Media sharing community

• US 9,258,686 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RMZ Development LLC
• Original Assignee: RMZ Development LLC
• Inventors: Zelson, Richard M., Sorisi, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US13/135,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The present invention enables a user to share his/her listening experience selectively with others without sharing headphones and without disturbing others who do not want to listen. In a preferred embodiment, a first listener can accomplish this by storing in a Portable Electronic Device or similar device a library of listening experiences, listening to one of the listening experiences, and while listening to that one listening experience streaming the one listening experience to at least one other Portable Electronic Device or similar device. A second listener at the other Portable Electronic Device can then listen to the same listening experience as the first listener at the same time. It is expected that the listening experiences will typically be songs or other music but the invention may be practiced with any type of audio content. The first listener may also create a playlist of the listening experiences in the library and make the playlist available to others. Others may use the playlist to access the library and listen to one or more listening experiences stored in the library. Also, utilizing the same interface and communication methodologies as described above, the technology platform detailed in this application can be used for commercial purposes to stream location based content, audio and otherwise, to a connected network of Portable Electronic Devices. Commercial uses of this functionality include providing commercial establishments with the ability to create synchronous (users come into a stream at the exact point that it is being streamed in real time) and or asynchronous (users can select and start a transmission from the beginning) featured channels (location based) where they can stream any self created or otherwise authorized content to other Portable Electronic Devices in their range.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first wireless communication device having a transmitter and a receiver comprising

storing electronically in a memory in the device a plurality of digital files received at the receiver wherein the digital files are listening and/or viewing experiences;

generating from the memory signals representing a first listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file;

providing the signals both to an audio and/or visual (“

audio/visual”

) output from the first wireless communication device for use by a first user and to the transmitter for transmission to a second wireless communication device for use at the same time in a second audio/visual output of the second wireless communication device by a second user so that the second user can listen to and/or view the portion of the first listening and/or viewing experience that remains at the time that the second user selects to listen to and/or view the first listening and/or viewing experience without first downloading the signal representing the first listening and/or viewing experience to the second wireless communication device such that the first user and the second user listen to and/or view the same listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same point in time in the listening and/or viewing experience;

generating from the memory signals representing a second listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience; and

providing the signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same time to the transmitter for transmission to a third wireless communication device for use at the same time in a third audio/visual output of the third wireless communication device by a third user so that the third user can listen to and/or view the second listening and/or viewing experience that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience being listened to and/or viewed at the same time by the first and second users.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the digital files stored in the first device are listening experiences such as songs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the signals provided to the transmitter are streamed.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating a list of digital files stored in the memory and transmitting the list from the transmitter.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of receiving at the first device a selection by another user of one of the digital files on the list of digital files and in response to such selection providing to the transmitter signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience of the selected digital file.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first wireless communication device is portable.

7. At least three wireless communication devices, each device including a transmitter, a receiver, and an audio and/or visual output (“

audio/visual”

) output, each said device storing software for;

storing electronically in a memory in the device a plurality of digital files received at the receiver wherein the digital files are listening and/or viewing experiences;

generating from the memory signals representing a first listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file; and

providing the signals both to the audio/visual output from the device for use by a first user and to the transmitter for transmission to a second of the wireless communication devices for use at the same time in an audio/visual output of the second wireless communication device by a second user so that the second user can listen to and/or view the portion of the first listening and/or viewing experience that remains at the time that the second user selects to listen to and/or view the first listening and/or viewing experience without first downloading the signal representing the first listening and/or viewing experience to the second wireless communication device such that the first user and the second user listen to and/or view the same listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same point in time in the listening and/or viewing experience;

generating from the memory signals representing a second listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience; and

providing the signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same time to the transmitter for transmission to a third of the wireless communication devices for use at the same time in a third audio/visual output of the third wireless communication device by a third user so that the third user can listen to and/or view a second listening and/or viewing experience that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience being listened to and/or viewed at the same time by the first and second users.

8. The devices of claim 7 wherein at least some of the digital files stored in the first device are listening experiences such as songs.

9. The devices of claim 7 wherein the signals provided to the transmitter are streamed.

10. The devices of claim 7 further comprising mobile application software for generating a list of digital files stored in the memory and transmitting the list from the transmitter.

11. The devices of claim 10 further comprising mobile application software for receiving at the first device a selection by another user of one of the digital files on the list of digital files and in response to such selection providing to the transmitter signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience of the selected digital file.

12. The devices of claim 7 wherein the transmitter is a Bluetooth®

, or Wi-Fi transmitter.

