Method and system for play-only media player

• US 8,108,642 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon, Ho, Chi Fai
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTZ, JARED IAN
• Application Number:
  US12/907,082
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 711/163, 726/26
• US Class Current: 711/163
• 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: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10

Abstract

A method and system for play-only media player is disclosed. The player includes a controller, a recording interface, and a non-removable storage. In recording content onto the media player, media signals are received through the recording interface. The media signals are stored in a media file on non-removable storage. When a controller receives a disable recording indication, it permanently disables the recording capabilities of the media player. The media file now is not accessible except for the purpose of playing the media file. To play the media file, a play indication is received by the controller. The controller then retrieves the content from the media file and sends the content to an output interface. In this manner, the media player only plays pre-loaded media content. The digital right for the content is protected against unauthorized copying while maintaining user friendliness of the media player.

Claims

1. A method for recording content onto a media player, comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of media signals through a recording interface;

(b) storing the plurality of media signals in a media file on a non-removable storage;

(c) receiving a disable recording indication; and

(d) in response to the disable recording indication, permanently disabling capabilities of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media signals comprises audio signals, video signals, or textual signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the permanently disabling (d) comprises:

(d1) in response to the disable recording indication, permanently disabling through the recording interface the capabilities of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) playing content from the media file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the media player cannot play the media file once the media file has been played a predetermined number of times.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the media player cannot play the media file after a predetermined period of time.

7. A media player, comprising:

a non-removable storage;

a recording interface; and

a controller, wherein the controller;

receives a plurality of media signals through the recording interface,

stores the plurality of media signals in a media file on the non-removable storage,

receives a disable recording indication, and

in response to the disable recording indication, permanently disabling capability of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage.

8. The player of claim 7, wherein the plurality of media signals comprises audio signals, video signals, or textual signals.

9. The player of claim 7, wherein in response to the disable recording indication, the controller permanently disables through the recording interface the capabilities of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage.

10. The player of claim 7, wherein the controller further plays content from the media file.

11. The player of claim 10, wherein the media player comprises a non-replaceable and non-rechargeable battery as a power source, wherein the controller cannot play the media file once the battery is fully discharged.

12. The player of claim 10, wherein the controller cannot play the media file once the media file has been played a predetermined number of times.

13. The player of claim 10, wherein the controller cannot play the media file after a predetermined period of time.

14. The player of claim 7, further comprising a system on a chip (SOC), wherein the controller and the non-removable storage are integrated on the SOC.

15. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions for recording content onto a media player, the program instructions configured to:

receive a plurality of media signals through a recording interface;

store the plurality of media signals in a media file on a non-removable storage;

receive a disable recording indication; and

in response to the disable recording indication, permanently disable capabilities of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of media signals comprises audio signals, video signals, or textual signals.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the program instructions configured to permanently disable the capabilities of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage are further configured to:

in response to the disable recording indication, permanently disable through the recording interface the capabilities of the media player to record onto the non-removable storage.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

play content from the media file.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the media player comprises a non-replaceable and non-rechargeable battery as a power source, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

stop playing of the media file once the battery is fully discharged.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are further configured to stop playing of the media file after a predetermined period of time.

21. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions for recording content onto a media player, the program instructions configured to:

receive a plurality of media signals through a recording interface;

store the plurality of media signals in a media file on a non-removable storage;

receive a disable recording indication; and

permanently disable recording capabilities of the media player in response to the disable recording indication.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions configured to store the plurality of media signals in the media file on the non-removable storage are further configured to:

convert the plurality of media signals; and

store the converted plurality of media signals in the media file on the non-removable storage.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions configured to store the plurality of media signals in the media file on the non-removable storage are further configured to:

determine the plurality of media signals comprises an end of media file indication; and

complete the storing of the plurality of signals in the media file on the non-removable storage in response to the end of media file indication.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions configured to permanently disable the recording capabilities of the media player in response to the disable recording indication are further configured to:

permanently disable the recording interface.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions configured to permanently disable the recording capabilities of the media player in response to the disable recording indication are further configured to:

permanently stop accepting any media signals from the recording interface.

26. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions configured to permanently disable the recording capabilities of the media player in response to the disable recording indication are further configured to:

discard any further media signals received from the recording interface.

27. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions configured to permanently disable the recording capabilities of the media player in response to the disable recording indication are further configured to:

physically and permanently disable the recording interface.

28. The medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

receive a play indication from a user input interface to play the media file stored in the media player;

retrieve content from the media file;

play the content.

29. The medium of claim 28, wherein the content from the media file comprises additional information about the content, wherein the additional information is displayed.