Digital media distribution system

• US 8,385,912 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silver Union Worldwide Limited
• Original Assignee: Gofigure Media, LLC
• Inventors: Rolf, Devon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US11/437,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.1, 455/412.1, 455/406, 455/410, 455/411, 455/407, 455/408, 726/27, 726/28
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A system and method employs an online site for making stored digital video recordings available for selection and download to a wireless communications device. Upon receipt of a selection for a digital video recording, the system and method causes the selected digital video recording to be wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communications device. The selected digital video recording is also made available to a personal computer associated with the user who made the selection. At least a title of the selected digital video recording is stored in a personal storage account of the user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a source of digital media recordings;

wherein said source of digital media recordings is accessible via a communications network and stores and makes available for purchase a plurality of digital music recordings;

wherein said source of digital media recordings provides a menu for use in selecting said digital media recordings;

a mobile communications device having an operating system, wherein said mobile communications device is for wireless communication and comprises—

a processor,

a display,

a memory, and

an input;

said system further comprising a personal storage account associated with the user of said mobile communications device, wherein said personal storage account is accessible via a communications network;

wherein said source of digital media recordings processes a request, received from said mobile communications device, to purchase a digital music recording, wherein said request to purchase said digital music recording is input via said mobile communications device by a user of said mobile communications device;

wherein said system causes said purchased digital music recording to be transmitted to said mobile communications device;

wherein said purchased digital music recording is wirelessly received by said mobile communications device;

wherein said system identifies said purchased digital music recording in said personal storage account of the user;

wherein said source of digital media recordings receives, via said personal storage account of the user, a request input by the user to transmit to a computing device accessible by the user said purchased digital music recording that is identified in said personal storage account of the user;

wherein, based on said request to transmit said purchased digital music recording to the computing device, said system causes said purchased digital music recording to be transmitted to the computing device, and

wherein said system comprises a program that searches for a digital music recording of the user that is not associated with an address of a corresponding digital music file at said source of digital media recordings, finds a digital music file that corresponds with said digital music recording for which said program searched, retrieves information indicative of said found digital music file, and makes said found digital music file accessible, to said mobile communications device of the user, via said personal storage account of said user.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system provides a choice to purchase said digital music recording as a single or as part of a digital music album on which said digital music recording is present.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said source of digital media recordings receives, from said mobile communications device, a selection of a digital music recording based upon a voice input into said mobile communications device.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system further enables said mobile communications device to access said source of digital media recordings and select digital music recordings that are available for purchase or to access, via said personal storage account of the user, digital music recordings that have already been purchased by the user from said source.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, said system further comprising a computing device for downloading the digital music recording that is purchased by the user from said source of digital media recordings using said mobile communications device and identified via the personal storage account of the user.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system enables the user to select to play in said mobile communications device said digital music recording corresponding to said found digital music file, that is accessible via said personal storage account of the user, as said digital music recording corresponding to said found digital music file is received in said mobile communications device from said source of digital media recordings.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, said system further comprising a computing device, wherein said system further enables the user to select to play in said computing device said digital music recording corresponding to said found digital music file, that is accessible via said personal storage account of the user, as said digital music recording corresponding to said found digital music file is received in said computing device from said source of digital media recordings.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said mobile communications device further comprises functionality to receive voice inputs, wherein said system receives a voice input that is input into the mobile communications device by the user, and wherein a facility corresponding to said source of digital media recordings comprises voice response functionality.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mobile communications device further comprises functionality to receive voice inputs, wherein said system receives a voice input that is input into the mobile communications device by the user, and wherein a facility corresponding to said source of digital media recordings comprises voice response functionality.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system, in response to said receipt of said request to transmit said purchased digital music recording that is identified in said personal storage account to a computing device of the user, uses information indicative of a memory location of a file corresponding to said purchased digital music recording to access said file, at said source of digital media recordings, for transmitting said purchased digital music recording to the computing device.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said personal storage account of the user is accessible at said source of digital media recordings.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1, said system further comprising a computing device for downloading the digital music recording that is purchased by the user from said source of digital media recordings using said mobile communications device and identified via the personal storage account of the user.

13. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mobile communications device further comprises a player application for playing digital music recordings, wherein said player application enables the user to initiate a wireless communications link with said source of digital media recordings.

14. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system further enables the user to select to have said digital music recording that is purchased from said source using said mobile communications device accessible to the user via said personal storage account of the user.

15. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system requires entry of a password before said system will transmit a digital music recording, that is accessible to the user via said personal storage account of said user, from said source of digital media recordings to a communications device associated with the user.

16. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said purchased digital music recording that is wirelessly received by said mobile communications device is stored in said mobile communications device and is available in said mobile communications device for selection and play.

17. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said purchased digital music recording that is transmitted to the computing device of the user is stored in the computing device.

18. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said source of digital media recordings further comprises a source of concert tickets or passes, wherein said concert tickets or passes permit access into concert events, wherein said system provides concert schedules of artists, and wherein said system provides the ability for the user of said mobile communications device to purchase a concert ticket or pass, from said mobile communications device, electronically via a data link between said mobile communications device and said source of concert tickets or passes.