Digital downloading jukebox system with central and local music servers

• US 20080195443A1
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy, Mastronardi, Tony, Dion, Dominique, Khenfir, Mounir
• Granted Patent: US 11,049,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A digital downloading jukebox system including a central server and a plurality of remote jukebox devices each provided with a local server that preferably mirrors the central server and enables selected songs to be immediately downloaded to the jukebox for reproduction. The local server and jukebox may also provide, through control of the central server, song download services to other jukebox devices, such as residential jukeboxes. The jukebox system may also act as a monitoring/management device for other coin operated equipment present in a location where the jukebox is located, thereby enabling the jukebox device to perform updates on other equipment under control of the central server.

Claims

1. A jukebox device that manages non-jukebox devices in a common location, comprising:

a payment acceptor configured to receive a payment from a user purchasing plays or credits from the jukebox device;

a user interface configured to enable the user of the jukebox device to select a song for playback from a library of songs accessible by the jukebox device;

a speaker system connected to the jukebox device, the speaker system being configured to reproduce the selected song for a predetermined number of plays or credits; and

a local server configured to manage one or more of said non-jukebox devices, said one or more managed non-jukebox device being connected to the jukebox device via a network connection.

2. The jukebox device of claim 1, wherein the one or more managed non-jukebox devices are payment-triggered non-jukebox devices.

3. The jukebox device of claim 2, wherein the local server is further configured to update the one or more managed non-jukebox devices based on information from a central server remote from the location.

4. The jukebox device of claim 3, wherein software provided to the one or more managed non-jukebox devices is updatable so that the one or more managed non-jukebox devices are capable of providing new games.

5. The jukebox device of claim 3, wherein the jukebox device is configured to collect reporting and/or accounting related information from the one or more managed non-jukebox devices.

6. The jukebox device of claim 5, wherein the jukebox device is configured to upload the collected reporting and/or accounting related information to the central server.

7. The jukebox device of claim 2, wherein the jukebox device and the one or more managed non-jukebox devices are provided by different parties.

8. The jukebox device of claim 2, wherein the jukebox device is configured to download software and/or data updates from a central server and store the downloaded software and/or data updates to the local server, and

wherein the local server is further configured to dispatch the stored downloaded software and/or data updates to the one or more managed non-jukebox devices.

9. The jukebox device of claim 2, wherein the management of the one or more managed non-jukebox devices provided by the jukebox device and the local server is provided for a fee.

10. The jukebox device of claim 1, wherein the network connection is a high-speed network connection within the location.

11. A digital jukebox network, comprising:

a central server having a central repository of songs; and

at a plurality of locations;

a jukebox device being configured to manage non-jukebox devices provided to the location and download songs and data from the central server, each said jukebox device comprising (a) a payment acceptor configured to receive a payment from a user purchasing plays or credits from the jukebox device, (b) a user interface configured to enable the user of the jukebox device to select a song for playback from a library of songs accessible by the jukebox device, and (c) a speaker system connected to the jukebox device, the speaker system being configured to reproduce the selected song for a predetermined number of plays or credits; and

at least one non-jukebox device;

a local server configured to manage at least one said non-jukebox device using data communicated between the jukebox device at the location and the central server, the local server being connected to the jukebox device at the location and each said managed non-jukebox device via an internal network set up in the location.

12. The digital jukebox network of claim 11, wherein each said managed non-jukebox device in a location is a payment-triggered non-jukebox device.

13. The digital jukebox network of claim 12, wherein each said managed non-jukebox device is updatable with game software.

14. The digital jukebox network of claim 12, wherein at each said location, the local server is configured to collect reporting and/or accounting related information from each said managed non-jukebox device, the local server being further configured to communicate the collected reporting and/or accounting related information to the central server via the jukebox device.

15. The digital jukebox network of claim 12, wherein in at least one said location, the jukebox device and at least one said managed non-jukebox device are provided by different parties.

16. The digital jukebox network of claim 12, wherein the management of at least one said managed non-jukebox device is provided for a fee.

17. The digital jukebox network of claim 12, wherein at each said location, the jukebox device is configured to download software and/or data updates from the central server and store the downloaded software and/or data updates to the local server, and

wherein the local server is further configured to dispatch the stored downloaded software and/or data updates to at least one said managed non-jukebox devices.

18. A method of operating a jukebox network, the method comprising:

providing a central server having a central repository of songs;

providing a plurality of jukebox devices at a plurality of respective locations, each said jukebox device being configured to manage non-jukebox devices provided to the location and download songs and data from the central server, each said jukebox device comprising (a) a payment acceptor configured to receive a payment from a user purchasing plays or credits from the jukebox device, (b) a user interface configured to enable the user of the jukebox device to select a song for playback from a library of songs accessible by the jukebox device, and (c) a speaker system connected to the jukebox device, the speaker system being configured to reproduce the selected song for a predetermined number of plays or credits;

providing, at each said location, at least one non-jukebox device and a local server, the local server being connected to the jukebox device and each said non-jukebox device to a network set up in the location; and

managing, via the local server provided at each said location, the at least one non-jukebox device at each said location using data communicated between the jukebox device and the central server.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least some of the non-jukebox devices are payment triggered non-jukebox devices.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising updating, at each said location, the at least one non-jukebox device with game software.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising at each said location:

collecting, via the local server provided at said location, reporting and/or accounting related information from the at least one non-jukebox device; and

communicating the collected reporting and/or accounting related information to the central server via the jukebox device.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising charging a fee for the updating and/or managing of the at least one non-jukebox device.