Systems and methods for the identification and/or distribuition of music and other forms of useful information

• US 10,101,959 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernadette Depke, Brian Houlihan, Robert J. Depke
• Original Assignee: Bernadette Depke, Brian Houlihan, Robert J. Depke
• Inventors: Depke, Bernadette, Depke, Robert J, Houlihan, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/833,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/65 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for identifying and/or distributing music and other types of useful information for users in a very simple and convenient manner. A variety of systems and methods are disclosed which provide users with quick and convenient access to various forms of information, such as, for example, audio information including music and news items as well as coupons and other information. The systems and methods allow users to store data representative of a time of transmission and preferably a source of transmission so that data of interest may be identified for ordering an/or downloading.

Claims

1. A vehicle sound system comprising:

a user interface having a plurality of control selections which when selected cause generation of electronic control information for controlling communication with an electronic memory of a portable battery powered electronic device that independently provides digital music storage and playback operations, and wherein the control selections cause generation of one or more control signals based on a user selection at the vehicle sound system user interface that are transferred directly to the portable battery powered electronic device by the vehicle sound system;

the one or more control signals causing transfer of one or more digitally recorded songs from the electronic memory of the portable battery powered electronic device to the vehicle sound system for reproduction by the vehicle sound system;

wherein the vehicle sound system cooperates with server-based music transmission service including a computer program portion executed by a processor of the portable battery powered electronic device which provides digital music storage and playback operations, the vehicle sound system transferring user music preference information to the portable battery powered electronic device based on a user selection made at the user interface of the vehicle sound system which reflects a user request to receive music being reproduced by the vehicle sound system; and

further wherein the computer program portion, when executed, causes generation of an electronic message in a predetermined format by the portable battery powered electronic device, the electronic message generated by the portable battery powered electronic device transferring the user music preference information acquired by the portable battery powered electronic device from the vehicle sound system, the electronic message being transferred via a wireless internet connection of the portable battery powered electronic device to a remote server associated with the music transmission service, and wherein the music transmission service transfers digital music back to the portable battery powered electronic device from a server based on the music preference information transferred from the vehicle sound system.

2. An audio reproduction system which generates user selection control information for a server-based system comprised of one or more servers that transfers requested digital audio information to a user portable unit having electronic memory that is a source of digital audio information for the audio reproduction system, the audio reproduction system comprising:

an external communication interface at the audio reproduction system that receives digital audio information transferred from an electronic memory of the user portable unit for reproduction by the audio reproduction system;

a user interface of the audio reproduction system generates user selection control information for the server-based system comprised of one or more servers that transfers requested digital audio information to the user portable unit, the user selection control information causing transfer of digital audio request control information to a memory portion at the user portable unit via an external communication interface of the audio reproduction system that transfers control information to the user portable unit;

wherein the audio reproduction system causes the user portable unit to communicate with the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information by transferring digital audio request control information to the user portable unit that is sufficient for the user portable unit to generate a digital audio request communication by executing a computer program portion causing communication via the internet with the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information;

wherein the server-based system automatically communicates with the user portable unit to transfer requested digital audio information to the user portable unit via the internet, the requested digital audio information corresponding to the user selection made at the user interface of the audio reproduction system; and

further wherein the received requested digital audio information is transferred to the electronic memory of the user portable unit which is a source of digital audio for the audio reproduction system.

6. The audio reproduction system of claim 2, further comprising:

a user interface of the audio reproduction system that generates user selection control information for requesting marketing information and the audio reproduction system transfers marketing information request control information to the user portable unit based on operation of the user interface that generates user selection control information for requesting marketing information; and

wherein the user portable unit is configured to automatically generate a request for marketing information communication by executing program code in the user portable unit that causes generation of a user request for marketing information communication to a server-based system that transfers requested marketing information to the user portable unit based on user operation of the interface of the audio reproduction system that generates user selection control information for requesting marketing information.

9. The audio reproduction system of claim 2, further wherein the server-based system transfers internet-based resource identification data corresponding to the digital audio request communication to the user portable unit, the internet-based resource identification data identifies an internet-based resource for acquiring the requested digital audio information and the user portable unit acquires the received digital audio information using the internet-based resource identification data.

3. A method of transferring digital audio information from a server-based system comprised of one or more servers that transfers requested digital audio information to a user portable unit having an electronic memory which is a source of digital audio information for an audio reproduction system, comprising:

generating user selection control information by operating a user interface of the audio reproduction system, the user selection control information causing generation of a communication by the audio reproduction system which transfers digital audio request control information to a memory portion at the user portable unit via an external communication interface of the audio reproduction system that transfers control information to the user portable unit;

the audio reproduction system causing the user portable unit to communicate with the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information by transferring digital audio request control information to the user portable unit that is sufficient for the user portable unit to generate a digital audio request communication by executing a computer program portion causing communication via the internet with the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information;

the server-based system automatically communicating with the user portable unit to transfer requested digital audio information to the user portable unit via the internet, the requested digital audio information corresponding to the user selection made at the user interface of the audio reproduction system; and

transferring the received requested digital audio information to the electronic memory of the user portable unit which is a source of digital audio for the audio reproduction system.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving the requested digital audio information at an external communication interface of the audio reproduction system that is transferred from the electronic memory of the user portable unit;

reproducing the requested digital audio information transferred to the audio reproduction system from the electronic memory of the user portable unit.

