Patent ID: 8135799

Claim:
A method for distributing content, the method comprising: sponsoring a particular content through bidding process facilitated by an electronic or manual system; requesting, through a computer network, a download of particular content; receiving the particular content, wherein the particular content is combined with additional content not specifically requested associated with one or more winning bidders or sponsors, with one or more winning bidders selected based on criteria, which may include those other than highest bidders; the combination is wherein the system, the sponsor, or sponsors select how the unrequested content is to be played upon user's request to download or play requested content, and sponsor, by setting expiration parameters for unrequested content; the additional content is one of advertisements and other than advertisements; storing the particular content and the additional content not specifically requested in a user's content play device; receiving a user request to download to, or play the particular content on, the user's content play device; determining whether the additional content not specifically requested needs to be played or has expired, based on expiration parameters set by the sponsor, sponsors, or the system; if it is not determined that the additional content not specifically requested has expired, in response to user request to play the particular content, playing the particular content on the content play device and the additional content not specifically requested; and if it is determined that the additional content not specifically requested has expired, in response to user request to play the particular content, playing the particular content on the content play device without playing the additional content not specifically requested.