Entertainment server and associated social networking services

• US 9,774,906 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dion, Dominique, Tooker, Michael, Guy, Francois, Beaumier, Francois, Khenfir, Mounir, Gratton, Loic, Bureau, Dominique, Yayli, Harun Tunc
• Primary Examiner(s): Wasel, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US14/708,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20150249857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/08 Payment architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems that interact with users so as to provide for social networking and/or other services. An entertainment system is configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from the outside of the location, coordinating social networking services among and between patrons within and outside of the location and also providing for advertisement opportunities. An entertainment system within a location may serve as and/or be connected to a jukebox. The entertainment system within the location may be connected to one or more client devices, one or more displays, one or more bar-top or hand-held gaming devices, etc., in certain exemplary embodiments. Jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services may provide mechanisms for enhancing patrons'"'"' experiences, creating a sense of ownership and/or belongingness to a connected community of entertainment system users.

Claims

1. A method of operating an audiovisual entertainment system in connection with an entertainment system network including a database having instances of media tangibly stored therein and a social networking interface configured to mediate communications between the entertainment system network and an external social networking system that is not part of the entertainment system network, the method comprising:

connecting at least one jukebox provided in an out-of-home location to the entertainment system network, the at least one jukebox being configured to play, for a fee, instances of media stored locally thereon and/or downloaded from the entertainment system network; and

sharing data through the entertainment system network among and/or between the at least one jukebox and the social networking system, using the social networking interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the entertainment system network further comprises a jukebox social networking interface to a jukebox-related social networking site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of computers provided outside of the out-of-home location are configured to interface with the jukebox via the jukebox social networking interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a non-jukebox device located in the out-of-home location configured to remotely interface with the at least one jukebox to select instances of media for playback on the at least one jukebox and to transfer credits to the jukebox device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-jukebox device is a smart phone.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-jukebox device is a countertop or handheld gaming device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-jukebox device is a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising electronically transmitting a first feed from the at least one jukebox to the social networking system through the social networking interface of the entertainment system network, the first feed providing data indicative of selected instances of media being or to be played back on the at least one jukebox.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising recognizing pre-registered users logging into the jukebox via the jukebox or via a non-jukebox device located in the out-out-home location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first feed further comprises data indicative of a registered user, if any, who selected each said selected instances of media being or to be played back on the at least one jukebox.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first feed further comprises data indicative of a message to be sent to the social networking site from a recognized user using the non-jukebox device located in the out-out-home location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first feed further comprises data indicative of a message to be sent to the social networking site from a recognized user, directly or indirectly, using the at least one jukebox in the out-of-home location.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a display is located in the out-of-home location external to the at least one jukebox.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating, for output to the display, a list of at least some of the selected instances of media being played on the at least one jukebox device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying, via output to the display, the recognized user, if any, who selected each said selected instance of media being played back.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying, via output to the display, messages to be sent or being sent to the social networking site from a recognized user, directly or indirectly, using the at least one jukebox in the out-of-home location.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating, for output to the display, trivia associated with an instance of media being played back.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying, via output to the display, a message from an artist or label associated with an instance of media being played back.

19. The method of claim 8, further comprising electronically transmitting a second feed from the social networking system to the at least one jukebox through the social networking interface of the entertainment system network, the second feed including data indicative of a message sent from the social networking site to a recognized user in the out-of-home location and/or to the at least one jukebox.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the display is further configured to list the message from the social networking site via the second feed.