Electronic music apparatus system useful for user registration

• US 20030056637A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,390,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/609
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence

Abstract

In an electronic music apparatus system, a unique musical instrument ID is stored in an electronic musical instrument by means of a plant computer before shipment thereof. After purchase of the electronic musical instrument, a user transmits the stored musical instrument ID to a management computer via a network without use of any intermediate device or by use of a user computer or a user portable communication terminal and performs user registration. By use of the musical instrument ID, the user downloads a program or content item suitable for the electronic musical instrument from a program distribution computer or a contents distribution computer via the network.

Claims

1. An electronic music apparatus system, comprising:

an electronic music apparatus; and

a management computer capable of communicating with the electronic music apparatus via a network, wherein

the electronic music apparatus stores unique identification data in advance, and the unique identification data is transmitted to the management computer via the network so as to register a user of the electronic music apparatus.

2. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 1, further comprising a user computer which is connected between the electronic music apparatus and the network to perform transmission of the unique identification data from the electronic music apparatus to the management computer.

3. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein transmission of the unique identification data from the electronic music apparatus to the network is performed via a portable communication terminal.

4. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic music apparatus is connected directly to the network.

5. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the unique identification data is stored in a memory unit of the electronic music apparatus at a manufacturing plant before shipment thereof.

6. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic music apparatus stores other apparatus specific data relating to the electronic music apparatus in addition to the unique identification data, and the other apparatus specific data is sent to the management computer as well as the identification data when the user is registered.

7. An electronic music apparatus system according to claims 1, wherein user specific data relating to the user is transmitted to the management computer in addition to the unique identification data when the user is registered.

8. An electronic music apparatus system according to claims 1, wherein the unique identification data is used for distribution to the electronic music apparatus of a program or content item which matches the electronic music apparatus.

9. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 8, wherein the management computer further has a database for storing programs or content items to be distributed to the electronic music apparatus.

10. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 8, further comprising a distribution computer which has a database for storing programs or content items and is connected to the network in order to distribute the program or content item to the electronic music apparatus.

11. An electronic music apparatus system according to claim 8, wherein the unique identification data is embedded in the program or content item distributed to the electronic music apparatus.

12. An electronic music apparatus which is communicatably connected to a management computer via a network, the electronic music apparatus comprising a memory for storing unique identification data in advance, and transmitting the unique identification data to the management computer via the network so as to register a user of the electronic music apparatus.

13. An electronic music apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the unique identification data is used for distribution to the electronic music apparatus of a program or content item which matches the electronic music apparatus.

14. A management computer which is communicatably connected to an electronic music apparatus via a network, the management computer receiving via the network unique identification data previously stored in the electronic music apparatus and registering a user of the electronic music apparatus by use of the received unique identification data.

15. A user computer which is communicatably connected to a management computer via a network and communicatably connected to an electronic music apparatus, the user computer transmitting unique identification data previously stored in the electronic music apparatus to the management computer so as to register a user of the electronic music apparatus.

16. A distribution computer which is communicatably connected to a management computer and communicatably connected to an electronic music apparatus via a network, the distribution computer comprising:

a database for storing programs or content items to be distributed to the electronic music apparatus; and

a distribution control section for selecting a program or content item which matches the electronic music apparatus from the programs or content items stored in the database, by use of unique identification data previously stored in the electronic music apparatus and transmitted to the management computer, and for distributing the selected program or content item to the electronic music apparatus.

17. A program for an electronic music apparatus which is communicatably connected to a management computer via a network, the program causing the electronic music apparatus to transmit unique identification data previously stored in a memory to the management computer via the network so as to register a user of the electronic music apparatus.

18. A program for a management computer which is communicatably connected to an electronic music apparatus via a network, the program causing the management computer to receive via the network unique identification data previously stored in the electronic music apparatus and register a user of the electronic music apparatus by use of the received identification data.

19. A program for a user computer which is communicatably connected to a management computer via a network and communicatably connected to an electronic music apparatus, the program causing the user computer to transmit unique identification data previously stored in the electronic music apparatus to the management computer so as to register a user of the electronic music apparatus.

20. A program for a distribution computer which is communicatably connected to a management computer and communicatably connected to an electronic music apparatus via a network, the program causing the distribution computer to select a program or content item which matches the electronic music apparatus from programs or content items stored in a database, by use of unique identification data previously stored in the electronic music apparatus and transmitted to the management computer, and distribute the selected program or content item to the electronic music apparatus.