Digital downloading jukebox system with user-tailored music management, communications, and other tools

• US 8,151,304 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• 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, Dion, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, KIET G
• Application Number:
  US11/222,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20060062094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-250, 345/810, 235/380, 705/1, 705/10, 707/104.1, 379/88.17, 725/61
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/30 for musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• 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 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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

Abstract

A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user, including services for creating playlists, communicating with others, accessing other features, etc. is provided. In some exemplary embodiments, after a user is recognized, the jukebox system allows users to access a special front-end via the Internet or on an actual jukebox. Then, the user may, for example, create playlists, share songs with friends, send messages to friends, and access other value-added content. Other exemplary embodiments allow users to become certified, charging them for services without requiring constant inputting of coinage or credit card information. Such a system preferably learns about networks of friends, and enables managers to send similar messages to regular customers and/or others known to the system.

Claims

1. A digital jukebox device provided to an out-of-home location, comprising:

a collection mechanism configured to collect an amount of money for playing an instance of media on said digital jukebox device;

at least one output channel configured to output said instance of media;

a user recognizer configured to enable a user to login to the digital jukebox device to access patron-specific features of the digital jukebox device on the digital jukebox device at the out-of-home location by recognizing the user and retrieving information specific to said recognized user, at least some of said recognized user information being displayable on a display operably connected to the digital jukebox device in the out-of-home location; and

a user interface configured to enable said recognized user to (a) select said instance of media for playback on said digital jukebox device and (b) selectively create, modify, and/or delete at least some of said recognized user information, once the user has logged in to the digital jukebox device and accessed said patron-specific features,

wherein said recognized user information includes buddy list information, said buddy list information comprising contact information for at least one recognizable user,

wherein a buddy list communicator is configured to enable said recognized to send a message for at least one other recognizable user, said message being displayable on the digital jukebox device via said display of the digital jukebox device upon and as a result of a successful login to the digital jukebox device by the at least one other recognizable user and/or on an electronic device of the at least one other recognizable user,

wherein said recognized user information includes playlist information, said playlist information including information pertaining to a plurality of playlists, each said playlist being designated as either a private playlist or a public playlist,

wherein each said private playlist is accessible to and playable on the digital jukebox device only by the recognized user, and

wherein each said public playlist is accessible to and playable on the digital jukebox device by any jukebox device user.

2. The digital jukebox device of claim 1, wherein said collection mechanism automatically collects money from a recognized user based on billing information included in said recognized user information.

3. The digital jukebox device of claim 1, wherein said playlist information comprises at least one instance of media to be associated with a playlist.

4. The digital jukebox device of claim 3, wherein said playlist includes an identifying name.

5. The digital jukebox device of claim 1, wherein said message includes text, graphics, at least one instance of media, and/or credits operable with said collection mechanism.

6. The digital jukebox device of claim 1, wherein said recognized user information includes account and/or profile information;

said account information including a username, a password, an e-mail address, a telephone number, and/or billing information;

said profile information including said recognized user'"'"'s age, date of birth, gender, and/or place of birth.

7. A digital jukebox system, comprising:

a digital jukebox device provided to an out-of-home location including a collection mechanism configured to collect an amount of money for playing an instance of media on said digital jukebox device and at least one output channel configured to output said instance of media;

a first user recognizer configured to enable a user to login to the digital jukebox system to access patron-specific features of the digital jukebox system by recognizing the user and retrieving information specific to said recognized user; and

a first user interface operably connected to said first user recognizer configured to enable said recognized user to selectively create, modify, and/or delete said recognized user information, once the user has logged in to the digital jukebox system and accessed said patron-specific features, said first user interface being located at a location remote from said digital jukebox device,

wherein said digital jukebox device further includes a second user recognizer configured to enable the user to login to the digital jukebox device to access patron-specific features of the digital jukebox device on the digital jukebox device at the out-of-home location by recognizing the user and retrieving information specific to said recognized user, and a second user interface operably connected to said second user recognizer and provided to said digital jukebox device configured to enable said recognized user to select said instance of media for playback on said digital jukebox device in the out-of-home location,

wherein said recognized user information includes buddy list information, said buddy list information comprising contact information for at least one other recognizable user,

wherein a buddy list communicator is configured to enable recognized users to send messages for other recognizable users, said messages being displayable to the recognizable user to whom it is sent upon and as a result of a successful login to either the digital jukebox system or the digital jukebox device by that recognizable user and/or being displayable on an electronic device of that recognizable user,

wherein said recognized user information includes playlist information, said playlist information including information pertaining to a plurality of playlists, each said playlist being designated as either a private playlist or a public playlist,

wherein each said private playlist is accessible to and playable on the digital jukebox device only by the recognized user, and

wherein each said public playlist is accessible to and playable on the digital jukebox device by any jukebox device user.

