Method and system for accessing remote data based on playback of recordings

• US 6,230,192 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1999
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: CDDB, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Greenberg, Ann E., Roberts, Dale Tyson
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet D.
• Application Number:
  US09/354,166
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/213, 709/216, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/231, 709/313, 709/328, 705/26, 705/27, 707/10, 707/104, 707/501
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• 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 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: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Entertainment content complementary to a musical recording is delivered to a user'"'"'s computer by means of a computer network link. The user employs a browser to access the computer network. A plug-in for the browser is able to control an audio CD or other device for playing the musical recording. A script stored on the remote computer accessed over the network is downloaded. The script synchronizes the delivery of the complementary entertainment content with the play of the musical recording.

Claims

1. A method for associating local and remote data on a local computer connected to a network, comprising:

automatically executing a program on the local computer when a recording is played, to obtain at least one uniform resource locator corresponding to the recording from at least one database of recording identifiers and uniform resource locators stored on at least one remote computer connected to the local computer via the network;

obtaining the remote data via the network from a location identified by the at least one uniform resource locator; and

outputting the remote data on the local computer.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising maintaining in the at least one database an association between the recording identifiers and the uniform resource locators of corresponding Internet resources for a plurality of recordings released by an organization.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the recording is a compact disc, the plurality of recordings are compact discs and the organization is a record company.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the recording is a digital versatile disc, the plurality of recordings are digital versatile discs and the organization is a record company.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the recording is an electronic file of digitally encoded audio and the plurality of recordings are electronic files of digitally encoded audio.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one uniform resource locator includes an address of a World Wide Web page maintained on behalf of at least one person who produced sound for the recording.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the World Wide Web page includes information about live events at which the at least one person will appear in the future.

8. A method as recited in claim 7,

wherein the World Wide Web page includes access to tickets for live events at which the at least one person will appear in the future, and

wherein said method further comprises purchasing tickets using the World Wide Web and a browser program running on the local computer.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the remote data includes at least one of an image of the at least one person, a video in which the at least one person appears and biographical information about the at least one person.

10. A method for associating a recording with output of data on a local computer connected to a network, comprising:

determining an identifier from information associated with the recording;

comparing the identifier with records in a database maintained on a remote computer coupled to the local computer via the network; and

outputting remote data obtained from the network upon verification of access to the recording by the local computer, the remote data obtained via the network from at least one storage location dynamically determined based on the identifier.

11. A method as recited in claim 10,

wherein the recording is stored on one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc, and

wherein said comparing determines that the disc is one of a group of discs released by at least one company.

12. A method of delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted in a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

receiving the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

determining an identifier for the compact disc;

retrieving from a remote computer via the network a uniform resource locator related to the identifier;

linking to a remote device via the network, in response to the uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

detecting insertion of the compact disc in the compact disc player; and

automatically starting a client program within the computer to cause the computer to access the network when the compact disc is inserted in the compact disc player.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

collecting use data from the computer, the use data related to at least one of a portion of the compact disc played, play time of the compact disc and user demographics; and

transferring the use data from the computer to the remote device via the network.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising continuing said collecting and transferring of the use data from the computer to the remote device via the network as long as the compact disc is in the compact disc player.

18. A method as recited in claim 12,

wherein said determining is performed automatically upon insertion of the compact disc,

wherein said retrieving of the uniform resource locator related to the identifier automatically retrieves a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier upon determination of the identifier for the compact disc, and

wherein said linking automatically links the computer to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

70. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one name of a song on the compact disc.

71. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the compact disc contains a plurality of tracks, and

wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one title of a corresponding track on the compact disc.

16. A method of delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted in a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

determining an identifier for the compact disc;

retrieving a uniform resource locator related to the identifier, including

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and to return at least one uniform resource locator related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least one uniform resource locator returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier for said linking, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one uniform resource locator is returned from the remote look-up server;

linking to a remote device via the network, in response to the uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

17. A method as recited in claim 16,

wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

19. A method of accessing content related to a recording accessible to a local computer connected to a network, comprising:

determining an identifier for the recording; and

linking to a remote device via the network using the identifier as a password to access the remote device.

20. A computer system, coupled to a network, to associate remote data and audio, comprising:

a playback unit, located at a first location, to play a recording;

a communication unit, located at the first location, to obtain remote data from the network using at least one uniform resource locator corresponding to the recording;

an output unit, located at the first location, to output the remote data; and

a remote computer, coupled to said communication unit via the network and located at a second location remote from the first location, storing at least one database of recording identifiers and uniform resource locators and providing said communication unit with the at least one uniform resource locator.

21. A computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one database stored on said remote computer associates the recording identifiers with uniform resource locators of corresponding World Wide Web pages for a plurality of recordings released by an organization.

22. A computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one uniform resource locator includes an address of a World Wide Web page maintained on behalf of at least one person who produced sound for the recording.

23. A computer system as recited in claim 22,

wherein the World Wide Web page includes access to tickets for live events at which the at least one person will appear in the future, and

wherein said computer system further comprises a processor, coupled to said playback, communication, and output units, to execute a browser program and instructions to purchase tickets using the World Wide Web.

