US 20080212945A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0212945 A1 KHEDOURI et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 4, 2008
(54) METHOD FOR ACQUIRING DIGITAL Publication Classi?cation CONTENT (51) Int. Cl. (75) Inventors: Robert K. KHEDOURI, Roslyn, H04N 7/26 (200601) NY (US); Jonathan N. Axelrod, NeWYOrk’ NY (Us); Harold E- (52) US. Cl...... 386/124 Price, Bethel Park, PA (U S) (57) ABSTRACT
Correspondence Address: _ _ _ _ _ GOTTLIEB RACKMAN & REISMAN PC A portable W1reless commumcatlons subscriber audio and/or 270 MADISON AVENUE 8TH FLOOR video player apparatus and system and method for selecting, NEW YORK, NY 10016_6601 (Us) requesting, downloading, and playing audio and/or video data content ?les from an lntemet-based database server. The (73) Assignee; Music Gremlin, Inc_ Wireless link is preferably implemented in accordance With the WiFi protocol, Which alloWs connectivity to the lntemet (21) Appl, No ,; 12/045,91 0 by being in proximity With a local base station or WiFi hotspot (i.e., publicly available local Wireless access hub connected to (22) Filed: Mar. 11, 2008 the Internet). The portable Wireless communications sub scriber audio and/or video player apparatus and system pref Related U-s- Application Data erably include a security means for monitoring and blocking (62) Division of application No. 10/953,746, ?led on Sep. unauthorized use of the player apparatus and S.y.SteIn' The 29 2 00 4 player apparatus further preferably has the capabihty to com ’ ' municate With other neighboring player apparatus for the (60) Provisional application No. 60/507,110, ?led on Oct. purpose of eXChanging COnIenI data ?les, playlists and per 1, 2003. sonal messages.
\ Wk // ‘W !\ 1NF>UT i\
“0 RX TX "6 EEVICE‘HY \ Mg coMMMonuLE Mm) ‘00‘ 111 “#118 ENCRYPT. (MP “6 UNET / CLOCK VOLATELE 105 MEMORY 1311111111111 DATA "\103 // PROCESSENG 112 voLAMLE up MEMORY (FLASH) HARD 11M / DRWE \102 113 EH18
RECHARGABLE TLMWT" / BATTERY ROM “4 SOFTWARE MODULES HEAD PHONE /, JACK \ 115 1107 ‘06 COMPUTER CONTROLLER 101 Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 1 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1
\111 LNRLIT m RX TX W5’ DEvIOE W I00 108// COMM MODULE ID m/IIS // ENORYRT. MP 109 LINN" / CLQQK VOLATiLE I05 MEMORY (SDRAM) DATA IDS // PROCESSING 7 if 112 VOLATILE. MEMORY up (ELASI-I) I-IARD IDA DRIVE \Io2 113 \IIS
REORARSASLE TL
“4 SOFTWARE MODULES READ PHONE 11/5/ JACK I07 #06 COMPUTER CONTROLLER \IDI FIG. 1 Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 2 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1
114
FIG‘ 2
Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 4 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1
Q25¢ HUx“5/ mmE252\mom /mmZQEQE m8%: Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 5 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 mom mwxmazm wwwqmgqa Em mmmgqga / EEC/50 mz< qbqm?mz Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 6 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 582 Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 7 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 O 703 DEVECE C DER/36E #i "JSLL‘S PLAYER" k DEViCE E DEV‘CE F "JACK‘S PLAYER" : PRIVACY "ON" MODE DEVICE H HG. 7 Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 8 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 @ Search iMMi-M M N i} . I’ v Aiiman Brethers, The ’ A Aiémam Greg < Aimand Marc Aiannah MylesMM8O3 C) Aian Menkin Alien Brad Aivarezg Jorje Aiganquin, The Alkaiine Trip w \ Alternaiives? The V Featured: Coldptay sortby U artist ] H back H @@® 252 8\O4 Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 9 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 @ Search WM“ Aim-1am mm; The'mwgm r Staisbaro Biues As higsséca "1‘ Midnightaschie Cwchie (1:) Fg’ag?e Tenér Hear? w \ Hard Plenty ‘V I sari by track it back U Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 10 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 / saarch i AHman Bmthgrs, The Mme Jessica g?i?iifimw Le g endar y Hits i?i?ii?giéilyl§ ‘M1002 Gremhsis' //1003 ------— want i U otherversions x F g Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 11 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 ([1) MQSECGFQTHW Home fm/recard i V ~ " " ‘1 “W102 U0 D JohnWhyRoam GeorgiaMayei For Squares h _, Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 12 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 Q1) Search /“ Gremlésts 1202 What's new: Madonna, Caidpiay Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 13 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 @ my music ; J] (F 13-91 ,AQ piayi‘ ts my x Gremiists Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 14 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 @ Search mine MusécGremlin péaks r Aé‘tema?ve rockmo-‘g F A‘“ pm? This Week in the ciubs m mum " Hettest pop Grmnsts Aembic wsrkaut (1:) Guita? spmlight Modem rack war A Country Charts Featu: 1 C ‘V , LatinDeep in ' Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 15 