MUSIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR MOBILE AUDIO PLAYER DEVICES

• US 20070129004A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tunnel IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Syncronation, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Benjamin, Goldberg, David, Goldberg, Miriam, Goldberg, Martha
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.60
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0083 using wireless transmission, e.g. radio, light, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo control G10H2210/375
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analog or digital, e.g. DECT GSM, UMTS smartphone, PDA or palmtop used for musical purposes G10H2230/015; mobile ringtone G10H2230/021
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/325 Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings synchronised lyrics, e.g. for karaoke G10H2220/011
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for distributing music to members of a music sharing group. In one aspect, the method can include identifying a mobile audio player device that introduces a music selection to another mobile audio player device. A signal comprising the music selection, a musical identifier that identifies the music selection and an identifier that identifies the transmitting device is transmitted from a first mobile device to a second mobile device. The second device stores the musical identifier and the identifier of the transmitting device in association with one another. In another aspect, the devices are enabled to connect over a wide area network and use the identifiers to obtain the music selection from a music distributor over the network. In yet another aspect, the transmitting device receives points or other compensation for introducing the music selection to the second device.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a first device that introduces a music selection to a second device, comprising:

transmitting a signal comprising the music selection, a musical identifier that identifies the music selection, and a broadcaster identifier that identifies the transmitter, from the first device to the second device;

receiving by the second device the transmitted signal; and

storing the musical identifier and the broadcaster identifier in association with one another in the second device.

wherein the associated musical identifier and broadcaster identifier identify the device that transmitted the music selection to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using an Internet connection to obtain the music selection on the second device from a distributor of the music selection.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the broadcast identifier is communicated to the distributor.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the distributor provides points to the user of the first device that can be redeemed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcaster identifier is selected from the group consisting of the transmitter'"'"'s email address, the transmitter'"'"'s nickname and the transmitter'"'"'s name.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcaster identifier is a machine identifier of the first device.

7. A method for obtaining an audio selection that is listened to on a mobile wireless audio player, comprising:

connecting to a broadcast audio player on which the audio selection is stored;

receiving the audio selection and an identification unique to the audio selection from the broadcast audio player;

listening to the audio selection on the audio player;

connecting the audio player to a wide area network; and

transferring the unique identifier to a distributor of the audio selection over the wide area connection, wherein the distributor uses the unique identifier to provide the audio selection.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising purchasing the audio selection from the distributor.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising downloading a file of the audio selection from the distributor.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the audio selection involves streaming audio.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the audio selection involves transferring a file of the audio selection.

12. A method for obtaining an audio selection that is played on a first mobile audio player from a transmission from a second mobile audio player, comprising:

transmitting the audio selection from the second audio player to the first audio player and an identifier of the audio selection;

playing the audio selection on the first audio player;

connecting the first audio player to a distributor of the audio selection over a wide area network;

purchasing the audio selection from the distributor over the wide area network to the first mobile audio player.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting further comprises transmitting a unique identifier of the user of the second audio player which is transferred over the wide area network to the distributor.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising downloading a file of the audio selection from the distributor over the wide area network to the first audio player.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising playing the audio selection on the second audio player, wherein the playing on the first audio player and the playing on the second audio player is synchronous.

16. A method for a first mobile wireless audio player to determine whether to share music with a second player, comprising:

establishing a connection between the first audio player and the second audio player;

receiving a unique identifier from the second audio player on the first audio player;

connecting the first audio player to a wide area network;

searching for the unique identifier on the wide area network; and

determining whether to share music on the basis of information stored in conjunction with the unique identifier on the wide area network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information comprises one or more of unique identifiers of other players with which the second audio player has been associated, music that the second audio player has played and ratings made by users of other audio players.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the information for the user of the first audio player.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the deciding is performed by an automated algorithm.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising storing the information on the first audio player.

21. A method for distributing an audio selection over the Internet, comprising:

providing the audio selection to a mobile audio broadcaster from a distributor;

broadcasting the audio selection by the broadcaster;

listening to the audio selection by a member of a cluster of mobile audio players connected to the broadcaster;

transmitting an identifier of the broadcast audio selection from the broadcaster to the member of the cluster along with the audio selection;

requesting the audio selection from the distributor by the member of the cluster; and

providing the member of the cluster a means to purchase the audio selection.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising registering the broadcaster with the distributor.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising transferring an identifier of the broadcaster to the member of the cluster.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising sending the identifier of the broadcaster to the distributor.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the distributor provides points to the broadcaster that can be redeemed.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising downloading the audio selection to the member of the cluster over the Internet.

27. A method for an audio device to obtain an audio selection over the Internet, comprising:

listening to the audio selection that is broadcast from a mobile audio broadcast device, wherein listening allows the user of the audio device to decide to purchase the audio selection;

receiving an identifier of the broadcast audio selection that is broadcast from the broadcast device;

requesting the audio from a distributor, and receiving the audio selection from the distributor.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein requesting further comprises connecting to the distributor over the Internet.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein requesting further comprises transferring the identifier of the broadcast audio selection to the distributor.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising receiving an identifier of the user of the broadcast device wherein requesting additionally comprises transferring the identifier of the user of the broadcast device to the distributor.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the distributor provides redeemable points to the user of the broadcast device.

32. A method for providing a music selection to an audio player comprising:

registering a mobile music broadcaster with a distributor of the music selection;

broadcasting the music selection by the broadcaster;

receiving the music selection by the audio player;

storing an identifier of the music selection in the audio player in association with an identifier of the broadcaster on the audio player;

the audio player requesting distribution of the music selection by the distributor;

storing an identifier of the audio player in association with an identifier of the broadcaster at the distributor; and

providing the music selection from the distributor to the audio player.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein providing comprises downloading the music selection from the distributor to the audio player.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein providing comprises providing means for the user of the audio player to purchase the music selection.

35. A method for a distributor of a music selection to identify a broadcaster that introduces the music selection to an audio player comprising:

registering a broadcaster with an identifier to the distributor, wherein registration includes storing information about the broadcaster;

providing the broadcaster with the music selection, the music selection associated with a musical identifier that identifies the music selection;

the broadcaster broadcasting the music selection to the audio player;

the audio player requesting the music selection from the distributor, wherein requesting includes providing the musical identifier and the associated broadcaster identifier to the distributor; and

the distributor storing the musical identifier in association with the broadcaster'"'"'s information.

36. A method for providing a music selection to a mobile audio player, comprising:

broadcasting the music selection by a mobile broadcaster, wherein the music selection is associated with a music identifier;

receiving and playing the music selection by the mobile audio player;

storing the identifier of the music selection in the mobile audio player;

requesting by the audio player for distribution of the music selection by a distributor of the music selection, the music selection being identified by the music identifier; and

providing the music selection from the distributor to the audio player.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein providing comprises downloading the music selection from the distributor to the audio player.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein providing comprises providing means for the user of the audio player to purchase the music selection.