Local transmission for content sharing

• US 20070191008A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zermatt Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bucher, Timothy, Ross, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A personal media device transmits media content to one or more nearby personal media devices so that users can dynamically and easily share content. The method includes, on a first media player device having or having access to selected media content, playing the selected media content such that it can be listened to on a first user'"'"'s headphones. The selected media content is also transmitted such that it can be received and simultaneously played by one or more authorized media player devices associated with additional users. The transmitted content is preferable secure so that only authorized users can access it. The media player devices receiving the transmitted content can be wireless headsets configured to receive and simultaneously play the content.

Claims

1. A method for distributing media content to multiple users, comprising:

on a first media player device having or having access to selected media content, playing the selected media content such that it can be listened to on a first user'"'"'s headphones; and

wirelessly transmitting the selected media content such that it can be received and simultaneously played by one or more authorized media player devices associated with additional users.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting is performed securely in a unicast transmission between the first media player device and each authorized media player device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting is performed securely in a multicast transmission from the first media player device and/or other wireless devices or routers to each authorized media player device.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting is performed in a broadcast transmission such anyone having a compatible receiver device can receive the selected media content.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting is performed using a wireless technology selected from 802.11 networks, Bluetooth networks, WiFi networks, cellular networks, and combinations thereof

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting the selected media content such that it can be received and simultaneously played by one or more authorized media player devices associated with additional users comprises transmitting the selected media content such that it can be received and simultaneously played by other users'"'"' wireless headsets.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting the selected media content such that it can be received and simultaneously played by one or more authorized media player devices associated with additional users comprises transmitting the selected media content such that it can be received by one or more media player devices in wired or wireless communication with a headset.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of playing the selected media content comprises playing audio content.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of playing the selected media content comprises playing a satellite radio feed.

10. A method for distributing media content to multiple users, comprising:

providing a first personal media player device associated with a first user, the first media player device having or having access to selected media content; and

wirelessly transmitting the selected media content in a secure transmission such that it can be received by authorized wireless headsets, each associated with a user, that are configured to receive and play media content transmitted by the first personal media player device.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting is performed securely in a unicast transmission such that only authorized users can receive the selected media content.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting is performed securely in a multicast transmission such that only authorized users can receive the selected media content.

13. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of providing a first personal media player device comprises providing a personal media player device having or having access to selected media content comprising at least one of saved audio content, a satellite radio feed, a digital image, text or video.

14. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of wirelessly transmitting the selected media content in a secure transmission such that it can be received by authorized wireless headsets is enabled by first transmitting group data between the first personal media player device and one or more media player devices associated with wireless headsets to configure the wireless headsets as the authorized wireless headsets.

15. A community enabled personal wireless media player system, comprising:

a wireless headset operable to receive a wireless audio transmission from a wireless transmission module; and

a first personal media player device, comprising;

a media player module, the media player module having or having access to selected media content; and

a wireless transmission system, wherein the wireless transmission system is wirelessly configured to transmit the selected media content in a secure transmission such that it can be received by a wireless device associated with at least one other user that is authorized to receive and play media content transmitted by the first personal media player device.

16. A system as defined in claim 15, further comprising an authorization module, the authorization module operable to coordinate receipt of content from another device and transmission of content to authorized devices.

17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein the authorization module is operable to coordinate unicast transmission between devices.

18. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein the authorization module is operable to coordinate multicast transmission between devices wherein the device can serve as a router to relay wireless transmissions.

19. A system as defined in claim 15, wherein the media player module comprises a digital audio player.

20. A system as defined in claim 15, further comprising memory for storing media content and authorization data.

21. A system as defined in claim 15, wherein the wireless device associated with at least one other user comprises wireless headphones.