Ratings-based digital media distribution and reproduction for a wireless network

• US 8,457,770 B1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Martin, Geoffrey S., Kindred, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saunders, Jr., Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/099,220
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 725/28
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00159 Parental control systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A digital media distribution system has a wireless network serving a plurality of wireless subscribers wherein the wireless network supports digital media file transfer. A content server is coupled to the wireless network for distributing media items to wireless subscribers upon request. The media items each comprises a plurality of rated versions, wherein the rated versions of each particular media item depict the same media content customized to meet a respective rating from a plurality of ratings. The content server offers each media item for downloading as a single unit containing the plurality of rated versions. A subscriber terminal selects and downloads selected media items as respective single units to be stored in the subscriber terminal. The subscriber terminal includes a trigger stored in the subscriber terminal. The trigger has a value for identifying one of the plurality of ratings to be used by the subscriber terminal for accessing the downloaded media items. A media application on the subscriber terminal activates a downloaded media item according to the rated version specified by the trigger value for the subscriber terminal and ignoring the other rated versions.

Claims

1. A digital media distribution system comprising:

a wireless network serving a plurality of wireless subscribers wherein the wireless network supports digital media file transfer;

a content server coupled to the wireless network for distributing media items to wireless subscribers upon request, wherein the media items each comprises a plurality of rated versions, wherein the rated versions of each particular media item depict the same media content customized to meet a respective rating from a plurality of ratings, and wherein the content server offers each media item for downloading as a single unit containing the plurality of rated versions;

a subscriber terminal for selecting and downloading selected media items as respective single units to be stored in the subscriber terminal, wherein the subscriber terminal includes a trigger stored in the subscriber terminal and having a value for identifying one of the plurality of ratings to be used by the subscriber terminal for accessing the downloaded media items, wherein the trigger value comprises a URL pointing to a User Agent Profile that identifies a selected one of the ratings;

a profile repository on a configuration server accessed by the URL and storing the User Agent Profile corresponding to the subscriber terminal; and

a media application on the subscriber terminal for activating a downloaded media item according to the rated version specified by the trigger value for the subscriber terminal and ignoring the other rated versions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the subscriber terminal includes program logic for allowing an authorized person to securely set a trigger value.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the subscriber terminal includes program logic for automatically setting a predetermined trigger value in response to a hardware state of the subscriber terminal.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the media items include a plurality of music tracks, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a music track include an explicit file version and a mitigated file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the media items include a plurality of music tracks, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a music track include a stereo file version and a mono file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the media items include a plurality of music tracks, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a music track include a first equalization file version and a second equalization file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the media items include a plurality of wallpaper graphics, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a wallpaper graphic include an explicit file version and a mitigated file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the media items include a plurality of game executables, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a game executable include an explicit file version and a mitigated file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the trigger value represents a selected one of the ratings.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the media application is comprised of a music player including an application program interface (API) for determining a rated version to be reproduced in accordance with the trigger value.

11. A telecommunication service for providing digital media to subscriber terminals, wherein the terminals each have an assigned trigger value for controlling access to explicit content using the subscriber terminal, the service comprising:

a wireless network communicating with the subscriber terminals, wherein the wireless network supports digital media file transfer;

a content server coupled to the wireless network for distributing media items to subscriber terminals upon request, wherein the media items each comprises a plurality of rated versions, wherein the rated versions of each particular media item depict the same media content customized to meet a respective rating from a plurality of ratings, wherein the content server offers each media item for downloading as a single unit containing the plurality of rated versions, and wherein the content server responds to a selection of a media item from a particular subscriber terminal by transmitting the plurality of rated versions regardless of the trigger value of the particular subscriber terminal; and

a configuration server for identifying one of the plurality of ratings in response to the trigger value, wherein the trigger value comprises a URL pointing to a User Agent Profile in a configuration server that identifies a selected one of the ratings, and wherein the configuration server allows a user to securely modify the trigger value of the particular subscriber terminal.

12. The service of claim 11 wherein the media items include a plurality of music tracks, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a music track include an explicit file version and a mitigated file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

13. The service of claim 11 wherein the media items include a plurality of music tracks, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a music track include a stereo file version and a mono file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

14. The service of claim 11 wherein the media items include a plurality of music tracks, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a music track include a first equalization file version and a second equalization file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

15. The service of claim 11 wherein the media items include a plurality of wallpaper graphics, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a wallpaper graphic include an explicit file version and a mitigated file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

16. The service of claim 11 wherein the media items include a plurality of game executables, and wherein the plurality of rated versions within each single unit of a game executable include an explicit file version and a mitigated file version, wherein each file version is labeled according to a respective trigger value.

17. The service of claim 11 wherein the trigger value represents a selected one of the ratings.