Audiovisual reproduction system

• US 9,100,676 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• 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): Dang, Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park, Sunghyoun
• Application Number:
  US13/356,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20120121230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/181 Billing, i.e. purchasing of data contents for use with electrophonic musical instruments; Protocols therefor; Management of transmission or connection time therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• 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 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/802 involving processing of the sound signal H04N9/806, H04N9/835 take precedence

Abstract

Audiovisual reproduction system comprising a central unit managing a sound control circuit, and a telecommunications modem connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server, through a multitask operating system created around a tools and services library, characterized in that the operating system comprises a function that adjusts the sound control circuit to couple volumes in the various areas in which the loudspeakers in the audiovisual reproduction system are used, this function being accessible through a management mode of the multitask operating system, the coupling maintaining the ratios between the various volumes in each area when the volume in one area is modified.

Claims

1. A method of operating an audiovisual reproduction system comprising a central unit controlling a display, a touch screen, and a memory accessible via an operating system, the audiovisual reproduction system being configured to play back digital instances of media, the method comprising:

enabling an operator to access a module in a library of tools and services;

enabling the operator to offer the manager of the audiovisual reproduction system a specified number of credits via the module, the credits being redeemable via the audiovisual reproduction system for play back of digital instances of media;

storing in the memory, as credit reserve information, the specified number of credits offered to the manager by the operator;

updating the credit reserve information as credits from the credit reserve are used and as the operator offers credits to the manager via the module; and

enabling credits in the credit reserve to be used in the play back of digital instances of media, provided that the credits are being used within a specified timeframe.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising making the credits in the credit reserve available only when the manager enters a first code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring the operator to enter a second code before granting access to the module.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a sound control circuit to maintain ratios between volumes output in plural areas when the volume in one said area is modified.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the volumes generated are programmably variable based on time of day.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising limiting volume ranges for the plural areas so that the manager of the audiovisual reproduction system cannot adjust the volumes outside of the limited ranges.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the volume ranges are specifiable by the operator.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving input from the operator limiting an output volume range for the audiovisual reproduction system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving input from the manager in order to cause an adjustment in an output volume for the audiovisual reproduction system; and

limiting the adjustment based on the input from the operator limiting the output volume range.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving input from the operator limiting output volume ranges for plural audio zones.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input from the manager in order to cause an adjustment in output volume for the audiovisual reproduction system; and

limiting a range of adjustments based on volume range limitations input by the operator.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input from the operator in order to specify a timeframe during which a number of credits offered by the operator can be used.