Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/30—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for musical instruments
  • G07F17/305—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for musical instruments for record players

Definitions

• This invention relates to a music distribution method and system for selectively distributing music to a plurality of jukeboxes, home entertainment systems or mobile telephones having audio capability and more particularly, to a music distribution system and method for selectively downloading music data from a remote server to a plurality of digital electronic jukeboxes, home entertainment systems or mobile telephones having audio capability for storage in a memory therein.
• jukeboxes typically provided in public places such as bars and public houses, are arranged to play selected music tracks from records or compact discs containing several tracks.
• the records or compact discs are locally stored within the jukebox and may be physically selected and played by those jukeboxes.
• the user views a display listing song selections available to be played according to the records or discs provided in the jukebox, selects a song by depositing an appropriate amount of money in the jukebox and then, typically, pressing a key sequence representative of the song desired to be played.
• a record or disc changer in the jukebox selects the appropriate record or disc and transfers it to a player provided in the jukebox, which process can take as much as 30 seconds.
• a conventional jukebox can hold as many as 100 discs and installation of such a jukebox requires the purchase of a complete set of discs. Additional purchases must then be made to change the music available for selection.
• Digital electronic jukeboxes now exist which have a memory for digitally storing music data. Songs may be downloaded to the memory through a variety of broadcasts, including satellite broadcasts, RF transmissions, telephone line transmissions and physical transfer of discs. Once downloaded, the songs comprising of the music data are available for user selection.
• Music charts or "hitparades" are the basis for what are usually very popular radio and television shows around the world, with songs being ranked according to air play and/or sales figures. Different "hitparades" may also exist for different respective music styles, for instance rock, jazz, etc.
• a popular music chart for a particular territory indicates at any specified time, the top N most popular songs, where N is an integer.
• N is an integer.
• a song's ranking relative to other songs will change, and music charts tend to be updated regularly, usually on the same day every week.
• an updated music chart is announced, in which the top N hits will have changed, often significantly, with new hits entering the chart and the ranking of existing chart hits changing.
• the music chart of a particular territory is representative of the most popular songs in that territory, it follows that it is highly desirable for a jukebox to have the songs making up at least the top N of such a chart stored therein and available for selection by a user, as these are the songs most likely to be desired to be heard by a user. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a music distribution method and system, in which songs, most likely statistically to be selected by a user for a playback, can be made available in a digital electronic jukebox for selection by the user.
• a music distribution method for a digital electronic user terminal comprising a storage location for storing a set of music data, said set consisting of music data which meets a predetermined criterion, the user terminal being arranged and configured to support a communication link with a remote server, the method comprising causing said remote server, due to a variation in the music data which meets said predetermined criterion, to automatically download, without the need for user intervention, music data via said communication link from said remote server to said user terminal so as to add music data lately caused to meet said predetermined criterion to said set of music data stored in said storage location of said user terminal, thereby updating said set of music data stored therein.
• the set of music data stored in the storage location of the user terminal is beneficially updated at regular intervals, wherein the method preferably further comprises causing the remote server or the user terminal, due to a update in the music data which meets the predetermined criterion, to open the communication link between the server and the user terminal prior to downloading the music data.
• the user terminal may comprise a digital electronic jukebox, such as an audio or audio/video jukebox, a home entertainment system or a mobile telephone housing audio capability.
• the user terminal preferably comprises one of a plurality of digital electronic jukeboxes or mobile telephones, each of said jukeboxes or mobile telephones including a communication link to said remote server.
• the music data preferably comprises latest chart music hits, and more preferably comprises the top N music hits according to a predetermined criterion or territory, where N is an integer.
• Video data to accompany the music data may also be downloaded from the remote server to the user terminal via the communication link.
• the communication link may beneficially be provided across a digital telecommunications network, a wireless digital radio communication system, or a satellite communication system.
• the method preferably further comprises requiring a user to pay a fee in order to automatically receive the music data via the communication link in order to update the set of music data stored in the storage location of said user terminal.
• the method may then comprise determining whether or not a user has paid the required fee and only performing said automatic downloading of said music data to update the set of data stored in the storage location of the user terminal if it is determined that the required fee has been paid.
• the method may further comprise causing music data which no longer meets said predetermined criterion after the set of music data stored in the storage location of the user terminal has been updated to remain stored in the storage location of said user terminal.
• the method may comprise causing music data, which music data no longer meets the predetermined criterion after the set of music data stored in the storage location of the user terminal has been updated, to be deleted from the storage location of said user terminal.
• the method may comprise identifying music data, which no longer meets the predetermined criterion, or music data, which is determined to be likely to fail to meet the predetermined criterion soon, and offering a user the opportunity to retain the music data in the user terminal by purchasing said music data.
• the method preferably further comprises enabling a user to purchase music data such that it remains stored in the storage location of the user terminal even when it no longer meets the predetermined criterion.
• the predetermined criterion may be selectable from a plurality of options, possibly by a user.
• a music distribution method for a digital electronic jukebox comprising providing a local digital electronic jukebox including a memory for storing a set of music data, said set comprising a music chart consisting of the top N chart hits for a particular territory, where N is an integer, the jukebox further comprising a communication link to a remote server, the method comprising, due to an update of the music chart for said particular territory, automatically downloading, without the need for user intervention, music data via said communication link from said remote server to said jukebox so as to add newly-entered chart hits to said set of music data stored in said memory of said jukebox.
