Apparatus and Method For Interactive Digital Media Content Requests

• US 20090222864A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DOOH IP LLC, Samuel B. Howard
• Original Assignee: Akoo International Incorporated
• Inventors: Karantonis, John, Drakoulis, Niko, Stoikos, Georgios
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A remote user interface transmits a digital media request through a first communication link to a media management control which is coupled by a second communication link to a digital audio-visual playback device for selecting and playing a stored digital media by the playback device. The media management control executes a set of rules applicable to each playback device in determining whether or not a user request will be accepted or rejected for play on a particular playback device.

Claims

1. A method for content selection of digital media stored in a memory coupled to a digital media processor and playable on a digital audio-visual playback device comprising the steps of:

providing a first communication link between a user interface and a media management control;

providing a second communication link between the media management control and a digital media processor coupled to a memory containing digital media, the digital media processor coupled in communication with at least one digital audio-visual playback device;

transmitting a digital media content request from the user interface remote from the playback device through the first communication link to the media management control, the request including at least a digital media identifier;

in response to the digital media content request from the user interface, the media management control managing the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media specified by the digital media identifier through the second communication link on the at least one digital audio-visual playback device by;

determining the operability of the at least one playback device;

accepting or rejecting the identified media in each user request based on rules of play for each playback device; and

initiating transmission of the selected digital media by the digital media processor to the at least one digital audio-visual playback device for play of the selected digital media by the digital audio-visual playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the digital media content request through the first communication link further comprises:

forming the first communication link to include at least a wireless communication portion.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the digital media content request through the first communication link further comprises:

forming at least a portion of the first communication link to include the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of communicating the identified digital media to the digital audio-visual playback device further comprises the step of:

transmitting the acceptable digital media over the Internet to the digital audio-visual playback device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accepting or rejecting a media request further comprises the steps of:

reviewing each of the rules of play of digital media at the location of the at least one playback device;

applying the rules of play to the at least playback device and the requested digital media;

accepting the requested digital media for play on the playback device if the requested digital media meets all of the rules of the location; and

rejecting the requested digital media if the requested digital media does not meet all the rules of play for the at least one playback device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

establishing a global set of rules for play by the media management control for all playback devices.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

establishing a rules subset applicable by the media management control for each playback device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

allowing variably selectable changes to the rules subset.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

establishing at least one variably applicable rules subset; and

the media management control applying the rules subset when a selected event occurs.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

establishing the variable event at least one of a time of day, a day of week, a date of month and a special event.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the time of day has distinct start and end times.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

the media management control sending an acceptance or rejection message to the user in response to a user request corresponding to the decision by the media management control to accept or reject the play of a user requested identified media on the at least one playback location.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein the rules comprise at least one of:

playback device location preferences;

maximum queue length;

priority play based on a rewards program;

no repeat interval for play of digital media by at least one of the same artist and the same song;

non-play of a new digital media request if the same media is already accepted in the queue;

determining if a requested digital media is available for play on the at least one playback device;

determining if a requested digital media is approved for the at least one playback device;

immediate forced play of a digital media request; and

out of order play in response to special conditions.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the playback device location preferences include at least one of:

the number of consecutive requests which can be accepted from the same user without intervening requests from other users;

the music genre acceptable for a playback device;

the artists acceptable at the playback device; and

acceptable artist media.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the rules subset includes a modified set of global rules.