Methods and apparatus for electronic file use and management
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- transmitting a respective indication of each of a plurality of media files from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network to a service comprising at least one computing device;
transmitting, from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network, identifying information of a user to a service for authentication;
identifying, by the electronic playback device, at least one media file available for playback on the electronic playback device;
transmitting, from the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, a request to playback a media file of the at least one media file;
receiving, by the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the media file and a code instructing the electronic playback device to playback the portion of the media file without storing the portion of the media file;
playing, by the electronic playback device, the portion of the media file using a buffer in a memory of the electronic playback device; and
upon completing playback of the portion, causing the portion of the media file to be removed from the buffer of the electronic playback device.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating online storage of files (e.g., audio tracks, video, etc.) for playback/access or sale/exchange by the owners of the files without violating copyrights that copyright holders have in the files. For example, by providing a playback service that does not store additional versions of an audio file when the file is transmitted to, and immediately played on, a user device without buffering, the present invention avoids violating copyright laws by not making copies of the file. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.
104 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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transmitting a respective indication of each of a plurality of media files from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network to a service comprising at least one computing device; transmitting, from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network, identifying information of a user to a service for authentication; identifying, by the electronic playback device, at least one media file available for playback on the electronic playback device; transmitting, from the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, a request to playback a media file of the at least one media file; receiving, by the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the media file and a code instructing the electronic playback device to playback the portion of the media file without storing the portion of the media file; playing, by the electronic playback device, the portion of the media file using a buffer in a memory of the electronic playback device; and upon completing playback of the portion, causing the portion of the media file to be removed from the buffer of the electronic playback device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that are configured such that when a computing system executes the instructions, the computing system is caused to:
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transmit a respective indication of each of a plurality of media files from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network to a service; transmit, from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network, identifying information of a user to a service for authentication; identify, by the electronic playback device, at least one media file available for playback on the electronic playback device; transmit, from the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, a request to playback a media file of the at least one media file; receive, by the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the media file and a code instructing the electronic playback device to playback the portion of the media file without storing the portion of the media file; play, by the electronic playback device, the portion of the media file using a buffer in a memory of the electronic playback device; and upon completing playback of the portion, cause the portion to be removed from the buffer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and at least one storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least processor, direct the at least one processor to; transmit a respective indication of each of a plurality of media files from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network to a service; transmit, from an electronic playback device through a wireless communication network, identifying information of a user to a service for authentication; identify, by the electronic playback device, at least one media file available for playback on the electronic playback device; transmit, from the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, a request to playback a media file of the at least one media file; receive, by the electronic playback device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the media file and a code instructing the electronic playback device to playback the portion of the media file without storing the portion of the media file; play, by the electronic playback device, the portion of the media file using a buffer in a memory of the electronic playback device; and upon completing playback of the portion, cause the portion to be removed from the buffer.
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Specification