Abstract:
A system and method for transferring digital content includes a physical token incorporating a Near Field Communication (“NFC”) tag that represents a virtual gift of digital content such as an eBook. The tag can include a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that can be used to gain access to the electronic content which can be stored on a remote server. A unique identifier on the tag is associated with gifted digital content. This association is preferably stored on a remote server in the “cloud”. A user receiving the physical and places it on or next to their electronic device, which includes an NFC receiver, and the device reads the tag and connects to the remote server. The remote server validates the information on the token and provides the user with access to the digital content, such as downloading the digital content to the user&#39;s electronic device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to the transference of rights to digital media, and more particularly to systems and method for transferring rights using a physical token and Near Field Communication technology. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Gift cards are an ever increasingly popular method of providing gifts. A gift card is typically a restricted monetary equivalent that is issued by retailers to be used as an alternative to a non-monetary gift. Highly popular, they rank as the second-most given gift by consumers in the United States, the most-wanted gift by women, and the third-most wanted by males. Gift cards have become increasingly popular as they relieve the donor of searching for and selecting a specific gift. The recipient of the gift card can use it at his or her discretion within the restrictions set by the issuing agency. 
         [0003]    A gift card typically resembles a credit card with a display of a specific theme on the card. The card is identified by a specific number or code rather than being associated with a specific individual. The card are supported by an on-line electronic system for authorization. 
         [0004]    Cards may have a barcode or magnetic strip, which is read by an electronic credit card machine. Many cards have no value until they are sold, at which time the cashier at the retail location enters the amount which the customer wishes to put on the card. This amount is rarely stored on the card but is instead noted in the retail store&#39;s database, which is crosslinked to the card ID. To thwart counterfeiting, the data on the card is typically encrypted. 
         [0005]    Gift cards differ from gift certificates, in that the latter are usually sold as a paper document with an authorized signature by a restaurant, store, or other individual establishment as a voucher for a future service; there is no electronic authorization. 
         [0006]    It has been argued that holiday giving destroys value due to mismatching gifts. The most efficient way to keep value in gifting would be to give cash, however this is socially acceptable only within limits. Gift cards, to a degree, may overcome this problem but have certain pitfalls. Some feel that the absence of the thought of selecting a specific gift makes a gift card a worse choice than a poorly executed but individual gift. New products in the gift card industry are evolving to tackle this “impersonal” pitfall of gift cards. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The physical token of the present invention incorporates a Near Field Communication (“NFC”) tag that represents a virtual gift such as eBook, video, application, or other electronic content. The tag can include a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that can be used to gain access to the electronic content which can be stored on a remote server. The tag is housed within a physical token such as traditional gift card or poker chip, each having unique branding. In the preferred embodiment, the unique identifier on the tag is associated with gifted digital content, e.g., an eBook. This association is preferably stored on a remote server in the “cloud” for later validation when the token is used. 
         [0008]    When a user receives the physical token and places it on or next to their electronic device, e.g., an eBook reader, which includes an NFC receiver, the device reads the tag and connects to the source for the gifted digital content. The source for the digital content, typically the remote server, validates the information on the token and downloads the digital content to the user&#39;s electronic device. Optionally, the device automatically opens the content. Using an animation, the digital content can appear to materialize on the user&#39;s device when the token is brought into physical proximity to the device. 
         [0009]    The present invention provides an ease of use for distributing electronic content unknown in the prior art. Very little effort is required by the user (giftee) to trigger the action of downloading and displaying or playing the content. In one traditional method of distribution, one would be required to scratch to reveal a secret code from a gift card, and then enter that lengthy code into their device or website to achieve a similar effect. In the present invention, the gift is immediately transferred and/or opened on the device. 
         [0010]    The gifted content does not have to be stored on the user&#39;s device entirely and could represent a key that enables real-time streaming of content to their device instead, or triggers some other digital experience on the device. 
         [0011]    Furthermore, the content does not have to be a gift. It could be a collection of content recommendations or links to sample content that is loaded or streamed. 
