Media data exchange, transfer or delivery for portable electronic devices

• US 8,694,024 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ng, Stanley C., Hodge, Andrew Bert, Fadell, Anthony M., Robbin, Jeffrey L., Borchers, Robert Edward, Bell, Chris, Cue, Eddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tu X
• Application Number:
  US12/909,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/404.2, 455/411, 455/414.2, 455/456.3, 705/14.16
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Methods and systems that facilitate data delivery to electronic devices are disclosed. One aspect pertains to data delivery to electronic devices that are portable, such as, mobile devices. In one embodiment, one mobile device discovers another mobile device within its vicinity. The mobile devices can then wirelessly transmit data from one mobile device to the other. The mobile devices, or their users, can control, request or influence the particular data content being delivered.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting media content in a venue, the method comprising:

automatically retrieving, in proximity of the venue, authorized user profile information of individual users from portable media devices that are controlled by the individual users, where the individual users have purchased media items;

identifying media content to be broadcasted from a media content server to the individual users in proximity of the venue based upon the retrieved user profile information of the individual users; and

broadcasting, at the venue, the identified media content to the individual users;

determine how long at least one of the portable media devices has been located at various portions of the venue delineated by a plurality of wireless access points by tracking communications between the portable media device and the wireless access points; and

update the broadcasted media content based upon how long the at least one of the portable media devices has been located at the various portions of the venue.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the retrieving, identifying, and broadcasting at predetermined intervals to provide dynamic broadcasted media content relevant to or preferred by the individual users at the venue.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each portable media device, comparing the authorized user profile information against a set of predetermined rules to determine if it is permissible to retrieve user preferences from the user profile information; and

wherein the retrieving includes obtaining user preferences only from user profile information from which it is determined it is permissible to obtain.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining media purchase information from the portable media devices, wherein the media purchase information includes data regarding media items purchased by individual users in possession of the portable media devices; and

identifying media content to be broadcasted at the venue based upon data indicating that certain media items are popular purchases.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

streaming media content information to the portable media devices, allowing the portable media devices to display the media content information as the provided media content is being played.

6. A method for providing broadcasted media content from a media content server to a user in a venue in possession of a portable media device, the method comprising:

transmitting a plurality of different broadcasts of media content to the user at the venue;

providing incentives for the user to share information from the user profile stored on the user'"'"'s portable media device;

retrieving partial user information, based on information that the user has permitted to be shared;

obtaining characteristics, from the partial information in the user'"'"'s profile, that indicate a preference for certain types of media content;

identifying the different broadcasts of media content to the user'"'"'s portable media device based upon the obtained characteristics and based upon the user'"'"'s purchases when the portable media device is in the proximity of the venue; and

providing the portable media device with an interface that permits the user to select one of the plurality of different broadcasts to play from the portable media mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the incentives include a financial incentive.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the incentives include a credit towards purchasing media content at an online media store.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the credit is only provided if the sharing of the information results in a purchase of media content from the online media store by a different user.

10. A system for providing broadcasted media content to a user in a venue, the system comprising:

a server coupled to one or more wireless access points located at the venue, wherein the server is configured to;

automatically retrieve authorized user profile information, in proximity of the venue, from the user'"'"'s portable media device that is controlled by the user who has subscribed to content;

identify media content to be broadcasted from a media content server to the user in proximity of the venue based upon the retrieved user profile preferences; and

broadcast the identified media content at the venue;

determine how long the portable media device has been located at various portions of the venue delineated by the one or more wireless access points by tracking communications between the portable media device and the one or more wireless access points; and

update the broadcasted media content based upon how long the portable media device has been located at the various portions of the venue.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the venue is a business establishment, airport, or city.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is further coupled to a plurality of other wireless access points located at the venue.

13. A computer readable medium for storing, in non-transitory tangible form, computer instructions executable by a processor for broadcasting media content, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer code for automatically retrieving, in proximity of the venue, authorized user profile information of individual users from portable media devices that are controlled by the individual users;

computer code for identifying media content to be broadcasted from a media content server to the individual users in proximity of the venue based upon the retrieved user profile information; and

computer code for broadcasting the identified media content at the venue by broadcasting the media content over speakers at the venue, wherein the speakers are not associated with the portable media devices.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the automatically retrieving is performed via a wireless communication medium.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

computer code for streaming media content information to the portable media devices, allowing the portable media devices to display the media content information as the media content is being broadcast.