Apparatus and method for interactive content requests in a networked computer jukebox

• US 7,647,613 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DOOH IP LLC, Samuel B. Howard
• Original Assignee: Akoo International Incorporated
• Inventors: Karantonis, John, Drakoulis, Niko, Stoikos, Georgios
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam; Mushfikh
• Application Number:
  US11/186,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• 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 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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

Abstract

A remote user interface transmits a digital media request through a communication link to a control which is coupled to a digital audio-visual playback device for selecting and playing a stored digital media by the playback device. The control receives the digital media request and transmits digital media selection and/or the selected digital media content directly to a selected playback device or indirectly to the selected playback device through a playback device server. The communication between the control and the playback device can be through a global communication network.

Claims

1. A method for content selection of digital media stored in a memory coupled to a digital media processor and playable on a digital audio-visual playback device comprising the steps of:

providing a first communication link between a user interface and a media management control including a processor wherein the media management control is distinct from the digital media processor;

providing a second communication link between the media management control and a digital media processor coupled to a memory for storing and retrieving digital media, the digital media processor coupled in communication with at least one digital audio-visual playback device;

transmitting only a single communication message from the user interface remote from the playback device through the first communication link to processor in the media management control, the single communication message including a digital media identifier as a digital media content request, a media management access identifier and at least one digital media playback device identifier;

in response to the digital media content request from the user interface, the media management control managing the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media specified by the digital media identifier through the second communication link to the digital media processor on the at least one digital audio-visual playback device identified in the single communication message by at least the steps of;

the media management control communicating with the digital media processor to determine the availability of the playback device specified in the digital media content request from a user interface;

determining the availability of the requested digital media at the location of the playback device by the media management control at the time of the user request;

determining by the media management control the operability of the at least one identified playback device to play the requested media;

notifying the user via the user interface by the media management control of the acceptance/rejection of the digital media content request; and

initiating transmission of the selected digital media by the digital media processor to the at least one identified digital audio-visual playback device for play of the selected digital media by the at least one identified digital audio-visual playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the digital media content request through the first communication link further comprises:

forming the first communication link to include at least a wireless communication portion.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the digital media content request through the first communication link further comprises:

forming at least a portion of the first communication link to include the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

generating by the media management control identified digital media content request signals from a digital media content request to access the identified digital media content in the memory.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initiating the transmission of the identified digital media content request comprises the step of:

communicating the digital media content to a digital audio-visual playback device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of communicating the identified digital media to the digital audio-visual playback device further comprises the step of:

transmitting the identified digital media over the Internet to the digital audio-visual playback device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

media management control transmitting data relating to the digital media content request and the play of the selected digital media by the playback device to the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

the media management control polling the digital media processor for an updated list of available playback devices and available digital media, in response to a digital media content request from a user interface.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of managing the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media further comprises of the steps of:

notifying the user of an acceptance of the request; and

processing billing for the request to the user.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

allowing selection of a standard play in the time order of user requests received by the media management control and a premium play advanced out of time order of user requests received by the media management control.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a distinct identifier for at least one of the digital media processor and the at least one digital audio-visual playback device coupled to the digital media processor; and

including one location identifier in the user request through the first communication link.

12. An apparatus for content selection for play by a digital audio-visual playback device comprising:

digital media processor means for storing and retrieving digital media in a memory;

means for transmitting a digital media content request from a user interface in only a single communication message through a first communication link to a media management control, wherein the media management control is distinct from the digital media processor, the request including, in the single communication message, at least a location identifier of at least one of the digital media processor and the at least one playback device, and a digital media access identifier;

the media management control communicating with the digital media processor to determine the availability of the playback device specified in the digital media content request from a user interface;

means for providing a second communication link between the media management control and a digital media processor coupled to a memory containing digital media, the digital media processor in communication with at least one digital audio-visual playback device, the media management control, in response to a digital media content request through the first communication link from a user interface remote from an at least one digital audio-visual playback device, managing the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media specified by the digital media identifier through the digital media processor on the at least one digital audio-visual playback device by at least;

means for determining the availability of the requested digital media at the location of the at least one playback device by the media management control at the time of the user request; and

means for determining the operability of the at least playback device to play the requested digital media;

means for initiating the transmission of the identified digital media from the digital media processor to the at least one digital audio-visual playback device for play of the identified digital media by the at least one digital audio-visual playback device; and

means for notifying the user via the user interface by the media management control of the acceptance/rejection of the digital media content request.

