SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PACKAGED PROGRAMMING TO ELECTRONIC MEDIA PLAYERS

• US 20080256567A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Opus III
• Original Assignee: Opus III
• Inventors: Butler, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US12/101,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention relates to providing packaged programming for use on electronic media players. In particular the present invention relates to providing entertainment programming packaged together with advertising, in downloadable form, for use on electronic media players. The service may be supported by subscription fees, by advertising fees, are a combination thereof. The service provider, in turn, uses a portion of the moneys generated for operating expenses and profit, as well as to pay pre-negotiated royalty fees to the copyright owners of the aforementioned programming.

Claims

1. A system on a remote server comprising:

a server having a plurality of entertainment and advertisement programs;

a media delivery module configured to package a programming package having embedded advertisements, wherein the programming package contains entertainment programs from the server; and

a media player in communication with the delivery module configured to receive and play the entertainment programming package with embedded advertisements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the media delivery module is configured to package the entertainment programming based on a user'"'"'s setting.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the media delivery module is configured to check whether the media player contains a previously installed programming package.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the media delivery module is configured to delete the previously installed programming package prior to installing a new programming package.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the media player is configured to collect usage data of the programming package for sending to the server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the usage data is selected from one or more of the group consisting of a number of times a song is played, a number of times an advertisement is played, and how long the package programming is in the media device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the media delivery module encrypts the programming package prior to transmitting the package to the media player.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the media player comprises a portable electronic device.

9. The system of claim 7, where in the media player is configured to decrypt and store the programming package.

10. A method comprising the steps of:

packaging a programming material with an advertisement as a programming package;

delivering the programming package to a media player; and

collecting usage data on the programming package from the media player.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising deleting any previously delivered programming package in the media player prior to delivering the programming package.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

encrypting the programming package prior to delivering the programming package.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising authorizing the media player prior to delivering the programming package.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the media player is configured with a key to authenticate itself with a server.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the programming material is selected from one or more media from the group consisting of music, video, and news programming.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the media player is a portable media device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the media player is configured to collect the usage data.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein usage data is selected from one or more of the group consisting of a number of times a song is played, a number of times an advertisement is played, and how long the packaged programming is in the media device.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the media player is an authorized media player.

20. A method comprising the steps of:

erasing any current programs from a subscriber'"'"'s electronic media player connected to the subscriber'"'"'s computer;

downloading encrypted data from a remote server;

applying the subscriber'"'"'s key;

exporting a program into the subscriber'"'"'s computer'"'"'s data management program;

approving the subscriber'"'"'s key with the data management program;

accepting the new program by the data management program; and

uploading the new program to subscribers electronic media player with the data management program.

21. A method comprising the steps of:

synchronizing a subscriber'"'"'s electronic media player with the subscriber'"'"'s data management program;

downloading usage statistics from the electronic media player to the data management program;

transferring the usage statistics from the data management system to the proprietary software; and

uploading subscriber usage statistics to supplier'"'"'s server from the proprietary software.

22. A method comprising the steps of:

uploading usage statistics from proprietary software located on subscribers'"'"' computer;

compiling the usage statistics from all subscribers for a given billing period; and

billing advertisers based on the compiled usage statistics.

23. A method comprising the steps of:

uploading usage statistics from proprietary software located on subscribers'"'"' computer;

compiling the usage statistics from all subscribers for a given billing period; and

paying royalties to the copyright owners based on the usage statistics.

24. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code functions embedded in said medium for causing a computer deliver a media programming comprising:

a first computer readable program code that causes the computer to package a programming material with an advertisement as a programming package;

a second computer readable program code that causes the computer to deliver the programming package to an authorized media player; and

a third computer readable program code that causes the computer to collect usage data on the programming package from the authorized media player.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising a fourth computer readable program code that causes the computer to delete any previously delivered programming package in the media player prior to delivering the programming package.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising a fourth computer readable program code that causes the computer to encrypt the programming package prior to delivering the programming package.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising a fourth computer readable program code that causes the computer to authenticate the media player prior to delivering the programming package.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the media player is configured with a key to authenticate itself with a server.

29. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the programming material is selected from one or more media of the group consisting t of music, video, and news programming.

30. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the media player is configured to collect the usage data.

31. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein usage data is selected from one or more of the group consisting of a number of times a song is played, a number of times an advertisement is played, and how long the packaged programming is in the media device.