Multimedia services include method, system and apparatus operable in a different data processing network, and sync other commonly owned apparatus

• US 8,543,095 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ryan, James Patrick, Brown, Gregg H., Hyatt, Robert Everett, Lefar, Marc Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERRERA, DIEGO D
• Application Number:
  US11/177,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones

Abstract

Architecture for accessing and purchasing multimedia services in a mobile terminal cellular environment. The architecture brings together the on-the-fly discovery of music and connectivity for the purchase or preview of multimedia services (e.g., music tracks). Provided is a music client on a cell phone or other mobile communications device that facilitates the discovery, storage, and play of multimedia content or portions thereof such as music. A user can listen to music transmitted to the mobile terminal device (e.g., cell phone) via broadcast, satellite radio, streaming internet radio, etc., review the music, and buy tracks or whole albums over-the-air via the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates access to media services, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

initiating communication with a first remote component via a transceiver; and

receiving first content and first content metadata describing the first content from the first remote component;

facilitating a presentation of the first content;

storing the first content and the first content metadata;

receiving an indication of a complete version of the first content being requested;

forwarding the first content metadata directed to a second remote component;

receiving from the second remote component second content, wherein the first content is at least a portion of the second content, the second content is determined based on the first content metadata, the second content comprises an unencoded preview portion and an encoded portion, and the unencoded preview is unencoded for presentment without decoding;

receiving an indication that the encoded portion of the second content is decodable for presentment after the decoding; and

forwarding payment information representing a payment to the second remote component to facilitate the decoding of the encoded portion of the second content for presentment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content is music content, the first remote component is a radio station transmitter, and the first content metadata comprises a title of the music content.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content metadata comprises a property of the first content.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content metadata is an artist name associated with the first content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating a purchase of the encoded portion of the second content from the a second remote component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating a tagging of the encoded portion of the second content for purchase while the first content is presented.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content is music content, and the first remote component is a broadcast radio network device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise processing the first content and the first content metadata to determine an action to be performed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the forwarding of the first content metadata to the first remote component occurs in conjunction with the first content being presented.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to expiration of a predetermined period of time during which the unencoded preview portion has not been accessed, deleting the first content and the first content metadata from the storage component, and deleting the unencoded preview portion and the encoded portion.

11. A system that facilitates access to media services, comprising:

a memory including computer-executable instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receive receiving first music content and first music metadata from a music source, the first music metadata identifies the first music content; and

playing the first music content;

generating a request for additional information regarding the first music content, wherein the request is generated subsequent to the first music content being played;

forwarding the request including the first music metadata to a remote component;

receiving, from the remote component, second music content based on the first music metadata, wherein the first music content comprises at least a portion of the second music content and the second music content comprises an unencoded preview portion and an encoded portion;

directing a transmission of the second music content to a voice message inbox; and

playing the unencoded preview portion in response to an access of the voice message inbox, wherein the encoded portion becomes available in response to payment being determined to have been transmitted to the remote component for access to the encoded portion.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the music source is a satellite radio network device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating forwarding of a copy of the second music content comprising the unencoded preview portion and the encoded portion to a remotely located computing device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the unencoded preview portion of the copy of the second music content is available for review on the remotely located computing device without a delay and the encoded portion of the copy of the second music content is available for review on the remotely located computing device in response to determining payment from the remotely located computing component has been received.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the music source is a speaker device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first music metadata comprises a title of the first music content.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the first music metadata further facilitates access to an item related to the first music content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the item is a ringtone.

19. A mobile handset, comprising:

a memory to store computer-executable instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receive receiving a first content and first content metadata from a remote device playing the first content;

forwarding the first content metadata to a content server accessible via a cellular network;

receiving, from the content server, second content associated with the first content metadata, wherein the second content comprises an unencoded preview portion and an encoded portion; and

forwarding the unencoded preview version to a voice message inbox to facilitate presentment of the unecoded preview portion.

20. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise communicating the first content and the first content metadata to a remote handset, wherein the first content and the first content metadata is communicated as an attachment to a message.

21. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise communicating the first content and the first content metadata to a remote handset via a short message service message.

22. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise communicating the first content and the first content metadata to a remote handset via a multimedia message service message.

23. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise communicating the first content and the first content metadata to a remote handset during a voice call while the first content is being played.

24. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating synchronization of the first content and the first content metadata between the mobile handset and a disparate mobile handset.

25. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein the synchronization is performed by exchange of a memory card.

26. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein the synchronization is performed by wireless communications.

27. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein the synchronization is performed by a tethered communication link.

28. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the first content is music content received as streaming content.

29. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating access to the voice message inbox to play the encoded preview portion and initiate a purchase of the encoded portion.

30. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise unlocking the encoded portion to facilitate formation of a full version of the second content to be available at the mobile handset, wherein the full version comprises the unencoded preview portion combined with the encoded portion as unlocked, and wherein the full version is playable in its entirety.

31. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein, in response to the voice message inbox being determined to be accessed, the unencoded preview version is played.

32. The mobile handset of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating synchronization of the first content and the first content metadata between the mobile handset and another portable computer.

33. A method comprising:

receiving, by a system including a processor, first content and first content metadata from a network device of a cellular network;

storing, by the system, the first content and the first content metadata;

playing, by the system, the first content;

forwarding, by the system, the first content metadata to a remote server;

receiving, by the system, an unencoded preview version of second content to a voice message inbox, wherein the second content is associated with the first content metadata and the unencoded preview version comprises a first portion of the second content;

storing, by the system, the unencoded preview version of the second content;

playing, by the system, the unencoded preview version;

retrieving, by the system, a second portion of the second content, wherein the second portion is encoded according to a defined encoding;

purchasing, by the system, a key component to decode the encoding of the second portion of the second content; and

decoding, by the system with the key component, the second portion of the second content facilitating generation of a full version of the first content available to be played.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising presenting, by the system, the first content metadata associated with the first content.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising sending, by the system, the first content to a remote device for download by authorized request.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising deleting, by the system, the first content and the first content metadata after expiration of a predetermined period of time during which the first content has not been accessed.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the system is a mobile handset.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the second content comprising the first portion of the second content and the second portion of the second content to a remote device, wherein the first portion comprising the unencoded preview version is made accessible via the remote device and the second portion is available for playing after the key component has been obtained.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the second content comprising the first portion of the second content and the second portion of the second content to a disparate device via a peer-to-peer arrangement.

40. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile handset including a processor, data comprising music content from a content source via a wireless communications network;

playing, by the mobile handset, the music content;

forwarding, by the mobile handset, for review, at a remote content server, the music content;

requesting, by the mobile handset, the music content be identified by comparison with audio content at the remote content server;

receiving, by the mobile handset in response to the request for identification of the music content, a preview version of a second music track associated with the music content, wherein the preview version comprises a portion of a full version of the second music track;

playing, by the mobile handset, the preview version of the second music track;

tagging, by the mobile handset, the full version of the second music track for purchase;

downloading, by the mobile handset, the full version of the second music track for storage in the mobile handset; and

registering, by the mobile handset, a special keystroke in the mobile communications device to initiate a purchase of the downloaded full version of the second music track.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the music content comprises a song.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising downloading, by the mobile handset, an image associated with the second music track.

43. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a radio signal from a radio service, the radio signal comprising music content;

playing the radio signal;

capturing a portion of the radio signal for review;

forwarding a request to a remote content server, the request comprising the portion of the radio signal and an indication for a match to be found between the portion of the radio signal and full length content at the remote content server;

receiving, in response to the match between the portion of the radio signal and full length content being found at the remote content server, a preview version of the full length content, wherein the preview version comprises a portion of the full length content;

presenting the preview version;

downloading the full length content, wherein the full length content being encoded;

submitting payment for a key facilitating decoding the full length content;

receiving the key; and

decoding the full length content to facilitate playing the full length content.

44. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 43, further comprising storing the portion of the radio signal.

45. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 43, further comprising presenting metadata associated with the radio signal, wherein the metadata comprises music track data associated with the music content comprising the radio signal.

46. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the forwarding to the remote content server includes wireless transmission.

47. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 43, further comprising predicting an action to be taken based on statistical analysis of use of the system.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the presenting is initiated by a voice mail system device.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the submitting the payment comprises activating a defined keystroke.

50. A method for, comprising:

receiving, by a system including a processor, first content from a remote component;

storing, by the system, the first content in a storage component;

forwarding, by the system, the first content to another remote component;

receiving, by the system, from the another remote component first content metadata wherein the first content metadata identifying the first content and being associated with second content, wherein the first content is at least a portion of the second content, and the second content comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is unencoded preview content and the second portion is encoded content;

presenting, by the system, an option to download the second content;

storing, by the system, the second content locally;

playing, by the system, the first portion of the second content; and

forwarding, by the system in response to an indication to purchase of the second content, a key code facilitating decoding of the encoded content of the second portion, thereby facilitating the second content comprising the first portion of unencoded preview content and the unecoded second portion of content to be playable in entirety.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

forwarding, by the system, a copy of the second content to a remote device, the copy of the second content comprising a first copy of the first unencoded preview content portion and a second copy of the second encoded content portion;

presenting, by the system, at the remote device the first copy of the first unencoded preview content;

forwarding, by the system, a request for a key to a remote access server, the key facilitating decoding the second copy of the second encoded content portion;

receiving, by the system, the key;

decoding, by the system using the key, the copy of the second encoded content portion; and

playing, by the system, the second encoded content portion.