Processing system for recording media content

• US 7,822,686 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors, Morgan, Fabian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCINTYRE, CHARLES AARON
• Application Number:
  US12/157,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/28 for radio apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/17 on recording information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system are provided in which a user is enabled to record, for example, a song or other radio and/or video content, on demand, and to account for and process appropriate payment for the use of the recorded content. The recorded material is saved and indexed by title and is retrievable for subsequent review, tabulation and/or playing at the user'"'"'s convenience. In one example, a user is enabled to record received media content by pressing a single “ADD” button at any time while a favorite song is being received and played. The song then being played together with the title of the song or video presentation are then saved to memory for subsequent retrieval and playing. The received content is accounted for and tabulated and a payment for the use of the recorded song is processed by the user in accordance with a predetermined payment schedule.

Claims

1. A method for processing compensation to a first party for use of a publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file being broadcast from a broadcast station, said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file being effective to cause a playing of said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file on an audio playing device of a user, said method comprising:

receiving said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file from said broadcast station by said audio playing device of said user;

providing an identifying indicium for said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file;

providing a selection device, said selection device being operable by said user to select one of said broadcast unencrypted audio files as said one of said audio files is being played on said audio playing device;

saving said selected one of said broadcast unencrypted audio files in its entirety only upon detection of an actuation of said selection device by said user;

using said identifying indicium to determine a payment amount corresponding to a use of said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file; and

processing said payment amount to effect payment of said payment amount.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file is an audio signal effective to cause a playing of a song on said audio playing device by said user.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file includes an audio signal effective to cause a playing of a song on said audio playing device, and said identifying indicium is a song title of said song.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file is transmitted through the air from said broadcast station.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file is transmitted from a satellite transmitter.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file is transmitted through a cable to a user receiver device.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

storing said identifying indicium in a memory unit within a user wireless device; and

reading said identifying indicium from said memory prior to said using.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said using comprises comparing said identifying indicium to a database of similar indicia to determine a payment amount corresponding to said identifying indicium.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said memory unit is embodied in a portable credit-card-sized unit.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein wireless device includes pre-payment means by which said wireless device is programmable to operate in combination with a user recording device to selectively enable a user recording device to record a predetermined amount of publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file content.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said wireless device is selectively operable in combination with a reading device to determine said payment amount corresponding to said identifying indicium read from said memory unit.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said identifying indicium for publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file content recorded by said user is wirelessly transmitted from said audio playing device to a processing center, said processing center being operable for determining said payment amount corresponding to said identifying indicium.

13. A storage medium, said storage medium being selectively coupled to processing circuitry, said storage medium containing indicia readable by said processing circuitry for providing program signals to enable processing of a payment for use of a publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file transmitted to a user, said program signals being effective for:

receiving said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file by said user;

providing an identifying indicium for said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file;

responding to an actuation of a selection device, said selection device being operable by said user to select one of said broadcast unencrypted audio files as said one of said audio files is being played on said audio playing device;

saving said selected one of said broadcast unencrypted audio files in its entirety only upon detection of an actuation of said selection device by said user;

using said identifying indicium to determine a payment amount corresponding to a use of said publicly broadcast unencrypted media file; and

processing said payment amount in order to effect payment of said payment amount.

14. A system for enabling processing of a payment to a first party for use of a publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file transmitted to a user, said system comprising:

a system bus;

a CPU device connected to said system bus;

a memory connected to said system bus;

means arranged for selectively receiving and recording said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file;

means for reading an identifying indicium uniquely associated with said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file and transmitted with said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file;

an audio playing device, said audio playing device being selectively operable by said user for playing said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file;

a selection device, said selection device being operable by said user to select one of said broadcast unencrypted audio files as said one of said audio files is being played on said audio playing device;

said memory including a FIFO unit and a non-volatile unit, said FIFO unit being operable for saving said selected publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file in its entirety as said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file is being received, said memory being further operable for saving said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file in its entirety from said FIFO unit to said non-volatile memory unit upon detection of an actuation of said selection device by said user;

means arranged to use said identifying indicium to determine a payment amount corresponding to a use of said publicly broadcast unencrypted audio file; and

processing said payment amount in order to effect payment of said payment amount to said first party.