On-device offline purchases using credits

摘要

This is directed to providing offline purchasing of media items using an electronic device. One or more media items that are not part of a user's media library can be stored on an electronic device. When a user later wishes to play back one of the media items, but the device cannot connect to a communications network to provide payment information for purchasing the media items, the electronic device can use pre-paid credits that were purchased and stored by the device when a communications network was available to complete the purchase. By using pre-paid credits, the media store can be assured that the user has sufficient funds for the media item purchase.

主权项

1. A system for transferring credit to an electronic device for offline transactions, comprising:
an electronic device comprising communications circuitry and control circuitry, the control circuitry operative to: direct the communications circuitry to purchase credits from a payment processing module operative to charge a payment amount to a user's account while communications between the electronic device and the payment processing module are available, wherein the credits are locally stored on the device; store at least one media item provided by a media store, wherein access to the media item is restricted until a fee is paid; receive a request to purchase access to the at least one media item; deduct the fee from the locally stored credits in response to receiving the request to purchase access to the at least one media item while the electronic device is offline; and remove the access restriction in response to deducting the fee.