Device and process for remote management of a network of audiovisual information reproductions systems

• US 10,007,687 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mastronardi, Tony, Nathan, Guy, Clement, Hugues
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cam-Linh
• Application Number:
  US15/394,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20170109381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 707688, 707694, 707695, 707758, 707791, 707796, 707802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• 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: G10H 2240/241 Telephone transmission, i.e. using twisted pair telephone lines or any type of telephone network
• 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 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/164 Coin-freed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 : Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Management device for a network of audiovisual information reproduction systems or jukeboxes, including a database with a plurality of sets of arrays, each array containing grouped information either about the composition of a jukebox, or the use of the jukebox, or the payment of fees. The database is managed by a computer server connected with the audiovisual information reproduction systems to receive messages sent by each audiovisual information reproduction device and containing information necessary to update determined sets of arrays in the database, and update data or the program for each audiovisual information reproduction device with information stored in at least one set of arrays in the database and transmitted in this message.

Claims

1. A method of operating a server in a digital audiovisual distribution system, the digital audiovisual distribution system comprising a plurality of digital jukebox devices, the digital jukebox devices being connectable to the server via respective network connections, the method comprising:

maintaining a data store configured to store information useful in managing the digital jukebox devices;

controlling a communication circuit of the server to receive management data generated in connection with the respective digital jukebox devices;

processing, using at least one processor of the server, the received management data, the processing including identifying which digital jukebox device(s) the received management data corresponds to, based upon comparing the received management and information previously stored in the data store determining if the identified digital jukebox device(s) require updating, locating update instructions for updating the identified digital jukebox device(s) in one or more tables, identifying update instructions and an order of execution for the update instructions and a date starting from which the update instructions can be transmitted to the jukebox;

in response to detecting a current time of the server that is earlier than the date, storing the located update instructions and the order of execution in the data store; and

in response to detecting a current time corresponding to the date, controlling the communication circuit to transmit the located update instructions and the order of execution to the identified digital jukebox device(s) through the digital audiovisual distribution system via associated network connection(s) in response to the processing, in order to cause a corresponding update at the identified digital jukebox device(s).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital jukebox devices each include at least one processor configured to cause the respective digital jukebox device to generate the management data at a predetermined date and/or time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital jukebox devices each include at least one processor configured to process update instructions transmitted thereto and cause updates to be installed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein updates are caused to be installed at a predetermined date and/or time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data store includes a database comprising a plurality of data structures including information relating to said management data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a first data structure stores an indication of software that is installable on the digital jukebox devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication of the software that is installable on the digital jukebox devices includes a name and a version number of the software.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a second data structure stores an indication of software that is already installed on the digital jukebox devices.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a third data structure stores an indication of hardware that is installable on the digital jukebox devices.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a fourth data structure stores an indication of hardware that is already installed on the digital jukebox devices.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a fifth data structure stores a description of incompatibilities as between different hardware and software components.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a sixth data structure stores a listing of possible values for different sets of operating parameters and setting for all digital jukebox devices connected to the digital audiovisual distribution system, the possible values each being uniquely identifiable.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a seventh data structure stores passwords, prices of songs, remote control settings, and/or a number of free songs.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein at least an eighth data structure stores a listing of songs available to each said digital jukebox device in the digital audiovisual distribution system.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a ninth data structure stores a description of all songs, artists, and albums available for playback on the digital jukebox devices.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a tenth data structure stores information regarding one or more operator-specified filters optionally individually assignable to the digital jukebox devices on a device-by-device basis, the filters preventing a download of at least one song.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein at least an eleventh data structure stores a history of usage of the digital jukebox devices.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a twelfth data structure stores operator information for each said digital jukebox device.

19. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a thirteenth data structure stores an order in which update instructions are to be processed by the digital jukebox devices.

20. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a fourteenth data structure stores promotion information, the promotion information including a list of songs subject to a promotion, as well as promotion start and end dates, and price modifications for the songs in the list subject to the promotion.