         [0012]    The physical token can be programmed easily by the user and then distributed to friends, family, coworkers, students, etc. For example, a teacher might create and distribute a reading list to their class by programming tokens and handing them out to students. Students then place these tokens on their device that causes the entire reading list to appear on their device and/or in their account. 
         [0013]    Tokens can be applied to marketing and promotional use where a company distributes free tokens to customers in retail stores (or sent via mail). The tokens of the present invention significantly enhance convenience to customers over traditional transference of gift card information. 
         [0014]    Additional embodiments and permutations around this basic concept are enabled. A token might represent, among other things: different types of media, e.g., eBooks, magazines, newspapers, videos, applications or music; a single instance of media; multiple instances of media, e.g., a group or “bundle” of digital content and/or experiences; a magazine or newspaper subscription; virtual currency or rewards that can be credited to a user&#39;s account; a website URL; promotions, discounts or coupons; a full rendition of content, samples of content, or a loan of content. 
         [0015]    A token may have one use, multiple uses, or a period before expiration. The token can trigger a personalized message that appears to the user prior to opening the gifted content. The token can trigger automatic download and opening of content on a device. The token can trigger automatic streaming of content, perhaps with user confirmation. The token can trigger automatic borrowing of content, perhaps with user confirmation. 
         [0016]    A token can represent digital content or experiences that have already been paid for (as would be the case with gifts), or content that doesn&#39;t require purchasing, or content that the user can sample and then choose to purchase. 
         [0017]    A token gives consumers the flexibility to purchase and gift one or more digital items. A token can represent a collection of two or more items of same or varying content types. For example, it might represent the complete works of Shakespeare, or a subscription to one or more magazines. 
         [0018]    As a container for book samples, tokens according to the present invention can be printed en mass and handed out freely anywhere, at stores, at malls, in the mail, etc. Users can be encouraged to virally spread them to their friends. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    For the purposes of illustrating the present invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred, it being understood however, that the invention is not limited to the precise form shown by the drawing in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a token that incorporates an NFC tag; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method according to the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a system according to the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are illustrations of a use of a token; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates the components of an exemplary device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , and in the description that follows, the term “magic token” refers to the physical token  10  of the present invention. The magic token  10  has an NFC tag  20  that is embedded into a physical housing, for example a poker chip like housing. Although a poker chip like housing is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , as appreciated by those skilled in the art, the actual form and shape of the housing of token  10  can be varied, such as in the shape of a traditional gift or credit card. Unorthodox shapes of the token housing can also be used for particular promotions or purposes, as the housing does not perform any particular functionality other than as a carrier for the NFC tag  20 . 
         [0026]    In the preferred embodiment, the NFC tag  20  includes a unique identifier  30  that uniquely identifies the token  10 . The NFC tag  20  can also further include a URL  40  that links to a website as further described below. 
         [0027]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention is the case where a gifter (gift giver) purchases one or more eBooks at a retail location (or via the web) and receives a magic token  10  to give to a giftee (gift receiver). The process of this embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0028]    In a retail store, a sales clerk  200  rings up a sale of one or more eBooks for a customer, gifter  220 . Although the example of eBooks is used throughout this discussion, it is appreciated that other forms of digital content, e.g., digital magazines, videos, music, can be gifted in accordance with the present invention. The sales associate  200  takes a “blank” token  10 , and scans it, step S 205 , with an NFC scanner (a mobile or other device) to read the unique identifier programmed on the NFC tag  20  embedded in the token  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the unique identifier is preprogrammed onto the token  10 , but the unique identifier can be programmed onto the token  10  at the Point of Sale (POS) location. The term “blank” is used herein to refer to tokens  10  that have not been associated with digital content. 
         [0029]    The sales associate  200  associates that tag  20  with one or more of the eBooks purchased by the gifter  220 . Alternatively, the system at the POS location can automatically associate the tag  20  with the gifts just input by the sales associate  200 . The association may be one or multiple eBooks or other content per token  10 . Mixed forms of content such as eBooks and videos are permissibly associated with a single token  10 . The association between the tag  20  and the purchased eBook(s) is then stored, step S 210 , on the cloud  150 . As known in the art, the cloud  150  is one or more remote servers for storing data, applications or content. 
