Music playing system with decentralized units

• US 5,691,964 A
• Filed: 06/14/1995
• Issued: 11/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.), Robert Vincent Martinez
• Original Assignee: NSM AG
• Inventors: Frank, Armin, Huber, Anton, Niederlein, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US08/448,525
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 369/30, 369/36, 369/32, 369/34, 369/33, 340/825.35, 340/825.06, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.15, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 369/30.06
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/08 by using devices external to the driving mechanisms, e.g. coin-freed switch coin actuated mechanisms G07F5/00
• 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 27/11 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: H04H 60/21 Billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84

Abstract

A music playing system includes a number of music playback units with playback changer devices, coding units, and ISDN cards. Each of the music playback units is provided with playable pieces of music. There is at least one input unit by means of which the pieces of music to be played on a playback unit are selected. In addition, there is a central computer with a memory in at least one playback unit, with the memory storing data about the pieces of music available in the playback units. The playback units can be connected between themselves and to the central computer via remote data transmission lines.

Claims

1. A music playback system, comprising:

a plurality of music playback units;

a central computer having a memory that is provided in at least one of the music playback units;

at least one input unit for selecting pieces of music that are to be played back on a music playback unit; and

lines connecting the central computer to the music playback units and connecting the music playback units to each other,

wherein each of the music playback units has a number of pieces of music at its disposal for playback, and

wherein data about the pieces of music that are available in the music playback units is stored in the memory of the central computer but the pieces of music themselves are not stored in the memory of the central computer.

2. A music playback system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of terminals each having an intermediate memory, the terminals being connected to the music playback units, and wherein each at least one input unit is provided at a respective one of the terminals.

3. A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein the terminals are connected to said central computer.

4. A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein said terminals are connected with one another.

5. A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein said central computer stores or processes user data of the individual music playback units, and wherein code operating units are respectively provided at the music playback units or at the terminals, with such code operating units releasing access to the central computer and the corresponding user data.

6. A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein the remote data transmission lines are bidirectional ISDN lines and the music playback units are provided with an ISDN card.

7. A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein said central computer is a personal computer.

8. A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein said music playback units are provided with a playback changer device and a coding unit.

9. A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of music centers, each comprising a music playback unit, a central computer, a coding unit and a decoding unit, are connected via remote data transmission lines to a plurality of terminals each comprising a personal computer and a decoding unit.

10. A music playback system according to claim 9, wherein a music center functions as main unit.

11. A music playback system according to claim 9, wherein each of said music centers is connected to a respective scanner.

12. A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein money operating units are respectively provided at the music playback units or at the terminals.

13. A music playback system, comprising:

a first music playback unit where a plurality of first pieces of music are stored;

a second music playback unit where a plurality of second pieces of music are stored, at least some of the second pieces of music being different from the first pieces of music;

a first input unit connected to the first music playback unit for selecting pieces of music, including the second pieces of music, that are to be played back on the first music playback unit;

a second input unit connected to the second music playback unit for selecting pieces of music, including the first pieces of music, that are to be played back on the second music playback unit;

a central computer that stores data about the pieces of music that are available in the first and second music playback units; and

means for communicating between the first music playback unit, the second music playback unit, and the central computer.

14. A music playback system according to claim 13, wherein the means for communicating comprises data transmission lines.

15. A music playback system according to claim 13, wherein the first music playback unit comprises a first playback changer device for recordings and the second music playback unit comprise a second playback changer device for recordings.

16. A music playback system according to claim 15, wherein the means for communicating comprises ISDN lines, wherein the first music playback unit further comprises a first ISDN card, and wherein the second music playback unit further comprises a second ISDN card.

17. A music playback system according to claim 13, wherein the central computer carries out central administrative tasks but does not store pieces of music.