Method for searching for and transmitting songs with accompanying listener messages

• US 20050149515A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher A. Dengler
• Original Assignee: Christopher A. Dengler
• Inventors: Dengler, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US11/066,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods of searching for songs in a database by listeners and providing those songs by network transmission accompanied by messages from the listeners. Also disclosed herein are server and client systems for interactive multimedia broadcasting over a network, and methods of using the same. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of searching for and selecting a song from a database of audio files and for transmission of a selected song to a listener, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a network service having access to a database of audio files, said network service further providing for interaction with a first person over a network by way of a client computer, the client computer having a display;

identifying the first person to the network service;

generating a search screen on the client computer display, the search screen containing locations for the entry of an initial request by the first person;

receiving an initial request from the first person entered into the search screen, the initial request including at least one criterion applicable to search for songs in the database of audio files;

searching the database for songs matching the criteria of the received initial request;

generating a search results screen on the client computer display, the search results screen including a set of references to songs matching the criteria of the received initial request;

receiving a final selection of a song from the first person, the final selection containing sufficient information to identify an audio file in the database;

generating a text entry field on the client computer display for the entry, by the first person, of a message intended for the second person, the text entry field maintaining an association to the final selection of a song;

transmitting the message to the second person;

providing for connection to the network service by the second person through a second computer; and

streaming the song of the final selection from the database of audio files to the second computer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting is by way of an email message.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting is by way of spoken text.

4. A method of searching for and selecting a song from a database of audio files and for transmission of a selected song to a listener, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a network service having access to a database of audio files, said network service further providing for interaction with a first person over a network by way of a client computer, the client computer having a display;

generating a login screen permitting a user to log into the network service;

generating a search screen on the client computer display, the search screen containing locations for the entry of an initial request by the first person;

receiving an initial request from the first person entered into the search screen, the initial request including at least one criterion applicable to search for songs in the database of audio files;

searching the database for songs matching the criteria of the received initial request;

generating a search results screen on the client computer display, the search results screen including a set of references to songs matching the criteria of the received initial request;

receiving a final selection of a song from the first person, the final selection containing sufficient information to identify an audio file in the database;

receiving from the first person an identifier specifying a second person;

generating a text entry field on the client computer display for the entry, by the first person, of a message intended for the second person, the text entry field maintaining an association to the final selection of a song;

transmitting the message to the second person;

providing for connection to the network service by the second person through a second computer; and

streaming the song of the final selection from the database of audio files to the second computer.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said transmitting is by way of an email message.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said transmitting is by way of spoken text.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein the search screen permits the selection of an artist.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the client computer is a handheld device.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein the message transmitted to the second person is a dedication.

10. A method according to claim 4, wherein the song of the final selection is prioritized over the streaming of other audio files.

11. A method according to claim 4, wherein the database is searchable by way of a strutured query language.

12. A method of searching for and selecting a song from a database of audio files and for network transmission of a selected song accompanied by a dedication to a listener, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a network service having access to a database of audio files, said network service further providing for interaction with a first listener over a network by way of a client computer, the client computer having a display;

generating a login screen and permitting the first listener to log into the network service;

generating a search screen on the client computer display, the search screen containing locations for the entry of an initial request by the first listener;

receiving an initial request from the first listener entered into the search screen, the initial request including at least one criterion applicable to search for songs in the database of audio files;

searching the database for songs matching the criteria of the received initial request;

generating a search results screen on the client computer display, the search results screen including a set of references to songs matching the criteria of the received initial request;

receiving a final selection of a song from the first listener, the final selection containing sufficient information to identify an audio file in the database;

receiving from the first listener an identifier specifying a second listener;

generating a dedication entry object on the client computer display, the dedication entry object including a identification field for the entry of at least one identifier of a second listener, the dedication entry object further including a text entry field for entry of a dedication by the first listener, the dedication including a text statement intended for the at least one second listener, the dedication entry object further associating the received final selection of a song to the text entry field, the dedication entry object further including a submit object activatable by the first listener to indicate submission of the message for transmission of the dedication to the at least one second listener;

providing for connection to the network service by the at least one second listener through a second computer;

transmitting the message to the second person, the message maintaining the association to the received final selection of a song; and

streaming the song of the final selection from the database of audio files to the at least one second listener by way of the second computer.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said transmitting is by way of an email message.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said transmitting is by way of spoken text.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the search screen permits the selection of an artist.