Process for ordering a selection in advance, digital system and jukebox for embodiment of the process

• US 9,129,328 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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, Mastronardi, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US13/594,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20120330793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 725/87, 709/219, 700/94, 715/716, 434/112
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• 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: G11B 19/08 by using devices external to the driving mechanisms, e.g. coin-freed switch coin actuated mechanisms G07F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for ordering a selection in advance, characterized in that it includes a step in which a menu is displayed followed by a selection in this menu, to make specific requests and particularly: a step displaying the event for which the advance order of a selection is made, and then selection of the event; a step displaying the identity of destination equipment on which the selection is to be played, and then selection of this equipment; a step displaying the date and time at which the selection is to be made on the destination equipment; a step in which particular requests are recorded and downloaded onto a file only after payment has been verified.

Claims

1. A method for ordering, from a user'"'"'s terminal connected to a host server via a communication network, a selection playable on destination equipment connectable to the host server via the communication network, the method comprising:

displaying, on the user'"'"'s terminal, a list of selectable items that are playable on the destination equipment;

enabling a user to select, via the user'"'"'s terminal and from the list, an item to be played on the destination equipment, as well as a time at which the selection is to be played;

displaying, for the user on the user'"'"'s terminal, the destination equipment, the selection, and the time at which the selection is to be played;

receiving, at the user terminal, the selection and the time at which the selection is to be played;

transmitting, from the user'"'"'s terminal to the server, information specifying the destination equipment, the selection, and the time at which the selection is to be played to cause the information specifying the destination equipment, the selection, and the time at which the selection is to be played to be transferred to the destination equipment;

wherein the destination equipment is different than the user'"'"'s terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is saved to a file on the server, and the file is subsequently transmitted from the server to the destination equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to specify an event for which the selection is being made.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to choose or save a message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting the message to the server.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the message is selectable from a plurality of predefined messages.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising saving, to the server, the message and an address of the destination equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising further comprising verifying receipt of payment to authorize generation and transmission of the information specifying the destination equipment, the selection, and the time at which the selection is to be played.

9. A method of operating a jukebox system including an electronic device connected to a host server via a communication network, the method comprising:

displaying, on the device, a user interface configured to enable a user to order, in advance, a selection to be played on at least one destination device connectable via the communication network to the host server, wherein each said destination device and said server each comprise a respective request processing module,

the user interface being further configured to display a menu enabling the user to specify a selection to be played, and a future time and date at which the selection is to be played;

receiving, via the user interface, at least one specific request concerning a selection to be played, a future time and date at which the selection is to be played, and a selection of at least one destination device;

displaying, via the user interface, an indication of each said destination device on which the selection is to be played, the selection to be played, the date and time at which the selection is to be played, and an event for which the order of a selection is made in advance; and

in response to the electronic device receiving information that payment has been made and verified, generating via at least one processor of the electronic device a file listing the specific request concerning the selection to be played and transferring said file to the server;

wherein the file is downloadable to each said specified destination device on which the selection is to be played; and

wherein at least one of the specified destination devices on which the selection is to be played is not the user terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface is programmed to enable the user to specify a message for later display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the message is included in the file.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface is programmed to enable the user to specify a message for later display select a predefined message and to specify a custom message.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface operates under the control of the server over the communication network.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the message is displayable on the specified destination device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the specified destination device is programmed to determine whether a current date and time thereon matches the date and time specified in the file.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the specified destination device is further programmed to cause the selection to be played in the event that there is a match between the current date and time thereon and the date and time specified in the file.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the file is recorded directly on the destination device when the electronic device is the destination device on which the selection is to be played.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the file is not a part of the selection to be played.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the specific requests listed in the file specify at least one or more selections to be played, along with corresponding future time(s) and date(s) at which the one or more selections is/are to be played.