8. The digital jukebox system of claim 7, wherein said first user interface is accessible via a recognizable user'"'"'s home computer through the Internet.

9. The digital jukebox system of claim 7, wherein said first user interface is accessible to a recognizable user via a mobile device.

10. The digital jukebox system of claim 7, wherein said digital jukebox system stores said recognized user information in a database.

11. The digital jukebox system of claim 7, wherein a central store accessible by said digital jukebox system and by said first and second user interfaces stores said recognized user information.

12. The digital jukebox system of claim 7, wherein a removable smart-card stores said recognized user information.

13. A digital jukebox system, comprising:

a plurality of digital jukebox devices provided to respective out-of-home locations, each said digital jukebox device comprising a collection mechanism configured to collect an amount of money for playing an instance of media on said digital jukebox device, at least one output channel configured to output said instance of media, and a communicator for communicating with the digital jukebox system and with other devices connected to the digital jukebox system;

a first user recognizer configured to enable a user to login to the digital jukebox system to access patron-specific features of the digital jukebox system by recognizing the user and retrieving information specific to said recognized user; and

a first user interface operably connected to said first user recognizer configured to enable said recognized user to selectively create, modify, and/or delete said recognized user information, once the user has logged in to the digital jukebox system and accessed said patron-specific features, said first user interface being located at a location remote from said digital jukebox device,

wherein each said digital jukebox device further comprises a second user recognizer configured to enable a user to login to the digital jukebox device to access patron-specific features of the digital jukebox device on the digital jukebox device at the out-of-home location by recognizing the user and retrieving information specific to said recognized user, and a second user interface operably connected to said second user recognizer and provided to said digital jukebox device configured to enable said recognized user to select said instance of media for playback on said digital jukebox device,

wherein said recognized user information is stored in a storage location accessible by each said digital jukebox device in the digital jukebox system such that the recognized user information becomes available to a particular digital jukebox device in the digital jukebox system upon the recognized user logging in to the particular digital jukebox device,

wherein said recognized user information includes contact information for at least one recognizable user,

wherein the communicator is configured to enable recognized users to leave messages for other recognizable users, each said message being displayable to the recognizable user for whom it is left upon and as a result of a successful login to either the digital jukebox system or the digital jukebox device by that recognizable user and/or being displayable on an electronic device of that recognizable user,

wherein said recognized user information includes playlist information, said playlist information including information pertaining to a plurality of playlists, each said playlist being designated as either a private playlist or a public playlist,

wherein each said private playlist is accessible to and playable on the digital jukebox device only by the recognized user, and

wherein each said public playlist is accessible to and playable on the digital jukebox device by any jukebox device user.

14. The digital jukebox system of claim 13, wherein each said communicator is operable to send said recognized user information to a communicator of at least one other digital jukebox device.

15. The digital jukebox system of claim 13, wherein each said communicator is operable to send e-mail messages to other recognizable users for subsequent viewing on respective electronic devices of the other recognizable users.

16. The digital jukebox system of claim 13, wherein each said communicator is operable to send SMS messages to other recognizable users for subsequent viewing on respective electronic devices of the other recognizable users.

17. The digital jukebox system of claim 13, wherein the recognized user information includes information pertaining to a number of credits belonging to the recognized user, the information pertaining to the number of credits belonging to the recognized user being accessible by, and credits corresponding thereto being usable on, each said digital jukebox device in the digital jukebox system upon said recognized user logging in.

18. The digital jukebox system of claim 13, wherein the communicator of each said digital jukebox device is configured to interface with a communications system not mediated by the digital jukebox system to send messages from the respective digital jukebox device to a device of a recognizable user via the communications system not mediated by the digital jukebox system.