Portable music player with pay per play usage and method for purchase of credits for usage

• US 6,974,076 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Siegel, Jaime A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US09/691,409
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/792, 235/383, 455/3.01, 455/3.06, 705/51, 705/54, 705/52, 705/75
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"

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.

Claims

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, wherein

at least one of the memory device which stores the content and the playback credit bank comprises a user removable storage device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the playback credit bank is replenished by accessing a removable storage medium.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the playback credit bank is replenished by communicating with a smart card.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the playback credit bank is replenished by communicating with a kiosk.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for advising a user of the status of credits in the credit bank.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the means for advising comprises a display that displays a number of credits remaining in the credit bank.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the means for advising comprises a display that displays a reminder to purchase credits.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both the memory device which stores the content and the playback credit bank comprise a single user removable storage.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the content player comprises a stick memory device reader and wherein the memory device is embodied in a stick memory device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises a storage medium selected from magnetic tape, magnetic disc, optical disc, magneto-optical storage and semiconductor memory.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content player comprises a portable music player.

12. A method of loading playback credits into an electronic content player, comprising:

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.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the communication link comprises the Internet.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the communication link comprises a wireless communication link.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the user removable credit storage medium comprises a card having a magnetic stripe.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the user removable credit storage medium comprises a smart card.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the user removable credit storage medium comprises a storage medium selected from magnetic tape, magnetic disc, optical disc, magneto-optical storage and semiconductor memory.

18. A method of playback of electronic media, comprising:

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.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising decrypting the playback credits read from the credit bearing medium prior to storing the playback credits to the playback credit bank.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing a message advising of the lack of playback credits in the event the credit bank does not have at least one playback credit.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein reading the content bearing medium comprises reading a semiconductor memory device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the semiconductor memory device comprises a stick memory device.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein reading the credit bearing medium comprises reading a magnetic card stripe.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the card strip comprises a card stripe forming an interface to a smart card.

25. An electronic storage medium storing program instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process comprising:

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.

26. The electronic storage medium according to claim 25, further comprising decrypting the playback credits read from the credit bearing medium prior to storing the playback credits to the playback credit bank.

27. The electronic storage medium according to claim 25, further comprising providing a message advising of the lack of playback credits in the event the credit bank does not have at least one playback credit.

28. The electronic storage medium according to claim 25, wherein reading the user removable content bearing medium comprises reading a semiconductor memory device.

29. The electronic storage medium according to claim 28, wherein the semiconductor memory device comprises a stick memory device.

30. The electronic storage medium according to claim 25, wherein reading the credit bearing medium comprises reading a card stripe.

31. The electronic storage medium according to claim 30, wherein the card strip comprises a card stripe forming an interface to a smart card.

32. The electronic storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the user removable content bearing medium comprises a storage medium selected from magnetic tape, magnetic disc, optical disc, magneto-optical storage and semiconductor memory.

33. The electronic storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the credit bearing medium comprises a storage medium selected from magnetic tape, magnetic disc, optical disc, magneto-optical storage and semiconductor memory.

34. A content player, comprising in combination:

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.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the playback credit bank is replenished by accessing a removable storage medium.

36. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the playback credit bank is replenished by communicating with a smart card.

37. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the playback credit bank is replenished by communicating with a kiosk.

38. The apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising means for advising a user of the status of credits in the credit bank.

39. The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the means for advising comprises a display that displays a number of credits remaining in the credit bank.

40. The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the means for advising comprises a display that displays a reminder to purchase credits.

41. The apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising a content player that reads content from the storage medium for playback.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the content player comprises a stick memory device reader and wherein the user removable storage device is embodied in a stick memory device.

43. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the storage medium comprises a storage medium selected from magnetic tape, magnetic disc, optical disc, magneto-optical storage and semiconductor memory.

44. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the content player comprises a portable music player.

45. A method of playback of electronic media, comprising:

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.