         [0030]    The associate  200  provides the token  10 , step S 215 , to the gifter  220  who later gives the token, step S 225 , to the giftee  230 . In other embodiments, the tokens may be pre-associated with specific content at the NFC tag-printing house or at a distribution center. Further, the purchase of the digital content can be done online and the token  10  can either be shipped to the gifter  220  or giftee  230  or she can visit a retail location to pick up the token  10 . In an alternative embodiment, the sales associate  200  can actually program the NFC tag  20  on token  10  with additional information such as a URL  40 , promotional material, or a time-stamp or other security mechanism that can be used to thwart potential pirates. 
         [0031]    Once a giftee  230  receives a token  10 , she places, step S 235 , the token  10  on or near her electronic device  130  that has an NFC reader. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic device is a dedicated Ebook reader or a tablet device that is capable of displaying or playing the gifted content. The device  130  reads the unique identifier off of the NFC tag  20 . In a preferred embodiment, as further described below, the device  130  is a device registered to use the system of the present invention and has specific application software thereon. This system specific application software recognizes the NFC tag as a tag distributed by the system. In this preferred embodiment, a Home application is brought up on the device  130 , and an icon representing the gifted content appears in New &amp; Recent shelf (or other spot on Home reserved for displaying new items). The device  130  sends, step S 240 , a request for access to the digital content to the cloud  150 . The request includes the token&#39;s unique identifier that is used for validation. In this preferred embodiment, the request also includes an identification of the device  130  that had been previously registered with the cloud. The cloud performs a validation process in which the token&#39;s unique identifier contained in the request is validated against the association of the unique identifier and the digital content previously stored in the cloud when the token  10  was purchased as described above. 
         [0032]    If the validation process is successful, the cloud  150  responds, step S 245 , by sending the device  130  a confirmation and a personalized message that the gifted content is being added to the user&#39;s locker (as described below) and/or downloaded. A personalized message from the gifter  220  might appear in a dialog box on the screen of the device  130 . That dialog might ask the user if they wish to open one of the files once it has finished downloading. This triggering event might also send a confirmation email back to the gifter  220  to let her know that the giftee  230  received his gift. At this point the transaction is complete. 
         [0033]    In the preferred embodiment, the device  130  is a Nook™ by Barnes &amp; Noble. The token can be placed on a non-nook Android™ device as well. If the user has an Android™ phone or tablet with Gingerbread™ release or above, placing the token  10  on the device  130  will automatically launch the Nook™ application because the Nook™ application registers the token scheme with Android™. When the device  130  scans a magic token  10 , it launch the Nook™ application. 
         [0034]    If the giftee&#39;s device  130  does not have the Nook™ application installed, the operating system opens a browser and takes the user to the URL  40  specific in the NFC tag  20 , in this case a link to the content provider&#39;s website. Once the user&#39;s device connects to the website, the website validates the NFC tag  20  read from the token  10  and provides the giftee  230  with access to the content that was previously associated with the tag  20  as described above. On the website, the personalized giftee message can be displayed. As further described below, if the user does not have a locker (account) on the server  150  (see  FIG. 3 ), this is an opportunity to open one for them to receive the content. The user could be prompted to download the Nook™ application to their device  130 , or they could read the content on the Web. 
