Multi-room entertainment system with in-room media player

• US 6,650,963 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonifi Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mark Dilorenzo
• Inventors: DiLorenzo, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US10/134,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/234, 700/236, 700/241, 725/60, 725/61, 725/104, 725/82, 725/83, 348/1, 348/385, 348/387
• US Class Current: 700/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/21 Billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

User interface systems access media data stored in a database through a server that presents to the interface a selection menu for selecting media data. Upon selection of media data the server accesses the data from the database and transmits it to an in-room system. The media data may be transmitted by downloading the data to an intermediate system, playing the data at the intermediate system and outputting the data to the in-room system through a communications line. The media data may also be transmitted by streaming the data to the in-room system through a communications line. The server may present to the in-room system a purchase menu through which media data may be purchased, an activation menu through which communication between the in-room system and the server may be established for a fixed period of time and a radio menu through which programmed media-data channels may be accessed.

Claims

1. A method of providing audio data to any one of a plurality of in-room systems comprising:

storing a plurality of audio data in a central database;

presenting to the in-room system an activation menu by which communication between the central database and the in-room system is established for a fixed period of time;

during the fixed period of time, presenting to the in-room system a selection menu through which a compilation comprising a plurality of the audio data may be selected during the period of time;

upon selection of a compilation, presenting to the in-room system a player menu through which one or more of the plurality of audio data may be selected for playing; and

upon selection of one of the audio data, accessing the selected audio data from the central database and transmitting it to the in-room system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed period of time is greater than the duration of a plurality of media data.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing data in the central database indicative of the number of times a media data is selected.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a cost with the fixed period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed period of time is independent of the time duration of the selected compilation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed period of time is equal to the time duration of the selected compilation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting to the in-room system a purchase menu through which the selected audio data may be purchased.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising storing data in the central database indicative of the number of times a audio data is purchased.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting a selection menu comprises presenting a menu comprising a plurality of selectable music genres.

10. The method of claim 9 furthering comprising, upon selection of a music genre, presenting a menu comprising a plurality of selectable genre styles.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising, upon selection of a music genre, presenting a menu comprising a plurality of selectable CDs.

12. A method of providing media data to one of a plurality of in-room systems comprising:

storing a plurality of media data in a central database;

providing a server including a plurality of preprogrammed play lists, each play list having associated media data and defining a media-data channel;

presenting to the in-room system a selection menu through which one of the media-data channels may be selected;

upon selection of a media-data channel, accessing the media data associated with the selected media-data channel, in play list order, and transmitting it to the in-room system and presenting to the in-room system a player menu through which one of the plurality of media data associated with the selected media-data channel may be selected for immediate playing; and

in response to selection of one of the media data for immediate playing, accessing the selected media data from the central database and transmitting it to the user in-room system.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the media data comprises at least one of audio data and audio/video data.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising presenting to the in room system an purchase menu through which at least one of the select plurality of media data associated with the media data channel may be purchased.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising, upon selection of one of the media-data channels, calculating a charge associated with the selection.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein programming the plurality of media-data channels comprises:

presenting to a plurality of in-room systems a selection menu through which at least one of the media data may be selected for playing;

storing data in the central database indicative of the number of times a media data is selected; and

periodically updating each media-data channel play list to include that plurality of media data having a selection number meeting a specified criteria.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the specified criteria comprises a selection number within a top number of all selection numbers.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting a selection menu comprises presenting a menu comprising a plurality of selectable music genres.

19. The method of claim 18 furthering comprising, upon selection of a music genre, presenting a menu comprising a plurality of selectable genre styles.

20. A system for providing audio data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;

a central database having a plurality of audio data stored therein;

a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server programmed to;

present to the video monitor an activation menu by which communication between the central database and the user interface may be established for a fixed period of time;

present to the video monitor a selection menu through which a compilation comprising a plurality of the audio data may be selected during the fixed period of time;

upon selection of a compilation, present to the user interface a player menu through which one or more of the plurality of audio data may be selected for playing; and

in response to selection of one of the audio data, access the selected audio data from the central database and transmit it to the user interface.

21. A system for providing media data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;

a central database having a plurality of media data stored therein;

a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server including a plurality of preprogrammed play lists, each play list having associated media data and defining a media-data channel, the server programmed to;

present to the video monitor a selection menu through which one of the media-data channels may be selected;

upon selection of a media-data channel, access the media data associated with the selected media-data channel, in play list order, and transmit it to the user interface and present to the user interface a player menu through which one of the plurality of media data associated with the selected media-data channel may be selected for immediate playing; and

in response to selection of one of the media data for immediate playing, access the selected media data from the central database and transmit it to the user interface.

22. A system for providing media data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;

a central database having a plurality of media data stored therein, one or more of the media data associated with a compilation of media data commercially available on a CD;

a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server programmed to;

present to the video monitor a selection menu through which at least one of the media data may be selected;

in response to selection of one of the media data, access the selected media data from the central database and transmit it to the in-room system over the communication lines; and

present to the video monitor a purchase menu through which the commercially available CD associated with the selected media data may be purchased.

23. A system for providing media data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;

a central database having a plurality of media data stored therein;

a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server programmed to;

present to the video monitor a selection menu through which at least one of the media data may be selected;

in response to selection of one of the media data, access the selected media data from the central database and transmit it to the user interface over the communication line;

present a mood menu comprising a brightness menu through which the brightness level of an image displayed on the video monitor may be selected; and

any upon the selection of a brightness level, affect the brightness of the image independent of brightness control inherent in the video monitor.