7. The method of transferring digital audio information from a server-based system comprised of one or more servers of claim 3, further comprising:

generating user selection control information for requesting marketing information by operation of a user interface at the audio reproduction system that generates user selection control information for requesting marketing information, the audio reproduction system transferring marketing information request control information to the user portable unit; and

automatically generating a request for marketing information communication by executing program code in the user portable unit that causes generation of a user request for marketing information communication to a server-based system that transfers marketing information to the user portable unit according to operation of the interface of the audio reproduction system that generates user selection control information for requesting marketing information.

10. The method of transferring digital audio information from a server-based system comprised of one or more servers of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring internet-based resource identification data corresponding to the digital audio request communication from the server-based system to the user portable unit, wherein the internet-based resource identification data identifies an internet-based resource for acquiring the requested digital audio information and the user portable unit acquires the received digital audio information using the internet-based resource identification data.

4. An audio reproduction system which generates user selection control information for a server-based system comprised of one or more servers that transfers requested digital audio information to a user portable unit having electronic memory that is a source of digital audio information for the audio reproduction system, the audio reproduction system comprising:

an external communication interface means at the audio reproduction system for receiving digital audio information transferred from an electronic memory of the user portable unit for reproduction by the audio reproduction system;

a user interface means of the audio reproduction system for generating user selection control information for the server-based system comprised of one or more servers that transfers requested digital audio information to the user portable unit, the user selection control information causing transfer of digital audio request control information to a memory portion at the user portable unit via an external communication interface means of the audio reproduction system for transferring control information to the user portable unit;

wherein the audio reproduction system causes the user portable unit to communicate with the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information by transferring digital audio request control information to the user portable unit that is sufficient for the user portable unit to generate a digital audio request communication by executing a computer program portion causing communication via the internet with the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information;

wherein the server-based system automatically communicates with the user portable unit to transfer requested digital audio information to the user portable unit via the internet, the requested digital audio information corresponding to the user selection made at the user interface of the audio reproduction system; and

further wherein the received requested digital audio information is transferred to the electronic memory of the user portable unit which is a source of digital audio for the audio reproduction system.

8. The audio reproduction system of claim 4, further comprising:

a user interface means of the audio reproduction system for generating user selection control information indicating a request for marketing information and the audio reproduction system transfers marketing information request control information to the user portable unit based on operation of the user interface means; and

wherein the user portable unit is configured to automatically generate a request for marketing information communication by executing program code in the user portable unit that causes generation of a user request for marketing information communication to a server-based system that transfers requested marketing information to the user portable unit based on user operation of the interface means of the audio reproduction system for generating user selection control information indicating a request for marketing information.

11. The audio reproduction system of claim 4, further wherein the server-based system transfers internet-based resource identification data corresponding to the digital audio request communication to the user portable unit, the internet-based resource identification data identifies an internet-based resource for acquiring the requested digital audio information and the user portable unit acquires the received digital audio information using the internet-based resource identification data.

12. A method of using an audio reproduction system to generate user selection control information for a server-based user digital audio subscription service comprised of one or more servers that transfers digital audio content to a user portable unit, the user portable unit having electronic memory that is a source of content for the audio reproduction system, the method comprising:

reproducing digital audio information at the audio reproduction system that is transferred to the audio reproduction system from an electronic memory of the user portable unit;

generating user selection control information for the server-based user digital audio subscription service via operation of a user interface at the audio reproduction system, the user selection control information indicating a request to transfer digital audio information from the server-based user digital audio subscription service to the user portable unit;

executing a first code portion with a processor associated with the audio reproduction system causing generation of a communication at an external temporary communication interface according to the user selection control information, the communication transferring digital audio request control information to a memory portion at the user portable unit;

executing a second code portion with a processor of the user portable unit causing generation of a server digital audio request communication that is transferred via the internet to a request receiving server of the server-based user digital audio subscription service, the server digital audio request communication transmitted by the user portable unit conveying a request for digital audio information indicated by the digital audio request control information transferred to the memory portion of the user portable unit;

the server digital audio request communication conveying information that is sufficient for the server-based user digital audio subscription service to automatically identify requested digital audio content corresponding to the server digital audio request communication and wherein the server-based user digital audio subscription service communicates with the user portable unit to transfer the identified digital audio content to the user portable unit via the internet, the identified digital audio content corresponding to the user selection made at the user interface of the audio reproduction system for the server-based user digital audio subscription service; and

transferring the received digital audio content to the electronic memory of the user portable unit which is a source of digital audio for the audio reproduction system.

13. A method of using an audio reproduction system in conjunction with a user portable unit which independently communicates with a server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information directly to the user portable unit via communication through the internet comprising:

reproducing digital audio information transferred to the audio reproduction system from an electronic memory of the user portable unit;

the audio reproduction system causing the user portable unit to acquire new digital audio information at the electronic memory of the user portable unit that is a source of digital audio for the audio reproduction system by generating a communication that transfers user selection control information generated at the audio reproduction system to an electronic memory portion of the user portable unit, the audio reproduction system having a user interface that causes generation of the user selection control information;

wherein the user portable unit is configured to automatically execute a code portion with a processor of the user portable unit causing generation of a server digital audio request communication that is transferred via a wireless internet connection of the user portable unit to a request receiving server of the server-based system that transfers requested digital audio information, the server digital audio request communication transmitted by the user portable unit conveying a request for digital audio information corresponding to the user selection control information transferred to the memory portion of the user portable unit from the audio reproduction system;

the server-based system communicating with the user portable unit to transfer requested digital audio information to the user portable unit via the internet, the requested digital audio information corresponding to the user selection made at the user interface of the audio reproduction system; and

transferring the received digital audio information to the electronic memory of the user portable unit which is a source of digital audio for the audio reproduction system.