         [0035]    Due to present limitations, NFC tags  20  only have sufficient space to store a unique identifier  30  and short web address  40 . They cannot store the full content of an eBook or video. What is stored on the tag  20  is simply a unique identifier  30  and a web address  40 . The identifier  30  is unique to each tag. This allows easy association of any given tag  20  with specific content, actions, messages, transactions, currency, etc., on the cloud  150 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary system  100  according to the present invention. Gifter  220  can visit a retail location  110  in order to purchase digital content  125  that is then associated with a token  10  (via the NFC tag  20 ). As described above, the association of the token  10  to the purchased content  125  is sent from the retail location  110  to the cloud  150 . In the cloud  150 , this association is stored in a tag/content association table  160 . The cloud  150  is a key component of the system that both contains and validates token associations with content, using table  160 . In the preferred embodiment, server  150  also stores the content  125  and can present the content  125  via the Web (using User Interface  170 ) or download or stream the content  125  to a user&#39;s device  130 . As appreciated by those skilled in the art, many of the functions described herein can be divided between the server  150  and the user&#39;s local device  130 . Further, as also appreciated by those skilled in the art, server  150  can be considered a “cloud” with respect to the user and her local device  130 . The cloud can actually be comprised of several servers performing interconnected and distributed functions. For the sake of simplicity in the present discussion, only a single server  150  will be described. 
         [0037]    After the token  10  has been associated with the content  125 , the gifter  220  gives the physical token  10  to the giftee  230 . As described above, the giftee  230  places the token  10  on or near her device  130  which reads the unique identifier  30  on the NFC tag  20 . With this unique identifier  30  in hand, the giftee&#39;s device  130  sends a request to the cloud  150  to obtain access to the digital content. The tag identifier  30  is contained in the request from the device  130  to the could  150 . The cloud  150  validates the request by verifying the association of the unique tag identifier  30  and the purchased content  125  contained in the tag/content association table  160 . The giftee&#39;s device  130  can connect to the server  150  via the Internet  140 , a telephone network  145  (e.g., wirelessly through a cellphone network) or other suitable electronic communication means. 
         [0038]    In a preferred embodiment, giftee  230  has an account on lending server  150 , which authorizes giftee  230  to use system  100 . In this preferred embodiment, the giftee&#39;s device  130  is registered with the giftee&#39;s account and the request from device  130  also includes an identification of the giftee&#39;s device  130 . Associated with the giftee&#39;s account is giftee&#39;s digital locker  120  located on the server  150 . As further described below, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, digital locker  120  contains links to copies of digital content  125  previously purchased (or otherwise legally acquired) by giftee  230 . 
         [0039]    Once the server  150  has validated the association of the token  10  and the purchased content  125  using the tag/content association table  160 , and has verified that the user&#39;s device  130  is a registered device, the server  150  can make the content  125  accessible to the giftee  230  through her digital locker  120 . 
         [0040]    Indicia of rights to all copies of digital content  125  owned by giftee  230 , including digital content  125  gifted via the token  10 , is stored by reference in digital locker  120 . Digital locker  120  is a remote online repository that is uniquely associated with the giftee&#39;s account. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the actual copies of the digital content  125  are not necessarily stored in the giftee locker  120 , but rather the locker  120  stores an indication of the rights of the user to the particular content  125  and a link or other reference to the actual digital content  125 . Typically, the actual copy of the digital content  125  is stored in another mass storage (not shown). The digital lockers  120  of all of the users who have purchased a copy of a particular digital content  125  would point to this copy in mass storage. Of course, back up copies of all digital content  125  are maintained for disaster recovery purposes. Although only one example of digital content  125  is illustrated in this Figure, it is appreciated that the server  150  can contain millions of files  125  containing digital content. It is also contemplated that the server  150  can actually be comprised of several servers with access to a plurality of storage devices containing digital content  125 . As further appreciated by those skilled in the art, in conventional licensing programs, the user does not own the actual copy of the digital content  125 , but has a license to use it. Hereinafter, if reference is made to “owning” the digital content  125 , it is understood what is meant is the license or right to use the content  125 . 
         [0041]    Local device  130  is an electronic device such as a personal computer, an e-book reader, a smart phone or other electronic device that the giftee  230  can use to access the server  150 . In a preferred embodiment, the local device  130  has been previously associated, registered, with the giftee&#39;s account using giftee&#39;s account credentials. Local device  130  provides the capability for giftee  230  to download giftee&#39;s copy of digital content  125  via his or her digital locker  120 . After digital content  125  is downloaded to local device  130 , giftee  230  can engage with the downloaded content locally, e.g., read the book, listen to the music or watch the video. 
