Collaborative music network

• US 20090106429A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel J. Zaccagnino, Matthew L. Siegal
• Original Assignee: Indaba Media, LLC (Distributed Creation Inc.)
• Inventors: Siegal, Matthew L, Zaccagnino, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US11/977,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106429A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

A collaborative music network for collaboratively linking members with each other has a central control center which is adapted for a plurality of members accessing thereto through internet, and a communication center linked to the central control center for interactively networking the members with each other. The music network includes a session for the session-members to edit, mix and record the audio files in the session and save them in the session and the user'"'"'s own hard drive. The session also provides a live platform for session-members to interact and perform music. Non-session members are able to work on the audio files in the session. The completed music works are played through the network music player and purchased through online music store. The music network also contains an Internet radio to broadcast the audio files selected from member profiles.

Claims

1. A method for creating a music network, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a central control center for a plurality of members accessing thereto through the Internet, wherein each of said members is able to create one or more sessions in said central control center that said session contains a personal profile of said respective member;

(b) allowing each of said members as a session owner to upload an audio file created by said session owner in said respective session of said central control center through the Internet; and

(c) sending an invitation message to other said members as invitees to review said audio file.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (c) further comprises the steps of:

(c.1) sending a request containing a session need from said session owner to at least one of said invitees to mix and edit said audio file in response to said session need so as to fulfill a need of said session owner; and

(c.2) saving an edited audio file in said session from said corresponding invitee, such that said session owner is able to review said edited audio file, wherein said edited audio file from said invitee and said audio file from said session owner are saved in different names in said session.

3. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the step (c.1) further comprises a step of providing suggestions of other said members as recommended members who might fit said session need of said session, such that said session owner is able to invite one or more said recommended members to complete said session need of said session.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of:

providing a set of terms from said session owner to said members as invitees upon which said members as invitees must agree before said members as invitees may review said audio file.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein step (c) further comprises the step before (c.1) of:

(c.0) providing a set of terms from said session owner to said members as invitees upon which said members as invitees must agree before said members as invitees may review said audio file.

6. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein, in the step (c.1), said session owner and said invitees communicate in real-time with each other through said respective session.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, between the step (c.1) and the step (c.2), further comprising a step of real time exhibiting and editing process for said invitees to perform real-time mixing and/or editing of said audio file, such that said invitees are able to see, hear and work together.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the following steps of:

editing said audio file by at least one of said members; and

combining at least two of said edited audio files to create a combined edited audio file by at least one of said members.

9. The method as recited in claim 2, between step (c.1) and step (c.2), further comprising the following step of:

combining at least two of said edited audio files to create a combined edited audio file by at least one of said members.

10. The method as recited in claim 3, between step (c.1) and step (c.2), further comprising the following step of:

combining at least two of said edited audio files to create a combined edited audio file by at least one of said members.

11. The method as recited in claim 6, between step (c.1) and step (c.2), further comprising the following step of:

combining at least two of said edited audio files to create a combined edited audio file by at least one of said members.

12. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising, between the step (c.0) and the step (c.2), the following step of:

combining at least two of said edited audio file to create a combined edited audio file by at least one of said members.

13. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of saving a record of any activity conducted by one or more of said members during said session.

14. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising a step of saving a record of any activity conducted by one or more of said members during said session.

15. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising a step of saving a record of any activity conducted by one or more of said members during said session.

16. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising a step of saving a record of any activity conducted by one or more of said members during said session.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising a step of saving a record of any activity conducted by one or more of said members during said session.

18. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein said session further comprises a session console for said members to access through Internet, wherein said member is able to edit, mix, and record said audio file through said session console.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising a step of saving a record of any activity conducted by one or more of said members during said session.

20. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of posting a rating of said audio file from each of said invitees after said invitee reviews said audio file.

21. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (b) further comprises a step of selecting a format of said audio file in said session.

22. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of:

selecting a format of said audio file in said session,

uploading said audio file in according to said format, and

creating a preview file of said audio file for members to download and listen.

23. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a searching step for said members to search by one of people search and session search.

24. The method, as recited in claim 23, wherein said people search requires query including at least one of craft, instrument, genre, member name and location for searching members;

and said session search requires query including at least one of need, genre, and member name.

25. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a searching step for said members to search by one of people search and session search, wherein said people search requires query including at least one of craft, instrument, genre, member name and location for searching members;

and said session search requires query including at least one of need, genre, and member name.

26. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a live platform for said session owner to perform live on the Internet during said session, wherein said invitees are invited to play with said session owner during said session.

27. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprises a step of selectively broadcasting said audio file uploaded by said session owner through the Internet.

28. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a buy option for said members and for a non-member to purchase said audio file.

29. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a buy option for said members and for a non-member to purchase a set of rights to said audio file.

30. The method, as recited in claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

uploading said audio file to a location where said audio file may be broadcast by an internet user; and

tracking the quantity of broadcasts of said audio file.

31. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (a) further comprises a step of selecting said session as one of a private session or a public session by said respective member, wherein when said session is selected as said private session, only said members selectively invited by said session owner are authorized to access said session and said audio file within said session, wherein when said session is selected as said public session, all said members may access said public session and said audio file.

32. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the step (c), each of said invitees become a session member of said session and is authorized to download said audio file in said session.

33. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the following steps:

uploading an audition audio file from a nonmember of said session for review by said session owner, and

inviting said nonmember by said session owner to become one of said members of session based on said session owner'"'"'s review of said audition audio file.

34. The method, as recited in claim 2, further comprising the following steps:

uploading an audition audio file from a nonmember of said session for review by said session owner, and

inviting said nonmember by said session owner to become one of said members of session based on said session owner'"'"'s review of said audition audio file.

35. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a registering step before step (a) which comprises the steps of:

requesting each of users to input a set of criteria on said music network through the Internet; and

assigning a username and password for each of said users to become said member of said music network such that said member may access said central control center.

36. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a specific group of said session members to access said audio file.

37. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

uploading of at least one edited audio file;

allowing a specific group of said session members to access said edited audio file; and

allowing said specific group of said session members to further mix or edit said edited audio files.

38. The method, as recited in claim 36, further comprising the step of defining said audio file as a core session audio file.

39. The method, as recited in claim 38, wherein mixing and editing can only be done to said core session audio file.

40. The method, as recited in claim 37, further comprising the step of defining at least one of a group of session audio files consisting of said audio file and at least one of said edited audio files as a core session audio file.

41. The method, as recited in claim 40, wherein mixing or editing can only be done to said core session audio file.

42. A music network for collaboratively linking members with each other, comprising:

a central control center, which is adapted for a plurality of members accessing thereto through Internet, comprising a plurality of sessions created by said members respectively such that each of said members is a session owner of said respective session, wherein each of said sessions contains data and information of said session owner and session members as well as audio files; and

a communication center linked to said central control center for interactively networking said members with each other, wherein said communication center provides an invitation channel for said session owner inviting other said members as session members to appraise said audio file.

43. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, wherein each of said sessions further contains a session request requested from said session owner to each of said session members for mixing and editing said audio file in response to said session request so as to fulfill a need of said session owner.

44. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, further comprising a session console for said members to access through Internet, wherein said session console provides a mix-and-edit platform for said members to edit, mix, and record an edited audio file.

45. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, further comprising a search engine for members searching said audio files throughout said collaborative music network, wherein said search engine contains a people search requiring query including at least one of craft, instrument, genre, member name and location for searching members in said central control center;

and a session search requiring query including at least one of need, genre, and member name.

46. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, further comprising a live platform for said session owner and said session members to perform live said audio file.

47. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 43, further comprising a mixdown platform in which at least one of said session members can combine at least two of said edited audio files to create a combined edited audio file.

48. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 44, further comprising a mixdown platform in which at least one of said member can combine at least two of said edited audio files to create a combined edited audio file.

49. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, further comprising a recording platform for recording said session activity.

50. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 43, further comprising a recording platform for recording said session activity.

51. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 46, further comprising a recording platform for recording said session activity.

52. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 47, further comprising a recording platform for recording said session activity.

53. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 48, further comprising a recording platform for recording said session activity.

54. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 44, further comprising a core session audio file from a group consisting of said audio file and at least one of said edited audio files.

55. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 46, further comprising a core session audio file from a group consisting of said audio file and at least one of said edited audio files.

56. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 47, further comprising a core session audio file from a group consisting of said audio file and at least one of said edited audio files.

57. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 48, further comprising a core session audio file from a group consisting of said audio file and at least one of said edited audio files.

58. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, further comprising a broadcasting channel for selectively broadcasting said audio file uploaded by said session owners through Internet.

59. The collaborative music network, as recited in claim 42, further comprising a music player for each of said members selectively playing said audio file through Internet.