The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 31, 1995
William Charles Archibald, Austin, TX (US);
Terence Paul Spielman, Austin, TX (US);
Jason Spielman, Austin, TX (US);
Interval Systems, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus that accounts for utilization of digital applications on an as used basis is accomplished by compensating a publisher for each use of its digital application instead of a lump sum purchase price. This is done by embedding a tariff file within the digital application where a digital application may be a software application, a video file, a text file, and/or an image file. The embedded tariff file, which includes a digital application identification code and a publisher identification code, is used by a meter module to generate accounting information. The accounting message is routed to a collection agency which, in turn, generates debiting information for the user and crediting information for the publishers of the digital application.