Apparatus for distributing media files containing audio recordings and for distributing utility programs to implement media file players on remotely located client devices
First Claim
1. Apparatus for disseminating a series of episodes represented by media files via the Internet, as said episodes become available, to each of a plurality of remotely located programmable client devices, said apparatus comprising:
- one or more data storage servers for storing;
a. one or more media files representing each episode of said series of episodes as said one or more media files become available, each of said one or more media files including a compressed audio recording and each being stored at a storage location specified by a unique episode URL;
b. one or more utility programs that are executable by each of said remotely located programmable client devices;
one or more communication interfaces connected to the Internet for receiving requests received from said remotely located programmable client devices executing said one or more utility programs, and for responding to each given one of said requests by returning a data file identified by a URL specified by said given one of said requests to the requesting client device,one or more processors coupled to said one or more data storage servers and to said one or more communications interfaces for;
from time to time, as new episodes represented in said series of episodes become available, storing an updated version of a compilation file in said one or more data storage servers at a storage location identified by a predetermined URL, said updated version of said compilation file containing attribute data describing currently available episodes in said series of episodes, said attribute data for each given one of said currently available episodes including displayable text describing said given one of said currently available episodes and one or more episode URLs specifying the storage locations of one or more corresponding media files representing said given one of said currently available episodes; and
employing said one or more communication interfaces to;
(a) download said one or more utility programs for storage by and execution by each of said remotely located client devices,(b) receive a request from a requesting programmable client device executing said one or more utility programs for the updated version of said compilation file located at said predetermined URL,(c) download said updated version of said compilation file to said requesting programmable client device; and
(d) thereafter receive and respond to a request from said requesting programmable client device executing said one or more utility programs for one or more media files identified by one or more corresponding episode URLs included in the attribute data contained in said updated version of said compilation file.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio program and message distribution system in which a host system organizes and transmits program segments to client subscriber locations. The host organizes the program segments by subject matter and creates scheduled programming in accordance with preferences associated with each subscriber. Program segments are associated with descriptive subject matter segments, and the subject matter segments may be used to generate both text and audio cataloging presentations to enable the user to more easily identify and select desirable programming. A playback unit at the subscriber location reproduces the program segments received from the host and includes mechanisms for interactively navigating among the program segments. A usage log is compiled to record the subscriber'"'"'s use of the provided program materials, to return data to the host for billing, to adaptively modify the subscriber'"'"'s preferences based on actual usage, and to send subscriber-generated comments and requests to the host for processing. Voice input and control mechanisms included in the player allow the user to perform hands-free navigation of the program materials and to dictate comments and messages which are returned to the host for retransmission to other subscribers. The program segments sent to each subscriber may include advertising materials which the user can selectively play to obtain credits against the subscriber fee. Parallel audio and text transcript files for at least selected programming enable subject matter searching and synchronization of the audio and text files. Speech synthesis may be used to convert transcript files into audio format. Image files may also be transmitted from the server for synchronized playback with the audio programming.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for disseminating a series of episodes represented by media files via the Internet, as said episodes become available, to each of a plurality of remotely located programmable client devices, said apparatus comprising:
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one or more data storage servers for storing; a. one or more media files representing each episode of said series of episodes as said one or more media files become available, each of said one or more media files including a compressed audio recording and each being stored at a storage location specified by a unique episode URL; b. one or more utility programs that are executable by each of said remotely located programmable client devices; one or more communication interfaces connected to the Internet for receiving requests received from said remotely located programmable client devices executing said one or more utility programs, and for responding to each given one of said requests by returning a data file identified by a URL specified by said given one of said requests to the requesting client device, one or more processors coupled to said one or more data storage servers and to said one or more communications interfaces for; from time to time, as new episodes represented in said series of episodes become available, storing an updated version of a compilation file in said one or more data storage servers at a storage location identified by a predetermined URL, said updated version of said compilation file containing attribute data describing currently available episodes in said series of episodes, said attribute data for each given one of said currently available episodes including displayable text describing said given one of said currently available episodes and one or more episode URLs specifying the storage locations of one or more corresponding media files representing said given one of said currently available episodes; and employing said one or more communication interfaces to; (a) download said one or more utility programs for storage by and execution by each of said remotely located client devices, (b) receive a request from a requesting programmable client device executing said one or more utility programs for the updated version of said compilation file located at said predetermined URL, (c) download said updated version of said compilation file to said requesting programmable client device; and (d) thereafter receive and respond to a request from said requesting programmable client device executing said one or more utility programs for one or more media files identified by one or more corresponding episode URLs included in the attribute data contained in said updated version of said compilation file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A programmable media player comprising, in combination:
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a display screen for displaying data to the user of said media player, a digital storage unit, one or more processors, an audio output unit including at least one speaker or headset for reproducing compressed audio recordings in audible form perceptible to said user, one or more communications ports coupled to said one or more processors for downloading data files from one or more remote file servers, said data files including; (1) one or more media files each containing a compressed audio recording, (2) a compilation file identifying a collection of one or more of said media files, (3) attribute data describing each given media file in said collection including; a. displayable text describing said given media file in said collection, and b. a media file URL identifying the location on one of said remote file servers from which said given media file may be retrieved via the Internet, and (4) one or more downloadable utility programs that are executable by said one or more processors to perform player functions, including; (a) retrieving said compilation file from one of said remote file servers and storing said compilation file in said digital storage unit, (b) displaying a text description of each of said media files in said collection on said display screen, (c) accepting a selection of one of a designated one of said media files in said collection from said user, (d) if the designated one of said media files is not already stored in said digital storage unit, employing one of said communications ports to transmit a file request containing the media file URL of said designated one of said media files to one of said remote file servers and receiving and storing said designated one of said media files when received in response to said file request, and (e) employing said audio output unit to reproduced the compressed audio recording contained in said designated one of said media files. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A host server system for disseminating media files containing digital audio recordings via the Internet to a programmable media player located at each of a plurality of client locations, each of said audio programmable media players comprising:
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(a) a client processor, (b) a client data store, and (c) a client display unit, and (d) an audio output unit including at least one speaker or headset for reproducing digital audio recordings in audible form perceptible to said user, said host server system comprising, in combination; one or more data storage units for storing; (1) a plurality of media files each containing a digital audio recording representing episodes in a series of episodes (2) attribute data describing each of said episodes including displayable text describing each of said episodes and a media file URL identifying each of said media files, (3) one or more downloadable utility programs that are executable by said client processor in the programmable media player at each of said client locations for performing client functions requested by a user operating said programmable media player, said client functions including; a. downloading and displaying catalog listings from said host server system identifying episodes available from said host server system; b. selecting a desired episode specified by said user from said catalog listings, c. downloading one or more of media files representing said desired episode via the Internet from said host server system; and d. reproducing media files representing said desired episode in a form perceptible to said user; and one or more communication interfaces for receiving requests via the Internet from a requesting client location; and one or more processors for performing server functions in response to one or more of said requests including; A. transferring one or more of said downloadable utility programs to said requesting client location for storage in the client data store in the programmable media player at said requesting client location for subsequent execution by the client processor in the programmable media player at said requesting client location to perform said client functions; B. compiling said catalog listings from said attribute data in said data storage units and transferring said catalog listings to said requesting client location for display on the client display unit in the programmable media player at said requesting client location, and C. transferring media files representing desired episodes selected by said user to said requesting client location for reproduction by said programmable media player at said requesting client location. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification