a) receiving, by a server of a file agent, at least one digital content file from a computing device of a content provider;   b) selecting a plurality of user download threshold levels;   c) selecting a plurality of user distribution percentages and associating each of the user distribution percentages to each of user download threshold levels;   d) presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase on the website of the server;   e) downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one end user for a fixed transaction amount;   f) distributing a first distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the content provider;   g) distributing a second distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the file agent of the server;   h) determining the number of times the at least one digital content file has been purchased and downloaded; and   iteratively repeating steps e), f), g) and h) wherein:   when the determined number of times the at least one digital content file has been downloaded reaches at least one user download threshold level, distributing a third distribution amount, based on the user distribution percentage associated to a current user download threshold level, to each of the at least one end user that downloaded the at least one digital content file within the current user download threshold level and distributing a fourth distribution amount to each at least one end user of a previous user download threshold level.   
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 18 , wherein the user distribution percentages decrease as the user download threshold levels increase. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the presenting step includes posting a location of the at least one digital content file by a distributor and the method further comprising the step of distributing a fifth distribution amount of the transaction amount to the distributor. 
     
     
         21 . A method for distributing digital content files over a computer network, the method comprising the steps:
 receiving, by a server of a file agent, at least one digital content file from a computing device of a content provider;   selecting at least first and second user download threshold levels;   selecting at least first and second user distribution percentages and associating the at least first user distribution percentage to the at least first user download threshold level and the at least second user distribution percentage to the at least second user download threshold level;   presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase on a website of the server;   downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one end user for a fixed transaction amount;   distributing a first distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the content provider;   distributing a second distribution amount of the fixed transaction amount to the file agent of the server;   determining the number of times the at least one digital content file has been purchased and downloaded; and   distributing a third distribution amount, based on the at least first user distribution percentage and the at least first user download threshold level, to each of the at least one end user that downloaded the at least one digital content file.   
     
     
         22 . A method for distributing digital content files over a network, the method comprising the steps:
 receiving by a server of a file agent at least one digital content file from a computing device of a content provider;   presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase;   downloading the at least one digital content file to a computing device of at least one end user for a transaction amount;   distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and   distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one end user, wherein the second distribution amount is based on a number of times the at least one digital file is downloaded by previous end users.   
     
     
         23 . A server for distributing digital content files over a network comprising:
 a communication device for receiving at least one digital content file from a computing device of a content provider; and   a processor for presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase, downloading the at least one digital content file via the communication device to at least one end user for a transaction amount, distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider, and distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one end user, wherein the second distribution amount is based on a number of times the at least one digital file is downloaded by previous end users.