Apple patents system to limit media downloads after payment issues
Apple has patented a method for managing how digital media is delivered to users when payment or authorization fails. The system allows a user to download content before final payment approval is confirmed, but if the payment fails, the system restricts future downloads by lowering the user's allowed quota. This ensures that users with unresolved billing issues have limited access to new media until the problem is fixed.
In the filing’s own words
The described embodiments set forth techniques for managing digital media item delivery queues associated with a user and/or with a user device. The techniques provide a framework for establishing and subsequently modifying or limiting access to an allocation for digital media items managed via a digital media item delivery queue associated with a user and/or a user device. In some cases, a user and/or user device is allowed limited access to a digital media item delivery queue allocation, while a negative status for a previously provided digital media item is unresolved, based on a set of limited access criteria being satisfied. Exemplary limited access criteria include an account standing for a user of the user device or a type of digital media item request, e.g., a subscription renewal or modification to a current, ongoing subscription for the user device or a user thereof, and the like.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method for managing digital media item delivery queues, the method comprising, at a server device: providing, responsive to receipt of a request from a user device, first digital content to the user device in advance of final authorization for the request for the first digital content; allocating the first digital content to a digital media item delivery queue for a user of the user device; receiving a negative status indication for the final authorization for the request for the first digital content; determining, responsive to a second request from the user for second digital content after receipt of the negative status indication, whether one or more limited access criteria are satisfied for the user of the user device; providing the second digital content to the user device, in advance of final authorization for the second request for the second digital content, when the one or more limited access criteria are satisfied; and adjusting, responsive to receipt of the negative status indication, an allocation level for the digital media item delivery queue for the user of the user device, wherein adjustment of the allocation level includes lowering a total permissible allocation for digital media item provisioning to the user of the user device.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Techniques for managing digital media item delivery queues
- Patent number
- US12769859B2
- Application number
- 18747701
- Filed
- Jun 19, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 14
- Claims
- 17
Classified under
G06F 21/6218 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AI & software
- Apple patents AI that acts on voicemails for you Oct 15, 2026
- Apple patents letting users teach custom hand gestures to their devices Oct 22, 2026
- Apple patents AI that acts on voicemails for you Sep 1, 2026
- Apple patents video tool that swaps focus between subjects after filming Oct 20, 2026
- Apple patents system that changes room ambience based on what you look at Sep 3, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.