Audiovisual reproduction system

• US 9,148,681 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US14/218,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 725/139
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/181 Billing, i.e. purchasing of data contents for use with electrophonic musical instruments; Protocols therefor; Management of transmission or connection time therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• 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 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/802 involving processing of the sound signal H04N9/806, H04N9/835 take precedence

Abstract

Audiovisual reproduction system including a central unit managing a sound control circuit, and a telecommunications modem connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server, through a multitask operating system created around a tools and services library, in which the operating system includes a function that adjusts the sound control circuit to couple volumes in the various areas in which the loudspeakers in the audiovisual reproduction system are used, this function being accessible through a management mode of the multitask operating system, the coupling maintaining the ratios between the various volumes in each area when the volume in one area is modified.

Claims

1. An electronic device usable to play songs in a venue on a pay-for-play basis and being connectable to an audiovisual distribution network to which a server is connected, the electronic device comprising:

a touch screen display; and

processing resources including a processor and a memory coupled with the processor;

wherein the processing resources are configured to cause a user interface to be displayed on the electronic device, the user interface comprising a first set of options enabling at least one song to be selected and subsequently played back at the venue upon receipt of payment made through the electronic device;

wherein the user interface further comprises a second set of options enabling admission fees for artistic events shown on the touch screen display to be paid for, the shown artistic events being upcoming events determined to correspond with performers who perform selected and/or played back songs, and

wherein payment of admission fees for artistic events is receivable via the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing resources are further configured to cause the touch screen display to display at least one image or animation describing at least one upcoming artistic event.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one upcoming artistic event is physically proximate to where the electronic device is located.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one image or animation is downloaded to the electronic device and played therefrom.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processing resources are further configured to cause the touch screen display to display the at least one image or animation at predefined regular intervals.

6. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processing resources are further configured to cause the touch screen display to display at least one image or animation after music performed by an artist participating in the at least one upcoming artistic event is played back.

7. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processing resources are further configured to cause the touch screen display to display the at least one image or animation during periods of inactivity of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second set of options includes information regarding different possible booking dates for the at least one artistic event and/or type(s) of seats available.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the second set of options further includes information regarding possible payment mechanisms for potential ticket purchasers.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is further configured to generate entry tickets for a purchased artistic event.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing resources are further configured to execute a song request routine that requests at least one new song for download from the host server.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the user interface further comprises a third set of options enabling users to select one or more songs not yet available for playback at the venue for download.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein a request that a given song be downloaded is sent to the host server when a number of times that that given song is selected exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing resources are further configured to cause the touch screen display to display a questionnaire following payment of a song that triggers its playback.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the questionnaire solicits information about the user who caused the playback of the song.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is configured to receive rewards generated in response to a questionnaire'"'"'s completion.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the rewards are free plays.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein specified songs are playable at specified times in response to orders from the host server, the specified songs and the specified times being specified by the orders.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein identical orders are sendable from the host server to multiple venues.

20. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein specified songs are playable at multiple specified times in response to orders from the host server, the specified song and the specified times being specified by the orders.