Method for the distribution of audio-visual information and a system for the distribution of audio-visual information

• US 8,863,161 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu Oanh T
• Application Number:
  US13/962,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 725/5, 725/86, 725/151
• US Class Current: 725/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 : Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 : by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 : Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A jukebox system, including a server that stores a master library of audiovisual selections; a plurality of jukeboxes, each of which is operable to store audiovisual selections received from the server and to play the audiovisual selections at the request of a user; a communication system through which the server and the jukeboxes communicate; wherein the server is operable to define authorized uses for the audiovisual selections received from the server; and further wherein the authorized uses correspond to various rights that third parties have in the audiovisual selections, the rights requiring by law or regulation payment of respective royalties; and further wherein the server maintains information on the authorized uses made by each of the jukeboxes and determines the amount of royalties due.

Claims

1. A method of operating a digital jukebox system in which a server is connected to a plurality of jukeboxes, each said jukebox being configured to play audiovisual selections in response to user requests,

wherein the server is configured to operate in connection with a processor to at least (a) define, for the jukeboxes, authorized uses of the audiovisual selections playable thereon, the authorized uses corresponding to rights that third parties have in the audiovisual selections, the rights requiring payment of royalties for the authorized uses of the audiovisual selections, and (b) verify, for the jukeboxes, the authorized uses to which the jukeboxes may put the selections,

the method comprising:

maintaining information on the authorized uses made by the jukeboxes; and

determining the amount of royalties due for actual authorized uses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rights include master recording rights, mechanical rights, synchronization rights, and public performance rights.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized uses include playing the audiovisual selection without storing the audiovisual selection on the jukebox, storing the audiovisual selection on the jukebox for unlimited play, and storing the audiovisual selection on the jukebox for a single play.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the rights has a different required royalty, and further comprising maintaining information on the amount of each royalty for use in determining the amount of royalties due for each authorized use made by the jukeboxes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein uses to be made by the jukebox include playing the audiovisual selection without storing the audiovisual selection on the jukebox, storing the audiovisual selection on the jukebox for unlimited play, and storing the audiovisual selection on the jukebox for a single play.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the jukeboxes from the server validation information indicating permissible usage types for the audiovisual selections.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the permissible usage types include at least (a) storage of data corresponding to the audiovisual selections in one or more of a plurality of formats, (b) prevention of storage of the data, and (c) playback of the audio-visual selection included in the data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of formats include MMP, MP3 and WAV.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein different selections have different defined authorized uses.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some data transmitted from the server to the jukeboxes is both encoded and encrypted.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more multi-service servers are interposed between the server and the jukeboxes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality multi-service servers is interposed between the server and the jukeboxes, each said multi-server server being connected to the server and one or more jukeboxes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one multi-service server includes a system for the distribution of television programs by cable that includes a return channel.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one multi-service server includes a mobile telephone operator.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the jukeboxes from the server validation information indicating permissible usage types for the audiovisual selections, the validation information instructing the jukeboxes whether, how, and where to store media of different formats.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the different formats include MMP, MP3 and WAV formats.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein audiovisual selections playable on the jukebox devices are received from the server.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein payments are required by law or regulation.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning authorized uses of the audiovisual selections at the server for jukeboxes in connection with a code or unique key.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the assigning is performed on an individual jukebox-by-jukebox basis.