Optical jukebox with copy protection caching and methods of caching copy protected data

• US 20050005151A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00753 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of copies that can be made, e.g. CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00804 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of users or devices that are allowed to access a given content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• 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

Abstract

A copy protection comprehending cache catalog with a media jukebox tracks not only the titles of the media themselves, but also the number of copies of each media title, and the copy protection status of each media. When a particular media is not limited to a set number of licensed users, then this media alone is permitted to be used to support multiple users with the hard drive cache in the media jukebox. If, however, a particular media title is limited to one licensed use at a time, per copy of that title, then the hard drive cache is capable of sending data to match the number of copies of media in the jukebox.

Claims

1. A multimedia jukebox system comprising:

a plurality of media;

at least one media reading drive;

a means for selecting one of said plurality of media and placing said one of plurality of media into one of said at least one media reading drive;

means for cataloging said plurality of media such that the number of copies M of the same media title is counted;

means for transferring said data to a plurality of receiving devices;

wherein the means for cataloging limits the number X of said receiving devices that are permitted access to any portion of any one title of said plurality of media, so that M is greater than or equal to X.

2. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for cataloging comprises, for each media title, means for recording the copy protection status of each media title of said plurality of media.

3. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

means for caching contents of said one of said plurality of media;

4. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the means for transferring data comprises means for transferring cache content.

5. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, wherein a first portion of said plurality of media is physically located with said means for caching contents, and a second portion of said plurality of media is physically separated from said means for caching, and further comprising:

means for transferring content from said second portion to said means for caching.

6. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means for caching is physically co-located with said at least one media reading drive.

7. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means for caching is physically located separately from said at least one media reading drive, and further comprising:

means for transferring content from said at least one media reading drive to said means for caching.

8. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

means for streaming at least one stream of contents from at least one of said plurality of media.

9. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means for streaming comprises means for streaming from the means for caching.

10. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

means for encrypting data in the means for caching.

11. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the means for caching comprises means for caching at least two different portions of said contents for use by at least two different receiving devices.

12. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

means for streaming at least one stream of contents from at least one of said plurality of media.

13. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the means for streaming comprises means for streaming directly from at least one of the plurality of media.

14. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

means for encrypting data in the means for streaming.

15. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the means for streaming comprises means for streaming at least two different portions of said contents for use by at least two different receiving devices.

16. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of media is rewritable, and wherein the means for cataloging is located on said at least one rewritable media.

17. A multimedia jukebox system comprising:

a plurality of media;

at least one media reading drive;

a mechanism configured and arranged to select one of said plurality of media and placing said one of plurality of media into one of said at least one media reading drive;

a catalog configured to store the number of copies M of the same media of said plurality of media; and

a communication link for transferring to data a plurality of receiving devices;

wherein the catalog limits the number X of said receiving devices that are permitted access to any one title of said plurality of media, so that M is less than or equal to X.

18. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

a cache in communication with said at least one media reading drive capable of storing content of at least one of said plurality of media.

19. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the communication link transfers said cache content.

20. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said catalog comprises, for each media title, a data element representative of the copy protection status of each media title of said plurality of media.

21. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, wherein a first portion of said plurality of media are physically located with said cache, and a second portion of said plurality of media are physically separated from said cache, and further comprising:

a communication link for transferring content from said second portion to said cache.

22. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said cache is physically co-located with said at least one media reading drive.

23. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said cache is physically located separately from said at least one media reading drive, and further comprising:

a communication link for transferring content from said at least one media reading drive to said cache.

24. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

logic configured to stream at least one stream of contents from at least one of said plurality of media.

25. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the logic configured to stream comprises logic configured to stream from the cache.

26. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

logic configured to encrypt data in the cache.

27. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the cache comprises a cache configured to cache at least two different portions of said contents for use by at least two different receiving devices.

28. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

logic configured to stream at least one stream of contents from at least one of said plurality of media.

29. A multimedia jukebox system in accordance with claim 28, wherein the logic configured to stream comprises logic configured to stream directly from at least one of the plurality of media.

30. A method of caching data, comprising:

counting and storing the number M of copies of said data;

determining and storing the copy protection status of said data;

if the data is copy protected, caching at most M copies of at least a portion of said data.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, further comprising:

forming a catalog; and

wherein storing the number M and storing the copy protection status comprise storing in said catalog.

32. A method in accordance with claim 30, further comprising:

if the data is not copy protected, caching any number of copies of at least a portion of said data.

33. A method in accordance with claim 30, further comprising:

denying access to a copy of at least a portion of said data in said cache when

a request for said data has been made,

X copies of any portion of said data are in said cache, and

M is less than or equal to X.

34. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein said data is contained on a data storage device selected from the group consisting of a CD, a DVD, a semiconductor memory device, a holographic memory device, and a magneto-optical device.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein said data storage device is contained in a jukebox, the jukebox comprising:

a plurality of data storage media;

at least one media reading drive;

a mechanism configured and arranged to select one of said plurality of media and place said one of said plurality of media into one of said at least one media reading drive.

36. A method of streaming data, comprising:

counting and storing the number M of copies of said data;

determining and storing the copy protection status of said data;

if the data is copy protected, streaming at most M copies of at least a portion of said data.

37. A method in accordance with claim 36, further comprising:

forming a catalog; and

wherein storing the number M and storing the copy protection status comprise storing in said catalog.

38. A method in accordance with claim 36, further comprising:

if the data is not copy protected, streaming any number of copies of at least a portion of said data.

39. A method in accordance with claim 36, further comprising:

denying access to a stream of said data when

a request for said data has been made,

X copies of at least a portion of said data are being streamed, and

M is less than or equal to X.

40. A method in accordance with claim 36, wherein said data is contained on a data storage device selected from the group consisting of a CD, a DVD, a semiconductor memory device, a holographic memory device, and a magneto-optical device.

41. A method in accordance with claim 36, wherein said data storage device is contained in a jukebox, the jukebox comprising:

a plurality of data storage media;

at least one media reading drive;

a mechanism configured and arranged to select one of said plurality of media and place said one of said plurality of media into one of said at least one media reading drive.