Digital downloading jukebox with enhanced communication features

• US 20080086379A1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy, Dion, Dominique, Gratton, Loic, Brillon, Francois
• GRANTED PATENT: US 10,373,420 B2
• Time in patent office: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of a displayed object G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing, e.g. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards; Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons, rebates, offers or upsales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 Including timing, i.e. limited awarding or usage time constraint
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

Systems and/or methods for use in connection with digital downloading jukeboxes are provided. Such systems and/or methods may be used to provide enhanced communications capabilities, e.g., to registered users of jukeboxes. In certain exemplary embodiments, users may become registered users directly at a jukebox. Registered users also may, in certain exemplary embodiments, receive coupons for free plays, import playlists from hardware devices and/or software applications, receive special pricing when playing certain instances of media, play playlists in whole or in part, create and/or manage playlists directly at a jukebox, establish and manage connections with other registered users, etc. Still further, in certain exemplary embodiments, one or more channels may be predefined and/or set up for a jukebox.

Claims

1. A method of distributing a playlist to one or more digital jukeboxes connected to an audiovisual distribution network, the method comprising:

connecting a peripheral device having a peripheral playlist stored in a computer-readable storage medium thereon to a digital jukebox via a connector;

retrieving the peripheral playlist for the digital jukebox;

converting the peripheral playlist to a jukebox playlist; and

publishing the jukebox playlist at least on the jukebox.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein peripheral device is at least one of:

a portable music player, a computer, and a mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least temporarily storing the peripheral playlist to a computer-readable storage medium of the digital jukebox.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the jukebox playlist is to be designated a public jukebox playlist or a private jukebox playlist.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the jukebox playlist to a server of the audiovisual distribution network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising making the jukebox playlist available to jukeboxes connected to the audiovisual distribution network.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising making the jukebox playlist available to remote devices connected to the audiovisual distribution network

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the connector is a USB connection.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring a user to log into the jukebox before importing of the peripheral playlist is enabled.

10. A method of distributing a playlist to one or more digital jukeboxes connected to an audiovisual distribution network, the method comprising:

retrieving a software application playlist associated with a software application used on a computer device for use on a the digital jukebox;

converting the software application playlist to a jukebox playlist; and

publishing the jukebox playlist at least on the jukebox.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising at least temporarily storing the software application playlist to a computer-readable storage medium of the computer device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether the jukebox playlist is to be designated a public jukebox playlist or a private jukebox playlist.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending the jukebox playlist to a server of the audiovisual distribution network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending the jukebox playlist to a server of the audiovisual distribution network.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising making the jukebox playlist available to jukeboxes connected to the audiovisual distribution network.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising making the jukebox playlist available to remote devices connected to the audiovisual distribution network

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising requiring a user to log into the computer device before importing of the software application playlist is enabled.

18. A digital downloading jukebox, comprising:

a communicator configured to distribute a playlist to one or more different digital jukeboxes connected to an audiovisual distribution network;

a connector configured to connect a peripheral device having a peripheral playlist stored in a computer-readable storage medium thereon to the digital jukebox;

a processor configured to retrieve the peripheral playlist for the digital jukebox; and

,

converting programmed logic circuitry configured to convert the peripheral playlist to a jukebox playlist,

wherein the processor is further configured to publish the jukebox playlist at least on the jukebox.

19. The jukebox of claim 18, wherein peripheral device is at least one of:

a portable music player, a computer, and a mobile phone.

20. The jukebox of claim 18, further comprising a computer-readable storage medium associated with the digital jukebox configured to at least temporarily store the peripheral playlist.

21. The jukebox of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the jukebox playlist is to be designated a public jukebox playlist or a private jukebox playlist.

22. The jukebox of claim 18, wherein the communicator is configured to send the jukebox playlist to a server of the audiovisual distribution network.

23. The jukebox of claim 22, wherein a module of the server on the audiovisual distribution network is configured to make the jukebox playlist available to jukeboxes connected to the audiovisual distribution network.

24. The jukebox of claim 22, wherein a module of the server on the audiovisual distribution network is configured to make the jukebox playlist available to remote devices connected to the audiovisual distribution network

25. The jukebox of claim 18, wherein the connector is a USB connection.

26. The jukebox of claim 18, wherein the connector is a proprietary docking station.

27. The jukebox of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to require a user to log into the jukebox before importing of the peripheral playlist.

