Interactive, multi-user media delivery system

• US 7,711,774 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Philip C
• Application Number:
  US09/997,477
• Time in Patent Office: 3,087 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 725/32, 725/37, 386/46, 706/62
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8453 by locking or enabling a set of features, e.g. optional functionalities in an executable program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

An interactive, multi-user media delivery system having a number of media storage mediums, each of containing a particular media selection, and a number of media players structured to selectively deliver the media selection to users. Each of the media players includes a control assembly structured to selectively control and regulate delivery of the media selection to the user, and at least one of the media players is selectively designatable as a slave unit. A master control assembly is further provided and is operatively associated with the media players, a connectivity assembly being included to establish a communicative link at least between the slave unit(s) and the master control assembly. The master control assembly is further structured to receive synchronization data from each of the media players, and to simultaneously and uniformly control the delivery of the media selection by the media players.

Claims

1. An interactive, multi-user media delivery system comprising:

a) at least two portable media storage mediums, each of said portable storage mediums at least containing a substantially identical copy of a particular media selection;

b) at least two media players structured to selectively deliver said media selection to a user from a corresponding one of said portable storage mediums;

c) each of said media players including a control assembly structured to selectively control and regulate delivery of said media selection to the user;

d) at least one of said media players being selectively designatable as a slave unit;

e) a master control assembly operatively associated with said media players;

f) a connectivity assembly structured to establish a communicative link at least between said slave unit and said master control assembly;

g) said master control assembly structured to receive synchronization data of said media selection from each of said media players at commencement of delivery of said media selection, said synchronization data including a title and location designator associated with said media selection;

h) said master control assembly structured to unlock said media selection that is previously not available for viewing to the user; and

i) said master control assembly structured to periodically poll each of said media players to receive further synchronization data from each of said media players to identify what in said media selection is being delivered and to simultaneously and uniformly synchronize said delivery of said media selection by controlling each of said media players based on said polled and received synchronization data.

2. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said control assembly of one of said media players defines said master control assembly.

3. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least two media players include a plurality of said media players communicatively associated with at least said master control assembly via said connectivity assembly.

4. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 3 wherein said control assemblies of said plurality of said media players may selectively define said master control assembly.

5. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 3 wherein only one of said control assemblies of said plurality of said media players may define said master control assembly at one time.

6. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 including a plurality of said media players designated as slave units.

7. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 6 wherein said master control assembly is structured to provide selective control authority over all of said slave units to a select one of said slave units.

8. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said storage mediums include digital storage mediums.

9. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 8 wherein said digital storage mediums include any digital storage medium containing standard playback encoding.

10. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 including a plurality of said media players designated as slave units and each of said media players including said storage mediums with said media selection.

11. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said connectivity assembly includes a computerized network connection.

12. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said media players includes said connectivity assembly structured to establish said communicative link with a computerized network.

13. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a messaging assembly operatively associated with each of said media players, said messaging assembly structured to permit selective messaging communication to users of said media players while said media selection is being delivered to said users.

14. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly is structured to facilitate said selective messaging communication initiated by an operator of said master control assembly.

15. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly is structured to facilitate said selective messaging communication initiated by said users of said media players.

16. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly includes a messaging interface operatively associated therewith and structured to receive a message for communication to at least one of said media players.

17. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 16 wherein each of said media players includes said messaging interface.

18. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly is structured to permit selective communication of a message to at least a select one of said media players.

19. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly includes a communication shell associated with a delivery of a message to said user of each of said media player.

20. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 19 wherein said communication shell is structured to deliver promotional materials to said user in association with said message.

21. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 20 wherein said communication shell includes a messaging display structured to be displayed on a monitor associated with each of said media player, said messaging display including said promotional materials and said message.

22. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 19 wherein said communication shell includes at least one interactive link, said messaging assembly including a messaging interface structured to permit selective activation of said interactive link by said user.

23. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 22 wherein said interactive link is structured to initiate delivery of additional materials to said user when activated.

24. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 22 further comprising a master processor assembly communicatively associated with said media players and structured to receive activation information associated with user activation of said interactive link from said messaging assembly of a particular media player.

25. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 24 wherein said interactive link includes a plurality of interactive links, each of said interactive links representing a user response to a query.

26. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 24 wherein said master processor assembly is structured to receive and process said activation information from a plurality of said media players.

27. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 26 wherein said master processor assembly is responsive to said activation information from said plurality of said media players and is structured to communicate instructions to said master control assembly in connection therewith.

28. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communication shell structured to deliver promotional materials to said user in association with said media selection.

29. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly includes a text messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with said delivery of said media selection.

30. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly includes an audio messaging assembly structured to communicate a message audibly utilizing an audio system associated with each of said media player.

31. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said messaging assembly includes a video messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with said delivery of said media selection.

32. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said location designator includes a time code of said media selection.

33. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said location designator includes a track number of said media selection.

34. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a central authority structured to receive an identifier for said media selection on each of said portable storage mediums from each of said media players and to verify that each media selection is an authorized copy based on the received identifier, wherein upon verification, each of said media players having an authorized media selection is enabled to participate in said system.

35. An interactive, multi-user media delivery system comprising:

at least two removable media storage mediums, each of said removable storage mediums at least containing a substantially identical copy of a particular media selection;

at least two media players structured to selectively deliver said media selection to a user from a corresponding one of said removable storage mediums;

each of said media players including a control assembly structured to selectively control and regulate delivery of said media selection to the user;

at least one of said media players being selectively designatable as a slave unit;

a master control assembly operatively associated with said media players;

a connectivity assembly structured to establish a communicative link at least between said slave unit and said master control assembly;

said master control assembly structured to receive synchronization data of said media selection from each of said media players at commencement of delivery of said media selection, said synchronization data including a title and location designator associated with said media selection;

said master control assembly structured to unlock said media selection that is previously not available for viewing to the user;

said master control assembly structured to periodically poll each of said media players to receive further synchronization data from each of said media players to identify what in said media selection is being delivered and to simultaneously and uniformly synchronize said delivery of said media selection by controlling each of said media players based on said polled and received synchronization data; and

a messaging assembly operatively associated with each of said media players, said messaging assembly structured to permit selective messaging communication initiated by said users to said users of said media players while said media selection is being delivered to said users.

36. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 35, wherein each of the at least two removable media storage mediums is a conventional optical storage medium.

37. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 36, further comprising a central authority structured to receive an identifier for said media selection on each of said optical storage mediums from each of said media players and to verify that each media selection is an authorized copy based on the received identifier, wherein upon verification, each of said media players having an authorized media selection is enabled to participate in said system.

38. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 35 wherein said messaging assembly includes a text messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with said delivery of said media selection.

39. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 38 wherein said messaging assembly includes an audio messaging assembly structured to communicate a message audibly utilizing an audio system associated with each of said media player.

40. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 39 wherein said messaging assembly includes a video messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with said delivery of said media selection.