         [0042]    In a preferred embodiment, local device  130  includes a non-browser based device interface that allows giftee  230  to initiate the functionality of system  100  in a non-browser environment. Through the device interface, giftee  230  is automatically connected to the server  150  in a non-browser based environment. This connection to the server  150  is a secure interface and can be through the telephone network  145 , typically a cellular network for mobile devices. If giftee  230  is accessing his or her digital locker  120  using the Internet  140 , local device  130  also includes a web account interface. Web account interface provides giftee  230  with browser-based access to his or her account and digital locker  120  over the Internet  140 . 
         [0043]    As described above, giftee  230  does not have to be an authorized user of system  100  with an account and a digital locker  120 . In the preferred embodiment, if the giftee  230  is not an authorized user of system  100 , the operating system on device  130  opens a browser and takes the giftee  230  to the URL  40  specific in the NFC tag  20  on the token  10 , in this case a link to the content provider&#39;s website on server  150 . Here, a personalized giftee message can be displayed. The server  150  can then invite the giftee  230  to become an authorized user, open an account and establish a locker  120 . If the giftee  230  accepts, the locker  120  is created and the content  125  is “put” into the newly established giftee locker  120 . The giftee  230  can then download the content  125  to her device  130 . If the giftee does not wish to establish account, she can access (read) the content  125  on the Web, and depending on the specific content  125 , does not have the option to download the content to her device  130 . 
         [0044]    Further, as described above, in the preferred embodiment, the user  230  is an authorized user and her device  130  is registered with the cloud  150 . However the giftee  230  may use the token  10  with a device  130  that is not registered with the cloud  150 . In this case, when the device  130  uses the URL on the token  10  to connect to the server  150 . The server  150  can offer the user  230  to sign in and authenticate herself. e.g., via username and password. In a preferred embodiment, after the user has authenticated herself, she will be offered the opportunity to register her device  130 . If the user declines to register the device, in the preferred embodiment, the server  150  will not allow the user to download the digital content to the unregistered device  130 , but will allow her to access the digital content online. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a practical use of a use of a token  10 . After a giftee  230  has received a token  10 , she places the token  10  on or near her device  130  that has an NFC reader. The device  130  reads the unique identifier off of the NFC tag  20 . In a preferred embodiment, a Home application as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  is brought up on the device  130 . As shown in  FIG. 4B , and an icon  400  representing the gifted content appears in a New &amp; Recent shelf or other element of the user interface where a user expects to see newly acquired content on the Home screen. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4B , the icon  400  is in the form of a thumbnail image of the content  125  being gifted. In the preferred embodiment as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , tapping the token  10  on or very near the device  130  results in a book cover (or related graphical representation of digital content) being animated to appear to “materialize” in final position in a section of the user interface where the user looks for recently acquired content. In an alternative embodiment, The user drops the token  10  on an area reserved for her “favorite” content, and the book cover thumbnail materializes right there—under (or close to) the spot where the user drops the token  10 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary local device  130 . As appreciated by those skilled the art, the local device  130  can take many forms capable of operating the present invention. As previously described, in a preferred embodiment the local device  130  is a mobile electronic device, and in an even more preferred embodiment device  130  is an electronic reader device. Electronic device  130  can include control circuitry  500 , storage  510 , memory  520 , input/output (“I/O”) circuitry  530 , communications circuitry  540 , and display  550 . In some embodiments, one or more of the components of electronic device  130  can be combined or omitted, e.g., storage  510  and memory  520  may be combined. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, electronic device  130  can include other components not combined or included in those shown in this Figure, e.g., a power supply such as a battery, an input mechanism, etc. 
