System, apparatus and methods for storing links to media files in network storage

• US 9,503,507 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soelberg, Emily Lyons, McNamara, Justin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US13/585,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 705/52
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

When a user purchases digital rights to a media file, or otherwise obtains the right to have a copy of the media file downloaded to the user'"'"'s wireless device, a link to the media file that is stored in the media database is stored in a user storage database. When the user desires to have the media file downloaded to the user'"'"'s wireless device, the user sends a request to the network. The network performs a check to determine whether the user is authorized to receive the requested media file, and if so, causes the requested media file to be downloaded to the user'"'"'s wireless device where the media file is stored in the local memory of the wireless device for playback by the user on the wireless device.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving a search request from a wireless device comprising a local memory storing a media file,

in response to receiving the search request from the wireless device,

retrieving a list of media files from a media storage database, and

sending the list of media files to the wireless device for display by the wireless device, wherein when a user of the wireless device selects the media file from the list of media files, a link associated with the media file is saved on the local memory of the wireless device,

after the link associated with the media file is saved on the local memory of the wireless device, receiving, from the wireless device, the link associated with the media file, wherein the media file is deleted from the local memory of the wireless device upon the wireless device sending the link to the server,

in response to receiving the link from the wireless device, determining whether the user of the wireless device has purchased digital rights for the media file associated with the link,

in response to determining that the user has purchased the digital rights for the media file associated with the link, storing the link in a location of a user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user,

after storing the link in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user, receiving, from the wireless device, a download request to download the media file to the wireless device, the download request comprising the link associated with the media file and an identifier associated with the wireless device,

in response to receiving the download request, verifying that the wireless device is authorized to receive the media file by determining whether the link of the download request is stored in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user, and

in response to determining that the link of the download request is stored in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user,

retrieving a copy of the media file from the media storage database, and

transmitting the copy of the media file to the wireless device.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein storing the link associated with the media file in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user comprises translating a mobile station integrated services digital network number of the wireless device into an address used to access the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the link comprises a hyperlink.

4. A system comprising:

a media storage database, the media storage database storing no more than one copy of each of a plurality of media files;

a user storage database; and

a server comprising

a processor, and

a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving a search request from a wireless device comprising a local memory storing a media file,

in response to receiving the search request from the wireless device,

retrieving a list of media files from the media storage database, and

sending the list of media files to the wireless device for display by the wireless device, wherein when a user of the wireless device selects the media file from the list of media files, a link associated with the media file is saved on the local memory of the wireless device,

after the link associated with the media file is saved on the local memory of the wireless device, receiving, from the wireless device, the link associated with the media file, wherein the media file is deleted from the local memory of the wireless device upon the wireless device sending the link to the server,

in response to receiving the link from the wireless device, determining whether the user of the wireless device has purchased digital rights for the media file associated with the link,

in response to determining that the user has purchased the digital rights for the media file associated with the link, storing the link in a location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user,

after storing the link in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user, receiving, from the wireless device, a download request to download the media file to the wireless device, the download request comprising the link associated with the media file and an identifier associated with the wireless device,

in response to receiving the download request, verifying that the wireless device is authorized to receive the media file by determining whether the link of the download request is stored in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user, and

in response to determining that the link of the download request is stored in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user,

retrieving, from the media storage database, a copy of the media file, and

transmitting the copy of the media file to the wireless device.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a billing server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein determining whether the user of the wireless device has purchased the digital rights for the media file associated with the link is based on information provided by the billing server.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the billing server associates the wireless device with a paid subscription.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising a user agent storage database that stores profile information associated with the wireless device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the profile information of the wireless device identifies capabilities of the wireless device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

retrieving the profile information of the wireless device identifying the capabilities of the wireless device; and

prior to transmitting the copy of the media file to the wireless device, translating, based on the capabilities of the wireless device, the copy of the media file for playback by the wireless device.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the link comprises a hyperlink.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server comprising a processor, a search request from a wireless device comprising a local memory storing a media file;

in response to receiving the search request from the wireless device,

retrieving, by the server, a list of media files from a media storage database, and

sending, by the server, the list of media files to the wireless device for display by the wireless device, wherein when a user of the wireless device selects the media file from the list of media files, a link associated with the media file is saved on the local memory of the wireless device,

after the link associated with the media file is saved on the local memory of the wireless device, receiving, by the server, from the wireless device, the link associated with the media file, wherein the media file is deleted from the local memory of the wireless device upon the wireless device sending the link to the server;

in response to receiving the link from the wireless device, determining, by the server, whether the user of the wireless device has purchased digital rights for the media file associated with the link;

in response to determining that the user has purchased the digital rights for the media file associated with the link, storing, by the server, the link in a location of a user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user;

after storing the link in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user, receiving, by the server, from the wireless device, a download request to download the media file, the download request comprising the link associated with the media file and an identifier associated with the wireless device;

in response to receiving the download request, verifying, by the server, that the wireless device is authorized to receive the media file by determining, by the server, whether the link of the download request is stored in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user; and

in response to determining that the link of the download request is stored in the location of the user storage database associated with the wireless device of the user,

retrieving, by the server, a copy of the media file from the media storage database, and

transmitting, by the server, the copy of the media file to the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising prior to transmitting the copy of the media file to the wireless device, translating, based upon capabilities of the wireless device, the copy of the media file for playback by the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising in response to determining that the user has not purchased the digital rights for the media file associated with the link, instructing, by the server, a billing server to bill the user of the wireless device for the copy of the media file.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the link comprises a hyperlink.