Personal media devices with wireless communication

• US 20080113614A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for personal media devices having the ability to communicate wirelessly, and in particular, communicate wirelessly using a short-range communications protocol (e.g., Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). Such communication provides users of personal media devices with access to several Wi-Fi oriented applications. For example, in one embodiment a personal media device may wirelessly download subscription assets (e.g., podcast) as they become available. In another embodiment, content specific or local to a merchant may be provided to personal media devices that are in wireless communication with a wireless router affiliated with the merchant. For example, if the merchant is a restaurant, the merchant may provide a menu to the personal media device and the user may place an order on his or her media device by selecting items on the menu.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly downloading assets of a subscribed group of assets, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of interest in a subscription to a group of assets;

determining whether a new asset is available in the subscription of interest;

determining whether to download the new asset; and

in response to determining that the new asset is to be downloaded, downloading the asset to a personal media device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a new asset is available comprises:

establishing a wireless link with a wireless router having access a content source;

accessing the content source; and

checking the content source to determine whether a new asset is available.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a new asset is available comprises:

establishing a wireless link with a computer that has access to a content source;

accessing the content source; and

checking the content source to determine whether a new asset is available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to download the new asset comprises:

cross-checking against a database to determine if the asset has already been downloaded.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to download the new asset comprises:

cross-checking against a database to determine whether a user has provided a preference for downloading the new asset.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user as to whether to download the asset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading comprises:

wirelessly downloading the new asset using a short-range wireless path.

8. A system for wirelessly downloading assets of a subscribed group of assets, the system comprising a personal media device, the system operative to:

receive an indication of interest in a subscription to a group of assets;

determine whether a new asset is available in the subscription of interest;

determine whether to download the new asset; and

in response to a determination that the new asset is to be downloaded, download the asset to a personal media device.

9. The system of claim 8, the system operative to:

establish a wireless link between the personal media device and a wireless router having access a content source;

access the content source; and

check the content source to determine whether a new asset is available.

10. The system of claim 8, the system operative to:

establish a wireless link between the personal media device and a computer that has access to a content source;

access the content source; and

check the content source to determine whether a new asset is available.

11. The system of claim 8, the system operative to:

cross-check against a database to determine if the asset has already been downloaded.

12. The system of claim 8, the system operative to:

cross-check against a database to determine whether a user has provided a preference for downloading the new asset.

13. The system of claim 8, the system operative to:

prompt a user as to whether to download the asset.

14. The system of claim 8, the system operative to:

wirelessly download the new asset using a short-range wireless path.

15. A method for wirelessly syncing assets, the method comprising:

providing a personal media player;

receiving, at the personal media player, an asset from a device or content source over a wireless communications path;

storing the received asset on the personal media device; and

transmitting the stored asset to a device or content source other than that from which the asset was received.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless communications path comprises a short-range communications path.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the short-range communications path comprise a wi-fi communications path.

18. A method for using a personal media device, the method comprising:

installing a software program on the personal media device; and

receiving, at the personal media device, a software update over a wireless communications path.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

integrating the received software update with the installed software program.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless communications path comprises a short-range communications path.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the short-range communications path comprises a wi-fi communications path.

22. A personal media device comprising:

a storage system for storing a software program;

a processor electrically coupled to the storage system for executing the software program; and

wireless communications circuitry for receiving data required by the software program, the circuitry operative to receive the data over a short-range wireless communications protocol.

23. The media device of claim 22, wherein the short range wireless communication protocol is a wi-fi communications protocol.

24. The media device of claim 22, wherein the wireless communication circuitry is operative to receive data from a content source or another personal media device.

25. A method for providing localized content to a personal media player, the method comprising:

providing an establishment network;

establishing communication between the personal media device and the establishment network; and

providing localized content from the establishment network to the personal media device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein establishing communication comprises using a wireless communications path to interface the personal media device to the establishment network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the wireless communications path comprises a short-range communications path.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein establishing communication comprises using a wired communications path to interface the personal media device to the establishment network.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the establishment network is associated with an establishment and wherein the localized content comprises content logically associated with the establishment.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

allowing a user to interact with the localized content.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein allowing the user to interact with localized content comprises interactions selected from the group consisting of purchasing content, playing content, viewing content, listening to content, and retrieving content.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the establishment network comprises a distributed network of wireless routers, the method further comprising:

determining a geographic location of the personal media device; and

instructing the personal media device to play content based on the determined geographic location.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the establishment network comprises at least one wireless router, wherein each the at least one wireless routes has geographic coordinate, the method further comprising:

determining a geographic location of the personal media device.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

using a ping information signal to assist in determining the geographic location of the personal media device.

35. A personal media device, comprising:

a storage device;

a processor electrically coupled to the storage device;

communications circuitry electrically coupled to the processor, the communications circuitry operative to receive localized content.

36. The personal media device of claim 35, wherein the communications circuitry comprises short-range communications circuitry.

37. The personal media device of claim 35, wherein the communications circuitry comprises wi-fi communications circuitry.

38. The personal media device of claim 35, wherein the communications circuitry is operative to transmit data.

39. The personal media device of claim 35, wherein the localized content is content provided by and associated to an establishment.

40. A merchant system for providing content specific to a merchant, the system comprising:

a server for storing content specific to the merchant; and

a wireless router electrically coupled to the server, the wireless router operative to cast a local wireless network, the wireless router operative to communicate with a personal media device located with the local wireless network and provide the content 10 to the personal media device.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the wireless router is operative to receive data from the personal media device.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the server is operative to process orders.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the content comprises advertisements, scheduling information, menu information, product information, general information, video, audio, podcasts, music, show time information, maps, recipes, and audio tours.

44. A method for ordering items at an establishment, the method comprising:

receiving a menu at the personal media device, the menu including at least one selectable item;

selecting at least one of the selectable items in the menu; and

transmitting the at least one selected item from the personal media device for processing by the establishment.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising customizing the menu based on user preferences.

46. The method of claim 44, the at least one item is automatically selected based on user preferences.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the receiving and the transmitting comprise using a short-range wireless communications path.