Music data distribution system and method, and storage medium storing program realizing such method

• US 20020056117A1
• Filed: 11/07/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anchor Wall Systems (CRH PLC), Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anchor Wall Systems (CRH PLC)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Yutaka, Kuni, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,928,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/115 Instrument identification, i.e. recognizing an electrophonic musical instrument, e.g. on a network, by means of a code, e.g. IMEI, serial number, or a profile describing its capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analog or digital, e.g. DECT GSM, UMTS smartphone, PDA or palmtop used for musical purposes G10H2230/015; mobile ringtone G10H2230/021
• 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: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence

Abstract

A music data distribution system for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprises: a storage device that stores first music data; a receiver that receives a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and music data quality information; a reading device that reads the first music data from said storage device in accordance with the music data identification information; a quality converter that converts the first music data into second music data having a quality different from the first music data in accordance with the music data quality information; and a transmitter that transmits the first or the second music data to the external device in accordance with contents of the music data distribution request.

Claims

1. A music data distribution system for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprising:

a storage device that stores first music data;

a receiver that receives a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and music data quality information;

a reading device that reads the first music data from said storage device in accordance with the music data identification information;

a quality converter that converts the first music data into second music data having a quality different from the first music data in accordance with the music data quality information; and

a transmitter that transmits the first or the second music data to the external device in accordance with contents of the music data distribution request.

2. A music data distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said quality converter converts the first music data into the second music data by reducing the data amount of the first music data.

3. A music data distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a distribution price determiner that determines a music data distribution price in accordance with the quality of the music data to be transmitted by said transmitter; and

a charging device that charges a user of the external device with the distribution price determined by said distribution price determiner.

4. A music data distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the music data distribution request further comprises device identification information, further comprising a format converter that converts the second music data into third music data having a file format reproducible at the external device.

5. A music data distribution system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a distribution price determiner determining a music data distribution price in accordance with the file format and quality of the music data to be transmitted by said transmitter; and

a charging device that charges the distribution price determined by said distribution price determiner to a user of the external device.

6. A music data distribution system according to claim 4, wherein the first music data has a file format reproducible at an electronic musical instrument and the second music data has a file format reproducible at a mobile phone.

7. A music data distribution system for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprising:

a storage device that stores first music data;

a receiver that receives a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and device identification information;

a searching device that searches the first music data from said storage device in accordance with the music data identification information;

a quality determiner that determines a quality of said music data which can be reproduced by said external device; and

a transmitter that transmits information displayed on a display of said external device for promoting purchase of said music data with the quality determined by said quality determiner to said external device.

8. A music data distribution system according to claim 7, further comprising a setting device that sets a price of said music data having the quality determined by said quality determiner, wherein said information transmitted by said transmitter contains information for displaying said price set by said price setting device.

9. A music data distribution method for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and music data quality information;

(b) reading a first music data from storage means in accordance with the music data identification information;

(c) converting the first music data into second music data having a quality different from the first music data in accordance with the music data quality information; and

(d) transmitting the first or the second music data to the external device in accordance with contents of the music data distribution request.

10. A music data distribution method for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving means for receiving a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and device identification information;

(b) searching the first music data from storage means in accordance with the music data identification information;

(c) determining a quality of said music data which can be reproduced by said external device; and

(d) transmitting information displayed on a display of said external device for promoting purchase of said music data with the quality determined at said quality determining step (c) to said external device.

11. A program which a computer executes to realize a music data distribution process for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprising the instructions of:

(a) receiving a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and music data quality information;

(b) reading a first music data from storage means in accordance with the music data identification information;

(c) converting the first music data into second music data having a quality different from the first music data in accordance with the music data quality information; and

(d) transmitting the first or the second music data to the external device in accordance with contents of the music data distribution request.

12. A program which a computer executes to realize a music data distribution process for distributing music data to an external device connected to a network, comprising the instructions of:

(a) receiving means for receiving a music data distribution request from the external device connected to the network, the music data distribution request comprising at least music data identification information and device identification information;

(b) searching the first music data from storage means in accordance with the music data identification information;

(c) determining a quality of said music data which can be reproduced by said external device; and

(d) transmitting information displayed on a display of said external device for promoting purchase of said music data with the quality determined at said quality determining instruction (c) to said external device.