How Digital Media Purchases and Downloads Work
A 1990 patent describing the basic process of paying for digital audio or video content over a phone line and downloading it to a personal device.
Original patent title: “Method for transmitting a desired digital video or audio signal”
A 1990 patent describing the basic process of paying for digital audio or video content over a phone line and downloading it to a personal device. Granted to Individual in 1993 with 8 claims and 260 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent outlines a workflow for buying and receiving digital files remotely. First, a user transfers money to a content provider via a telecommunications line, such as by providing a credit card number over a phone call. Once payment is confirmed, the system establishes a connection between the provider's storage and the user's receiver. The content is then transmitted electronically and saved directly into the user's local memory.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover peer-to-peer file sharing where no money is transferred between parties.
- Does not cover streaming media where the signal is not stored in the second memory.
- Does not cover physical media distribution like mailing a CD or DVD.
- Does not cover automated subscription services that lack a specific per-transaction payment step.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
It treats the entire internet-based commerce loop—payment, connection, transmission, and storage—as a single, integrated telecommunications method.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Purchasing a song on iTunes
Downloading a movie from a digital storefront
Buying a digital audiobook
On-demand digital content delivery
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is a foundational look at the architecture of digital commerce. It predates the modern internet-based storefronts like iTunes or Netflix, framing the concept of buying intangible digital goods as a remote telecommunications transaction.
Filed
September 18, 1990
Granted
March 2, 1993
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major digital media platforms like Apple, Amazon, and Google have built their entire distribution infrastructure on the logic described here. While this specific patent has expired, its core concept of remote digital transaction and delivery remains the backbone of the digital economy.
Market impact
This filing helped formalize the transition from physical retail to digital delivery. It provided a framework for how companies could legally and technically bridge the gap between financial transactions and the delivery of digital assets over public networks.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent outlines a workflow for buying and receiving digital files remotely. First, a user transfers money to a content provider via a telecommunications line, such as by providing a credit card number over a phone call. Once payment is confirmed, the system establishes a connection between the provider's storage and the user's receiver. The content is then transmitted electronically and saved directly into the user's local memory.
The clever bit
It treats the entire internet-based commerce loop—payment, connection, transmission, and storage—as a single, integrated telecommunications method.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover peer-to-peer file sharing where no money is transferred between parties.
- Does not cover streaming media where the signal is not stored in the second memory.
- Does not cover physical media distribution like mailing a CD or DVD.
- Does not cover automated subscription services that lack a specific per-transaction payment step.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
5/20
Moderate scope
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$56K – $180K
Midpoint $113K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Patent Claims
0 independent claims · 1 dependent
Claims are the legal boundaries of the patent. An independent claim stands alone. A dependent claim adds limitations to its parent, narrowing — but not broadening — the scope.
The original legal language
Original claims
8 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Hair, A. R. (1993). How Digital Media Purchases and Downloads Work (U.S. Patent No. 5,191,573). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5191573/personal-audio-media-distribution
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Digital Media Purchases and Downloads Work cover?
A 1990 patent describing the basic process of paying for digital audio or video content over a phone line and downloading it to a personal device.
Who owns patent US 5191573?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 1993.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 5191573 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 260 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is a foundational look at the architecture of digital commerce. It predates the modern internet-based storefronts like iTunes or Netflix, framing the concept of buying intangible digital goods as a remote telecommunications transaction.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover peer-to-peer file sharing where no money is transferred between parties.
Same assignee
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