Home digital audiovisual information recording and playback system

• US 6,182,126 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy, Mastronardi, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/817,437
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/327, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/563, 348/569, 348/14, 395/200-7-2, 434/307.R, 434/307.A, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 725/134
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/081 : Genre classification, i.e. descriptive metadata for classification or selection of musical pieces according to style
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/091 : Info, i.e. juxtaposition of unrelated auxiliary information or commercial messages with or between music files
• 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
• 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

A digital home audiovisual information recording and playback apparatus includes a microprocessor associated, through a digital interface, with a display, through another interface with sound playback structure and through a telecommunications interface with structure for loading audio selection or visual selection digital information. The system includes structure for controlling the display, enabling an operating mode to be selected from a menu of three modes, in which the device either plays back information stored in its mass memory, records new digitized information in its mass memory or combines analog information from a microphone with digitized information received from the mass memory.

Claims

1. A home digital audiovisual information recording and playback apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor device;

a memory communicating with the microprocessor device, the memory storing a library of audiovisual information for reproduction;

a display communicating with the microprocessor device via a first digital interface;

audio reproduction structure communicating with the microprocessor device via a second digital interface, the second digital interface comprising a microphone interface; and

a telecommunications interface coupleable with a main server for remote downloading of digital data corresponding to selected audiovisual information,

wherein the microprocessor device controls the display to effect operation of the apparatus and selection of audiovisual information in one of three modes in which the apparatus reproduces audiovisual information stored in the storage with at least one of the display and the audio reproduction structure in a first mode, enables remote downloading of digital data after being ordered via the telecommunications interface in a second mode, and mixes analog data from a microphone via the microphone interface with the reproduced audiovisual information stored in the storage in a third mode.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supplementary recording module coupled via a specific interface to the microprocessor device.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the supplementary recording module is portable, enabling reproduction of audiovisual data on another digital audiovisual information recording and playback apparatus.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the supplementary recording module comprises mini magnetooptical disks.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage module coupleable with the microprocessor device, the storage module storing a plurality of digitized audiovisual data.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio reproduction structure comprises structure that effects reproduction of the audiovisual information according to digitized formats with one of hi-fi quality and compact disk quality.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first digital interface is coupleable with a conventional TV set, and wherein the second digital interface is coupleable with a conventional stereo.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory stores the library of audiovisual information in a compressed data format.

9. A home digital audiovisual information recording and playback apparatus comprising:

a central controller unit;

a telecommunications interface managed by the central controller unit;

an electronic input control circuit communicating with the central controller unit, the electronic input control circuit managing a plurality of control buttons and a sensor of infrared or audio emission originating from a remote control box;

an electronic audio controller circuit linked to an audio output connector and communicating with the central controller unit;

a microphone input comiector communicating with the central controller unit;

an electronic video controller circuit linked to connectors for video peripheral apparatus and communicating with the central controller unit;

a graphics control circuit communicating with the central controller unit, the graphics control circuit controlling a display; and

a battery backed-up memory storing a multi-task operating system and a computer operating program, the memory storing at least one selection of audiovisual digital data.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the multi-task operating system comprises a library of tools and services and a plurality of executable modules, the modules being executed simultaneously via the multi-task operating system.

11. A method of operating a home digital audiovisual information recording and playback apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying menus with user-selectable system operation options;

enabling a selection of desired audiovisual information for reproduction;

effecting payment for the desired audiovisual information;

inputting a user personal identification number; and

downloading from a main server the desired audiovisual information only after payment has been effected and a valid personal identification number has been supplied, wherein the displaying step comprises displaying menus effecting operation in one of three modes in which the desired audiovisual information is reproduced with at least one of a display and audio reproduction structure in a first mode, digital data is downloaded after being ordered via a telecommunications interface in a second mode, and analog data from a microphone is mixed with the reproduced audiovisual information in a third mode.