Remote management system for at least one audiovisual information reproduction device

• US 9,288,529 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• 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, Mastronardi, Tony, Bourdelais, Jean-Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US14/568,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 725/80, 725/139, 725/141, 725/144, 725 91- 93, 725/116, 725/146, 709/208
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Method for remote management of at least one audiovisual information reproduction device comprising a host server connected to each audiovisual information reproduction device, the host server comprising a database containing management information for each audiovisual information reproduction device, wherein the host server also comprises a site manager communicating with the database, and comprising a number of screens, at least one first screen comprising a menu displaying the list of audiovisual information reproduction systems, validating the choice of each audiovisual information reproduction device causing the display of a first series of screens that the operator can use to modify the operating parameters of at least one selected audiovisual information reproduction device and/or a second series of screens that the operator can use to order at least one song for downloading onto the audiovisual information reproduction systems from a chosen list of devices or to delete at least one song, and/or a third series of screens displaying information about the use of an audiovisual information reproduction device.

Claims

1. A system for remote management of at least one audiovisual information reproduction device comprising at least one central server connected, via a communication network, with the at least one audiovisual information reproduction device, wherein the at least one central server comprises:

storage configured to store data structures that collectively include information relating to structure and/or functionality of each audiovisual information reproduction device connected to the at least one central server, the information relating to structure and/or functionality corresponding to management information, available audiovisual information, and configurations of operating parameters for each audiovisual information reproduction device connected to the at least one central server, the data structures being linkable to one another, and for each audiovisual information reproduction device connected to the at least one central server, a first data structure including information representative of an operating status of the respective audiovisual information reproduction device and a second data structure including information representative of an identification number of the respective audiovisual information reproduction device, and

a processor configured to control the respective central server to at least;

in response to receiving a request by an operator responsible for managing at least one said audiovisual information reproduction device connected to the respective central server, selectively serve a plurality of display screens, at least one first display screen comprising a list of audiovisual information reproduction devices for which information relating to use is available; and

enable the operator to modify the operating parameters of one or more operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction devices displayed in the list by;

generating a series of modification commands using information from the storage;

sending to each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device the series of modification commands;

causing the series of modification commands to be received and executed by each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device; and

upon selection via the first display screen of one or more connected audiovisual information reproduction devices;

display one or more second display screens that enable the operator to select at least one song; and

/or

update audiovisual information associated with each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device by (a) allowing the song to be played back on each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device, and/or (b) disallowing the song to be played back on each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device,

wherein the operating parameters of each audiovisual information reproduction device correspond to internal functions of each said audiovisual information reproduction device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to, upon selection via the first display screen of one or more connected audiovisual information reproduction device:

display one or more third display screens that enable the operator to adjust management information for each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device; and

cause the adjustment of the management information in each said operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction device.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third display screens each include a first user-operable element enabling the operations carried out on the screen currently being displayed to be verified.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first, second, and/or third display screens include a second user-operable element enabling information relating to the installation of the audiovisual information reproduction device chosen by the operator to be displayed and updated in response to being altered by the operator.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein

the first, second, and/or third display screens include a third user-operable element enabling the operator to define selection criteria for selecting audiovisual information, and

the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to:

collect corresponding audiovisual information from the storage by sending a request including the selection criteria input by the operator; and

display the collected corresponding audiovisual information.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first, second, and/or third display screens include a fourth user-operable element that, when actuated by the operator, causes the display of usage statistics of one or more information reproduction devices selected by the operator.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the usage statistics specify songs that are played the most and/or the least on selected audiovisual information reproduction devices.

8. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first, second, and/or third display screens include a fifth user-operable element that causes the display of all modifications that were made by the operator during a predetermined period of time.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to collect information relating to the operation of each said audiovisual information reproduction device connected thereto.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to, based on the modifications carried out by the operator, update the storage and each audiovisual information reproduction device concerned with the modifications.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to authenticate the operator prior to said enabling.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to receive input from the operator regarding a price per zone for playback of a selected song.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to receive input from the operator corresponding to a function of a selected one or more audiovisual information reproduction devices to be either activated or deactivated.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to receive input from the operator corresponding to a default configuration of all or some of the audiovisual information reproduction devices managed by the operator.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to receive input regarding a category of audiovisual information requested by the operator so that items in the category may be subsequently displayed to the operator.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to display the items in the category, the items being collected from the storage from among the most played audiovisual information on all the jukeboxes of the operator or from among the most played audiovisual information on all the jukeboxes managed by the server or from among the most played audiovisual information on all the jukeboxes installed in establishments in a given category.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control its respective central server to display a list of songs played by one or more operator-selected audiovisual information reproduction devices, along with a date on which each song was played.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operating parameters include a cost of each selection, sound settings, level of the microphone, authorization to use a remote controller, authorization to switch between selections during reproduction of a selection, authorization to use free credits, and activation/inactivation of internal functions of the selected audiovisual information reproduction device.