Portable music player with pay per play usage and method for purchase of credits for usage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A content player, comprising in combination:
- a memory device which stores content;
a playback credit bank stored in the content player;
means for a user to install playback credits in the playback credit bank upon payment of a fee;
a playback circuit that reads content from the memory device for consumption by the user, providing the credit bank contains at least one playback credit; and
a processor which deducts a playback credit from the playback credit bank when the content is played, whereinat least one of the memory device which stores the content and the playback credit bank comprises a user removable storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable content playback device that includes the ability to accept a media with electronic playback credits, i.e. a smart card, that is pre-loaded with credits. Alternatively, the device may have internal memory that is capable of storing electronic credits. Consequently, when a user plays the content that is protected so that it may only be played only in a “pay per play” application credits are deducted from the media that manages the amount of electronic credits available to the user.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A content player, comprising in combination:
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a memory device which stores content; a playback credit bank stored in the content player; means for a user to install playback credits in the playback credit bank upon payment of a fee; a playback circuit that reads content from the memory device for consumption by the user, providing the credit bank contains at least one playback credit; and a processor which deducts a playback credit from the playback credit bank when the content is played, wherein at least one of the memory device which stores the content and the playback credit bank comprises a user removable storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of loading playback credits into an electronic content player, comprising:
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electronically linking with a playback credit vendor using a communication link; purchasing playback credits via the communication link; storing playback credits on a user removable credit storage medium; and transferring the playback credits from the user removable credit storage medium to a playback credit bank residing in the electronic content player. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of playback of electronic media, comprising:
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reading a credit bearing medium containing playback credits; transferring playback credits from the credit bearing medium to a playback credit bank; reading a user removable content bearing medium; determining if the playback credit bank has at least one credit; if the playback credit bank has at least one credit, deducting a credit; and if the playback credit bank has at least one credit prior to the deducting, playing back the content stored on the user removable content bearing medium. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electronic storage medium storing program instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process comprising:
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reading a credit bearing medium containing playback credits; transferring playback credits from the credit bearing medium to a playback credit bank; reading a user removable content bearing medium; determining if the playback credit bank has at least one credit; if the playback credit bank has at least one credit, deducting a credit; and if the playback credit bank has at least one credit prior to the deducting, playing back the content stored on the user removable content bearing medium. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A content player, comprising in combination:
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a storage medium which stores content; a playback credit bank stored in the storage medium; a playback circuit which plays the content for consumption by a user, providing the credit bank contains at least one playback credit; and a processor which deducts a playback credit from the playback credit bank when the content is played, wherein at least one of the storage medium which stores the content and the playback credit bank comprises a user removable storage device. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of playback of electronic media, comprising:
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providing a credit bearing medium embodied as a smart card having a magnetic strip used as an interface thereto; purchasing playback credits; encrypting the playback credits; storing the encrypted playback credits to the credit bearing medium; reading a credit bearing medium containing playback credits; decrypting the playback credits read from the credit bearing medium; transferring the decrypted playback credits from the credit bearing medium to a playback credit bank; reading a content bearing medium, the content bearing medium comprising a stick memory device; determining if the playback credit bank has at least one credit, and if so; determining if the content bearing medium is present, and providing a prompt to install the content bearing medium if the content bearing medium is not present, and when the content bearing medium is present; deducting a credit; and playing back the content stored on the content bearing medium; providing a message advising of the lack of playback credits in the event the credit bank does not have at least one playback credit.
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Specification