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 @ my music Current reméist Wm Subscs'iptisns /4501 AEiGFfi?iiVGl rack (20V A Sans Jogging max (5) f“ ‘ each mix (25) lamg/sts Hattest pop (15) C) w my, 7 f Madam rack {1) my Greiists J try Jimmy ~V j Buffet‘s Tap Ten Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 16 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 Al CD my music HOW Aiternaiivelast U?d?i? gm/nsmm song piayiists my Gremiists ’ Patent Application Publication Sep. 4, 2008 Sheet 17 0f 17 US 2008/0212945 A1 @ saamh GFEF‘?IiSiI mm Alternative Rack ngw ( é _% Tmng: Weakiy ]%\W17O2 “Wm-Q Gfamiigts Lengthi SQWQS E“\WWO1 H suéscribe F; US 2008/0212945 A1 Sep.4,2008 METHOD FOR ACQUIRING DIGITAL [0007] Such DMPs originally tended to rely on the use of CONTENT ?ash memory, such as compact ?ash or secure digital, for the storage of audio content, and Were capable of holding a maxi CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED mum of approximately 0.5 to l gigabyte of memory. More APPLICATIONS recently, so-called “portable jukeboxes” have been intro duced that can hold an estimated 10,000 songs or more of [0001] This application claims priority to provisional appli musical entertainment by including a miniature hard disk cation Ser. No. 60/507,110 ?led Oct. 1, 2003, and incorpo recorder in the housing of the device, Which can have 40 rated herein by reference. gigabytes or more of capacity. Portable video players With even greater hard disk capacity have also been developed. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0008] In general, conventional DMPs are capable of [0002] a. Field of Invention alloWing their users to (1) transfer compressed media ?les [0003] The present invention relates to the ?eld of digital from a computer to the device through the use of associated audio and video player devices that are preferably portable transfer management softWare installed on the computer and and receive content either from a secure sub scription-based or a physical connection to the computer, such as a USB cable; “a-la-carte” content delivery service or from other participant (2) store such compressed media ?les in non-destructive devices, and more particularly to a portable player apparatus memory; (3) decode for playback any of a variety of com that is in Wireless communications With an Intemet-based ?le pression algorithms; (4) convert a compressed or uncom server and laterally to a peer player apparatus. The present pressed digital ?le to an analog format, potentially also pro invention also relates to a system and method for delivery and cessing the signal to enhance the resulting sound and images; management of such content to such devices. (5) process and amplify the resulting analog signal; and (6) [0004] b. Description of the Prior Art produce high-?delity sound and video for the user, Which may [0005] The development of compressed digital audio and be played, paused, fast-forwarded, reWound, skipped or video formats, such as the Motion Picture Experts Groupi replayed instantly and on-demand. Also, typically in the case Layer 3 (MP3) audio compression standard, MPEG 21, of audio DMPs (e.g., the Rio Karma), the devices feature a Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), ATRAC, WMA, FLAC, relatively small digital display WindoW that provides infor Ogg-Vorbis and others enabled the groWth in popularity of mation regarding the audio content stored on the device, such recording, storing, transferring, and playing back digital as the title and artist, and enables vieWing (and in some cases audio and video data on computers, including personal desk modifying) the sequence of the audio tracks that are currently top and laptop computers. In particular, compressed digital stored on the device. audio and video formats enabled more e?icient storage and [0009] Disadvantageously, hoWever, data transfer and transmission of high-quality audio and video content by advanced sorting and sequencing of selections are dif?cult or reducing the amount of digital data that needed to be stored impossible for a user to accomplish unless the DMP is con and transmitted, resulting in data ?les that could be smaller nected to the computer, Which does not alloW the user to than 1/1oth of the original uncompressed digital ?le Without obtain neW content or to make other desirable modi?cations unacceptably degrading the quality of the output. HoWever, to the content stored on the DMP, such as easily modifying the due to computational requirements, consumers Were gener sequence of the content selections stored on the device While ally only able to access and use compressed and uncom the player device is not connected to the computer. Further, in pressed digital audio and video on their personal laptop and the case of audio, these players typically do not enable a desktop computers (except for conventional commercially non-technical user to create and manage custom “playlists” sold pre-recorded CDs and DVDs, Which Were playable on (i.e., ?xed song sequences), such that a user