SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A DIGITAL MEDIA SERVICE

• US 20080155109A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MusicGremlin, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: KHEDOURI, Robert K., Price, Harold E., Axelrod, Jonathan N.
• Application Number:
  US12/045,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/686 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title or artist information, time, location or usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2223 being a public access point, e.g. for downloading to or uploading from clients arrangements specially adapted to plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A portable wireless communications subscriber audio and/or video player apparatus and system and method for selecting, requesting, downloading, and playing audio and/or video data content files from an Internet-based database server. The wireless link is preferably implemented in accordance with the WiFi protocol, which allows connectivity to the Internet by being in proximity with a local base station or WiFi hotspot (i.e., publicly available local wireless access hub connected to the Internet). The portable wireless communications subscriber audio and/or video player apparatus and system preferably include a security means for monitoring and blocking unauthorized use of the player apparatus and system. The player apparatus further preferably has the capability to communicate with other neighboring player apparatus for the purpose of exchanging content data files, playlists and personal messages.

Claims

1. A system for providing digital media by a service provider connected to a network, said system comprising:

a digital media download service comprising a controller and a content storage connected to the network, and operated by the service provider; and

a plurality of user devices, each user device running software to enable users to access items for download from said service by connecting to the network, wherein each device renders content from said service.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said service provider is enabling the distribution of one of digital text, audio, video, images which is protected by digital rights management technology.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said devices include a wireless data communications interface.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the cost of the service is subsidized by the purchase of said devices by consumers.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cost of said devices is subsidized by purchases of the service by consumers.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said devices are pre-loaded with said device software prior to the sale to consumers.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said devices are portable.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the service provides updates to the software on said devices, said service prohibiting downloading content to devices that do not have updated software.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the service provider enforces the terms and conditions of access by making changes on said controller and verifying the version of said device software prior to selectively allowing access.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said network is implemented on the Internet.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein each said device includes an output control for controlling the transfers of media off the device by users.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the user device includes software that restricts access one or more designated services.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein users are charged on their credit card for digital media items purchased.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein users are charged on their credit card for a digital media subscription.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein users purchase credits and use said credits to acquire items of digital media.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein users are charged on one of their cable, telephone, utility, mobile wireless bills.

17. A system of distributing digital media from a content storage over the Internet comprising:

a digital media download service connected to the Internet that controls the download of digital media items from the content storage;

a plurality of networked devices having communication interfaces for connecting to the Internet to download content from said content storage and software controlling the operation of said devices, each device including at least one security component on said device to restrict users from further unrestricted transfers off said device of content downloaded from said service.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said devices include a wireless data communications interface and are portable.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the cost of the service is subsidized by the purchase of said devices by consumers.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the cost of said devices is subsidized by purchases of the service by consumers.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the service provider can require users to update the software on said device in order for it to download media items.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the user device is only permitted to access one or more designated services.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein users are charged on their credit card for digital media items purchased or for a subscription.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein users purchase credits and use said credits to acquire items of digital media.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein users are charged on one of their cable, telephone, utility, mobile wireless bills.