System and method for sampling audio recordings on a wireless communication device

• US 20020183042A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Leap Wireless International Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thornton, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 6,751,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method for sampling music on a wireless communication device is presented that allows a user connected to a data network through a wireless communication device to preview audio items prior to making a purchasing decision. The wireless device establishes a first data connection to a data server and navigates through a menu system and selects to listen to an audio item. The data server instructs the wireless device to terminate the first data connection and establish a voice connection with an audio server. The audio server, which is notified by the data server of the audio item and the particular wireless device, plays the audio item once the voice connection is established with the wireless device. The wireless device subsequently establishes a second data connection with the data server and resumes navigation through the menu system at the point where the first data connection was terminated.

Claims

1. A method for sending an audio item to a wireless device wherein said wireless device is communicatively coupled with a data server computer and an audio server computer over a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

at the data server computer;

receiving a first connection from the wireless device;

accepting a selection for the audio item;

providing the wireless device with a telephone number for the audioserver computer;

instructing the wireless device to connect to the audio server computer;

notifying the audio server computer of the selected audio item; and

providing the audio server computer with a unique identifier for the wireless device and a unique identifier for the audio item; and

at the audio server computer;

receiving a second connection from the wireless device;

verifying the wireless device by its unique identifier; and

sending an audio output from the audio item to the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data server computer and the audio server computer are the same computer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising at the data server computer:

maintaining a state information for the wireless device; and

receiving a third connection from the wireless device wherein the connection resumes at the place indicated by the state information.

4. A method for listening to an audio item on a wireless device wherein the wireless device is communicatively coupled with a data server computer and an audio server computer over a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

establishing a first connection between the wireless device and the data server computer;

navigating a menu system provided by the data server computer;

selecting the audio item;

choosing to listen to the audio item;

receiving a telephone number for the audio server computer;

disconnecting from the data server computer;

establishing a second connection between the wireless device and the audio server computer;

listening to the audio item through the wireless device;

disconnecting from the audio server computer;

establishing a third connection between the wireless device and the data server computer; and

resuming interaction with the data server computer at the place in the menu system from which the disconnecting from the data server computer step was performed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving instructions to disconnect from the data server computer;

receiving a telephone number for the audio server computer; and

receiving instructions to establish a connection between the wireless device and the audio server computer.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the listening step further comprises:

listening to a preamble item; and

listening to the audio item.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising listening to additional audio items after the audio item is complete.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the data server computer and the audio server computer are the same computer.

9. A method for listening to an audio item on a wireless device wherein the wireless device is communicatively coupled with a server computer over a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

connecting to the server computer;

selecting the audio item;

choosing to listen to the audio item;

listening to the audio item through the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the listening step comprises:

disconnecting from the server computer;

connecting to an audio server computer, whereby the server computer notifies the audio server computer of the audio item and a unique identifier for the wireless device; and

listening to the audio item through the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the disconnecting step comprises receiving from the server computer:

instructions to disconnect from the server;

a telephone number for the audio server computer; and

instructions to establish a connection between the wireless device and the audio server computer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the listening step comprises:

listening to a preamble item; and

listening to the audio item.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising listening to additional audio items after the audio item is complete.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the selecting step comprises:

navigating a menu system provided by the server computer; and

viewing summary information regarding the audio item.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising reconnecting to the server computer after listening to the audio item and resuming navigation in the menu system at the point from which the disconnect was made.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the data server computer is further configured to:

provide the audio server computer with an identifier for the wireless device; and

provide the audio server computer with an identifier for the audio item.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the access information for the audio server computer comprises a telephone number.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the data server and the audio server comprise a single computer.

16. A computer system for sending an audio item to a wireless device wherein the wireless device is communicatively coupled with a data server and an audio server over a wireless communications network, the system comprising:

the data server configured to;

receive a connection from the wireless device;

accept a selection for the audio item;

provide access information for the audio server computer;

instruct the wireless device to connect to the audio server computer; and

the audio server computer configured to;

receive a connection from the wireless device;

verify the wireless device by its unique identifier; and

send the audio item to the wireless device.

20. A computer readable medium having stored thereon one or more sequences of instructions for causing one or more microprocessors to perform the steps for listening to an audio item on a wireless device, wherein the wireless device is communicatively coupled with a data server computer and an audio server computer over a wireless communications network, the steps comprising:

establishing a first connection between the wireless device and the data server computer;

selecting the audio item;

choosing to listen to the audio item;

disconnecting from the data server computer;

establishing a second connection between the wireless device and the audio server computer; and

listening to the audio item through the wireless device.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the disconnecting from the data server computer step further comprises receiving from the data server computer:

instructions to disconnect from the data server computer;

a telephone number for the audio server computer; and

instructions to establish the second connection between the wireless device and the audio server computer.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 further comprising:

disconnecting from the audio server computer;

establishing a third connection between the wireless device and the data server computer; and

resuming interaction with the data server computer at the place in the menu system from which the disconnecting from the data server computer step was performed.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the listening step further comprises:

listening to a preamble item; and

listening to the audio item.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 further comprising listening to additional audio items after the audio item is complete.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24 wherein the selecting step further comprises:

navigating a menu system provided by the data server computer; and

viewing summary information regarding the audio item.