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

• US 8,359,348 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robbin, Gregory, Heller, David, Muller, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US12/955,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/247
• US Class Current: 709/201
• 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 method for submitting a media product to a media distribution site, said method comprising:

obtaining information for the media product, the information including at least a lyrics indicator to indicate that lyrics are provided for at least one of the plurality of media items and a region where the lyrics may be distributed;

obtaining media content for a plurality of media items to be included in the media product, 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 for the media product using a media submission application on a client computing device, the electronic package including at least the compressed media files, the information associated with the media product, and the information associated with the plurality of media items, and the media submission application using a standard format and arrangement to form the electronic package; and

electronically transmitting the electronic package to the media distribution site,

wherein the electronic package is formed in a standard format and arrangement and transmitted to the media distribution site in the standard format and arrangement to allow the media distribution site to process the electronic package in an automated manner.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

editing the electronic package using the media submission application on the client computing device;

forming a second electronic package using the media submission application; and

electronically transmitting the second electronic package to the media distribution site to replace the previously transmitted electronic package.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the media product includes at least:

a parental advisory indicator to indicate whether media product contains explicit content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for each of the plurality of media items includes at least a recording location to indicate where the media item was recorded.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the media product includes at least distribution rights data pertaining to one or more countries, territories, or regions where the media product is authorized to be distributed by the media distribution site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the media product includes at least a sales start date for the media product for when the media product is authorized to be distributed by the media distribution site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with each of the plurality of media items includes at least per-item price for one or more of the media items.

8. A system for submitting a media product to a media distribution site, comprising:

a submission application program for use by a client device, the submission application program being configured to;

obtain information for the media product, the media product having a plurality of media items and at least a lyrics indicator to indicate that lyrics are provided for at least one of the plurality of media items and a region where the lyrics may be distributed;

obtain media content for a plurality of media items to be included in the media product;

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

obtain information for each of the plurality of media items;

form an electronic package for the media product in a uniform format and arrangement, the electronic package including at least the compressed media files, the information associated with the media product, and the information associated with each of the plurality of media items; and

electronically transmit the electronic package in the uniform format and arrangement to the media distribution site from the client device; and

a media distribution site configured to;

electronically receive the electronic package; and

electronically process the electronic package having the uniform format and arrangement in an automated manner at the media distribution site, such that the media items are made available for distribution to users via the media distribution site.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information for the media product includes at least

a parental advisory indicator to indicate whether media product contains explicit content.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the information for each of the plurality of media items includes at least a recording location to indicate where the media item was recorded.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the information for the media product includes at least a title, artist, and a release year.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the information for the media product includes at least a pricing component that specifies a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site upon distribution of the media product.

13. The system of claim 12,

wherein the pricing arrangement includes a plurality of predetermined pricing tiers, and

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

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the media content is obtained from one or more media sources.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the information for the media product includes gapless information pertaining to one or more of the plurality of media items.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least computer program code tangibly stored thereon for submitting a media product to a media distribution site, said computer readable medium including at least:

computer program code for obtaining information for the media product, the information including at least a lyrics indicator to indicate that lyrics are provided for at least one of the plurality of media items and a region where the lyrics may be distributed;

computer program code for obtaining media content for a plurality of media items to be included in the media product, 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 product using a media submission application on a client computing device, the electronic package including at least the compressed media files, the information associated with the media product, and the information associated with the plurality of media items, and the media submission application using a standard format and arrangement to form the electronic package; and

computer program code for electronically transmitting the electronic package to the media distribution site, wherein the electronic package is formed in a standard format and arrangement and transmitted to the media distribution site in the standard format and arrangement to allow the media distribution site to process the electronic package in an automated manner.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the information for the media product is metadata for the media product, and wherein the information for each of the plurality of media items is metadata for each of the media items.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the metadata for the media product includes at least a sales start date for the media product, and wherein the metadata for each of the media items includes at least a sales start date for each of the media items.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the information for the media product includes at least distribution start data that permits different sales start dates to be specified for different locations where the media product is available for distribution.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the information for the media product includes at least one of:

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

a pricing component that specifies a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site when distributing the media product;

or

a parental advisory indicator to indicate whether media product contains explicit content,

wherein the information for the media items includes at least per-item prices for each of the media items.

21. A method for submitting a media product to a media distribution site, said method comprising:

obtaining information for the media product, the information including at least;

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

a pricing component that specifies a pricing arrangement for use by the media distribution site when distributing the media product;

a lyrics indicator to indicate that lyrics are provided for at least one of the plurality of media items and a region where the lyrics may be distributed; and

a parental advisory indicator to indicate whether media product contains explicit content,

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

obtaining information for each of the plurality of media items;

forming an electronic package for the media product using a media submission application on a client computing device, the media submission application using a uniform format and arrangement to form the electronic package; and

electronically transmitting the electronic package to the media distribution site, wherein the electronic package is formed and transmitted in the uniform format and arrangement to allow the media distribution site to process the electronic package in an automated manner.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the information for each of the plurality of media items includes at least a recording location to indicate where the media item was recorded.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the forming further comprises:

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

wherein the electronic package includes at least the compressed media files, the information associated with the media product, and the information associated with the plurality of media items.