28. A method for playing instances of media on a digital downloading jukebox, the method comprising:

requiring a user to log into the jukebox;

providing a plurality of selectable instances of media for play on the jukebox;

enabling user selection of an instance of media from the plurality of selectable instances of media via a user interface to the jukebox;

for each user selection, adding the instance of media to a playlist stored in a computer-readable storage medium of the jukebox; and

playing the instances of media in the playlist in order,

wherein the plurality of selectable instances of media is selected from a master group of instances of media in dependence on a previous play of an instance of media by the user.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming the plurality of selectable instances of media from instances of media previously played by the user within a predetermined time period.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming the plurality of selectable instances of media from instances of media previously played by the user at a predetermined location.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming the plurality of selectable instances of media from instances of media stored in a list of recently played instances of media associated with the user.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

determining a number of credits available to the user;

when the number of credits is sufficient to play all of the instances of media in the playlist, playing all instances of media in the playlist; and

when the number of credits is insufficient to play all of the instances of media in the playlist, playing only a portion of the instances of media in the playlist.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising when the number of credits is insufficient to play all of the instances of media in the playlist, allowing the user to select the portion of the instances of media in the playlist for play.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising when the number of credits is insufficient to play all of the instances of media in the playlist, playing the instances of media in the playlist in order until the credits are exhausted.

35. A method of playing an instance of media on a digital downloading jukebox, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of instances of media on the jukebox;

providing an interface to a user of the jukebox to allow the user to search for a particular instance of media for play on the jukebox;

determining whether the instance of media is available for immediate play on the jukebox free from additional processing by the jukebox;

when the instance of media is available for immediate play, charging the user a predetermined first number of credits and queuing up the instance of media for play; and

when the instance of media is not available for immediate play,

determining whether the user is a verified user,

when the user is a verified user, charging a second predetermined number of credits if the instance of media exists in a playlist associated with the user, but otherwise charging a third predetermined number of credits, and

queuing up the instance of media for play,

wherein the second predetermined number of credits is less than the third predetermined number of credits, and

wherein the third predetermined number of credits is greater than the first number of predetermined credits.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the playlist associated with the user is a playlist previously created by the user.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the playlist associated with the user is a playlist including songs recently played by the user.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the playlist associated with the user is a playlist created by another user but recently played at least in part by the user.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the determination of whether the instance of media is available for immediate play on the jukebox free from additional processing by the jukebox includes determining whether the instance of media resides on a storage area separate from a dedicated storage area of the jukebox comprising immediately playable instances of media.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the separate storage area is a remote server.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the separate storage area is a partition of the dedicated storage area of the jukebox.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the separate storage area is a separate storage area within the jukebox.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the determination of whether the instance of media is available for immediate play on the jukebox free from additional processing by the jukebox includes determining the user'"'"'s search methodology provided by the interface.

44. A method of operating a digital downloading jukebox, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of channels, each said channel having a plurality of instances of media associated therewith;

selecting a channel from said plurality of channels on the part of an authorized user;

responding to one or more patron uses of the jukebox in a first mode, at least some of said uses including adding instances of media to a queue for play on the jukebox and playing said queued instances of media; and

when the jukebox is not responding to a patron request and/or playing a queued instance of media, playing the instances of media in the channel in a second mode,

wherein the first mode is different from the second mode,

and wherein the second mode is not directly controllable by a patron of the jukebox.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the instances of media are associated with channels by an authorized user.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the instances of media are associated with channels according to a theme and/or genre associated with each said instance of media.

47. The method of claim 44, further comprising when a control code is received from the authorized user, skipping the instance of media being played by the channel.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising changing a frequency an instance of media in a channel is played in dependence on one or more control codes received from the authorized user,

wherein the control codes correspond to at least one of:

skipping an instance of media being played by the channel, replaying an instance of media being or having just been played by the channel, and removing an instance of media from the channel.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the second mode is a background music mode.

50. A method of delivering a coupon to a user of a digital downloading jukebox, the method comprising:

creating a validation code;

associating with the validation code a number of free credits for the user;

including the validation code with the coupon; and

transmitting the validation code to the user.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising including in the validation code at least one location where the user can redeem the coupon.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising including in the validation code a restriction on the time when the user can redeem the coupon.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the coupon is transmitted to a mobile phone of the user.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein the validation code is an encoded alphanumeric sequence.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the validation code is a barcode.

56. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

obtaining the validation code from the coupon;

determining whether the validation code is valid;

when the validation code is valid, providing to the user a number of credits in accordance with the number of free credits associated with the validation code.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the validation code is obtained by the jukebox via a barcode scanner.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the validation code is obtained by having the user input the validation code into the jukebox via a user interface provided to the jukebox.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the validation code is validated against a database of valid validation codes.