Apparatus for reproduction song data with limitation dependent on preview or purchase

• US 20040154459A1
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Ikeda, Takashi, Hiratsuka, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,958,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/601
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• 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 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed

Abstract

A song data reproduction apparatus has a storage for song data composed of performance data and order information. The performance data represents a content of a music performance and contains reproduction limiting information for limiting a reproduction state of the music performance. The order information indicates either of a purchase or a preview associated to a usage right of the content of the music performance. A usage right identification section refers to the order information of the song data containing the performance data to be reproduced, for identifying the usage right of the content of the music performance in terms of the purchase or preview. A limiting information read section reads the reproduction limiting information from the performance data when the identified usage right indicates the preview. A reproduction control section controls the reproduction state of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

Claims

1. A song data reproduction apparatus comprising:

a storage section that stores song data composed of performance data and order information, the performance data representing a content of a music performance and containing reproduction limiting information for limiting a reproduction state of the music performance, the order information indicating at least either of a purchase or a preview associated to a usage right of the content of the music performance;

a usage right identification section that refers to the order information of the song data containing the performance data to be reproduced, for identifying the usage right of the content of the music performance in terms of the purchase or preview;

a limiting information read section that reads the reproduction limiting information from the performance data when the identified usage right indicates the preview; and

a reproduction control section that controls the reproduction state of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

2. The song data reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for limiting a reproduction time of the music performance, so that the reproduction control section limits the reproduction time of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

3. The song data reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for specifying a channel among a plurality of channels usable for reproducing the music performance, so that the reproduction control section uses only the specified channel for reproducing the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

4. The song data reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for specifying functions among various functions available in reproducing of the music performance, so that the reproduction control section enables only the specified functions for reproducing the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

5. A song data reproduction program for use in a song data reproduction apparatus having a processor and a storage for storing song data composed of performance data and order information, the performance data representing a content of a music performance and containing reproduction limiting information for limiting a reproduction state of the music performance, the order information indicating at least either of a purchase or a preview associated to a usage right of the content of the music performance, the program being executable by the processor for causing the song data reproduction apparatus to carry out a process comprising:

a usage right identification step of referring to the order information in the song data containing the performance data to be reproduced, for identifying the usage right of the content of the music performance in terms of the purchase or preview;

a limiting information read step of reading the reproduction limiting information from the performance data when the identified usage right indicates the preview; and

a reproduction control step of controlling the reproduction state of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

6. The song data reproduction program according to claim 5, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for limiting a reproduction time of the music performance, so that the reproduction control step limits the reproduction time of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

7. The song data reproduction program according to claim 5, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for specifying a channel among a plurality of channels usable for reproducing the music performance, so that the reproduction control step uses only the specified channel for reproducing the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

8. The song data reproduction program according to claim 5, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for specifying functions among various functions available in the song data reproduction apparatus, so that the reproduction control step enables only the specified functions for reproducing the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

9. A song data recording medium for recording song data composed of performance data and order information, the performance data representing a content of a music performance and containing reproduction limiting information for limiting a reproduction state of the music performance, the order information indicating at least either of a purchase or a preview associated to a usage right of the content of the music performance, wherein the medium is machine-readable and operative when the medium is set into a song data reproduction apparatus for causing the song data reproduction apparatus to carry out a sequence of:

referring to the order information in the song data containing the performance data to be reproduced, for identifying the usage right of the content of the music performance in terms of the purchase or preview;

reading the reproduction limiting information from the performance data when the identified usage right indicates the preview; and

controlling the reproduction state of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

10. The song data recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for limiting a reproduction time of the music performance, whereby the song data reproduction apparatus limits the reproduction time of the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

11. The song data recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for specifying a channel among a plurality of channels usable for reproducing the music performance, whereby the song data reproduction apparatus uses only the specified channel for reproducing the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

12. The song data recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains information for specifying functions among various functions available by the song data reproduction apparatus, whereby the song data reproduction apparatus enables only the specified functions for reproducing the music performance in accordance with the read reproduction limiting information.

13. A server apparatus connectable to a user terminal through a communication network, comprising:

a receiving section that receives an order for requesting a preview of a song from the user terminal through the communication network; and

a transmitting section that transmits data of the song to the user terminal through the communication network, wherein

the data of the song comprises performance data and order information, the performance data representing a content of a music performance of the song and containing reproduction limiting information for limiting a reproduction state of the music performance, the order information indicating that a usage right of the content of the music performance is limited to the preview,

thereby enabling the user terminal to recognize from the order information that the usage right of the content of the music performance is limited to the preview, and enabling the user terminal to control the reproduction state of the music performance in accordance with the reproduction limiting information.

14. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the receiving section receives another order for requesting a license of the song to remove limitation of the reproduction of the music performance, and the transmitting section transmits updated order information indicating that the usage right of the content of the music performance is a purchase of the song, thereby enabling the user terminal to recognize from the updated order information that the usage right of the content of the music performance is switched to the purchase, and enabling the user terminal to reproduce the music performance without any limitation under the license.

15. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reproduction limiting information contains at least one of information for limiting a reproduction time of the music performance, information for limiting a plurality of channels usable for reproducing the music performance, and information for limiting various functions available for reproducing the music performance.