Techniques and systems for electronic submission of media for network-based distribution

• US 7,844,548 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Muller, Max, Robbin, Gregory, Heller, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel; Vanel
• Application Number:
  US11/609,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/52, 705/51
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/2295 Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Methods and systems for submitting media to a media distribution site are disclosed. The submission of media to the media distribution site is able to be performed by numerous submitters in a uniform and computer-assisted manner. The submitted media can then be encoded in a largely automated manner at the media distribution site into a suitable digital form and then made available for online purchase and distribution.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for use in submitting a media collection to a media distribution site, said graphical user interface being presented on a display device associated with a computing device, said graphical user interface comprising:

a media collection information window, presented on the display device, for assisting a user in providing media collection information, the media collection information including information that is associated with a media collection, the media collection including a plurality of media items; and

a media content information window, presented on the display device, for assisting a user in providing media content information for each of the media items in the media collection, the media content information including information that is associated with one of the media items in the media collection,

wherein said media collection information window includes a distribution rights component wherein the user can specify one or more countries, territories or regions where the media collection can be distributed by the media distribution site, and

wherein said media collection information window further includes a distribution start data component wherein the user can specify different sales start dates for different ones of the countries, territories or regions specified in the distribution rights component.

2. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface is provided by a media submission program.

3. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the media collection is a playlist.

4. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media collection information window includes a language component wherein the user can specify a language for use with the media collection.

5. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the media distribution site permits the media collection to be sold only in the one or more countries, territories or regions specified in the distribution rights component.

6. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media collection information window includes a pricing component wherein the user can specify a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site when distributing the media collection.

7. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 6,

wherein the pricing arrangement is specified by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined pricing tiers, and

wherein the price associated with the predetermined pricing tiers is determined by a distribution agreement between the user and the media distribution site.

8. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media collection information window comprises:

a language component wherein the user can specify a language for use with the media collection; and

a pricing component wherein the user can specify a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site when distributing the media collection.

9. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media collection information window comprises:

a language component wherein the user can specify a language for use with the media collection; and

a title component wherein the user can specify a title for the media collection,

wherein when the language specified via the language component is a non-English language, the title component enables the user to specify a title in the language specified as well as in an English language.

10. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 9, wherein when the language specified via the language component is a non-English language, the title component enables the user to specify a title in the language specified, in a phonetic manner, and in an English language.

11. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media content information window includes a title component wherein the user can specify a title for a media item in the media collection, and

wherein when a language specified for the media collection is a non-English language, the title component enables the user to specify a title in the language specified as well as in an English language.

12. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 11, wherein when the language specified for the media collection is a non-English language, the title component enables the user to specify a title in the language specified, in a phonetic manner, and in the English language.

13. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media collection information window includes a pricing component wherein the user can specify a per-item price for use by the media distribution site when distributing any of the media items in the media collection.

14. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said media collection information window includes a gapless playback component wherein the user can specify whether one or more of the media items are gapless or can be playback in a gapless manner.

15. A computer readable medium including an electronic media package stored thereon for submitting a media collection to a media distribution site, said computer readable medium comprising:

an image file associated with the media collection, the media collection including a plurality of media items;

a metadata file including metadata for the media collection and/or one or more of the media items within the media collection, the metadata specifying at least one or more locations where the media collection can be sold, and a sales start date for each of the one or more locations where the media collection can be sold; and

a plurality of media files, each of said media files pertaining to one of the media items within the media collection.

16. An electronic media package as recited in claim 15, wherein the metadata specifies at least title, artist, genre, and release year.

17. An electronic media package as recited in claim 16, wherein the metadata further specifies a pricing tier.

18. An electronic media package as recited in claim 17,

wherein the locations are countries, territories or regions, and

wherein the media distribution site uses the pricing tier, the locations, and the sales start dates when distributing the media collection.

19. An electronic media package as recited in claim 16, wherein the metadata further specifies a language associated with the media collection.

20. An electronic media package as recited in claim 19, wherein when the language specified for the media collection is a non-English language, the metadata includes a title in at least two of the following forms:

the language specified, in a phonetic manner, and in the English language.

21. An electronic media package as recited in claim 15, wherein the metadata includes lyrics for at least one of the media items within the media collection.

22. A method performed by a computing device for submitting a media collection to a media distribution site, said method comprising:

obtaining information for the media collection, the information associated with the media collection including at least (i) distribution rights data pertaining to one or more countries, territories or regions where the media collection is authorized to be distributed by the media distribution site, and (ii) a plurality of different sales start dates for the media collection in the one or more countries, territories or regions where the media collection is authorized to be distributed by the media distribution site;

obtaining media content for a plurality of media items to be included in the media collection, the media content being obtained from one or more media sources;

converting the media content for the plurality of media items into compressed media files;

obtaining information for each of the plurality of media items;

forming an electronic package of the media collection, the electronic package including at least the compressed media files, the information associated with the media collection, and the information associated with the plurality of media items; and

electronically transmitting the electronic package to the media distribution site.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the media collection is metadata for the media collection, and wherein the information associated with the plurality of media items is metadata for each of the media items.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the media collection includes at least a sales start date for the media collection.

25. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the plurality of media items includes at least a per-item price for one or more of the media items.

26. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the media collection includes at least two or more genre to be associated with the media collection.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the information associated with the media items includes at least two or more genre to be associated with at least one of the media items.

28. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the media collection includes at least a pricing component that specifies a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site when distributing the media collection.

29. A method as recited in claim 28,

wherein the pricing arrangement is specified by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined pricing tiers, and

wherein the price associated with the predetermined pricing tiers is determined by a distribution agreement between the user and the media distribution site.

30. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the media collection includes at least a language indication that specifies a language for use with the media collection.

31. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 30, wherein when the language specified by the language indication is a non-English language, a title for the media collection can be specified in the language specified, in a phonetic manner, and in the English language.

32. A method as recited in claim 31,

wherein said obtaining of the information for each of the plurality of media items is performed, at least in part, by importing at least a portion of the information for one or more of the plurality of media items from an electronic file, and

wherein said obtaining of the information for the media collection is performed, at least in part, by importing at least a portion of the information for one or more of the plurality of media items from an electronic file.

33. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the information associated with the media collection includes at least gapless information pertaining to one or more of the plurality of media items.

34. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code tangibly stored thereon for submitting a media collection to a media distribution site, said computer readable medium including at least:

computer program code for obtaining information for the media collection, wherein the information obtained for the media collection includes at least distribution start data that permits different sales start dates to be specified for different locations where the media collection is available for distribution;

computer program code for obtaining media content for a plurality of media items to be included in the media collection, the media content being obtained from one or more media sources;

computer program code for converting the media content for the plurality of media items into compressed media files;

computer program code for obtaining information for each of the plurality of media items;

computer program code for forming an electronic package of the media collection, the electronic package including at least the compressed media files, the information associated with the media collection, and the information associated with the plurality of media items; and

computer program code for electronically transmitting the electronic package to the media distribution site.

35. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the information associated with the media collection includes at least one of:

a language indication that specifies a language for use with the media collection;

a sales start date for the media collection;

distribution rights data pertaining to one or more countries, territories or regions where the media collection is authorized to be distributed by the media distribution site;

a plurality of different sales start dates for the media items in the media collection, and a second sales start date for another one or more of the media items in the media collection; and

a pricing component that specifies a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site when distributing the media collection.

36. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 35, wherein the information associated with the plurality of media items includes at least per-item prices for each of the media items.