         [0047]    Electronic device  130  can include any suitable type of electronic device. For example, electronic device  130  can include a portable electronic device that the user may hold in his or her hand, such as a digital media player, a personal e-mail device, a personal data assistant (“PDA”), a cellular telephone, a handheld gaming device, a tablet device or an eBook reader. As another example, electronic device  130  can include a larger portable electronic device, such as a laptop computer. As yet another example, electronic device  130  can include a substantially fixed electronic device, such as a desktop computer. 
         [0048]    Control circuitry  500  can include any processing circuitry or processor operative to control the operations and performance of electronic device  130 . For example, control circuitry  500  can be used to run operating system applications, firmware applications, media playback applications, media editing applications, or any other application. Control circuitry  500  can drive the display  550  and process inputs received from a user interface, e.g., the display  550  if it is a touch screen. 
         [0049]    NFC Reader component  505  includes the hardware necessary to read NFC tags and the software operable to communicate the sensed information from an NFC tag to the control circuitry  500 . The NFC Reader component  505  is coupled to control circuitry  500  that controls the various input and output to and from the other various components. NFC is a set of short-range wireless technologies, typically requiring a distance of 4 cm or less. NFC operates at 13.56 Mhz on ISO/IEC 18000-3 air interface and at rates ranging from 106 kbit/s to 424 kbit/s. NFC always involves an initiator and a target. In the present case, the NFC Reader component  505  acts as the initiator to actively generates a radio frequency (RF) field that can power the NFC tag  20  in the token  10  (the passive target). Typically, NFC uses magnetic induction between two loop antennas located within each other&#39;s near field, effectively forming an air-core transformer. NFC operates within the globally available and unlicensed radio frequency ISM band of 13.56 MHz. Most of the RF energy is concentrated in the allowed ±7 kHz bandwidth range, but the full spectral envelope may be as wide as 1.8. The theoretical working distance using compact standard antennas is up to 20 cm with a practical working distance of about 4 cm. 
         [0050]    In the passive communication mode in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the NFC Reader component  505  provides a carrier field and the NFC tag  20  answers by modulating the existing field. In this mode, the NFC tag  20  draw its operating power from the NFC Reader component  505  provided electromagnetic field, thus making the NFC tag  20  a transponder. 
         [0051]    Storage  510  can include, for example, one or more tangible computer storage mediums including a hard-drive, solid state drive, flash memory, permanent memory such as ROM, magnetic, optical, semiconductor, paper, or any other suitable type of storage component, or any combination thereof. Storage  510  can store, for example, media content, e.g., eBooks, music and video files, application data, e.g., software for implementing functions on electronic device  130 , firmware, user preference information data, e.g., content preferences, authentication information, e.g., libraries of data associated with authorized users, transaction information data, e.g., information such as credit card information, wireless connection information data, e.g., information that can enable electronic device  130  to establish a wireless connection), subscription information data, e.g., information that keeps track of podcasts or television shows or other media a user subscribes to, contact information data, e.g., telephone numbers and email addresses, calendar information data, and any other suitable data or any combination thereof. The instructions for implementing the functions of the present invention may, as non-limiting examples, comprise software and/or scripts stored in the computer-readable media  510 . 
         [0052]    Memory  520  can include cache memory, semi-permanent memory such as RAM, and/or one or more different types of memory used for temporarily storing data. In some embodiments, memory  520  can also be used for storing data used to operate electronic device applications, or any other type of data that can be stored in storage  510 . In some embodiments, memory  520  and storage  510  can be combined as a single storage medium. 
         [0053]    I/O circuitry  530  can be operative to convert, and encode/decode, if necessary analog signals and other signals into digital data. In some embodiments, I/O circuitry  530  can also convert digital data into any other type of signal, and vice-versa. For example, I/O circuitry  530  can receive and convert physical contact inputs, e.g., from a multi-touch screen, i.e., display  550 , physical movements, e.g., from a mouse or sensor, analog audio signals, e.g., from a microphone, or any other input. The digital data can be provided to and received from control circuitry  500 , storage  510 , and memory  520 , or any other component of electronic device  130 . Although I/O circuitry  530  is illustrated in this Figure as a single component of electronic device  130 , several instances of I/O circuitry  530  can be included in electronic device  130 . 
