MOBILE HANDSET FOR MEDIA ACCESS AND PLAYBACK

• US 20120088477A1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cricket Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cassidy, Brendon P.
• Application Number:
  US13/158,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088477A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are presented for accessing unlimited media service from a mobile communications device. A media server environment can be provided, which maintains an instance of each subscriber account and a central archive of media content. Further, the central archive can be explored through the use of a media application executed on a mobile communications device to select media content, including individual items of media content, playlists, ringtones, and ringback tones. The selected media content can be downloaded to, and stored locally at, the mobile communications device, such as on a secure storage device. Additionally, media content corresponding to a subscribed playlist can be automatically updated at the mobile communications device in response to changes to the playlist.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing access to media content, the method comprising:

transmitting a request from a mobile communications device to subscribe to a media playlist;

determining, for the mobile communications device, a local media archive inventory;

comparing the local media archive inventory with a track listing corresponding to the subscribed media playlist; and

transferring to the mobile communications device an item of media content associated with the track listing that is not included in the local media archive inventory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a media listing of available media content for playback.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

presenting a user interface on the mobile communication device to receive user selection of one or more media content items in the media listing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes an option to play the one or more media content items immediately.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes an option to play the one or more media content items after the currently playing media content item.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes an option to modify the contents of the media listing by adding or removing one or more media content items from the media listing.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes an option to generate a play list from the media listing.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one or more media content items to be added to the play list;

determining whether the user selected one or more media content items are already stored on the mobile communication device; and

automatically downloading media content items not already stored on the mobile communication device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for causing a mobile device to perform operations for providing access to media content, the operations comprising:

transmitting a request from a mobile communications device to subscribe to a media playlist;

determining, for the mobile communications device, a local media archive inventory;

comparing the local media archive inventory with a track listing corresponding to the subscribed media playlist; and

transferring to the mobile communications device an item of media content associated with the track listing that is not included in the local media archive inventory.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprises:

receiving a media listing of available media content for playback.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprises:

presenting a user interface on the mobile communication device to receive user selection of one or more media content items in the media listing.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes an option to play the one or more media content items immediately.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes an option to play the one or more media content items after the currently playing media content item.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes an option to modify the contents of the media listing by adding or removing one or more media content items from the media listing.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes an option to generate a play list from the media listing.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprises:

receiving a user selection of one or more media content items to be added to the play list;

determining whether the user selected one or more media content items are already stored on the mobile communication device; and

automatically downloading media content items not already stored on the mobile communication device.

24. The mobile communications device of claim 15, wherein the baseband processor is configured to:

receive a user selection of one or more media content items to be added to the play list;

determine whether the user selected one or more media content items are already stored on the mobile communication device; and

automatically download media content items not already stored on the mobile communication device.

17. A mobile communication device for providing access to media content, the mobile device comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request to subscribe to a media playlist;

a baseband processor in communication with the transmitter to determine, for the mobile communications device, a local media archive inventory;

the baseband processor comparing the local media archive inventory with a track listing corresponding to the subscribed media playlist; and

the baseband processor instructing a receiver to download to the mobile communications device an item of media content associated with the track listing that is not included in the local media archive inventory.

18. The mobile communications device of claim 17, wherein the baseband processor is configured to:

receiving a media listing of available media content for playback.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, further comprising a display unit configured to:

present a user interface on the mobile communication device to receive user selection of one or more media content items in the media listing.

20. The mobile communications device of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes an option to play the one or more media content items immediately.

21. The mobile communications device of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes an option to play the one or more media content items after the currently playing media content item.

22. The mobile communications device of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes an option to modify the contents of the media listing by adding or removing one or more media content items from the media listing.

23. The mobile communications device of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes an option to generate a play list from the media listing.