13. The device of claim 7 wherein the communication device is portable.

14. A method of operating a wireless network comprising at least three portable wireless devices, each wireless device including a transmitter, a receiver, and an audio and/or visual output (“

audio/visual”

) output, the method comprising;

storing electronically in a memory in a first portable wireless device a plurality of digital files received at the receiver of the first wireless device wherein the digital files are listening and/or viewing experiences;

generating from the memory of the first wireless device signals representing a first listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file;

providing the signals both to the audio/visual output from the first wireless device for use by a user of that wireless device and to the transmitter of the first wireless device for transmission to a second of the wireless devices for use at the same time by a user of that second wireless device;

generating from the memory of the first wireless device signals resenting a second listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience;

providing the signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience to the transmitter of the first wireless device for transmission to a third of the wireless devices for use at the same time by a user of that third wireless device;

receiving at a second receiver of the second wireless device signals transmitted from the first wireless device and providing to a second audio/visual output of the second wireless device the received signals that were transmitted from the first wireless device so that the second user can listen to and/or view the portion of the first listening and/or viewing experience that remains at the time that the second user selects to listen to and/or view the first listening and/or viewing experience without first downloading the signal representing the first listening and/or viewing experience to the second wireless communication device such that the first user and the second user listen to and/or view the same listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same point in time in the listening and/or viewing experience; and

receiving at a third receiver of the third wireless device signals transmitted from the first wireless device representing a second listening and/or viewing experience that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience and providing to a third audio/visual output of the third wireless device the received signals that were transmitted from the first wireless device so that the third user can listen to and/or view the second listening and/or viewing experience that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience being listened to and/or viewed at the same time by the first and second users.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least some of the digital files stored in the memories of the two wireless devices are listening experiences such as songs.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the signals are streamed.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising generating a list of digital files stored in the memory of the first of the wireless devices and transmitting the list from the transmitter of the first of the devices to the receivers of the other devices.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising software for receiving at the first of the wireless devices from the third of the wireless devices a selection by the third user of one of the digital files on the list of digital files and in response to such selection providing to the transmitter of the first of the wireless devices signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the transmitter is a Bluetooth®

, or Wi-Fi transmitter.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the digital files are listening experiences such as songs.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein a digital file contains listening experiences, graphic images, and/or text.

22. A wireless network comprising at least three portable, wireless devices,

a first wireless device comprising a first transmitter, a first receiver, a first audio and/or visual output (“

audio/visual”

) output and first software that configures the first device for;

storing electronically in a first memory in the first device a plurality of digital files received at the first receiver wherein the digital files are listening and/or viewing experiences;

generating from the first memory signals representing a first listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file;

providing the signals both to the first audio/visual output for use by a first user of the first device and to the first transmitter for transmission to a second wireless device for use at the same time by a second user;

generating from the memory signals representing a second listening and/or viewing experience of a selected digital file that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience;

providing the signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same time to the transmitter for transmission to a third wireless communication device for use at the same time in a third audio/visual output of the third wireless communication device by a third user; and

receiving at the first receiver signals transmitted from a wireless device;

the second wireless device comprising a second transmitter, a second receiver, a second audio/visual output and second software that configures the second device for;

receiving at the second receiver of the second wireless device signals transmitted from the first wireless device and providing to the second audio/visual output the received signals that were transmitted from the first wireless device so that the second user can listen to and/or view the portion of the first listening and/or viewing experience that remains at the time that the second user selects to listen to and/or view the first listening and/or viewing experience without first downloading the signal representing the first listening and/or viewing experience to the second wireless communication device such that the first user and the second user listen to and/or view the same listening and/or viewing experience at substantially the same point in time in the listening and/or viewing experience; and

the third wireless device comprising a third transmitter, a third receiver, a third audio/visual output and third software that configures the third device for;

receiving at the third receiver of the third wireless device signals transmitted from the first wireless device representing a second listening and/or viewing experience that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience and providing to the third audio/visual output the received signals that were transmitted from the first wireless device so that the third user can listen to and/or view the second listening and/or viewing experience that is different from the first listening and/or viewing experience being, listened to and/or viewed at the same time by the first and second users.

23. The network of claim 22 wherein the first software comprises software for:

generating a list of digital files stored in the first memory,

transmitting the list from the first transmitter to the third receiver,

receiving at the first receiver a selection by the third user of one of the digital files on the list of digital files, and

in response to such selection providing to the first transmitter signals representing the second listening and/or viewing experience of the selected digital file for transmission to the third wireless device.

24. The network of claim 22 wherein the digital files are listening experiences such as songs.

25. The network of claim 22 wherein at least some of the digital files stored in the first and second memories contain listening experiences, graphic images, and/or text.