72. A computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein said communication unit obtains the remote data including at least one name of a song included in the recording.

73. A computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the recording is on a compact disc containing a plurality of tracks, and

wherein said communication unit obtains the remote data including at least one title of a corresponding track on the compact disc.

24. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for associating a recording with output of remote data on a local computer connected to a network, comprising:

prompting input of a disc containing the recording;

verifying access at the local computer to the recording on the disc by

determining an identifier from information associated with the recording, and

comparing the identifier with records in a database maintained on a remote computer coupled to the local computer via the network; and

outputting remote data obtained via the network from at least one storage location dynamically determined after said verifying.

25. At least one computer program as recited in claim 24,

wherein the disc is one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc, and

wherein said comparing determines that the disc is one of a group of discs released by at least one company.

74. At least one computer program as recited in claim 24, wherein said outputting outputs the remote data including at least one name of a song included in the recording.

75. At least one computer program as recited in claim 24, wherein the recording is on a compact disc containing a plurality of tracks, and

wherein said outputting outputs the remote data including at least one title of a corresponding track on the compact disc.

26. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

detecting insertion of the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

determining an identifier for the compact disc;

retrieving from a remote computer via the network a uniform resource locator related to the identifier;

linking to a remote device via the network, based on the uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

27. At least one computer program as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

automatically starting a client program within the computer to cause the computer to access the network when the compact disc is inserted in the compact disc player.

28. At least one computer program as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

collecting use data from the computer, the use data related to at least one of a portion of the compact disc played, play time of the compact disc and user demographics; and

transferring the use data from the computer to the remote device via the network.

29. At least one computer program as recited in claim 28, further comprising continuing said collecting and transferring of the use data from the computer to the remote device via the network as long as the compact disc is in the compact disc player.

32. At least one computer program as recited in claim 26,

wherein said determining is performed automatically upon insertion of the compact disc,

wherein said retrieving of the uniform resource locator related to the identifier automatically retrieves a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier upon determination of the identifier for the compact disc, and

wherein said linking automatically links the computer to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

76. At least one computer program as recited in claim 26, wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one name of a song on the compact disc.

77. At least one computer program as recited in claim 26, wherein the compact disc contains a plurality of tracks, and

wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one title of a corresponding track on the compact disc.

30. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

determining an identifier for the compact disc;

retrieving a uniform resource locator related to the identifier, including

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and return at least one uniform resource locator related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least one uniform resource locator returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one uniform resource locator is returned from the remote look-up server;

linking to a remote device via the network, based on the uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

31. At least one computer program as recited in claim 30,

wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

78. At least one computer program as recited in claim 30, wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one name of a song on the compact disc.

79. At least one computer program as recited in claim 30, wherein the compact disc contains a plurality of tracks, and

wherein said delivering delivers the content including at least one title of a corresponding track on the compact disc.

33. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a compact disc inserted into a compact disc player coupled with a computer connected to a network, comprising:

inserting the compact disc in the compact disc player coupled with the computer;

determining an identifier for the compact disc;

retrieving a uniform resource locator related to the identifier;

linking to a remote device at the uniform resource locator via the network includes using the identifier as a password to access the remote site; and

delivering content complementary to the compact disc from the remote device to the computer via the network.

34. A method for associating remote and local data on a local device connected to a network, comprising:

automatically executing a program on the local device when the local data is accessed, to obtain at least one uniform resource locator, corresponding to the local data, from at least one database of local data identifiers and uniform resource locators stored on at least one remote device connected to the local device via the network;

obtaining the remote data using the at least one uniform resource locator; and

outputting at the local device the remote data obtained from the network.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, further comprising maintaining in the at least one database an association between the local data identifiers and the uniform resource locators of corresponding Internet resources for a plurality of items of local data provided by an organization.

36. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the local data are stored in a recording and are accessed to play the recording for a user of the local device.

37. A method as recited in claim 36, wherein the recording is an electronic file of digitally encoded audio and the items of local data are electronic files of digitally encoded audio.

38. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the at least one uniform resource locator includes an address of a World Wide Web page maintained on behalf of at least one person who produced sound for the recording.

39. A method as recited in claim 38, wherein the World Wide Web page includes information about live events at which the at least one person will appear.

40. A method as recited in claim 39,

wherein the World Wide Web page includes access to tickets for live events at which the at least one person will appear in the future, and

wherein said method further comprises purchasing tickets using the World Wide Web and a browser program running on the local device.

41. A method as recited in claim 38, wherein the remote data include at least one of an image of the at least one person, a video in which the at least one person appears and biographical information about the at least one person.

42. A method as recited in claim 38, wherein the remote data include an electronic file of digitally encoded audio.

43. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the remote data include an electronic file of digitally encoded audio.

44. A method for associating remote and local data on a local device connected to a network, the local data including an electronic file of digitally encoded audio stored on one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc, said method comprising:

determining an identifier from information associated with the local data accessed by the local device when the one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc is inserted into the local device;

automatically executing, when the local data is accessed, a communication program for communication via the network, after initiating the communication program if the communication program has not been initiated previously;

automatically requesting remote data based on the identifier; and

automatically outputting at the local device the remote data obtained from the network.

