Methods and apparatus for electronic file use and management
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving, by a service, a plurality of audio files from a user;
in response to receiving the plurality of audio files, making the plurality of audio files available to playback from the service;
transmitting, from a handheld device through a wireless communication network, first identifying information of the user to the service for authentication;
after making the plurality of audio files available to playback, authenticating, by the service, the first identifying information of the user received from the handheld device through a wireless communication network;
in response to authenticating the first identifying information, sending, to the handheld device from the service through the wireless communication network, a play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files;
receiving, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files;
transmitting, from the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a first request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files;
receiving, from the handheld device by the service through the wireless communication network, the first request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files;
in response to receiving the first request, sending, to the handheld device by the service through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file;
receiving, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file;
playing, by the handheld device, the portion of the audio file to the user;
transmitting, from a computing device that is different from the handheld device, identifying information of the user to the service for authentication;
authenticating, by the service, second identifying information of the user received from the computing device;
in response to authenticating the second identifying information, sending, to the computing device the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files;
receiving, by the computing device, the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files;
receiving, from the computing device, a second request to playback the audio file of the plurality of audio files;
in response to receiving the second request, sending, to the computing device, at least the portion of the audio file;
receiving, by the computing device, at least a portion of the audio file; and
playing, by the computing device, the portion of the audio file to the user.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating online storage of files (e.g., audio tracks, video, etc.) for playback/access or sale/exchange by the owners of the files without violating copyrights that copyright holders have in the files. For example, by providing a playback service that does not store additional versions of an audio file when the file is transmitted to, and immediately played on, a user device without buffering, the present invention avoids violating copyright laws by not making copies of the file. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a service, a plurality of audio files from a user; in response to receiving the plurality of audio files, making the plurality of audio files available to playback from the service; transmitting, from a handheld device through a wireless communication network, first identifying information of the user to the service for authentication; after making the plurality of audio files available to playback, authenticating, by the service, the first identifying information of the user received from the handheld device through a wireless communication network; in response to authenticating the first identifying information, sending, to the handheld device from the service through the wireless communication network, a play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; receiving, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; transmitting, from the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a first request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files; receiving, from the handheld device by the service through the wireless communication network, the first request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files; in response to receiving the first request, sending, to the handheld device by the service through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file; receiving, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file; playing, by the handheld device, the portion of the audio file to the user; transmitting, from a computing device that is different from the handheld device, identifying information of the user to the service for authentication; authenticating, by the service, second identifying information of the user received from the computing device; in response to authenticating the second identifying information, sending, to the computing device the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; receiving, by the computing device, the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; receiving, from the computing device, a second request to playback the audio file of the plurality of audio files; in response to receiving the second request, sending, to the computing device, at least the portion of the audio file; receiving, by the computing device, at least a portion of the audio file; and playing, by the computing device, the portion of the audio file to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
a non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that are configured such that when a computing system executes the instructions, the computing system is caused to; receive a plurality of audio files from a user; determine that the plurality of audio files do not exceed a storage capacity associated with an account of the user; in response to receiving the plurality of audio files, make the plurality of audio files available to playback from the apparatus; after making the plurality of audio files available to playback, authenticate first login information of the user received from a handheld device through a wireless communication network; in response to authenticating the first login information, send, to the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; receive, from the handheld device through the wireless communication network, first a request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files; in response to receiving the first request, send, to the handheld device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file; authenticate second login information of the user received from a computing device that is different from the handheld device; in response to authenticating the second login information, send, to the computing device the play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; receive, from the computing device through the wireless communication network, a second request to playback the audio file of the plurality of audio files; and in response to receiving the second request, send, to the computing device, at least the portion of the audio file. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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transmitting a respective indication of each of a plurality of audio files from a handheld device through a wireless communication network to a service; transmitting, from a handheld device through a wireless communication network, identifying information of a user to a service for authentication; receiving, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; transmitting, from the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files; receiving, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file; playing, by the handheld device, the portion of the audio file to the user; and in response to playing the portion, determining that the portion is not stored in a memory of the handheld device.
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19. An apparatus comprising:
a non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that are configured such that when a computing system executes the instructions, the computing system is caused to; transmit a respective indication of each of a plurality of audio files from a handheld device through a wireless communication network to a service; transmit, from a handheld device through a wireless communication network, identifying information of a user to a service for authentication; receive, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a play list of the user, in which the play list identifies the plurality of audio files; transmit, from the handheld device through the wireless communication network, a request to playback an audio file of the plurality of audio files; receive, by the handheld device through the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the audio file; play, by the handheld device, the portion of the audio file to the user; and in response to playing the portion, determine that the portion is not stored in a memory of the handheld device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
Specification