Method and apparatus for reporting programming selections from compact disk players

• US 6,327,233 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gaylord, Jeremy B., Downs, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Huber, Paul W.
• Application Number:
  US09/132,967
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 369/24, 369/30, 369/32, 369/34, 369/53, 369/54, 369/58, 369/53.1, 369/53.11, 369/53.2, 369/53.37, 369/53.41, 369/53.45
• US Class Current: 369/53.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/02 with automatic musical instruments

Abstract

A compact disk (CD) player includes CD playing circuitry. A selection monitoring unit is coupled to the CD playing circuitry. The selection monitoring unit transmits selection data that corresponds to a selection played by the CD playing circuitry to a remote system.

Claims

1. A compact disk (CD) player, comprising:

CD playing circuitry; and

a selection monitoring unit, coupled to the CD playing circuitry, that monitors user interactions with the CD player and transmits corresponding selection data to a remote system, the user interactions including information indicative of a selection to be played by the CD playing circuitry, the selection data including non-audio CD data extracted from a CD containing the selection.

2. The CD player of claim 1, wherein the CD playing circuitry comprises:

a CD reader that reads CD data corresponding to the selection on a CD;

a data extraction device, coupled to the CD reader, that extracts non-audio CD data from the CD data; and

a display device, coupled to the data extraction device, that displays the non-audio CD data.

3. The CD player of claim 1, wherein the selection monitoring unit comprises:

a data encoder that encodes a time the selection was played with the non-audio CD data and corresponding user demographic data as selection data;

a storage device, coupled to the data encoder, that stores the selection data; and

a communication device, coupled to the storage device, that transmits the selection data to the remote system.

4. The CD player of claim 3, wherein the data encoder includes a coding unit that codes the selection data in a format that requires less bandwidth to transmit.

5. The CD player of claim 3, wherein the communications device is a modem.

6. The CD player of claim 3, wherein the communications device comprises:

a computer system interface; and

a computer system, coupled to the computer system interface, having a network connection.

7. The CD player of claim 6, wherein the computer system interface comprises a serial connection.

8. The compact disk (CD) player of claim 1, wherein the selection data comprises a time at which the selection was played by the CD playing circuitry.

9. The compact disk (CD) player of claim 1, wherein the selection data includes user demographic data.

10. A computer system, comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus;

a compact disk (CD) player, coupled to the bus, that includes CD playing circuitry, and a selection monitoring unit, coupled to the CD playing circuitry, that monitors user interactions with the CD player and transmits corresponding selection data to a remote system, the user interactions including information indicative of a selection to be played by the CD playing circuitry, the selection data including non-audio CD data extracted from a CD containing the selection.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the CD playing circuitry comprises:

a CD reader that reads CD data corresponding to the selection on a CD;

a data extraction device, coupled to the CD reader, that extracts non-audio CD data from the CD data; and

a display device, coupled to the data extraction device, that displays the non-audio CD data.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the selection monitoring unit comprises:

a data encoder that encodes a time the selection was played with the non-audio CD data and corresponding user demographic data as selection data;

a storage device, coupled to the data encoder, that stores the selection data; and

a communications device, coupled to the storage device, that transmits the selection data to the remote system.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the selection data comprises a time at which the selection was played by the CD playing circuitry.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the selection data includes user demographic data.

15. A method for managing compact disk (CD) data that corresponds to a selection played on a CD player, comprising:

monitoring user interaction with the CD player, the user interaction including information indicative of a selection to be played by the CD player; and

transmitting corresponding selection data to a remote system, the selection data including non-audio CD extracted from a CD containing the selection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein extracting non-audio CD data from the CD data comprises reading information stored in reserved bits of audio sectors corresponding to the selection.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the selection data comprises sending the selection data via a telephone line.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the selection data comprises sending the selection data via cellular communications medium.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the selection data comprises sending the selection data via a network connection.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of encoding a time the selection was played with the non-audio CD data as selection data.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of encoding a time the selection was played with the non-audio CD data into a format that requires less space.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of storing the selection data with other selection data in a log.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the selection data comprises a time at which the selection was played by the CD playing circuitry.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the selection data includes user demographic data.

25. A method comprising:

extracting selection data comprising non-audio compact disk (CD) data, for a selection played by a CD player; and

transmitting the selection data and the corresponding user demographic data to a remote system to facilitate usage pattern tracking.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

encoding said selection data; and

storing said selection data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the encoding said selection data further comprises coding the selection data in a format that requires less bandwidth to transmit.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the non-audio CD data includes CD-identifying data.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the user demographic data includes user-identifying data.