         [0054]    Electronic device  130  can include any suitable interface or component for allowing a user to provide inputs to I/O circuitry  530 . For example, electronic device  130  can include any suitable input mechanism, such as a button, keypad, dial, a click wheel, or a touch screen, e.g., display  550 . In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can include a capacitive sensing mechanism, or a multi-touch capacitive sensing mechanism. 
         [0055]    In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can include specialized output circuitry associated with output devices such as, for example, one or more audio outputs. The audio output can include one or more speakers, e.g., mono or stereo speakers, built into electronic device  130 , or an audio component that is remotely coupled to electronic device  130 , e.g., a headset, headphones or earbuds that can be coupled to device  130  with a wire or wirelessly. 
         [0056]    Display  550  includes the display and display circuitry for providing a display visible to the user. For example, the display circuitry can include a screen, e.g., an LCD screen, that is incorporated in electronics device  130 . In some embodiments, the display circuitry can include a coder/decoder (Codec) to convert digital media data into analog signals. For example, the display circuitry or other appropriate circuitry within electronic device  1  can include video Codecs, audio Codecs, or any other suitable type of Codec. 
         [0057]    The display circuitry also can include display driver circuitry, circuitry for driving display drivers, or both. The display circuitry can be operative to display content, e.g., media playback information, application screens for applications implemented on the electronic device  130 , information regarding ongoing communications operations, information regarding incoming communications requests, or device operation screens, under the direction of control circuitry  500 . Alternatively, the display circuitry can be operative to provide instructions to a remote display. 
         [0058]    Communications circuitry  540  can include any suitable communications circuitry operative to connect to a communications network and to transmit communications, e.g., data from electronic device  130  to other devices within the communications network. Communications circuitry  540  can be operative to interface with the communications network using any suitable communications protocol such as, for example, Wi-Fi, e.g., a 802.11 protocol, Bluetooth, radio frequency systems, e.g., 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems, infrared, GSM, GSM plus EDGE, CDMA, quadband, and other cellular protocols, VOIP, or any other suitable protocol. 
         [0059]    Electronic device  130  can include one more instances of communications circuitry  540  for simultaneously performing several communications operations using different communications networks, although only one is shown in this Figure to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. For example, electronic device  130  can include a first instance of communications circuitry  540  for communicating over a cellular network, and a second instance of communications circuitry  540  for communicating over Wi-Fi or using Bluetooth. In some embodiments, the same instance of communications circuitry  540  can be operative to provide for communications over several communications networks. 
         [0060]    In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can be coupled to a host device such as digital content control server  150  for data transfers, synching the communications device, software or firmware updates, providing performance information to a remote source, e.g., providing riding characteristics to a remote server, or performing any other suitable operation that can require electronic device  130  to be coupled to a host device. Several electronic devices  130  can be coupled to a single host device using the host device as a server. Alternatively or additionally, electronic device  130  can be coupled to several host devices, e.g., for each of the plurality of the host devices to serve as a backup for data stored in electronic device  130 . 
         [0061]    The present invention solves the problem of physically distributing media to users in a convenient manner. Since the tokens  10  of the present invention represents a link to content  125 , not content  125  itself, the token  10  can be extremely inexpensive and easily distributed. The content  125  resides on the cloud  150  and is either downloaded to user devices  130  or streamed to them. In some cases, the content  150  is simply added to a customer&#39;s online account if not downloaded or streamed automatically. 
         [0062]    Without the tokens  10  of the present invention, a user would be required to enter a lengthy code into their device  130  or account on the content provider&#39;s website. It would require the user launch an application and find the appropriate UI command to enter the token  10 . On the web, the user would be required to login to their account, find the location to enter the code and enter the code. 
         [0063]    There is also a psychological benefit to purchasing and giving something physical and solid (like a “gold” token) versus simply getting a code on a receipt. 
         [0064]    Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the gist and scope of the disclosure.