Method and system for accessing web pages based on playback of recordings

• US 7,308,485 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Roberts, Dale Tyson, Greenberg, Ann E.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/820,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/231, 709/238, 709/250, 709/225, 719/328, 719/329
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

Entertainment content complementary to a musical recording is delivered to a user'"'"'s computer by means of a computer network link. The user employs a browser to access the computer network. A plug-in for the browser is able to control an audio CD or other device for playing the musical recording. A script stored on the remote computer accessed over the network is downloaded. The script synchronizes the delivery of the complementary entertainment content with the play of the musical recording.

Claims

1. A system coupled to a network to associate remote data with local data, where the local data is included in a recording and is accessed to play the recording for a user of the local device said system comprising:

an access unit accessing the local data;

a processor deriving an identifier by abstracting table of contents information for the local data;

a communication unit automatically obtaining the remote data from the network upon access to the local data, using at least one uniform resource locator based on an at least partial pointer obtained from the network and corresponding to the identifier; and

an output unit outputting the remote data.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the recording is an electronic file of digitally encoded audio.

3. A system as recited in claim 2,

wherein the electronic file is stored on a disc,

wherein said access unit is a disc playback unit, and

wherein said communication unit requests the remote data upon insertion of the disc into said playback unit.

4. A system the local data is an electronic file of digitally encoded audio, and wherein the remote data include at least one of an image associated with the local data, animation associated with the local data, a video associated with the local data, and an album cover associated with the electronic file, said system comprising:

an access unit accessing the local data;

a processor deriving an identifier by abstracting table of contents information for the local data;

a communication unit automatically obtaining the remote data from the network upon access to the local data, using at least one uniform resource locator based on an at least partial pointer obtained from the network and corresponding to the identifier; and

an output unit outputting the remote data.

5. A method using a local computer connected to a network, comprising:

obtaining an identifier of a recording accessed by the local computer from an abstraction of contents of the recording the abstraction including table of contents information used in playing back the recording said obtaining, using a process capable of having multiple recordings approximately matching the identifier and further abstraction of the identifier is possible;

determining an at least partial pointer based on the identifier;

obtaining via the network from at least one storage location determined using the at least partial pointer remote data related to the recording; and

outputting the remote data on the local computer.

6. A method of delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted in a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

obtaining an identifier for the compact disc from table of contents information for the compact disc;

retrieving at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier, including

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and to return an at least partial pointer, when the identifier is not found in the local cache;

storing the at least partial pointer returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one uniform resource locator based on the at least partial pointer, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least partial pointer is returned from the remote look-up server;

linking to at least one remote device via the network, in response to the at least one uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the at least one remote device to the computer via the network.

7. A method as recited in claim 6,

wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

8. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

obtaining an identifier for the compact disc from table of contents information for the compact disc;

retrieving at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier, including

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and to return an at least partial pointer, when the identifier is not found in the local cache;

storing the at least partial pointer returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one uniform resource locator based on the at least partial pointer, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least partial pointer is returned from the remote look-up server;

linking to at least one remote device via the network, in response to the at least one uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the at least one remote device to the computer via the network.

9. At least one computer program as recited in claim 8,

wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

10. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

obtaining an identifier for the compact disc from table of contents information for the compact disc;

determining at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier;

linking to at least one remote device using the at least one uniform resource locator via the network using the identifier as a password to access the at least one remote site; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the at least one remote device to the computer via the network.

11. At least one computer program as recited in claim 10, wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one name of a song on the compact disc.

12. At least one computer program as recited in claims 10, wherein the compact disc contains a plurality of tracks, and

wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one title of a corresponding track on the compact disc.

13. A method of delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted in a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

receiving the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

obtaining an identifier for the compact disc from table of contents information for the compact disc;

retrieving from a remote computer via the network an at least partial pointer related to the identifier;

linking to a remote device via the network using the at least partial pointer; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

14. A computer system, coupled to a network, to associate remote data and audio, comprising:

a playback unit, located at a first location, to play a recording using information provided with the recording;

a communication unit, located at the first location, to obtain remote data from the network using an at least partial pointer corresponding to the recording;

an output unit, located at the first location, to output the remote data; and

a remote computer, coupled to said communication unit via the network and located at a second location remote from the first location, storing at least one database of recording identifiers derived from the information used to play the recordings, and at least partial pointers and providing said communication unit with the at least partial pointer.

15. A computer system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one database stored on said remote computer associates the recording identifiers with at least partial pointers of corresponding World Wide Web pages for a plurality of recordings released by an organization.

16. A computer system, as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least partial pointer is at least one uniform resource locator of at least one World Wide Web page maintained on behalf of at least one person who produced sound for the recording.

17. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a local computer connected to a network, comprising:

detecting insertion of the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the local computer;

obtaining an identifier for the compact disc from table of contents information for the compact disc;

retrieving from a remote computer via the network an at least partial pointer corresponding to the identifier;

linking to a remote device via the network, based on the at least partial pointer; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the local computer via the network.

18. At least one computer program as recited in claim 17,

further comprising automatically sending information, stored on the compact disc to play back the compact disc, from the local computer to the remote computer, and

wherein said obtaining is performed by the remote computer from the information received from the local computer.

19. At least one computer program as recited in claim 17,

wherein said obtaining includes generating the identifier by the local computer based on information stored on the compact disc to play back the compact disc, and

wherein said method further comprises automatically sending the identifier from the local computer to the remote computer.

20. At least one computer program as recited in claim 17, further comprising automatically starting a client program within the computer to cause the computer to access the network when the compact disc is inserted in the compact disc player.

21. At least one computer program as recited in claim 17,

wherein said obtaining is performed automatically upon insertion of the compact disc,

wherein said retrieving of the at least partial pointer automatically retrieves a plurality of character strings at least partially defining uniform resource locators related to the identifier upon determination of the identifier for the compact disc, and

wherein said linking automatically links the computer to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators.

22. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

obtaining an identifier for the compact disc from table of contents information for the compact disc;

retrieving an at least partial pointer corresponding to the identifier, including

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and return at least one character string related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least one character string returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one character string as the at least partial pointer, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one character string is returned from the remote look-up server;

linking to a remote device via the network, based on the at least partial pointer; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

23. At least one computer program as recited in claim 22,

further comprising automatically sending information, stored on the compact disc to play back the compact disc, from the computer to the remote look-up server, and

wherein said obtaining is performed by the remote look-up server from the information received from the computer.

24. At least one computer program as recited in claim 22,

wherein said obtaining includes generating the identifier by the computer based on information stored on the compact disc to play back the compact disc, and

wherein said method further comprises automatically sending the identifier from the computer to the remote look-up server.

25. At least one computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

26. A method of delivering content complementary to a recording ready for playback by a local device connected to a network, comprising:

obtaining an identifier for the recording from information provided with the recording to play back the recording;

retrieving from a remote device via the network an at least partial pointer corresponding to the identifier;

linking to the remote device via the network, based on the at least partial pointer; and

delivering content complementary to the recording from the remote device to the local device via the network.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the local device is a computer connected to the remote device via the network, and

wherein said method further comprises:

detecting access to the recording by the computer; and

automatically starting a client program within the computer to control the computer when the recording is accessed.

28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said retrieving of the at least partial pointer includes

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and return at least one pointer string related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least pointer string returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one pointer string as the at least partial pointer for said linking, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one pointer string is returned from the remote look-up server.

29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein a plurality of pointer strings related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device at least partially addressed by one of the pointer strings.

30. A method as recited in claim 26,

wherein said retrieving of the at least partial pointer related to the identifier retrieves a plurality of pointer strings at least partially defining uniform resource locators related to the identifier, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

31. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a recording ready for playback by a local device connected to a network, comprising:

obtaining an identifier for the recording from information provided with the recording to play back the recording;

retrieving from a remote device via the network an at least partial pointer corresponding to the identifier;

linking to a remote device via the network based on the at least partial pointer; and

delivering content complementary to the recording from the remote device to the local device via the network.

32. At least one computer program as recited in claim 31,

wherein the local device is a computer connected to the remote device via the network, and

further comprising:

detecting access to the recording by the computer; and

automatically starting a client program within the computer to control the computer when the recording is accessed.

33. At least one computer program as recited in claim 31, wherein said retrieving of the at least partial pointer includes

generating the identifier by the local device based on information provided with the recording for playback of the recording;

searching the local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and return at least one pointer string at least partially defining a uniform resource locator related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least one pointer string returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one pointer string as the at least partial pointer for said linking, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one pointer string is returned from the remote look-up server.

34. At least one computer program as recited in claim 33,

wherein a plurality of pointer strings related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device at least partially addressed by one of the pointer strings.

35. At least one computer program as recited in claim 31, wherein said retrieving of the at least partial pointer corresponding to the identifier retrieves a plurality of pointer strings at least partially defining uniform resource locators related to the identifier, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device at least partially addressed by one of the pointer strings.

36. At least one computer program as recited in claim 31, further comprising:

sending information, provided with the recording to play back the recording, from the local device to the remote device;

determining the identifier by the remote device based on the information received from the local device; and

comparing the identifier with records in a database maintained on the remote device to find the at least partial pointer corresponding to the identifier.

37. At least one computer program as recited in claim 31, wherein the content complementary to the recording includes at least one of an image associated with the recording, animation associated with the recording, and a video associated with the recording.

38. At least one computer program as recited in claim 37, wherein the recording is an electronic file of digital audio, and

wherein the content complementary to the recording further includes an album cover associated with the electronic file.