Media player for distribution of music samples

• US 6,670,537 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Music Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hughes, David A., Carpenter, Matthew A., Nguyen, Phuong L., Massiha, Mandana
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US09/838,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 846/09--14, 846/34--38, 846/45, 844/77.R, 844/78, 434/307.A, 707/104, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 84/609
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0041 in coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/061 MP3, i.e. MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, lossy audio compression
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes

Abstract

A method and apparatus of music distribution from a media player. A media player is provided with a “send to friend” icon. In one embodiment, when the icon is selected, a clipping of the currently playing music selection is taken from a predetermined location in the music selection and compressed using a fidelity reducing compression technique to produce a sample of the current selection suitable for distribution. The compressed clipping is sent to a selected recipient or recipients by email in the background while the music selection continues to play. The recipient(s) can be either a default recipient(s) or a recipient(s) selected from a list as in an address book application.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting an audio sample, comprising:

within a media player application program, playing an audio selection;

upon receipt of a command from a user, launching an email application from within the media player;

generating an email message;

attaching a sample of the audio selection to the email; and

sending the email and the attached audio sample to a recipient.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio sample comprises a computer file containing a compressed audio sample.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the audio sample further comprises a link to a source for purchase of a product containing a representation of the audio sample.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein if the recipient makes a purchase from the source, an affinity credit is awarded to the sender.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio sample comprises a link to a source of streaming audio.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the link further provides access to a source of purchase of a product containing a representation of the audio sample.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein if the recipient makes a purchase from the source, an affinity credit is awarded to the sender.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a single command comprising clicking an icon generates the launching, generating, attaching and sending without further user commands.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient is a default recipient.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient is one of a plurality of potential recipients, and further comprising selecting the recipient from the plurality of potential recipients.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating the sample of the audio selection.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the creating comprises clipping a segment from the audio selection and compressing the clipping.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the clipping comprises:

selecting a starting point a predetermined time from the start of the audio selection as the start of the segment; and

selecting a stopping point a predetermined time from the start of the segment.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the compressing comprises applying a fidelity reducing compression technique.

15. A media player, comprising:

a programmed processor;

a media player application running on the programmed processor to enable a user to play content;

a user interface for the media player;

an icon, forming a part of the user interface, that when selected causes the media player application to launch an email application and send a sample of the content from a sender to a recipient.

16. The media player according to claim 15, wherein upon selection of the icon, the media player launches an email application, generates an email message, attaches a sample of the content to the email, and sends the email and the attached content sample to the recipient.

17. The media player according to claim 15, wherein the content sample comprises a computer file containing a compressed music sample.

18. The media player according to claim 15, wherein the content sample further comprises a link to a source for purchase of a product containing a representation of the content sample.

19. The media player according to claim 18, wherein if the recipient makes a purchase from the source, an affinity credit is awarded to the sender.

20. The media player according to claim 15, wherein the content sample comprises a link to a source of streaming music.

21. The media player according to claim 20, wherein the link further provides access to a source of purchase of a product containing a representation of the content sample.

22. The media player according to claim 21, wherein if the recipient makes a purchase from the source, an affinity credit is awarded to the sender.

23. The media player according to claim 15, wherein a single command comprising clicking an icon generates the launching and sending without further user commands.

24. The media player according to claim 15, wherein the recipient is a default recipient.

25. The media player according to claim 15, wherein the recipient is one of a plurality of potential recipients, and further comprising means for selecting the recipient from the plurality of potential recipients.

26. The media player according to claim 15, wherein the content comprises a music selection further comprising means for creating the sample of the content.

27. The media player according to claim 26, wherein the creating means comprises means for clipping a segment from the music selection and means for compressing the clipping.

28. The media player according to claim 27, wherein the means for clipping comprises:

means for selecting a starting point a predetermined time from the start of the music selection as the start of the segment; and

means for selecting a stopping point a predetermined time from the start of the segment.

29. The media player according to claim 27, wherein the means for compressing comprises means for applying a fidelity reducing compression technique.

30. A media player, comprising:

a programmed processor;

a media player application running on the programmed processor to enable a user to play a music selection;

a user interface for the media player;

an icon, forming a part of the user interface, that when selected causes the media player application to launch an email application, generate an email message, create a sample of the music selection, attach the sample of the music selection to the email, and send the email and the attached music sample to a selected recipient;

wherein the selected recipient is a recipient selected from a plurality of potential recipients;

wherein, the music sample comprises a computer file containing a compressed music sample and a link to a source for purchase of a product containing a representation of the music sample;

wherein the sample is created by;

selecting a starting point a predetermined time from the start of the music selection as the start of the segment,

selecting a stopping point a predetermined time from the start of the segment, and

compressing data between starting point and the stopping point using by applying a fidelity reducing compression technique; and

wherein if the recipient makes a purchase from the source, an affinity credit is awarded to the sender.

31. An electronic storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of transmitting a content sample from within the media player, comprising:

playing a content selection;

upon receipt of a command from a user, launching an email application from within the media player;

generating an email message;

attaching a sample of the content selection to the email; and

sending the email and the attached content sample to a recipient.

32. The electronic storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the content comprises music and wherein the content sample comprises a computer file containing a compressed music sample.

33. The electronic storage medium according to claim 32, wherein the music sample further comprises a link to a source for purchase of a product containing a representation of the music sample.

34. The electronic storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the content comprises music and wherein the content sample comprises a link to a source of streaming music.

35. The electronic storage medium according to claim 31, wherein a single command comprising clicking an icon generates the launching, generating, attaching and sending without further user commands.

36. The electronic storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the recipient is a default recipient.

37. The electronic storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the recipient is one of a plurality of potential recipients, and further comprising selecting the recipient from the plurality of potential recipients.

38. The electronic storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the content comprises a music selection and further comprising creating the sample of the music selection.

39. The electronic storage medium according to claim 38, wherein the creating comprises clipping a segment from the music selection and compressing the clipping.

40. The electronic storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the clipping comprises:

selecting a starting point a predetermined time from the start of the music selection as the start of the segment; and

selecting a stopping point a predetermined time from the start of the segment.

41. The electronic storage medium according to claim 40, wherein the compressing comprises applying a fidelity reducing compression technique.