Music distribution system for mobile audio player devices

• US 7,865,137 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tunnel IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Syncronation, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, David, Goldberg, Benjamin, Goldberg, Martha, Goldberg, Miriam
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tu X
• Application Number:
  US11/566,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 455/16, 455/15
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0083 using wireless transmission, e.g. radio, light, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo control G10H2210/375
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analog or digital, e.g. DECT GSM, UMTS smartphone, PDA or palmtop used for musical purposes G10H2230/015; mobile ringtone G10H2230/021
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/325 Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings synchronised lyrics, e.g. for karaoke G10H2220/011
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for distributing music to members of a music sharing group. In one aspect, the method can include identifying a mobile audio player device that introduces a music selection to another mobile audio player device. A signal comprising the music selection, a musical identifier that identifies the music selection and an identifier that identifies the transmitting device is transmitted from a first mobile device to a second mobile device. The second device stores the musical identifier and the identifier of the transmitting device in association with one another. In another aspect, the devices are enabled to connect over a wide area network and use the identifiers to obtain the music selection from a music distributor over the network. In yet another aspect, the transmitting device receives points or other compensation for introducing the music selection to the second device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit; and

automatically transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein automatically transferring broadcast control comprises automatically transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to the original receive unit in response to the original broadcast unit becoming unavailable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit in the cluster via local wireless communication, and the original broadcast unit becomes unavailable when the original broadcast unit is out of local wireless communication range of one or more of the at least one original receive unit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the original broadcast unit becomes unavailable when the original broadcast unit is turned off.

4. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein the original receive unit to which the broadcast control is transferred is randomly selected from the at least one original receive unit.

5. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein the original receive unit to which the broadcast control is transferred is selected via a voting process.

6. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein one of the at least one original receive unit that has been in the cluster the longest is automatically selected as the original receive unit to which the broadcast control is transferred.

7. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein transferring broadcast control comprises transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to the original receive unit in response to a manual request by a user of the original receive unit.

8. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit;

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit; and

obtaining approval to transfer broadcast control from a user of the original broadcast unit prior to transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to the original receive unit.

9. A method comprising:

providing a cluster comprising an original broadcast unit and at least one original receive unit wherein the original broadcast unit broadcasts media content to the at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to an original receive unit from the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit for the cluster and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit in the cluster and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein transferring broadcast control comprises;

notifying the one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit of the new broadcast unit such that the one or more other original receive units are enabled to tune to a communication channel over which the new broadcast unit broadcasts media content; and

ceasing to broadcast media content from the original broadcast unit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the new broadcast unit establishes a multicast channel over which to broadcast media content, and notifying the one or more other original receive units of the new broadcast unit comprises providing a multicast address of the multicast channel to the one or more other original receive units.

11. A method of operation of an original broadcast unit, comprising:

broadcasting media content to at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control to an original receive unit of the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein the method further comprises randomly selecting the original receive unit to which the broadcast control is transferred from the at least one original receive unit.

12. A method of operation of an original broadcast unit, comprising:

broadcasting media content to at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control to an original receive unit of the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein the method further comprises selecting the original receive unit to which the broadcast control is transferred via a voting process.

13. A method of operation of an original broadcast unit, comprising:

broadcasting media content to at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control to an original receive unit of the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein the method further comprises automatically selecting one of the at least one original receive unit that has been associated with the original broadcast unit the longest as the original receive unit to which the broadcast control is transferred.

14. A method of operation of an original broadcast unit, comprising:

broadcasting media content to at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control to an original receive unit of the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein transferring broadcast control comprises;

receiving a request from the original receive unit initiated by a user of the original receive unit to transfer broadcast control to the original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to the original receive unit in response to the request.

15. A method of operation of an original broadcast unit, comprising:

broadcasting media content to at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control to an original receive unit of the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein transferring broadcast control comprises;

obtaining approval from a user of the original broadcast unit to transfer broadcast control to the original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control from the original broadcast unit to the original receive unit upon receiving approval from the user of the original broadcast unit.

16. A method of operation of an original broadcast unit, comprising:

broadcasting media content to at least one original receive unit; and

transferring broadcast control to an original receive unit of the at least one original receive unit such that the original receive unit becomes a new broadcast unit and operates to broadcast media content to at least one of a group consisting of;

the original broadcast unit such that the original broadcast unit is a new receive unit and one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit;

wherein transferring broadcast control comprises;

notifying the one or more other original receive units from the at least one original receive unit of the new broadcast unit such that the one or more other original receive units are enabled to tune to a communication channel over which the new broadcast unit broadcasts media content; and

ceasing to broadcast media content to the at least one original receive unit.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the new broadcast unit establishes a multicast channel over which to broadcast media content, and notifying the one or more other original receive units of the new broadcast unit comprises:

receiving a multicast address of the multicast channel from the new broadcast unit; and

providing the multicast address of the multicast channel to the one or more other original receive units.