Home digital audiovisual information recording and playback system

• US 7,424,731 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy, Mastronardi, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/642,928
• Time in Patent Office: 2,940 Days
• Field of Search: 725/1, 725/5, 725/87, 725/102, 725/104, 725/61, 725/103, 725/88, 725/100, 725/89, 725/91, 725/92
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/361 Recording/reproducing of accompaniment for use with an external source, e.g. karaoke systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/011 Lyrics displays, e.g. for karaoke applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/111 User Password, i.e. security arrangements to prevent third party unauthorised use, e.g. password, id number, code, pin
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/42204 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A digital home audiovisual Information recording and playback apparatus includes a microprocessor associated, through a digital interface, with a display, through another interface with sound playback structure and through a telecommunications interface with structure for loading audio selection or visual selection digital information. The system includes structure for controlling the display, enabling an operating mode to be selected from a menu of three modes, in which the device either plays back information stored in its mass memory, records new digitized information in its mass memory or combines analog information from a microphone with digitizer information received from the mass memory.

Claims

1. A home audiovisual reproduction apparatus comprising:

a portable housing including a plurality of control buttons for enabling user input for controlling the audiovisual reproduction apparatus, said housing further including a liquid crystal display;

at least a first memory area;

a central processing unit;

a network interface, managed by the central processing unit, for connecting to a network providing access to a library of audiovisual information, stored on at least one remote server, available for user download;

an audiovisual reproduction routine, stored in the first memory area and run by the central processing unit, to reproduce said downloaded audiovisual information;

a software update routine, stored in the first memory area and run by the central processing unit, to update at least operating software of the audiovisual reproduction apparatus, by connecting to the at least one remote server and downloading an update;

a sensor for receiving information for controlling the audiovisual reproduction apparatus from a remote control device, at least one operation button of said remote control device corresponding to at least one of said plurality of control buttons;

an audio controller electronic circuit linked to at least one audio output connector;

a video controller electronic circuit linked to at least one video output connector for connecting to at least a television; and

a user interface for enabling a selection of audiovisual information available on said remote server, said user interface further operable to enable input of a personal identification code that is input by a user, wherein said network interface is usable for downloading selected audiovisual information from a remote server only after a valid personal identification code has been input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, said memory for storing at least audiovisual information downloaded from said remote server, wherein said apparatus is further operable to send audio and video signals, corresponding to said stored audiovisual information, to said audio and video controller electronic circuits respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is further operable to initiate a user billing, if said valid personal identification code has been input.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said user interface is further operable to enable input of a credit card number, said user billing further including a billing to said credit card.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said user billing further includes a billing to a user account.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controls buttons further comprise:

a plurality of directional controls for moving an indicator displayed on said display, said indicator for designating a user choice; and

a selection control for indicating selection of a choice designated by said indicator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controls buttons further comprise:

a plurality of directional controls, operable to move an indicator displayed on said television, said indicator for designating a user choice; and

a selection control for indicating selection of a choice designated by said indicator.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is further operable to send audio and video signals, corresponding to said audiovisual information being downloaded, to said audio and video controller electronic circuits respectively.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a multi-tasked operating system including at least a routine for allowing a user to search said library of audiovisual information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display is a touch-screen display.