Compression and remote storage apparatus for data, music and video

• US RE44,493 E1
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Km Icis Solutions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Scibora, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US12/381,422
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-203, 709217-219, 709231-232, 709246-247, 709/229, 382/232
• US Class Current: 709/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for compressing digital content from a source, using a compression scheme selected from a group of available compression schemes, storing the compressed content at a central location, and retrieving the compressed content at a remote location. The method uses the steps of: a) at a remote location, prompting a user for and validating a user name and password; b) at a remote location, reading the source and prompting a user for tracks to be compressed, the user then identifying selected tracks; c) at a remote location, prompting a user for a compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks, the user then identifying a selected compression scheme from a group of possible compression schemes; d) at a remote location, compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme; e) transmitting each selected track after compression through a communications link to a central location; f) storing each selected track in a digital content database at a central location; and g) at a remote location, retrieving tracks from the digital content database through a communications link to the central location.

Claims

1. A method for compressing digital content from a source, using a compression scheme selected from a group of available compression schemes, storing the compressed content at a central location, and retrieving the compressed content at a remote location, comprising the steps of:

a) at a remote location, prompting a user for and validating a user name and password;

b) at a remote location, reading the source and prompting a user for tracks to be compressed, the user then identifying selected tracks;

c) at a remote location, prompting a user for a compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks, the user then identifying a selected compression scheme from a group of possible compression schemes;

d) at a remote location, compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme;

e) transmitting each selected track after compression through a communications link to a central location;

f) storing each selected track in a digital content database at a central location; and

g) at a remote location, retrieving tracks from the digital content database through a communications link to the central location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying the source and validating the source'"'"'s identity against an authorization database at the central location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of prompting the user for the quality of compression to be used with the selected compression scheme.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is music.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is video.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the source is a compact disc.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the source is a digital video disc.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications link is the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving the digital content further comprises a step of streaming the digital content for replay to a remote location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving the digital content further comprises a step of storing the retrieved digital content at the remote location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of managing the digital content database from the remote location.

12. A method for compressing digital content from a source, using a compression scheme selected from a group of available compression schemes, storing the compressed content at a central location, and retrieving the compressed content at a remote location, comprising the steps of:

a) at a remote location, prompting a user for and validating a user name and password;

b) identifying the source and validating the source'"'"'s identity against an authorization database at the central location;

c) at a remote location, reading the source and prompting a user for tracks to be compressed, the user then identifying selected tracks;

d) at a remote location, prompting a user for a compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks, the user then identifying a selected compression scheme from a group of possible compression schemes;

e) at a remote location, compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme;

f) transmitting each selected track after compression through a communications link to a central location;

g) storing each selected track in a digital content database at a central location; and

h) at a remote location, retrieving tracks from the digital content database through a communications link to the central location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of prompting the user for the quality of compression to be used with the selected compression scheme.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital content is music.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital content is video.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the source is a compact disc.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the source is a digital video disc.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the communications link is the Internet.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of retrieving the digital content further comprises a step of streaming the digital content for replay to a remote location.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of retrieving the digital content further comprises a step of storing the retrieved digital content at the remote location.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising a step of managing the digital content database from the remote location.

22. A method for compressing digital content from a source at a client, using a compression scheme selected from a group of available compression schemes, storing the compressed content at a central server, and retrieving the compressed content at a client, comprising the steps of:

at the client;

a) prompting a user for and validating a user name and password;

b) identifying the source and validating the source'"'"'s identity against an authorization database at the server;

c) reading the source and prompting a user for tracks to be compressed, the user then identifying selected tracks;

d) prompting a user for a compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks, the user then identifying a selected compression scheme from a group of possible compression schemes;

e) compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme;

f) transmitting each selected track after compression through a communications link to the server;

at the server;

g) storing each selected track in a digital content database at the server; and

at the client;

h) retrieving tracks from the digital content database through a communications link to the server.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of prompting the user for the quality of compression to be used with the selected compression scheme.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the digital content is music.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the digital content is video.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the source is a compact disc.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the source is a digital video disc.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the communications link is the Internet.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of retrieving the digital content further comprises a step of streaming the digital content for replay to a client.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of retrieving the digital content further comprises a step of storing the retrieved digital content at the client.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising a step of managing the digital content database from the client.

32. A method for providing remote storage of compressed digital content comprising:

prompting a user for and validating a user name and password at a first location;

identifying an audio and/or video source at the first location and validating the source'"'"'s authenticity via communication with a source identification and authentication database at a second location remote from the first location;

at the first location, identifying a plurality of audio and/or video tracks in the audio and/or video source and prompting a user to select all or a subset of the identified tracks;

prompting the user for selection of a compression scheme;

compressing the selected tracks using the compression scheme; and

transmitting each compressed selected track through a communications link to a third location remote from the first location for storage in a digital content database.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

prompting a user to select a compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks out of a plurality of possible compression schemes, and compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

prompting the user to select a quality of compression to be used with the selected compression scheme, and compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme and compression quality.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the audio and/or video source is a compact disc or a digital video disc.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the first location and one or more of the second and third locations is connected via the Internet.

