Music distribution systems
First Claim
1. A system for distributing music to at least one customer household, the system comprising:
- (a) a data transmission system for blanket transmitting at least one music selection to the at least one customer household in digital format;
(b) a user station for placement at the at least one customer household, enabling the at least one customer household to preview the at least one music selection a predetermined number of times before billing the at least one customer household for the at least one music selection, the user station including;
i. a user interface for permitting the at least one customer household to preselect a transmitted music selection for recording;
ii. a receiver;
iii. a high capacity storage medium, in communication with the receiver for recording the preselected music selection in digital form;
iv. an audio output for outputting audio signals from the high capacity storage medium to a playback device for enabling the at least one customer household to playback the recorded music selection; and
v. a circuit for degrading a quality of the previewed preselected music selections by compressing the preselected music selections by a process selected from the group consisting of;
compressing the preselected music selections, adding distortion to the preselected music selections, overlaying voice over the preselected music selections, and deleting sections from the preselected music selections. (c) a central controller system having a database for storing therein information corresponding to the at least one customer household and having a key unique to the music selections;
(d) a communications link for placement between the at least one customer household and the central controller system for verifying to the controller system when a preselected music selection has been made available for playback; and
(e) a billing system associated with the central controller system to bill the at least one customer household for a music selection that has been made available for playback.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Music is blanket transmitted (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer'"'"'s user station where selected music files are recorded. Customers preselect from a list of available music in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay only for music that they choose to playback for their enjoyment. An antipiracy WID tag” is woven into the recorded music so that any illegal copies therefrom may be traced to the purchase transaction. Music is transmitted on a fixed schedule or through an active scheduling process that monitors music requests from all or a subset of satellite receivers and adjust scheduling according to demand for various CD'"'"'s. Receivers store selections that are likely to be preferred by a specific customer. In those instances where weather conditions, motion of atmospheric layers or dish obstructions result in data loss, the system downloads the next transmission of the requested CD and uses both transmissions to produce a “good copy”. In conjunction 20 with the blanket transmission of more popular music, an automated CD manufacturing facility may be provided to manufacture CD'"'"'s that are not frequently requested and distribute them by ground transportation.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A system for distributing music to at least one customer household, the system comprising:
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(a) a data transmission system for blanket transmitting at least one music selection to the at least one customer household in digital format;
(b) a user station for placement at the at least one customer household, enabling the at least one customer household to preview the at least one music selection a predetermined number of times before billing the at least one customer household for the at least one music selection, the user station including;
i. a user interface for permitting the at least one customer household to preselect a transmitted music selection for recording;
ii. a receiver;
iii. a high capacity storage medium, in communication with the receiver for recording the preselected music selection in digital form;
iv. an audio output for outputting audio signals from the high capacity storage medium to a playback device for enabling the at least one customer household to playback the recorded music selection; and
v. a circuit for degrading a quality of the previewed preselected music selections by compressing the preselected music selections by a process selected from the group consisting of;
compressing the preselected music selections, adding distortion to the preselected music selections, overlaying voice over the preselected music selections, and deleting sections from the preselected music selections.(c) a central controller system having a database for storing therein information corresponding to the at least one customer household and having a key unique to the music selections;
(d) a communications link for placement between the at least one customer household and the central controller system for verifying to the controller system when a preselected music selection has been made available for playback; and
(e) a billing system associated with the central controller system to bill the at least one customer household for a music selection that has been made available for playback.
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2. A system for distributing music to at least one customer household, the system comprising:
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(a) a data transmission system for blanket transmitting at least one music selection to the at least one customer household in digital format;
(b) a user station to be placed at the at least one customer household, the user station including;
i. a user interface for permitting the at least one customer household to preselect desired transmitted music selections for recording and permitting the at least one customer household to designate the music preference information;
ii. a receiver and associated high capacity storage medium for recording the preselected music selection in digital form; and
iii. an audio output for outputting audio signals to a playback device for enabling the at least one customer household to playback the recorded music selection;
(c) a central controller system having a database for storing therein information corresponding to the at least one customer household and having a key unique to the music selections, wherein the central controller system further;
automatically enables blanket transmission to the user stations of music content without requiring music selections from the user stations according to assigned customer profiles, assigns a customer profile according to the at least one household music preference information communicated by the user station to the central controller system; and
further comprises;
a customer preference information storage memory for receiving and storing the at least one customer household designated music preference information;
a general population preference database for storing preference information for the at least one customer household;
a customer catalog generator for analyzing the customer preference information storage memory and the general population preference database to create an individual customer catalog for the at least one customer household that determines which music is automatically blanket transmitted;
(d) a communications link between the at least one customer household and the central controller system for verifying to the controller system when a preselected music selection has been made available for playback; and
(e) a billing system associated with the central controller system to bill the customer household for music selections that are made available for playback.
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3. A method for distributing music to at least one customer household, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) blanket transmitting at least one music selection to the at least one customer household in digital format;
(b) providing a customer household with information identifying the at least one music selection that will be transmitted;
(c) preselecting and recording the at least one transmitted music selection at the at least one customer household on a high capacity storage medium;
(d) enabling the at least one customer household to preview the preselected music selection a predetermined number of times, utilizing a user station comprising a circuit for degrading quality of the previewed preselected music selections previewed by a process selected from the group consisting of;
compressing the preselected music selection;
adding distortion to the preselected music selection;
overlaying voice over the preselected music selection; and
deleting sections from the preselected music selection(e) enabling the customer household to playback the preselected music selection;
(f) embedding an ID tag in decoded music selections;
(g) supplying the decoded music selections to the at least one customer household from a decoder via an output device;
(h) receiving music playback information from the customer household at a central controller system having a key unique to the music selections; and
(i) billing the customer household for the preselected music selection that has been played back, based on the communicated music playback information.
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4. A method for distributing music to at least one customer household, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) blanket transmitting at least one music selection to the at least one customer household in digital format, the blanket transmitting including the steps of;
i. assigning to the at least one customer household a customer profile according to music preference information of the at least one household communicated to the central controller system, ii. permitting the at least one customer household to designate the music preference information, iii. receiving and storing the at least one customer household designated music preference information at the central controller system, iv. storing preference information for the at least one customer household, and v. analyzing the preference information for the at least one household and the general population to create an individual customer catalog for the at least one customer household that determines which music is automatically blanket transmitted, and vi. blanket transmitting to the at least one customer household music content according to the assigned customer profile;
(b) providing the at least one customer household with information identifying available music selections that will be transmitted;
(c) permitting the at least one customer household to preselect and record desired music selections on a high capacity storage medium;
(d) enabling the at least one customer household to playback the recorded music selections;
(e) embedding an ID tag in decoded music selections;
(f) supplying the decoded music selections to the at least one customer household from a decoder via an output device;
(g) receiving music playback information from the customer household at a central controller system having a key unique to the music selections; and
(h) billing the at least one customer household for the recorded music selections that are made available for playback.
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5. A user station comprising:
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a user interface for permitting the at least one customer household to preselect a transmitted music selection for recording;
a receiver;
a high capacity storage medium, in communication with the receiver for recording the preselected music selection in digital form; and
an audio output for outputting audio signals from the high capacity storage medium to a playback device for enabling the at least one customer household to playback the recorded music selection;
a circuit for degrading a quality of the previewed preselected music selections by compressing the preselected music selections by a process selected from the group consisting of;
compressing the preselected music selections, adding distortion to the preselected music selections, overlaying voice over the preselected music selections, and deleting sections from the preselected music selections.
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Specification