Federated download of digital content to wireless devices

Abstract

A content descriptor is received at a download server on a network from a remote content server, which is coupled to the download server through a computer network. The content descriptor is indicative of a selection by a user transmitted from a wireless client device to the remote content server and relating to a digital product hosted by the remote content server. The content descriptor is used by the download server to obtain the digital product from the remote content server. The digital product is then downloaded from the download server to the wireless client device via a wireless network. The content descriptor may include information such as a reference for use by the download server in locating the digital product, information describing the digital product, price information relating to the digital product, and/or information specifying a licensee of the digital product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A download server on a network, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a content descriptor as a consequence of a redirect, wherein the content descriptor is indicative of a selection by a user transmitted from a wireless client device and relates to a digital product hosted by a remote content server that is coupled to the download server via a computer network; 
 determining that the digital product is not in a cache accessible by the download server; 
 responsive to the determination, using the content descriptor to obtain the digital product from the remote content server; and 
 delivering the digital product from the download server to the wireless client device via a wireless network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The download server of  claim 1 , wherein the content descriptor is encoded in a product catalog hosted by the remote content server. 
     
     
         3 . The download server of  claim 1 , wherein the content descriptor is received from the wireless client device and the redirect is a redirect of the wireless client device to the download server. 
     
     
         4 . The download server of  claim 1 , wherein the content descriptor is received from the remote content server as a consequence of the remote content server receiving the selection. 
     
     
         5 . The download server of  claim 1 , wherein the content descriptor includes a reference to the digital product, for use by the download server to obtain the digital product from the remote content server. 
     
     
         6 . The download server of  claim 1 , wherein the content descriptor includes information for use by the download server to perform digital rights management (DRM) in relation to the selection. 
     
     
         7 . The download server of  claim 1 , wherein executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method further comprising storing the digital product in the cache. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a download server comprising one or more processors on a network, the method comprising, at the download server:
 receiving a content descriptor a consequence of a redirect, wherein the content descriptor is indicative of a selection by a user transmitted from a wireless client device and relates to a digital product hosted by a remote content server that is coupled to the download server via a computer network;   determining that the digital product is not in a cache accessible to the download server;   responsive to the determination, using the content descriptor to obtain the digital product from the remote content server; and   delivering the digital product from the download server to the wireless client device via a wireless network.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content descriptor is encoded in a product catalog hosted by the remote content server. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content descriptor is received from the wireless client device and the redirect is a redirect of the wireless client device to the download server. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content descriptor is received from the remote content server as a consequence of the remote content server receiving the selection. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content descriptor includes a reference to the digital product, for use by the download server to obtain the digital product from the remote content server. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content descriptor includes information for use by the download server to perform digital rights management (DRM) in relation to the selection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising storing the digital product in the cache. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer system instruct the processor to perform a method of:
 receiving a content descriptor a consequence of a redirect, wherein the content descriptor is indicative of a selection by a user transmitted from a wireless client device and relates to a digital product hosted by a remote content server that is coupled to the download server via a computer network;   determining that the digital product is not in a cache accessible to the download server;   responsive to the determination, using the content descriptor to obtain the digital product from the remote content server; and   delivering the digital product from the download server to the wireless client device via a wireless network.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the content descriptor is received from the wireless client device and the redirect is a redirect of the wireless client device to the download server. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the content descriptor is received from the remote content server as a consequence of the remote content server receiving the selection. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the content descriptor includes a reference to the digital product, for use by the download server to obtain the digital product from the remote content server. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the content descriptor includes information for use by the download server to perform digital rights management (DRM) in relation to the selection. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform a method further comprising storing the digital product in the cache.