System, apparatus and methods for storing links to media files in network storage

• US 20060259601A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soelberg, Emily Lyons, McNamara, Justin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

When a user purchases digital rights to a media file, or otherwise obtains the right to have a copy of the media file downloaded to the user'"'"'s wireless device, a link to the media file that is stored in the media database is stored in a user storage database. When the user desires to have the media file downloaded to the user'"'"'s wireless device, the user sends a request to the network. The network performs a check to determine whether the user is authorized to receive the requested media file, and if so, causes the requested media file to be downloaded to the user'"'"'s wireless device where the media file is stored in the local memory of the wireless device for playback by the user on the wireless device.

Claims

1. A system for storing links to media files in network storage that are used to access media files stored in network storage, the system comprising:

a user storage database having links to media files stored therein;

a media storage database having media files stored therein;

authentication logic that determines whether a user is authorized to receive one or more media files; and

download logic, the download logic receiving a request to send a media file to a wireless device, the request including a link associated with a media file and an identifier that identifies the wireless device to which the media file is to be sent, the download logic using the link included in the request to retrieve the media file associated with the link from the media storage database, the download logic sending the retrieved media file to the identified wireless device if the authentication logic determines that a user associated with the identified wireless device is authorized to receive the media file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the link is an address in the media storage database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the link is a media file title, the download logic translating the media file title into an address in the media storage database.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device identifier is a Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN) number associated with the identified wireless device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with the identified wireless device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein if the authentication logic determines that a user associated with the identified wireless device is not authorized to receive the media file, the authentication logic sends a notification to the identified wireless device notifying the user associated with the identified wireless device that the user is not authorized to receive the media file associated with the link included in the request.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the authentication logic makes the determination as to whether a user is authorized to receive a requested media file by checking a billing file to determine whether or not the user has obtained digital rights associated with the requested media file.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the authentication logic makes the determination as to whether a user is authorized to receive a requested media file by checking a billing file to determine whether or not the user has paid a subscription fee.

9. A wireless device comprising upload logic for uploading a link to a media file to network storage, the upload logic comprising:

first logic configured to receive a request to move a media file from local memory of the wireless device to network storage;

second logic configured to interpret the request as a request to store a link to the media file in network storage; and

third logic configured to cause a request to store the link in network storage to be sent to the network.

10. A method for storing links to media files in network storage that are used to access media files stored in network storage, the method comprising:

storing links to media files in a user storage database;

storing media files in a media storage database;

receiving a request from a wireless device to download a media file to the wireless device, the request including a link associated with a media file and an identifier that identifies the wireless device;

determining whether or not a user associated with the wireless device is authorized to receive the media file associated with the link included in the request; and

if a determination is made that the user is authorized to receive the media file associated with the link included in the request, retrieving the media file associated with the link from the media storage database and sending the retrieved media file to the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each link is an address in the media storage database.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each link is a media file title, the step of retrieving including translating the media file title included in the request into an address in the media storage database.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless device identifier is a Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN) number associated with the identified wireless device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless device identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with the identified wireless device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

if a determination is made that a user associated with the identified wireless device is not authorized to receive the media file, sending a notification to the identified wireless device that notifies the user associated with the identified wireless device that the user is not authorized to receive the media file associated with the link included in the request.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination as to whether a user is authorized to receive a requested media file is made by checking a billing file to determine whether or not the user has obtained digital rights associated with the requested media file.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination as to whether a user is authorized to receive a requested media file is made by checking a billing file to determine whether or not the user has paid a subscription fee.

18. A method for uploading a link to a media file from a wireless device to network storage, the method comprising:

in upload logic of a wireless device, receiving a request to move a media file from local memory of the wireless device to network storage;

in the upload logic, interpreting the request as a request to store a link to the media file in network storage; and

in the upload logic, generating a request to store a link to the media file in network storage.

19. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the program comprising:

a first instruction set for storing links to media files in a user storage database;

a second instruction set for storing media files in a media storage database;

a third instruction set for receiving a request from a wireless device to download a media file to the wireless device, the request including a link associated with a media file and an identifier that identifies the wireless device;

a fourth instruction set for determining whether or not a user associated with the wireless device is authorized to receive the media file associated with the link included in the request; and

a fifth instruction set, wherein if a determination is made that the user is authorized to receive the media file associated with the link included in the request, the fifth instruction set retrieving the media file associated with the link from the media storage database and sending the retrieved media file to the wireless device.