Downloading method for songs and advertisements

• US 5,930,765 A
• Filed: 11/21/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Automatic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: John R. Martin
• Inventors: Martin, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US08/975,612
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/14, 705/16, 395/200.47, 395/200.46, 395/200.49, 395/200.68, 395/200.61, 235/381, 364/479.01-479.06, 463/40-43
• US Class Current: 705/14.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• 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 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 : by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 : Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 : Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of updating electronic data stored in numerous electronic amusement devices. The method includes the steps of providing a master information source from which new songs, programs, or other information, for example, advertisements, may be downloaded. The method also includes the steps of providing a first set of at least one non-updated electronic amusement device, connecting each non-updated electronic amusement device in the first set to the master information source and downloading information to the non-updated electronic amusement device, thereby providing at least one updated electronic amusement device. Additional non-updated electronic amusement devices may be updated according to the method by providing a second set of at least one non-updated electronic amusement device, and iterating the following steps: selecting an updated electronic amusement device, selecting a subset of the second set of at least one non-updated electronic amusement devices, connecting the selected updated electronic amusement device to each non-updated electronic amusement device in the selected subset, and downloading information to the non-updated electronic amusement devices, thereby providing at least one additional updated electronic amusement device. The additional updated electronic amusement devices may then be chosen in subsequent iterating steps to update non-updated electronic amusement devices.

Claims

1. An improved method of updating electronic data stored in a plurality of electronic amusement devices, each electronic amusement device including memory for storing digital data, a communications interface, and a processor connected to said communications interface and said memory, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a central station for storing data;

b) determining a first set of at least one non-updated electronic amusement device;

c) connecting each non-updated electronic amusement device in said first set to said central station and downloading information to said non-updated electronic amusement device, thereby providing at least one updated electronic amusement device;

d) determining a second set of at least one non-updated electronic amusement device;

e) iterating the following steps;

1) selecting an updated electronic amusement device provided by downloading said information to a non-updated electronic amusement device;

2) determining a subset of said second set of at least one non-updated electronic amusement devices, said subset thereby including at least one non-updated electronic amusement device;

3) connecting said selected updated electronic amusement device to each non-updated electronic amusement device in said subset and downloading said information to said non-updated electronic amusement device, thereby providing at least one additional updated electronic amusement device which may be selected in a subsequent selection step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said iterating step iterates at least twice to download information to a first subset of non-updated electronic amusement devices and to download information to a second subset of non-updated electronic amusement devices.

3. The method claim 1, wherein said iterating step iterates at least three times to download information to a first subset of non-updated electronic amusement devices, to download information to a second subset of non-updated electronic amusement devices, and to download information to a third subset of non-updated electronic amusement devices.

4. The method claim 1, wherein said iterating step iterates until each non-updated amusement device in said second set has information downloaded to it.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 comprises the step of establishing a connection over a telephone line for at least one iterating step.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said connecting and downloading step c comprises the step of establishing a connection over a telephone line.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 comprises the step of establishing a connection over a telephone line for at least one iterating step.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 comprises the step of establishing a connection over a telephone line for at least one iterating step.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said connecting and downloading step c comprises the step of establishing a connection over a telephone line.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 comprises the step of establishing a connection over a telephone line for at least one iterating step.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said connecting and downloading step c comprises downloading information selected from the group consisting essentially of advertisements, music, and computer program updates.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 comprises downloading information selected from the group consisting essentially of advertisements, music, and computer program updates.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein said connecting and downloading step c comprises downloading information selected from the group consisting essentially of advertisements, music, and computer program updates.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 comprises downloading information selected from the group consisting essentially of advertisements, music, and computer program updates.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said connecting and downloading step c is responsive to a control selected from the group consisting essentially of computer programs, external inputs, and timers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 is responsive a control selected from the group consisting essentially of computer programs, external inputs, and timers.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein said connecting and downloading step c is responsive to a control selected from the group consisting essentially of computer programs, external inputs, and timers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 is responsive a control selected from the group consisting essentially of computer programs, external inputs, and timers.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said connecting and downloading step e3 further comprises the step of transmitting a download tree.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said connecting and downloading of step e3 further comprises the step of transmitting at least one alternate update scheme.

21. An improved method of updating electronic data stored in a computer jukebox, each computer jukebox providing a memory for storing digital data representing a plurality of songs, a digital to analog converter, at least one speaker connected to said digital to analog converter, a communications interface, and a processor connected to said communications interface and said memory, said method comprising the steps of:

a) determining a first set of at least one non-updated computer jukebox;

b) connecting each non-updated computer jukebox in said first set to a central station and downloading information to said non-updated computer jukebox, thereby providing at least one updated computer jukebox;

c) determining a second set of at least one non-updated computer jukebox;

d) iterating the following steps;

1) selecting an updated computer jukebox provided by downloading said information to a non-updated computer jukebox;

2) determining a subset of said second set of at least one non-updated computer jukebox, said subset thereby including at least one non-updated computer jukebox;

3) connecting said selected updated computer jukebox to each non-updated computer jukebox in said subset and downloading said information to said non-updated computer jukebox, thereby providing at least one additional updated computer jukebox which may be selected in a subsequent selection step.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said iterating step iterates at least twice to download information to a first subset of non-updated computer jukeboxes and to download information to a second subset of non-updated computer jukeboxes.

23. The method claim 21, wherein said iterating step iterates at least three times to download information to a first subset of non-updated computer jukeboxes, to download information to a second subset of non-updated computer jukeboxes, and to download information to a third subset of non-updated computer jukeboxes.

24. The method claim 21, wherein said iterating step iterates until each non-updated device in said second set has information downloaded to it.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said connecting and downloading step b downloads information selected from the group consisting essentially of advertisements, music, and computer program updates.

26. An improved method of updating electronic data stored in an electronic dart game, each electronic dart game providing a memory for storing digital data, a dart target, a communications interface, and a processor connected to said communications interface and said memory, said method comprising the steps of:

a) determining a first set of at least one non-updated electronic dart game;

b) connecting each non-updated electronic dart game in said first set to a central station and downloading information to said non-updated electronic dart game, thereby providing at least one updated electronic dart game;

c) determining a second set of at least one non-updated electronic dart game;

d) iterating the following steps;

1) selecting an updated electronic dart game provided by downloading said information to a non-updated electronic dart game;

2) determining a subset of said second set of at least one non-updated electronic dart game, said subset thereby including at least one non-updated electronic dart game;

3) connecting said selected updated electronic dart game to each non-updated electronic dart game in said subset and downloading said information to said non-updated electronic dart game, thereby providing at least one additional updated electronic dart game which may be selected in a subsequent selection step.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said iterating step iterates at least twice to download information to a first subset of non-updated electronic dart games and to download information to a second subset of non-updated electronic dart games.

28. The method claim 26, wherein said iterating step iterates at least three times to download information to a first subset of non-updated electronic dart games, to download information to a second subset of non-updated electronic dart games, and to download information to a third subset of non-updated electronic dart games.

29. The method claim 26, wherein said iterating step iterates until each non-updated device in said second set has information downloaded to it.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said connecting and downloading step b downloads information selected from the group consisting essentially of advertisements, music, and computer program updates.