can easily standard players connected to home stereos and the like). This develop and use a variety of personaliZed playlists for use at severely limited portable use and access to such digital audio different times. Also disadvantageously, the display and user and video content in that it required the user to be present at or interface on these audio devices is typically limited in siZe, near his or her computer to see and/or hear the playback, involves the use of multi-functional buttons Which are com Which typically could only be through speakers and/or a plex for many users and is not touch-sensitive, thereby pre screen internal to or connected to the computer and not easily venting non-expert users from easily vieWing and modifying transported in digital format to more favorable listening envi the listing and sequence of audio tracks stored on the DMP. ronments, such as the user’s car. [0010] A further disadvantage of the prior art is that users [0006] More recently, relatively loW-cost, lightWeight, are typically required to select content selections one-by-one compact, portable digital media players (“DMPs”) have been and then to add them to the device. Such requirement creates developed, e.g., Rios’ Karma MP3 player, and Creative’s an inconvenience for the user since typically the user may Portable Media Center. These portable devices enable con prefer variety in the programming, and in many cases may not sumers to transfer compressed digital audio and/ or video ?les Want to create a selection-by-selection sequence of entertain stored on their computers to the portable devices through the ment, especially in the case of music. Programmed entertain use of associated computer-based softWare via an external ment of this sort is currently available to consumers through connection, such as a USB or “FireWire” cable, and to play traditional broadcast media and through other means that the corresponding media on-demand through their DMPs generally require the use of a device connected to a Wired While not in proximity to their computer. Users most com input, such as Intemet-based streaming, accessible through monly accessed the audio on the device by connecting head laptop and desktop computers (and certain specialiZed Wired phones via a standard jack on the device, although it Was also devices, such as the Streamium audio device made by Royal possible to connect a line-out cable to other audio output or Philips Electronics), and digital cable television and radio recording devices, such as a microphone- or line-input of a services, accessible through cable-connected television sets. standard home stereo system. More recently, subscription-based commercial satellite US 2008/0212945 A1 Sep.4,2008 broadcast services have been introduced, such as DirecTV for module for requesting one or more audio and/or video data television and Sirius and XM for radio, Which enable con ?les from an Internet-based database server via the Intemet sumers to receive hours of programming by selecting among connected base station; a ?rst security means for enabling the available stations. doWnloading and storage of the requested ?les; a second [0011] However, in all cases involving terrestrial and satel security means for the management and playing of the stored lite broadcasts, the user does not have the control to stop, start, ?les; and one or more softWare modules for interfacing With reWind, fast-forWard, replay or skip any portion of the pro a user to effect the foregoing features using a easy to under gramming. Also, neither terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, stand interface. nor Internet-based media services alloW the user to call up and access speci?c neW selections on-demand on a portable [0014] More speci?cally, the player apparatus according to device that does not have full PC functionality (e. g., a lap top) the present invention is able to function as a standalone device and is not connected to a Wired Internet connection. Accord to generate, search and obtain neW audio and/or video digital ingly, for the convenience of receiving programming With data ?les (containing content and associated metadata (as existing DMPs, the user is required to cede control over de?ned beloW)) Wireles sly over the Internet, Without the need delivered content for convenience, or Will be required to to use an intervening device, such as a desktop or laptop choose to cede convenience for control. Further, in the case of computer that temporarily stores the content data ?les to be radio-linked audio player devices, player device reception is transferred to the portable device, or softWare that runs on a typically limited due to physical terrain and geographic fea laptop or desktop computer to manage the transfer and tures, Which can distort radio signals that in all cases need to arrangement of content on the portable device. This feature be continuously present and stable during the audio output to enables a non-technical user to access and use digital audio provide the user With a