Patent ID: 9332004
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: G06F,G06K,G06Q,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A computer-implemented method for acquiring a digital content item, comprising: a first identifying step of identifying a digital content item; a second identifying step of identifying a computer-readable visual symbol associated with the digital content item, the computer-readable visual symbol comprising a visual symbology presented on a surface, the visual symbology encoding a content identifier, a source identifier and a consideration identifier, the content identifier referencing the digital content item, the source identifier referencing a digital content source responsible for authorizing access to the digital content item and the consideration identifier identifying consideration, if any, due from a user in exchange for receiving authorization for access to the digital content item; reproducing at least a portion of the computer-readable visual symbol using a consumer electronic device operated by a user, a security token linking the consumer electronic device and the user, wherein reproducing the computer-readable visual symbol comprises electronically receiving the computer-readable visual symbol from a second consumer electronic device linked to a second user; decoding at least a portion of the reproduced visual symbology to identify the digital content source; based on decoding, automatically transmitting a request for access to the digital content item to the digital content source, the request including the security token, wherein the security token includes consideration authorization automatically authorizing the provisioning of consideration based upon the consideration identifier identified in the visual symbol; and based on the request, automatically receiving from the digital content source an authorization for the consumer electronic device to access the digital content item referenced by the content identifier encoded in the visual symbology of the computer-readable visual symbol identified in said second identifying step.