13. An apparatus for digital media content selection comprising:

at least one digital audio-visual playback device capable of playing digital audio-visual media, the playback device having a distinct location identifier;

a digital media processor having discrete digital audio-visual media stored in a memory the digital media processor coupled to the at least one playback device;

a user interface, separate from the digital audio-visual playback device, the user interface transmitting a digital media request identifying a digital audio-visual media content, the request including, in only a single communication message, at least a digital media access identifier;

a first communication link coupling the user interface and a media management control;

wherein the media management control is distinct from the digital media processor;

the media management control coupled in data communication with the digital media processor by a second communication link and managing the execution of the digital media specified by the digital media identifier through the digital media processor and the digital audio-visual playback device by;

the media management control communicating with the digital media processor to determine the availability of the playback device specified in the digital media content request from a user interface;

means for determining the availability of the requested digital media by the at least one playback device by the media management control at the time of the user request;

means for determining the operability of the at least one playback device to play the user request by the media management control in response to user request parameters;

means for controlling the order of play of digital media content requests from a plurality of distinct users by service priority queuing; and

a transmission link coupling the digital media processor and the digital audio-visual playback device for transmitting signals relating to selected digital audio-visual media content to the digital audio-visual playback device for play of the selected digital media.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the media management control coupled to the transmission link.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the digital media processor comprises:

a jukebox server coupled to the transmission link.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

at least a portion of the first communication link includes a wireless carrier network.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the transmission link comprises:

at least one of the Internet and a wireless communication protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

billing means, operative by the media management control, for billing a user for a digital media request.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

means, communicating with the user interface, for providing the user with a means for selecting the location of one specific digital audio-visual playback device.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first communication link and the media management control are adapted for SMS communication.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

media management control transmitting data relating to the digital media content request and the play of the selected digital media by the playback device to the user interface.

22. In a digital audio-visual media playback apparatus including at least one digital audio-visual playback device capable of generating audio-visual media from a memory containing discrete digital media, the improvement comprising:

digital media processor means for storing and retrieving digital media in a memory;

a first communication link between a user interface and a media management control wherein the media management control is distinct from the digital media processor;

a second communication link between the media management control and the digital media playback apparatus;

a distinct identifier assigned to at least one of a media playback device and a digital media;

a user interface, separate from the digital audio-visual playback device, the user interface transmitting a digital media request, in a single communication method, including at least one identifier of at least one playback device and a digital media selection to be played by the at least one identified digital audio-visual playback device in a manner capable of being perceived by the user;

the digital media content request from the user interface transmitted through a first communication link to a media management control;

the media management control coupled to the digital media play back apparatus by the second communication link and controlling the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media on the at least one playback device through the second communication link by;

the media management control communicating with the digital media processor to determine the availability of the playback device specified in the digital media content request from a user interface;

determining the availability of the requested digital media at the location of the at least one playback device by the media management control at the time of the user request; and

determining the operability of the at least one playback device to play the requested digital media content.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

media management control transmitting data relating to the digital media content request and the play of the selected digital media by the playback device to the user interface.

24. A method for content selection of digital media comprising the steps of:

providing a separate first communication link between each of a plurality of user interfaces and a single media management control;

providing a second communication link between the media management control and a digital media processor coupled to a memory for storing and retrieving digital media, wherein the media management control is distinct from the digital medial processor, the digital media processor coupled in communication with at least one digital audio-visual playback device;

transmitting only a single communication message from each user interface remote from the playback device through one of the first communication links to a processor in the media management control, the single communication message including at least a digital media identifier as a digital media content request, a media management access identifier and at least one digital media playback device identifier;

in response to the digital media content request from the user interface, the media management control managing the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media specified by the digital media identifier through the second communication link to the digital media processor on the at least one digital audio-visual playback device identified by the single communication message by at least the steps of;

the media management control communicating with the digital media processor to determine the availability of the playback device specified in the digital media content request from a user interface;

determining the availability of the requested digital media at the location of the playback device by the media management control at the time of the user request;

determining by the media management control the operability of the at least one identified playback device to play the requested digital media;

notifying the user via the user interface by the media management control of the acceptance/rejection of the digital media content request; and

initiating transmission of the selected digital media by the digital media processor to the at least one identified digital audio-visual playback device for play of the selected digital media by the at least one identified digital audio-visual playback device.

25. An apparatus for content selection for play by a digital audio-visual playback device coupled to a digital media processor means for storing and retrieving digital media in a memory comprising:

digital media processor means for storing and retrieving digital media in a memory;

means for transmitting a digital media content request from a user interface in only a single communication message through a first communication link to a media management control, wherein the media management control is distinct from the digital media processor, the request including, in the single communication message, at least a location identifier of at least one of the digital media processor and the at least one playback device, and a digital media access identifier;

means for providing a second communication link between the media management control and a digital media processor coupled to a memory containing digital media, the digital media processor in communication with at least one digital audio-visual playback device, the media management control, in response to a digital media content request through the first communication link from a user interface remote from an at least one digital audio-visual playback device, managing the execution and the manner of execution of the digital media specified by the digital media identifier through the digital media processor on the at least one digital audio-visual playback device by at least;

the media management control communicating with the digital media processor to determine the availability of the playback device specified in the digital media content request from a user interface;

means for determining the availability of the requested digital media at the location of the at least one playback device by the media management control at the time of the user request;

means for determining the operability of the at least playback device to play the requested digital media;

means for initiating the transmission of the identified digital media from the digital media processor to the at least one digital audio-visual playback device for play of the identified digital media by the at least one digital audio-visual playback device; and

means for notifying the user via the user interface by the media management control of the acceptance/rejection of the digital media content request.