Method and apparatus to record usage of a portable media

• US 20070226144A1
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Shin Cheung
• Application Number:
  US11/388,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226144A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4093 Monitoring of device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A method and system for providing a media to keep a record of its usage, and for the record to belong to the user of the media, are disclosed. The media includes a media content, and a media content processor for retrieving the media content in response to a media content retrieval request. The method and system further includes a usage record for storing at least one media usage record, where the media usage record comprises information about the media content retrieval request. The usage record belongs to a user of the media, where the user directly accesses the usage record via a usage record retrieval request for retrieving information from the usage record. The processing of the media content retrieval request and the usage record retrieval request are performed in separate transactions.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a media, comprising;

a media content, and

a media content processor for retrieving the media content in response to a media content retrieval request; and

a usage record for storing at least one media usage record, wherein the media usage record comprises information about the media content retrieval request, wherein the usage record belongs to a user of the media.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the media content comprises at least one of the following:

audio content, video content, live broadcast, article, or picture.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the media content retrieval request comprises additional information, wherein the media content processor retrieves the media content based on the additional information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the media comprises the usage record.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the usage record resides externally to the media.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a usage record retriever for retrieving the usage record in response to a usage record retrieval request.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the usage record retriever:

receives a usage record retrieval request;

retrieves the usage record; and

replies to the usage record retrieval request with information from the retrieved usage record.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the usage record retrieval request comprises at least one of the following:

a request for all media usage records;

a request for a latest media usage record;

a request for a first media usage record;

a request for a next media usage record; and

a request for a media usage record including a key.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the media comprises the usage record retriever.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the usage record retriever resides externally to the media.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the usage record belongs to the user of the media, wherein the user directly accesses the usage record via the usage record retrieval request.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein a processing of the usage record retrieval request is performed in a separate transaction from a processing of the media content retrieval request.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the media comprises a cash card,

wherein the media content comprises a cash value,

wherein the media content retrieval request comprises retrieving a cash value, reducing the cash value, or increasing the cash value,

wherein the media usage record comprises a time, a retrieved cash value, a processed value, or an amount cash value changed.

14. A method for providing record usage of a media, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a media comprising a media content;

(b) retrieving the media content in response to a media content retrieval request; and

(c) storing a media usage record in a usage record, wherein the media usage record comprises information about the media content retrieval request, wherein the usage record belongs to a user of the media.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the media content comprises at least one of the following:

audio content, video content, live broadcast, article, or picture.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the media content retrieval request comprises additional information, wherein the media content is retrieved based on the additional information.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(d) processing a usage record retrieval request to retrieve information from the usage record.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing step (d) comprises:

(d1) receiving a usage record retrieval request;

(d2) retrieving the usage record; and

(d3) replying to the usage record retrieval request with information from the retrieved usage record.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the usage record retrieval request comprises at least one of the following:

a request for all media usage records;

a request for a latest media usage record;

a request for a first media usage record;

a request for a next media usage record; and

a request for a media usage record including a key.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the usage record belongs to the user of the media, wherein the user directly accesses the usage record via the usage record retrieval request.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing of the usage record retrieval request is performed in a separate transaction from a processing of the media content retrieval request.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the media comprises a cash card,

wherein the media content comprises a cash value,

wherein the media content retrieval request comprises retrieving a cash value, reducing the cash value, or increasing the cash value,

wherein the media usage record comprises a time, a retrieved cash value, a processed value, or an amount cash value changed.