Network-enabled audio/video player

• US 20020069418A1
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lydstrom, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lydstrom, Inc.
• Inventors: Philips, Ashwin
• Application Number:
  US09/732,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20020069418A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• 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 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for storing, playing and downloading audio/video tracks, the apparatus including: (a) means for connecting to a communications network; (b) means for receiving, over the communications network, availability information identifying audio/video tracks that are available for purchase; (c) means for displaying such availability information; (d) means for inputting a user selection of an audio/video track from such availability information, so as to obtain a selected audio/video track; (e) means for downloading the selected audio/video track over the communications network; (f) means for storing the selected audio/video track downloaded by means (e); (g) means for reading the selected audio/video track from means (f); (h) means for playing the selected audio/video track read by means (g) so as to generate an audio/video signal; and (i) means for providing the audio/video signal generated by means (h) to a home stereo system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing, playing and downloading audio/video tracks, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for connecting to a communications network;

(b) means for receiving, over said communications network, availability information identifying audio/video tracks that are available for purchase;

(c) means for displaying said availability information;

(d) means for inputting a user selection of an audio/video track from said availability information, so as to obtain a selected audio/video track;

(e) means for downloading the selected audio/video track over the communications network;

(f) means for storing the selected audio/video track downloaded by said means (e);

(g) means for reading the selected audio/video track from said means (f);

(h) means for playing the selected audio/video track read by said means (g) so as to generate an audio/video signal; and

(i) means for providing the audio/video signal generated by said means (h) to a home stereo system.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communications network is an Internet.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means (f) comprises a permanent storage device.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said means (f) comprises a hard disk drive.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the audio/video track downloaded by said means (e) is automatically stored by said means (f).

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means (i) comprises a RCA jack.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

(j) means for displaying audio/video tracks available on said means (f),

wherein said means (c) and said means (j) display tracks in a substantially identical manner.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

(j) means for allowing a user to navigate through said availability information.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means (j) allows a user to navigate through said availability information based on different category types.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means (j) also allows a user to navigate through said availability information based on different categories within said different category types.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

(k) means for displaying audio/video tracks available on said means (f); and

(l) means for allowing a user to navigate through the tracks available on said means (f),

wherein said means (j) and said means (l) permit navigation in a substantially identical manner.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means (d) comprises a wireless remote control.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means (f) stores the selected audio/video track in an encrypted format, and further comprising decryption means for decrypting the selected audio/video track.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said decryption means decrypts the selected audio/video track on-the-fly during playback by said means (h).

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said decryption means decrypts the selected audio/video track using a decryption key that is uniquely associated with said apparatus.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is driven by software, and wherein user modification of the software driving said apparatus is limited to defined option choices.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means (c) comprises means for providing a video signal to a home television set.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the communications network is an Internet.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said means (f) comprises a permanent storage device.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said means (f) comprises a hard disk drive.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the audio/video track downloaded by said means (e) is automatically stored by said means (f).

23. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

(i) means for displaying audio/video tracks available on said means (f),

wherein said means (c) and said means (i) display tracks in a substantially identical manner.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

(i) means for allowing a user to navigate through said availability information.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said means (i) allows a user to navigate through said availability information based on different category types.

26. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means (i) also allows a user to navigate through said availability information based on different categories within said different category types.

27. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:

(j) means for displaying audio/video tracks available on said means (f); and

(k) means for allowing a user to navigate through the tracks available on said means (f),

wherein said means (i) and said means (k) permit navigation in a substantially identical manner.

28. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said means (d) comprises a wireless remote control.

29. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said means (f) stores the selected audio/video track in an encrypted format, and further comprising decryption means for decrypting the selected audio/video track.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said decryption means decrypts the selected audio/video track on-the-fly during playback by said means (h).

31. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said decryption means decrypts the selected audio/video track using a decryption key that is uniquely associated with said apparatus.

32. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said means (c) comprises means for providing a video signal to a home television set.

18. An apparatus driven by software for storing, playing and downloading audio/video tracks, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for connecting to a communications network;

(b) means for receiving, over said communications network, availability information identifying audio/video tracks that are available for purchase;

(c) means for displaying said availability information;

(d) means for inputting a user selection of an audio/video track from said availability information, so as to obtain a selected audio/video track;

(e) means for downloading the selected audio/video track over the communications network;

(f) means for storing the selected audio/video track downloaded by said means (e);

(g) means for reading the selected audio/video track from said means (f); and

(h) means for playing the selected audio/video track read by said means (g) so as to generate an audio/video signal,

wherein user modification of the software driving said apparatus is limited to defined option choices.