Integration of music from a personal library with real-time information

• US 6,192,340 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CustomPlay, LLC
• Original Assignee: Max Abecassis
• Inventors: Abecassis, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): {haeck over (S)}mits, Ta̅livaldis I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US09/420,852
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 704/200, 704/270, 704/500, 704/503, 704/272, 704/275, 455/6.3, 455/418, 455/185.1
• US Class Current: 704/270
• 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 2240/061 MP3, i.e. MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, lossy audio compression
• 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 2240/105 User profile, i.e. data about the user, e.g. for user settings or user preferences
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/155 Library update, i.e. making or modifying a musical database using musical parameters as indices
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/165 Memory card, i.e. removable module or card for storing music data for an electrophonic musical instrument
• 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 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/235 Multilayer discs, i.e. multiple recording layers accessed from the same side
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2512 Floppy disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2525 Magneto-optical [MO] discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content
• 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: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 : Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 : for playing music files

Abstract

An apparatus capable of, and a method of, playing audio, the apparatus comprising communicating, processing, and playing means for, and the method comprising the steps of: communicating a user'"'"'s information preferences to an information provider; receiving, from the information provider, informational items that are responsive to the user'"'"'s information references; interleaving and sequencing, for the user, a playing of the received informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of the user; and playing, for the user and responsive to the interleaving and sequencing, the received informational items within a playing of the plurality of musical items; and wherein the playing comprises a voice synthesizing of an at least one of informational item; wherein the playing is responsive to a schedule preferences of the user; wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an informational item is associated with a credit; and/or wherein a user'"'"'s reception of a communication unrelated to the informational items is integrated within a playing of musical items.

Claims

1. An apparatus capable of playing audio, the apparatus comprising:

communicating means for communicating a user'"'"'s information preferences to a remote information provider, and for receiving informational items that are responsive to said user'"'"'s information preferences;

processing means for alternating and sequencing, for said user, a playing of the received informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user; and

playing means for playing, for said user and responsive to said alternating and sequencing, said received informational items within a playing of said plurality of musical items.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a playing of an at least one informational item is responsive to a schedule preferences of said user;

and wherein a playing of musical items is responsive to a tracking of a multiple playing of a musical item.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a credit given to said user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within a playing of musical items.

6. An apparatus capable of playing audio, the apparatus comprising:

communication means for receiving a plurality of informational items from a remote information provider;

processing means for selecting informational items from said plurality of informational items responsive to a user'"'"'s information preferences, and for alternating and sequencing, for said user, a playing of the selected informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user; and

playing means for playing, for said user and responsive to said alternating and sequencing, said selected informational items within a playing of said plurality of musical items.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a playing of an at least one informational item is responsive to a schedule preferences of said user;

and wherein a playing of at least one informational item is activated by a play control corresponding to a preestablished information preference.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a credit given to said user.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within a playing of musical items.

11. A method of playing audio, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating a user'"'"'s information preferences to a remote information provider;

receiving, from said information provider, informational items that are responsive to said user'"'"'s information preferences;

alternating and sequencing, for said user, a playing of the received informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user; and

playing, for said user and responsive to said alternating and sequencing, said received informational items within a playing of said plurality of musical items.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a playing of an at least one informational item is responsive to a schedule preferences of said user;

and wherein a playing of musical items is responsive to a tracking of a multiple playing of a musical item.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a credit given to said user.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within a playing of musical items.

16. A method of playing audio, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating, by means of a first apparatus, a user'"'"'s information preferences to a remote information provider;

receiving, from said information provider and by means of said first apparatus, informational items that are responsive to said information preferences;

alternating and sequencing, for said user, at least some of the received informational items with a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user;

downloading from said first apparatus to a second apparatus the alternated and sequenced informational and musical items; and

playing, by means of said second apparatus, the downloaded alternated and sequenced informational and musical items.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of said downloaded informational items is at least a portion of a previously broadcasted program.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a debit.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within said playing.