Audiovisual reproduction system

• US 7,757,264 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli; Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US11/797,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20070209053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 725/139, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 725/139
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/181 Billing, i.e. purchasing of data contents for use with electrophonic musical instruments; Protocols therefor; Management of transmission or connection time therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• 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 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• 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 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/802 involving processing of the sound signal H04N9/806, H04N9/835 take precedence

Abstract

Audiovisual reproduction system comprising a central unit managing a sound control circuit, and a telecommunications modem connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server, through a multitask operating system created around a tools and services library, characterized in that the operating system comprises a function that adjusts the sound control circuit to couple volumes in the various areas in which the loudspeakers in the audiovisual reproduction system are used, this function being accessible through a management mode of the multitask operating system, the coupling maintaining the ratios between the various volumes in each area when the volume in one area is modified.

Claims

1. A jukebox device, connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server comprising:

a display, comprising a touch screen portion, operable to display at least a customer interface, wherein the customer interface comprises at least one displayed touch selectable option, corresponding to at least one song, for selecting the corresponding song to be played;

a memory operable to store at least songs that may be played on the jukebox device in response to selections from a customer;

an audio reproduction system operable to provide audio;

a communication system for enabling the jukebox device to communicate with the distribution network;

a fee payment device for accepting payment of a fee;

a multi-task operating system;

wherein the host server is configured to determine, based on one or more first criteria, whether a file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times should be downloaded, wherein the downloading further includes downloading via the distribution network, to the jukebox device, said file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times;

wherein the one or more first criteria includes whether or not the jukebox device is located in a geographic area within a specified distance from a concert to be given by an artist who performs the one or more songs;

wherein based on one or more second criteria, the one or more specified times are defined;

wherein the one or more specified times corresponds to one of either (i) times on a date of a musical release by an artist who performs the one or more songs, or (ii) times on a date substantially close to a date on which a concert given by an artist who performs the one or more songs will be held;

wherein the jukebox device is operable to store the file in the memory, and

wherein the multi-task operating system is able to access the file and use the file to play the one or more songs at the one or more specified times.

2. A method of promoting using one or more jukebox devices, connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server, each said jukebox device including:

a display, comprising a touch screen portion, operable to display at least a customer interface, wherein the customer interface comprises at least one displayed touch selectable option, corresponding to at least one song, for selecting the corresponding song to be played;

a memory operable to store at least songs that may be played on the jukebox device in response to selections from a customer;

an audio reproduction system operable to provide audio;

a communication system for enabling the jukebox device to communicate with the distribution network;

a fee payment device for accepting payment of a fee; and

a multi-task operating system, the method comprising;

determining, based on one or more first criteria, to which of the one or more jukeboxes devices a file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times should be downloaded, wherein the downloading further includes downloading, to the jukebox devices determined by the determining step, said file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times;

wherein the one or more first criteria includes whether or not one of the one or more jukebox devices is located in a geographic area within a specified distance from a concert to be given by an artist who performs the one or more songs; and

using the file to play the one or more songs at the one or more specified times on the one or more jukebox devices.

3. The method of claim 2, further including:

selecting, based on one or more second criteria, the one or more songs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more second criteria includes whether or not a song is performed by an artist for whom promotion is desired.

5. A method of promoting using one or more jukebox devices, connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server and including:

a display, comprising a touch screen portion, operable to display at least a customer interface, wherein the customer interface comprises at least one displayed touch selectable option, corresponding to at least one song, for selecting the corresponding song to be played;

a memory operable to store at least songs that may be played on the jukebox device in response to selections from a customer;

an audio reproduction system operable to provide audio;

a communication system for enabling the jukebox device to communicate with the distribution network;

a fee payment device for accepting payment of a fee; and

a multi-task operating system, the method comprising;

determining, based on one or more first criteria, to which of the one or more jukebox devices a file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times should be downloaded, wherein the downloading further includes downloading, to the jukebox devices determined by the determining step, said file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times;

defining based on one or more second criteria, the one or more specified times;

wherein the one or more specified times correspond to times on a date of a musical release by an artist who performs the one or more songs; and

using the file to play the one or more songs at the one or more specified times on the one or more jukebox devices.

6. A method of promoting using one or more jukebox devices, connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server and including:

a display, comprising a touch screen portion, operable to display at least a customer interface, wherein the customer interface comprises at least one displayed touch selectable option, corresponding to at least one song, for selecting the corresponding song to be played;

a memory operable to store at least songs that may be played on the jukebox device in response to selections from a customer;

an audio reproduction system operable to provide audio;

a communication system for enabling the jukebox device to communicate with the distribution network;

a fee payment device for accepting payment of a fee; and

a multi-task operating system, the method comprising;

determining, based on one or more first criteria, to which of the one or more jukebox devices a file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times should be downloaded, wherein the downloading further includes downloading, to the jukebox devices determined by the determining step, said file instructing play of one or more songs at one or more specified times;

defining based on one or more second criteria, the one or more specified times;

wherein the one or more specified times correspond to times on a date substantially close to a date on which a concert given by an artist who performs the one or more songs will be held; and

using the file to play the one or more songs at the one or more specified times on the one or more jukebox devices.