Automatic Delivery of Digital Content to a Computing Device

Abstract

Automatic downloading of digital content to a computing device is provided. Digital content that is available from a remote content server is checked to determine if any digital content matches criteria specified for downloading. If a match is found, and the user has not previously downloaded the digital content, or a previous version of the digital content, then the digital content is added to a download queue. The digital content specified in the download queue is transferred to the computing device.

1 . A method of obtaining new digital content on a computing device, the method comprising:
 generating a download queue of digital content available on one or more remote content servers and satisfying at least one criterion for automatic downloading, the download queue not including digital content that has been previously downloaded to the computing device nor updated versions of digital content stored on the computing device;   automatically downloading contents of the download queue to the computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the download queue includes digital game content. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the download queue includes digital music content. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the download queue includes digital audio/video content. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the computing device is a game console. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one criterion includes whether the digital content is newly available for downloading to the computing device from the one or more remote content servers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a user's specification of the at least one criterion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one criterion indicates at least one genre of digital content that is to be automatically downloaded. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one criterion indicates which of digital game content, digital music content, and digital audio/video content is to be automatically downloaded. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one criterion indicates a size of the digital content that is to be automatically downloaded. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one criterion indicates a rating of the digital content that is to be automatically downloaded. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one criterion includes whether the digital content is trial content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a user interface that allows a user to selectively enable automatic downloading of contents of the download queue to the computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is provided via one or more of the remote content servers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is provided via the computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the remote content servers initiates automatically downloading contents of the download queue to the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . A method of obtaining new digital content on a local computing device, the method comprising:
 receiving from a remote computing device an indication that trial digital content is newly available for downloading to the local computing device;   automatically downloading the trial digital content to the local computing device unless a previous version of the trial digital content is stored on the local computing device.   
     
     
         18 . A method of obtaining new digital content on a computing device, the method comprising:
 generating a download queue of digital content available on one or more remote content servers and satisfying at least one user-specified criterion for automatic downloading, the download queue blocking digital content that has been previously downloaded to the computing device and updated versions of digital content stored on the computing device;   automatically downloading contents of the download queue to the computing device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one user-specified criterion indicates at least one genre of digital content that is to be automatically downloaded. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one criterion indicates a size of the digital content that is to be automatically downloaded.