AUDIOVISUAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR PLAYING AN AUDIOVISUAL PIECE AMONG A PLURALITY OF AUDIOVISUAL DEVICES CONNECTED TO A CENTRAL SERVER THROUGH A NETWORK

• US 20110208335A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guy Nathan, Tony Mastronardi
• Original Assignee: Guy Nathan, Tony Mastronardi
• Inventors: NATHAN, Guy, Mastronardi, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 8,724,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/24 using interrupt G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4812 by interrupt, e.g. masked
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0033 Recording/reproducing or transmission of music for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0041 in coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/361 Recording/reproducing of accompaniment for use with an external source, e.g. karaoke systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/415 Infrared beams
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/026 : File encryption of specific electrophonic music instrument file or stream formats, e.g. MIDI, note oriented formats, sound banks, wavetables digital rights management [DRM] G06F21/00; encryption H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/081 : Genre classification, i.e. descriptive metadata for classification or selection of musical pieces according to style analysis genre G10H2210/036
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/091 : Info, i.e. juxtaposition of unrelated auxiliary information or commercial messages with or between music files metadata G10H2240/075
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/181 : Billing, i.e. purchasing of data contents for use with electrophonic musical instruments; Protocols therefor; Management of transmission or connection time therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/191 : CRC, i.e. error detection using a cyclic redundancy check
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/245 : ISDN [Integrated Services Digital Network]
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/255 : Optical fibre transmission for electrophonic musical instrument purposes, e.g. hum mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/261 : Satellite transmission for musical instrument purposes, e.g. processing for mitigation of satellite transmission delays
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/265 : CATV transmission, i.e. electrophonic musical instruments connected to community antennas or cable television networks
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/291 : SCSI, i.e. Small Computer System Interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/295 : Packet switched network, e.g. token ring circuit-switched networks, e.g. traditional analog telephone transmission G10H2240/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 : Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 : Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 : CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 : Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/913 : Digital audio tape [DAT] format
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 : Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 : on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 : on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 : Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 : Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/76 : Wired systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 : using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 : using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/21 : Billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 : using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 : Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 : involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 : providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 : Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 : Archiving or backup

Abstract

An audiovisual distribution system includes a central server and a plurality of audiovisual units. Each unit includes structure for interactively communicating with the user for selecting a piece or a menu, a payment device, a computer network card, and a permanent semiconductor memory containing a multitask operating system comprising at least a hard disc access management task. The order for performing a selected piece is processed as a hard disc sequential access task. The hard disc is declared as a peripheral corresponding to the network card of the unit, enabling a request to be sent through the network to the server for processing.

Claims

1. A jukebox system for playing a musical piece, comprising:

a central jukebox server, including;

a mass storage location configured to store a plurality of musical pieces, and

a server network card configured to receive requests for said musical pieces; and

a plurality of jukebox devices, each said jukebox device including;

an audio reproduction unit configured to playback musical pieces,

a user interface,

a payment device configured to receive payment in exchange for the playback of musical pieces selected by the user interface,

a network card linked to said server network card through a network, and

a multitasking operating system operatively coupled with the audio reproduction unit, the user interface, the payment device, and the device network card,

wherein the central jukebox server further comprises a switching device configured to selectively operate in first and second modes, the first mode causing all jukebox devices connected to the central jukebox server to play back a common musical piece at the same time, and the second mode enabling different jukebox devices to play back different musical pieces at the same time.

2. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein the central jukebox server further comprises a network multitasking operating system configured to provide distribution and access privileges to the musical pieces stored in the mass storage location.

3. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein each said jukebox device is configured to play musical pieces from the central jukebox server.

4. The jukebox system of claim 1, further comprising temporary network links between one said jukebox device and the central jukebox server configured to enable exclusive access to a resource on the central jukebox server.

5. The jukebox system of claim 4, wherein one said jukebox device is configured to play musical pieces from the central jukebox server via a respective temporary network link.

6. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein the jukebox devices each include a permanent storage location configured to store the respective multitasking operating systems.

7. The jukebox system of claim 6, wherein the central jukebox server is configured to maintain statistics relating to selections made via the jukebox devices.

8. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein the jukebox devices are linked together via a local network connection.

9. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein each said jukebox device is configured to access the mass storage location via the respective network card as if the mass storage location were a disk drive device integrated into the jukebox device.

10. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein detected events are selectively logged in a permanent storage location.

11. The jukebox system of claim 10, wherein an operating status is also selected logged in the permanent storage location.

12. The jukebox system of claim 11, wherein, following an electrical fault or hardware failure, the system is configured to read logs in the permanent storage location so as to enable the system to be restarted at a same place as the system was just prior to the electrical fault or hardware failure.

13. A method of operating a jukebox system, comprising

a central jukebox server, including:

a mass storage location configured to store a plurality of musical pieces, and

a server network card configured to receive requests for said musical pieces; and

a plurality of jukebox devices, each said jukebox device including;

an audio reproduction unit configured to playback musical pieces,

a user interface,

a payment device configured to receive payment in exchange for the playback of musical pieces selected by the user interface,

a network card linked to said server network card through a network, and

a multitasking operating system operatively coupled with the audio reproduction unit, the user interface, the payment device, and the device network card,

wherein the method comprises;

selectively operating a switching device of the central jukebox server according to a first mode or a second modes, the first mode causing all jukebox devices connected to the central jukebox server to play back a common musical piece at the same time, and a second mode enabling different jukebox devices to play back different musical pieces at the same time.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing distribution and access privileges to the musical pieces stored in the mass storage location via a network multitasking operating system.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring each said jukebox device to play musical pieces from the central jukebox server.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising establishing temporary network links between one said jukebox device and the central jukebox server, the temporarily network links being configured to enable exclusive access to a resource on the central jukebox server.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the jukebox devices each include a permanent storage location configured to store the respective multitasking operating systems.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising maintaining statistics relating to selections made via the jukebox devices on the central jukebox server.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the jukebox devices are linked together via a local network connection.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein each said jukebox device is configured to access the mass storage location via the respective network card as if the mass storage location were a disk drive device integrated into the jukebox device.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising, following an electrical fault or hardware failure, restarting the jukebox system by read logs maintained in the permanent storage location, the logs including entries for selected events, the restarting being performed so as to restore the system to the place where it was just prior to the electrical fault or hardware failure.