Content Delivery System and Method

• US 20070149116A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Affinity Labs of Texas, LLC
• Inventors: White, Russell, Imes, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/02 with automatic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 : for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 : for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 : file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 : using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A content delivery system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a personal computer having a storage device. The personal computer may have a software application saved on the storage device. In practice, the application may be capable of directing the personal computer to communicatively couple with a network based resource and to initiate presentation of a graphical user interface (GUI) at the user computer system. In some cases, the GUI may act as a user interface for the network based resource. The system may also include a portable audio file player with a collection of locally saved instructions. The instructions may direct a processor of the player to maintain an updateable user interface that includes a menu of selectable icons and to modify the updateable user interface in connection with receiving an audio file from the personal computer.

Claims

1. A content delivery system, comprising:

a software application configured for storage on a storage medium of a personal computer, the software application further configured to maintain a collection of audio files saved locally to the personal computer, to allow a user to create a playlist, to present the playlist on a display of the personal computer, to initiate a downloading of the playlist from the personal computer to a portable audio file player, to direct the personal computer to communicatively couple with a network based resource, to initiate sending a request for an audio file to the network based resource, to receive the audio file, to locally save the audio file at the personal computer, and to initiate presentation of a graphical user interface (GUI) at the user computer system, wherein the GUI is configured to operate as a user interface for the network based resource, further wherein the GUI is configured to present a collection of selectable functions associated with audio information;

the portable audio file player having a processor, a display, and a memory configured to store a plurality of audio files; and

a collection of instructions saved locally at the portable audio file player, the collection of instructions operable to direct the processor to maintain an updateable user interface comprising a menu of selectable icons, to modify Me updateable user interface in connection with receiving an audio file from the personal computer such that a particular selectable icon is linked to the audio file, to initiate presentation of the menu on the display, and to recognize a selection of the particular selectable icon.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the updateable user interface comprises a plurality of soft buttons, further wherein a first of the plurality of soft buttons is linked to the audio file.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable audio file player is operable as a wireless telephone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network based resource is accessible via an Internet website.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application is further operable to direct the personal computer to communicate a playlist created at the personal computer to the network based resource such that the playlist is available to a plurality of remote computers having access to the network based resource.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a web browser is utilized by the personal computer to access the network based resource,

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI is further configured to present a selectable link including the word “

store”

, wherein a selection of the selectable link navigates a user to a portion of the network based resource that allows the user to purchase an audio file,

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI is configured to operate as the user interface for the network based resource without an active browsing environment.

11. A content delivery method, comprising:

providing an application configured to execute at a user computer system, the application operable to direct the user computer system to communicatively couple with a network based resource, to operate as a user interface for the network based resource, and to present a collection of selectable functions in a user interface, the selectable functions comprising;

a song purchase function;

a song search function, a random play function, and a playlist creation function;

utilizing the network based resource to maintain a listing of a plurality of selectable digital media files;

making the network based resource accessible to the digital content application executing at the user computer system;

receiving information from the user computer system indicating a request to make a user created playlist available for sharing; and

making the user created playlist available for sharing via the network based resource.

4. The system of claim 15 wherein the software application is a non-browser application.

9. The system of claim 15 wherein the GUI is further configured to present a selectable link for sending a song to a friend, wherein a selection of the selectable link by a first user allows the first user to allow a second user to listen to an audio file,

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a request to send a friend a link to the user created playlist.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a request to search the listing of selectable digital media files.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating a software update to the user computer system.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating the user created playlist to a different user computing system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the application is further operable to direct the user computer system to communicate a selected audio file to a portable music player.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the application is further operable to direct the user computer system to communicate a graphical icon associated with the selected audio file to the portable music player in connection with communication of the selected audio file to the portable music player.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of selectable digital media files comprises audio information that represents a book.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of selectable digital media files comprises a video file.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a signal from the user computer system indicating a request to purchase a selectable digital media file; and

communicating the selectable digital media file to the user computer system.

21. A content delivery system, comprising:

a network based resource accessible by a user computer system, the network based resource maintaining a plurality of selectable songs formatted in a digital format;

an application configured to execute at the user computer system, the application operable to communicatively couple with the network based resource to allow user selection of an audio file from the network based resource, to receive the audio file, to locally save the audio file, and to initiate presentation of a graphical user interface (GUI) at the user computer system; and

the GUI configured to present a collection of selectable functions associated with audio information, the selectable functions comprising;

a song purchase function;

a song search function, a playlist creation function; and

a playlist sharing function, wherein the playlist sharing function allows a playlist created by a first user to be accessed by a second user via the network based resource.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

the user computer system configured to execute the application;

a display coupled to the user computer system and operable to present the GUI; and

a portable device mount coupled to the user computer system, the portable device mount configured to mate with a portable electronic device and to communicatively couple the portable electronic device and the user computer system such that the a digital representation of the locally saved audio file can be communicated to the portable electronic device from the user computer system.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the application comprises a library portion that utilizes an XML-based format.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the GUI comprises a store link such that a user can utilize the application to purchase items via the network based resource.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the GUI comprises a send a friend a link icon.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the application comprises a search engine that allows a user to search for a specific audio file by an artist criteria and a song title criteria.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the GUI comprises a top ten portion presenting a series of top ten lists based on different polls.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the application comprises an online radio broadcast portion that allows a user to select a specific online radio station stream to be communicated to the user computer system.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the application comprises a file delivering feature that allows a user to communicate a selected audio file from the user computer system to a portable music player.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the application is further operable to receive information associated with the selected audio file, wherein the information comprises a video file, further wherein the file delivering feature allows the user to communicate the video file from the user computer system to the portable music player.