PROVIDING CONTENT TO A PORTABLE PLAYBACK DEVICE

• US 20080034126A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher W. Baker
• Original Assignee: Christopher W. Baker
• Inventors: Baker, Christopher W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/11
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

One or more storage modules in accordance with implementations of the present invention can be configured for a direct physical connection to a portable, digital playback device. The one or more storage modules comprise computer-executable instructions and one or more media files for delivering content directly to the portable playback device. Thus, for example, a potential customer or end user can plug-in a purchased or rented storage module directly into a personal digital playback device and watch movies, listen to music, watch/listen to news programs, or the like without necessarily having to download content through an intermediate computer system or network interface.

Claims

1. In a computerized environment, a computerized storage module having one or more executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform a method of causing the digital playback device to receive and play back media content from the storage module, comprising the acts of:

receiving identification information about a portable digital playback device upon connection with a storage module;

comparing the received identification information with one or more rules or settings stored in the storage module to determine at least one of a method or format for delivering media content on the storage module to the portable digital playback device;

preparing one or more sets of execution instructions that include execution information and media content on the storage module to be executed on the portable digital playback device; and

providing the one or more sets of execution instructions from the storage module to the portable digital playback device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification information includes an operating system for the portable digital playback device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification information includes one or more device identifiers for the portable digital playback device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification information includes status information regarding available storage at the portable digital playback device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising an act of determining to stream the media content from the storage module to the portable digital playback device based on identifying that the portable digital playback device has insufficient storage space for the media content.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of identifying a usage fee received from the user, wherein determination of the content delivery or content format is based on the identified usage fee.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein, based on the identified usage fee, the one or more sets of execution instructions restrict playback of the media stored content from the storage module on the digital playback device over a prescribed time interval.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein, based on the identified usage fee, the one or more sets of execution instructions restrict the number of times the digital playback device can play the media content from the storage module.

9. A vending machine in a computerized environment that also comprises a portable digital playback device and one or more storage module, the vending machine having one or more computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors at the vending machine to perform a method of distributing media content to the portable digital playback device, comprising the acts of:

receiving one or more user selections for media content;

receiving one or more user selections regarding an identification of a portable digital playback device;

comparing the received one or more selections for media content and playback device identification with one or more locally stored rules or settings to determine at least one of a method or format for delivering the selected content to the identified portable digital playback device; and

providing the selected content to the user using the determined delivery method.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the determined delivery method further comprises transferring a device-specific format of the selected media content directly from the vending machine to the digital playback device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising an act of encoding the selected media content with one or more rules or settings, the one or more rules or settings governing playback of the selected media content on the portable digital playback device based on a usage fee.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the determined delivery method further comprises an act of identifying one or more storage modules with the selected media content.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising an act of providing only those of the one or more storage modules to the user that have a physical connection interface that matches the identified portable digital playback device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the one or more storage modules are further configured with a software interface to communicate with the identified portable digital playback device.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising an act of modifying one or more rules or settings to be included in one or more storage modules, the one or more modified rules or settings being based on each of the one or more user selections.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising an act of encoding the one or more modified rules or settings onto the one or more storage modules prior to providing the one or more storage modules to the user.

17. A method of distributing content to a user having a portable digital playback device, comprising:

identifying a customer at a product location;

identifying the presence and type of a digital playback device of the customer;

selecting a storage module configured both with a physical interface and a software interface for connecting to and communicating with the digital playback device; and

providing the customer with the selected digital storage module, wherein media content on the selected storage module is immediately played back to the user upon connection with the digital playback device.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the media content on the selected storage module comprises one or more marketing messages about one or more products at a point of sale location.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the media content on the selected storage module comprises at least one of user selected media content.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the media content on the selected storage module comprises any one or more of a movie, music, an audio book, or a news program.