Method, system and devices for wireless data storage on a server and data retrieval

• US 6,956,833 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Ken, Eubanks, Gina C., Yukie, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US09/542,126
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/352, 709/203
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method and system for remotely storing data on a server through a wireless connection instead of storing data locally in a consumer device, as well as devices for use with the method and system. More particularly, a video camera, still camera, laptop computer, or other consumer device which normally stores data in local memory such as film, disk, random access memory, memory sticks, or other forms of storage would transmit the data to a remote server through a wireless connection. The data would be saved on the remote server for subsequent retrieval through, for example, the Internet or a wireless connection to the server. In addition, data not originating from the user device could be downloaded to the consumer device. The data to be retrieved can be specified by the user, or sent to the user according to a user profile stored on the server.

Claims

1. A wireless data storage system, comprising:

(a) a user terminal having a wireless communications interface;

(b) a base station configured for wireless communication with said user terminal;

(c) a data server configured for communicating with said user terminal through said base station; and

(d) means associated with said data server for receiving and storing data transmitted by said user terminal for subsequent retrieval;

(e) wherein data stored by said data server includes a user profile corresponding to a user of said user terminal; and

(f) wherein said user profile defines parameters comprising one or more types of content to be sent to said user terminal, one or more specific data sources for content to be sent to said user terminal, and the type of data and time said data is to be transmitted to said user terminal.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a programmed date processor with programming for communicating with said data server.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal is configured for sending IP packets to said base station.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said base station is configured for SDMA.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal is portable.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said base station is configured for directional transmission to said user terminal.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a music player.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a still image camera.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a video camera.

10. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a video display device.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a car stereo.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a telephonic device.

13. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld control device.

14. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a game device.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a home appliance.

16. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a personal information access device.

17. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said user terminal comprises a wireless IP receiver.

18. A wireless data retrieval system, comprising:

(a) a user terminal having a wireless communications interface;

(b) a base station configured for wireless communication with said user terminal;

(c) a data server configured for communicating with said user terminal through said base station; and

(d) means associated with said data server for transmitting data stored on said data server to said user terminal;

(e) wherein data stored by said data server includes a user profile corresponding to a user of said user terminal; and

(f) wherein said user profile defines parameters comprising one or more types of content to be sent to said user terminal, one or more specific data sources for content to be sent to said user terminal, and the type of data and time said data is to be transmitted to said user terminal.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a programmed data processor with programming for communicating with said date server.

20. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal is configured for receiving IP packets from said base station.

21. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said base station is configured for SDMA.

22. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal is portable.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said base station is configured for directional transmission to said user terminal.

24. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a music player.

25. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a still image camera.

26. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a video camera.

27. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a video display device.

28. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a car stereo.

29. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a telephonic device.

30. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld control device.

31. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a game device.

32. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a home appliance.

33. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a personal information access device.

34. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said user terminal comprises a wireless IP receiver.

35. A user terminal configured for wireless communication with a data server through a base station and further configured for transmitting data to said data server for storage and subsequent retrieval;

wherein data stored by said data server includes a user profile corresponding to a user of said user terminal; and

wherein said user profile defines parameters comprising one or more types of content to be sent to said user terminal, one or more specific data sources for content to be sent to said user terminal, and the type of data and time said data is to be transmitted to said user terminal.

36. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal includes a wireless interface.

37. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a programmed data processor with programming for communicating with said data server.

38. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal is configured for sending IP packets to said base station.

39. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal is portable.

40. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a music player.

41. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a still image camera.

42. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a video camera.

43. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a video display device.

44. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a car stereo.

45. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a telephonic device.

46. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld control device.

47. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a game device.

48. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a home appliance.

49. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a personal information access device.

50. A user terminal as recited in claim 35, wherein said user terminal comprises a wireless IP receiver.

51. A user terminal configured for wireless communication with a data server through a base station and further configured for receiving data stored on said data server;

wherein data stored by said data server includes a user profile corresponding to a user of said user terminal; and

wherein said user profile defines parameters comprising one or more types of content to be sent to said user terminal, one or more specific data sources for content to be sent to said user terminal, and the type of data and time said data is to be transmitted to said user terminal.

52. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal includes a wireless interface.

53. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a programmed data processor with programming for communicating with said data server.

54. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal is configured for receiving IP packets from said base station.

55. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal is portable.

56. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a music player.

57. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a still image camera.

58. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a video camera.

59. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a video display device.

60. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a car stereo.

61. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a telephonic device.

62. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld control device.

63. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a game device.

64. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a home appliance.

65. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises a personal information access device.

66. A user terminal as recited in claim 51, wherein said user terminal comprises an wireless IP receiver.

67. A system for transmitting data to a user, comprising:

(a) a wireless receiver; and

(b) a data server, said data server including a user profile defining parameters for transmitting data to said wireless receiver;

(c) wherein said parameters comprise one or more types of content to be sent to said wireless receiver, one or more specific data sources for content to be sent to said wireless receiver, end the type of data and time said data is to be transmitted to said wireless receiver.

68. A system as recited in claim 67, further comprising a wireless base station transmitter associated with said data server.

69. A system as recited in claim 67, wherein said user profile is modifiable through a network connection to said server.

70. A system as recited in claim 67, further comprising:

(a) a wireless transmitter associated with said wireless receiver; and

(b) a wireless base station transmitter associated with said data server;

(c) wherein said user profile is modifiable through a wireless connection with said wireless transmitter.

71. A system as recited in claim 67, wherein said data is carried over a plurality of user selectable data channels.

72. A system as recited in claim 67, wherein the type of data transmitted to said wireless receiver is based on the capability of said wireless receiver to receive said data.

73. A method for wireless transmission of data to a user, comprising:

(a) storing, on a data server, a user profile defining parameters for transmitting data to a wireless receiver; and

(b) transmitting said data according to said user profile;

(c) wherein said parameters comprise one or more types of content to be sent to said wireless receiver, one or more specific data sources for content to be sent to said wireless receiver, and the type of data and time said data is to be transmitted to said wireless receiver.

74. A method as recited in claim 73, wherein said user profile is modifiable through a network connection to said server.

75. A method as recited in claim 73, wherein said user profile is modifiable through a wireless connection from a transmitter associated with said wireless receiver.

76. A method as recited in claim 73, wherein said data is carried over a plurality of user selectable data channels.

77. A method as recited in claim 73, wherein the type of data transmitted to said wireless receiver is based on the capability of said wireless receiver to receive said data.