Digital downloading jukebox system with central and local music servers

• US 8,103,589 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• 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, Dion, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): KUCAB, JAMIE R
• Application Number:
  US11/185,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,378 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/51
• 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: G07F 17/30 for musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• 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

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. 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 comprising:

a storage location storing a plurality of instances of media available for output on the jukebox;

a plurality of output channels, wherein a first output channel and at least a second output channel different from the first output channel are configured to simultaneously output different instances of media;

a collection mechanism configured to collect a fixed amount of money for playing certain preselected instances of media; and

a user interface configured to enable a user to select one or more of the plurality of output channels for output of a specific instance of media,

wherein the collection mechanism is further configured to collect some additional amount of money greater than the fixed amount of money if a user selects more than one of the output channels for output of an instance of media, and

wherein the jukebox device is configured to output one said instance of media over multiple of the output channels at the same time when (a) the user has selected the multiple output channels, and (b) the additional amount of money has been collected.

2. The jukebox of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of output devices operably connected to the plurality of output channels.

3. The jukebox of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to enable a user to select one or more first output channels for the output of a specific instance of media and at least one or more second output channels different from the one or more first output channels for output of at least a second instance of media different from the first instance of media.

4. The jukebox of claim 3, further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of queues of instances of media for each of the plurality of output channels.

5. The jukebox of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of queues further comprises:

a non-priority queue, wherein a list of instances of media selected by one or more users for play on the output channel corresponding to the plurality of queues is ordered in the temporal order that the instances of media were selected by the one or more users; and

a priority queue, wherein a list of instances of media selected by one or more users for play on the output channel corresponding to the plurality of queues is prioritized based on a prioritization algorithm tangibly stored on a computer medium of, and implemented on, the jukebox.

6. The jukebox of claim 5, wherein the prioritization algorithm specifies a list prioritization order based on the amount collected by the collection mechanism from a user for output of a specific instance of media, whereby an instance of media for which a greater amount was collected by the collection mechanism is given priority in the list over an instance of media for which a lesser amount was collected by the collection mechanism.

7. The jukebox of claim 5, wherein the prioritization algorithms of more than one of the plurality of priority queues corresponding to more than one of the plurality of the output channels is configured to assign a same priority position in the respective lists to a specific instance of media selected for output on the more than one of the plurality of output channels to guarantee simultaneous play on the more than one of the plurality of output channels.

8. The jukebox of claim 7, wherein the collection mechanism is configured to collect an additional amount from the user for guaranteeing simultaneous play.

9. The jukebox of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a main user interface provided at a first location (area) in an establishment;

and

wherein one or more additional secondary user interfaces different from the main user interface are provided at second locations (area) in an establishment different from the first location.

10. The jukebox of claim 9, wherein the second user interfaces comprise graphical user interfaces provided on machines operable for at least a second purpose different from providing a graphical user interface.

11. The jukebox of claim 9, wherein the main user interface and the secondary user interfaces further comprise graphical user interfaces.

12. The jukebox of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interfaces are configured to change to display at least one of a different graphic, advertisement, or available list of instances of media based on the occurrence of a predetermined event.

13. The jukebox of claim 12 wherein the predetermined event comprises the occurrence of at least one of an operator specified date, time, or day of the week.

14. The jukebox of claim 1, wherein the output of one or more of the plurality of output channels is selectively limitable to the output of a subset of the available instances of media.

15. The jukebox of claim 2, wherein the output level of one or more of the output devices is selectively limitable to a specific maximum and/or minimum.

16. The jukebox of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to enable the user to search for media from on a list of popular media compiled based on media selection habits of jukeboxes within a pre-defined geographic area.

17. A jukebox comprising:

a storage location storing a plurality of instances of media available for output on the jukebox;

a plurality of output channels, wherein a first output channel and at least a second output channel different from the first output channel are configured to simultaneously output different instances of media;

a collection mechanism configured to collect a fixed amount of money for playing certain preselected instances of media; and

a user interface configured to enable a user to select one or more of the plurality of output channels for output of a specific instance of media,

wherein the collection mechanism is further configured to collect some additional amount of money greater than the fixed amount of money if a user selects more than one of the output channels for output of an instance of media, and

wherein the user interface is configured to enable the user to search for media using a personal music assistant, comprising;

a data entry mechanism, configured to collect profiling information about the user;

a comparator, configured to compare the entered profiling information to other profiles and to recommended media to the user;

a display, configured to output the list of recommended songs; and

a selector, configured to specify which instance(s) of media is/are to be played.

18. The jukebox of claim 17, wherein the data entry mechanism comprises a keyboard.

19. The jukebox of claim 17, wherein the data entry mechanism comprises a credit card.

20. The jukebox of claim 17, wherein the data entry mechanism comprises a pre-programmed media card or wand.

21. A jukebox comprising:

a storage location storing a plurality of instances of media available for output on the jukebox;

a plurality of output channels, wherein a first output channel and at least a second output channel different from the first output channel are configured to simultaneously output different instances of media;

a collection mechanism configured to collect a fixed amount of money for playing certain preselected instances of media;

a user interface configured to enable a user to select one or more of the plurality of output channels for output of a specific instance of media; and

a memory configured to store a plurality of queues of instances of media for each of the plurality of output channels,

wherein the collection mechanism is further configured to collect some additional amount of money greater than the fixed amount of money if a user selects more than one of the output channels for output of an instance of media,

wherein the user interface is further configured to enable a user to select one or more first output channels for the output of a specific instance of media and at least one or more second output channels different from the one or more first output channels for output of at least a second instance of media different from the first instance of media, and

wherein each of the plurality of queues further comprises;

a non-priority queue, wherein a list of instances of media selected by one or more users for play on the output channel corresponding to the plurality of queues is ordered in the temporal order that the instances of media were selected by the one or more users; and

a priority queue, wherein a list of instances of media selected by one or more users for play on the output channel corresponding to the plurality of queues is prioritized based on a prioritization algorithm tangibly implemented on the jukebox, and

wherein the user interface is further configured to show the amount collected by the collection mechanism for each instance of media in the priority queue corresponding to one of the plurality of outputs.

22. A jukebox comprising:

a storage location storing a plurality of instances of media available for output on the jukebox;

a plurality of output channels, wherein a first output channel and at least a second output channel different from the first output channel are configured to simultaneously output different instances of media;

a collection mechanism configured to collect a fixed amount of money for playing certain preselected instances of media; and

a user interface configured to enable a user to select one or more of the plurality of output channels for output of a specific instance of media,

wherein the collection mechanism is further configured to collect some additional amount of money greater than the fixed amount of money if a user selects more than one of the output channels for output of an instance of media,

wherein the user interface further comprises a main user interface provided at a first location (area) in an establishment and one or more additional secondary user interfaces different from the main user interface and provided at second locations (area) in an establishment different from the first location,

wherein the main user interface and the secondary user interfaces further comprise graphical user interfaces,

wherein the graphical user interfaces are configured to change to display at least one of a different graphic, advertisement, or available list of instances of media based on the occurrence of a predetermined event, and

wherein the predetermined event comprises the identification of a preferred user of the jukebox.