Media file distribution system and method

• US 20040225746A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digifi Limited
• Original Assignee: Digifi Limited
• Inventors: Conington, Nicholas Andrew, Niell, Nicholas Graham
• Application Number:
  US10/748,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225746A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A media file distribution system comprising a media server and one or more satellite units, wherein the media server comprises a media file store for storing one or more media files and a first wireless communicator. The one or more satellite units comprise a second wireless communication means and a first output device for playing the one or more media files stored on the media server.

Claims

1. A media file distribution system comprising a media server and one or more satellite units;

wherein the media server comprises a media file store configured to store one or more media files, and a first wireless communication device; and

wherein the one or more satellite units comprise a second wireless communication device and a first output device for playing the one or more media files stored on the media server.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless mobile computing device comprising:

a processor;

a display; and

a memory, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is arranged to run management software that interfaces with the components of the media server, the one or more satellite units, and the wireless mobile computing device, wherein the management software on the wireless mobile computing device initiates the one or more media files stored on the media server to be played at the one or more satellite units.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more media files stored in the media file store are played at the media server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the media server further comprises a first media file transfer module configured to transfer one or more media files stored on a first medium to a second medium.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the media server further comprises a media file converter configured to convert the one or more transferred media files from an original format to a format other than the original format.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the first or second medium is an optical disk.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more satellite units further comprise a second media file transfer module configured to transfer the one or more media files stored on a first medium to a second medium, and a media file converter configured to convert the one or more transferred media files from an original format to a format other than the original format.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more converted media files are transferred to the media file store on the media server using the first and second wireless communication devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the media server further comprises a router configured to route data associated with the one or more media files to an external data source and receive further data associated with the one or more media files from the external data source.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the media files are downloaded from the Internet.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the media file store is a hard disk drive.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the media files are stored in a database format.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the media files are music files.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the media files are video files.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the media files are compression coded.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is a personal digital assistant.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is a notebook computer.

18. The system of claim 2, wherein data and media files sent between the media server, the one or more satellite units, and the wireless mobile computing device are encrypted.

19. A method of distributing media files, comprising:

storing media files in a media file store on a media server;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server and one or more satellite units; and

initiating the playing of a media file stored on the media server such that the media file is played at the one or more satellite units.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server, the one or more satellite units, and a wireless mobile computing device; and

initiating the playing of the media file using management software executed on the wireless mobile computing device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising playing the one or more media files at the media server.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising transferring one or more media files from a first medium onto a second medium using a first media file transfer module on the media server.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising converting one or more transferred media files from an original format to a format other than the original format.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transferring media files from a first medium onto a second medium using a first media file transfer module on the one or more satellite units; and

converting one or more transferred media files from an original format to a format other than the original format.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising transferring the converted one or more media files to the media file store using the one or more wireless communication channels.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

routing data associated with the media file to an external data source; and

receiving further data associated with the media file from the external data source.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising downloading the one or more media files from the Internet before storing the one or more media files in the media file store.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the media file store is a hard disk drive.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the media files are stored in a database format.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the first or second medium is an optical disk.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the media files are music files.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the media files are video files.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the media files are compression coded.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is a personal digital assistant.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is a notebook computer.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein data and media files sent between the media server, the one or more satellite units and the wireless mobile computing device are encrypted.

37. A media server for use in a media file distribution system comprising one or more satellite units, the media server comprising:

a media file store configured to store one or more media files; and

a first wireless communication device, wherein the one or more satellite units comprise a second wireless communication device and a first output device for playing the one or more media files stored on the media file store.

38. A media server for use in a method of distributing media files, the method comprising:

storing media files in a media file store on the media server;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server and one or more satellite units; and

initiating the playing of a media file stored on the media server such that the media file is played at the one or more satellite units.

39. A satellite unit for use in a media file distribution system comprising a media server and one or more satellite units;

wherein the media server comprises a media file store configured to store one or more media files, and a first wireless communication device; and

wherein the one or more satellite units comprise a second wireless communication device and a first output device for playing the one or more media files stored on the media server.

40. A satellite unit for use in a method of distributing media files, the method comprising:

storing media files in a media file store on the media server;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server and one or more satellite units; and

initiating the playing of a media file stored on the media server such that the media file is played at the one or more satellite units.

41. A wireless mobile computing device for use in a media file distribution system comprising a media server and one or more satellite units wherein the media server comprises a media file store configured to store one or more media files, and a first wireless communication device, and wherein the one or more satellite units comprise a second wireless communication device and a first output device for playing the one or more media files stored on the media server, the wireless mobile computing device comprising:

a processor;

a display; and

a memory, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is configured to run management software that interfaces with the components of the media server, the one or more satellite units, and the wireless mobile computing device, wherein the management software initiates the one or more media files stored on the media server to be played at the one or more satellite units.

42. A wireless mobile computing device for use in a method of distributing media files, the method comprising:

storing media files in a media file store on a media server;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server and one or more satellite units;

initiating the playing of a media file stored on the media server such that the media file is played at the one or more satellite units;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server, the one or more satellite units, and the wireless mobile computing device; and

initiating the playing of the media file using management software executed on the wireless mobile computing device.

43. A portable storage medium configured to store management software in a media file distribution system, wherein the media file distribution system comprises:

a media server, comprising a media file store configured to store one or more media files, and a first wireless communication device;

one or more satellite units comprising a second wireless communication device and a first output device for playing the one or more media files stored on the media server; and

a wireless mobile computing device, comprising;

a processor;

a display; and

a memory, wherein the wireless mobile computing device is configured to run the management software, wherein the management software interfaces with the components of the media server, the one or more satellite units, and the wireless mobile computing device, and wherein the management software initiates the one or more media files stored on the media server to be played at the one or more satellite units.

44. A portable storage medium configured to store management software for use in a method of distributing media files, the method comprising:

storing media files in a media file store on a media server;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server and one or more satellite units;

initiating the playing of a media file stored on the media server such that the media file is played at the one or more satellite units;

setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server, the one or more satellite units, and a wireless mobile computing device; and

initiating the playing of the media file using the management software executed on the wireless mobile computing device.

45. A system for distributing media files, comprising:

means for storing media files on a media server;

means for setting up one or more wireless communication channels between the media server and one or more satellite units; and

means for initiating the playing of a media file stored on the media server such that the media file is played at the one or more satellite units.