37. A method for providing remote storage of compressed digital content comprising:

receiving a request to identify and authenticate an audio and/or video source from a remote computer via a network, wherein the request is received from a user that has been prompted for and validated by a user name and password at the remote computer;

comparing a footprint provided in the request to a database of stored footprints, and

responsive to the comparison, providing an identification and authentication response to the remote computer via the network;

receiving all of or selected portions of the audio and/or video source in a compressed form from the remote computer via the network, wherein a compression scheme associated with the compressed form is selected by the user in response to the user being prompted for selection of the compression scheme; and

storing the compressed audio and/or video data in a data store.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the network is the Internet.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving a request from a requesting computer via the network to retrieve the compressed audio and/or video data from the data store; and

transmitting all or a portion of the compressed audio and/or video data to the requesting computer via the network.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the transmitting of all or a portion of the compressed audio and/or video data comprises streaming the audio and/or video to the requesting computer via the network.

41. A system comprising:

an audio and/or video device for reading audio and/or video data from an audio and/or video source containing audio and/or video data;

a general purpose computer connected to the audio and/or video component and configured to communicate with a remote server via a network;

instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by the general purpose computer to implement operations comprising;

prompting a user for and validating a user name and password;

identifying the audio and/or video source and validating the source'"'"'s authenticity via communication with a source identification and authentication database at the remote server via the network;

identifying a plurality of audio and/or video tracks in the audio and/or video source and prompting a user to select all or a subset of the identified tracks;

prompting the user for selection of a compression scheme;

compressing the selected tracks using the compression scheme; and

transmitting each selected track after compression through the network to the remote server.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the function of compressing the selected tracks comprises:

prompting the user to select the compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks out of a plurality of possible compression schemes, and compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the function of compressing the selected tracks further comprises:

prompting the user to select a quality of compression to be used with the selected compression scheme, and compressing the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme and compression quality.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the audio and/or video source is a compact disc or a digital video disc.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the network is the Internet.

46. A system comprising:

a data store for storing compressed audio and/or video data;

an application server computer to connect to a remote computer via a network;

instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by the application server computer to implement operations comprising;

receiving a request to identify and authenticate an audio and/or video source from the remote computer, wherein the request is received from a user that has been prompted for and validated by a user name and password at the remote computer,

comparing a footprint provided in the request to a database of stored footprints,

providing an identification and authentication response to the remote computer via the network;

receiving all of or selected portions of the audio and/or video data in a compressed form from the remote computer via the network, wherein a compression scheme associated with the compressed form is selected by the user in response to the user being prompted for selection of the compression scheme; and

storing the compressed audio and/or video data in the data store.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the network is the Internet.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a request from a requesting computer via the network to retrieve the compressed audio and/or video data from the data store; and

transmitting all or a portion of the compressed audio and/or video data to the requesting computer via the network.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the transmitting of all or the portion of the compressed audio and/or video data comprises streaming the audio and/or video to the requesting computer via the network.

50. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon and that are executable by a computing device, the instructions comprising:

instructions to prompt a user for and validating a user name and password;

instructions to identify an audio and/or video source and validating the source'"'"'s authenticity via communication with a source identification and authentication database at a remote location remote;

instructions to identify a plurality of audio and/or video tracks in the audio and/or video source and prompting a user to select all or a subset of the identified tracks;

instructions to prompt the user for selection of a compression scheme;

instructions to compress the selected tracks using the compression scheme; and

instructions to transmit each compressed selected track through a communications link to a second remote location for storage in a digital content database.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 50, further comprising:

instructions to prompt a user to select a compression scheme to be used to compress the selected tracks out of a plurality of possible compression schemes, and

instructions to compress the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 51, further comprising:

instructions to prompt the user to select a quality of compression to be used with the selected compression scheme, and

instructions to compress the selected tracks using the selected compression scheme and compression quality.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the audio and/or video source is a compact disc or a digital video disc.

54. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon and that are executable by a computing device, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive a request to identify and authenticate an audio and/or video source from a remote computer via a network, wherein the request is received from a user that has been prompted for and validated by a user name and password at the remote computer;

instructions to compare a footprint provided in the request to a database of stored footprints, and

instructions to, responsive to the comparison, provide an identification and authentication response to the remote computer via the network;

instructions to receive all of or selected portions of the audio and/or video source in a compressed form from the remote computer via the network, wherein a compression scheme associated with the compressed form is selected by the user in response to the user being prompted for selection of the compression scheme; and

instructions to store the compressed audio and/or video data in a data store.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising:

instructions to receive a request from a requesting computer via the network to retrieve the compressed audio and/or video data from the data store; and

instructions to transmit all or a portion of the compressed audio and/or video data to the requesting computer via the network.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 55, wherein the instructions to transmit of all or a portion of the compressed audio and/or video data comprises instructions to stream the audio and/or video to the requesting computer via the network.