satisfactory entertainment experience. and/or video content Without knoWledge of hoW to operate a Further, of the forms of media services (e.g., TV and radio) computer. Further, to overcome the limitations of the display available, only Internet-based streaming and digital cable, interface of the prior art, the user interface softWare according each of Which require the user to use a stationary Wired to embodiments of the present invention is designed to enable device for access (e. g., television set and digital cable decod more complex user functions and data organiZation, and to ing box), and satellite broadcasts, Which do not permit on display these simply and clearly. Such user interface softWare demand access or control by the user, provide digital-quality permits the device to reasonably and comfortably function for output, Which may be a bene?t required by users. the user as a standalone device While permitting the user to [0012] A further disadvantage of the prior art is that a search for neW content, manage and modify large volumes of security method is not provided for content oWners to enable content, and share content across a large number of potential distribution of content to users, management of the content users Who may be listed by user ID or name. Moreover, the and deletion/ expiration of their content on a subscription device obtains ?les from a server or laterally from another basis using only a standalone DMP that is not reliant on the device Without using a broWser-type application. use of associated desktop or laptop computer softWare, While [0015] It is also a feature of the embodiments of the present still maintaining royalty records and rights, especially against invention to provide the user With a ?exible programming secondary party transfers. Content oWners and users Would capability both as to time and selection for the playing of the also bene?t from a Way content can be shared laterally across individual audio and/or video ?les or groups of ?les. This peer-to-peer device transfers to other users of both the per includes alloWing a user to select and play individual content sonal playlists and the media data content that may be stored selections from a broad content library stored in a netWork in the player device in a Way that is secure and that permits on-demand, and alternatively to request that hours of continu only authoriZed sharing activities. It can be appreciated by ous programmed content be playable on demand, Which pro one having ordinary skill in the art that the terms “audio”, gramming Will be updated on a periodic basis (e.g., daily), “video”, “media”, and Words of similar import may be used Without limiting the user’s ability to start, stop, reWind or interchangeably throughout this document to describe the fast-forWard through the program. relevant content, since methods of digital video content com [0016] It is also a feature of the embodiments of the present pression, storage, transfer, playback and control can be invention to provide a means for exporting the data content to accomplished by using very similar methods and technolo one or more of a plurality of output devices, including head gies and are similarly Well-knoWn by those skilled in the art. phones or a home or car stereo, or another storage and/or Note that “content,” as used in this document, shall accord playback apparatus such as a desktop or laptop computer. ingly mean any audio or video recording that a user may seek Such export may be via either a Wired or a Wireless commu to access, and also shall include any other ?le type capable of nications link. being interpreted by a user, such as a Written document stored [0017] It is a feature of the embodiments of the present in digital form or a digitally stored and compressed photo invention to provide a portable player apparatus that is not graph, Which may be similarly transferred, shared and used. dependent on favorable physical terrain and geographic fea tures that are typically associated With Wireless communica SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION tions devices. This is mainly accomplished by the pre-storing [0013] The present invention addresses the problems With of desired audio and/ or video data and metadata content While the prior art described above. A preferred embodiment of the in the presence of a communications uplink for accessing/ present invention consists of a portable Wireless audio and/or playing at a later time, at Which time a continuous Wireless video player apparatus having one or more of the folloWing connection is not required for navigating the metadata data elements: a peer-to-peer audio and/or video data transfer base or for a satisfactory output of the stored audio and/or module to alloW communications With another Wireless audio video content. and/ or video player apparatus; a Wireless communication link [0018] It is a feature of the embodiments of the present to an Intemet-connected base, a communication softWare invention to provide a secure method for content oWners to