45. A method of delivering content complementary to a recording ready for playback by a local device connected to a network, comprising:

determining an identifier for the recording;

retrieving from a remote device via the network a uniform resource locator related to the identifier;

linking to the remote device via the network, based on the uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the recording from the remote device to the local device via the network.

46. A method as recited in claim 45,

wherein the local device is a computer connected to the remote device via the network, and

wherein said method further comprises:

detecting access to the recording by the computer; and

automatically starting a client program within the computer to control the computer when the recording is accessed.

47. A method as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

collecting use data from the local device, the use data related to at least one of playback of a portion of the recording, play time of the recording and user demographics; and

transferring the use data from the local device to the remote device via the network.

48. A method as recited in claim 47, further comprising continuing said collecting and transferring of the use data from the local device to the remote device via the network as long as the recording is being played.

49. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein said retrieving of the uniform resource locator related to the identifier includes

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and return at least one uniform resource locator related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least one uniform resource locator returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier for said linking, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one uniform resource locator is returned from the remote look-up server.

50. A method as recited in claim 49,

wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

51. A method as recited in claim 45,

wherein said retrieving of the uniform resource locator related to the identifier retrieves a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

52. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein said linking to the remote device at the uniform resource locator via the network includes using the identifier as a password to access the remote site.

53. A system coupled to a network and associating remote data with local data included in a recording, comprising:

a local device located at a first location, including

an access unit to play the recording for a user of the local device and to access the local data;

a communication unit, coupled to said access unit, to automatically obtain, upon access to the local data by said access unit, the remote data from the network using at least one uniform resource locator corresponding to the local data; and

an output unit, coupled to said communication unit at the first location, to output the remote data; and

a remote computer, coupled to said communication unit via the network and located at a second location remote from the first location, storing at least one database of recording identifiers and uniform resource locators, said communication unit obtaining the at least one uniform resource locator from said remote computer.

54. A system as recited in claim 53, wherein the at least one database stored on said remote computer associates the recording identifiers with uniform resource locators of corresponding World Wide Web pages for a plurality of recordings released by an organization.

55. A system as recited in claim 53, wherein the at least one uniform resource locator corresponds to a World Wide Web page maintained on behalf of at least one person who produced sound for the recording.

56. A system as recited in claim 55,

wherein the World Wide Web page includes access to tickets for live events at which the at least one person will appear in the future, and

wherein said system further comprises a processor, coupled to said access, communication, and output units, to execute a browser program and instructions to purchase tickets using the World Wide Web.

57. A system as recited in claim 55, wherein the remote data include an electronic file of digitally encoded audio.

58. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method for delivering content complementary to a recording ready for playback by a local device connected to a network, comprising:

determining an identifier for the recording;

retrieving from a remote device via the network a uniform resource locator related to the identifier;

linking to a remote device via the network, in response to the uniform resource locator; and

delivering content complementary to the recording from the remote device to the local device via the network.

59. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58,

wherein the local device is a computer connected to the remote device via the network, and

further comprising:

detecting access to the recording by the computer; and

automatically starting a client program within the computer to control the computer when the recording is accessed.

60. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58, further comprising:

collecting use data from the local device, the use data related to at least one of a playback of a portion of the recording, play time of the recording and user demographics; and

transferring the use data from the local device to the remote device via the network.

61. At least one computer program as recited in claim 60, further comprising continuing said collecting and transferring of the use data from the local device to the remote device via the network as long as the recording is being played.

62. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58, wherein said retrieving of the uniform resource locator related to the identifier includes

searching a local cache for the identifier;

connecting to a remote look-up server to search for the identifier and return at least one uniform resource locator related thereto, when the identifier is not found in the local cache within a predetermined period of time;

storing the at least one uniform resource locator returned from the remote look-up server in the local cache; and

providing the at least one uniform resource locator related to the identifier for said linking, when the identifier is found in the local cache and when the at least one uniform resource locator is returned from the remote look-up server.

63. At least one computer program as recited in claim 62,

wherein a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier are returned from the remote look-up server, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

64. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58,

wherein said retrieving of the uniform resource locator related to the identifier retrieves a plurality of uniform resource locators related to the identifier, and

wherein said linking initially links to a selected remote device corresponding to one of the uniform resource locators related to the identifier.

65. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58, wherein said linking to the remote device at the uniform resource locator via the network includes using the identifier as a password to access the remote site.

66. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58, further comprising:

prompting for access to the recording; and

verifying access to the recording.

67. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58, further comprising:

determining an identifier from information associated with the recording; and

comparing the identifier with records in a database maintained on a remote computer coupled to the local device via the network.

68. At least one computer program as recited in claim 58, wherein the data include at least one of an image associated with the recording, animation associated with the recording, and a video associated with the recording.

69. A At least one computer program as recited in claim 68,

wherein the recording is an electronic file of digitally encoded audio, and

wherein the data include an album cover associated with the electronic file.