• a music distribution method for selectively distributing music data to a plurality to digital electronic jukeboxes, each said digital electronic jukebox comprising a memory for storing a set of music data, said set comprising a music chart consisting of the top N chart hits for a particular territory, where N is an integer, each said jukebox further comprising a communication link to a remote server, the method comprising, due to an update of said music chart for said particular territory, determining in respect of each of said digital electronic jukeboxes if it is authorized to receive updates and, if so, automatically downloading, without the need for user intervention, music data via said communication link from said remote server to each jukebox determined to be authorized to receive updates, so as to add newly-entered chart hits to said set of music data stored in said memory of said respective jukebox.
• a music distribution system for a digital electronic user terminal, the user terminal comprising a storage location for storing a set of music data, said set being variable and consisting of music data which meets a predetermined criterion, the user terminal further comprising a communication link to a remote server, the remote server being arranged and configured to automatically download, without user intervention, due to a variation in the music data which meets said predetermined criterion, music data via said communication link from said remote server to said user terminal so as to add music data lately caused to meet said predetermined criterion to said set of music data stored in said storage location of said user terminal, thereby updating said set of data stored therein.
• the user terminal may be arranged and configured to enable an authorized user to select said predetermined criterion.
• the user terminal may be arranged to display titles of said music data stored in said storage location thereof, and enable a user to select one or more of said titles to be played.
• the user terminal may comprise a digital electronic jukebox and the music data beneficially comprises chart hits.
• the set of music data preferably comprises the top N chart hits for a particular territory, where N is an integer
• the set of music data stored in the storage location of the user terminal is beneficially automatically updated as a result of a new chart being compiled by downloading to the user terminal via the communication link, music data consisting of new entries to the top N chart hits.
• Top N chart hits are often determined on a periodical basis for instance weekly or monthly.
• the jukebox may be an audio-visual jukebox, in which case, the remote server is preferably arranged and configured to down load to the jukebox, via the communication link, video data in addition to the music data.
• a music distribution system for a digital electronic jukebox including a memory for storing a set of music data, said set comprising the top N chart hits for a particular territory, where N is an integer, the jukebox further comprising a communication link to a remote server, the remote server being arranged and configured to automatically download, due to an update of the music chart for said particular territory, without the need for user intervention, music data via said communication link from said remote server to said jukebox so as to add newly-entered chart hits to said set of music data stored in said memory of said jukebox.
• a music distribution system provided via a server for selectively distributing music data to a plurality of digital electronic jukeboxes, each said digital electronic jukebox comprising a memory for storing a set of music data, said set comprising a music chart consisting of the top N chart hits for a particular territory, where N is an integer, each said jukebox further comprising a communication link to said server which is located remote from said plurality of jukeboxes, the system being arranged and configured, due to an update of said music chart for said particular territory, to determine in respect of each of said digital electronic jukeboxes if it is authorized to receive updates and, if so, automatically download, without the need for user intervention, music data via said communication link from said remote server to each jukebox determined to be authorized to receive updates, so as to add newly-entered chart hits to said set of music data stored in said memory of said respective jukebox.
• Figure 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating the concept of downloading A/V data from a central server to a plurality of client terminals via a communications network, such as the Internet;
• Figure 2 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a music distribution method according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 3 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a music distribution method ac- cording to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 4 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a music distribution method according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 1 shows schematically what is currently known to selectively distribute audio (and visual) data (that is to say music, video) via a network 2 (for example, the Internet) from a central server 3 containing such data to a plurality of clients la, lb, lc and Id, which clients are in the form of digital electronic (or A/V) jukeboxes, which jukeboxes are arranged to store the received data and store it locally utilizing, for example, HDD, solid state memory, or the like.
• A/V digital electronic
• US Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0062261 Al describes a music distribution system and method in which a user terminal can be used to access a music distribution server, the disclosure of which Publication is incorporated herewith by reference.
• a user specifies to the server a place in the relevant music chart up to which songs ranked therein are to be downloaded.
• the server determines which of the songs ranked in the specified portion of the music chart are already stored locally by the user terminal (because, for example, those songs were ranked in the user-selected portion of the previous week's music chart), and only downloads those songs that are determined not to be stored already.
• the present invention provides a method and system by means of which, for example, a set of music data, such as the top N hits of a relevant music chart, can be downloaded to a number of remote digital electronic jukeboxes such that the music data is available locally for selection by a user, and also automatically updated in accordance with, and in response to, the music chart being updated on a regular or irregular basis, thereby providing digital electronic jukeboxes which always have the top N chart hits available for selection by a user.
• a set of music data such as the top N hits of a relevant music chart
• a service may be provided by coupling digital electronic (possibly A/V) hardware with a paid subscription service offering the automatic download of chart hits to update the set of music data currently stored in participating jukeboxes, such updates being substantially immediately available, up-to-date and, significantly, downloaded without the need for user interaction, a feature which is not available in prior art arrangements.
• video data to accompany the music data may also be downloaded from a remote server to participating jukeboxes.
• the method and system of the invention may either grant the participating jukebox interminable ownership of the respective music data, that is to say the music data is then permitted to remain stored locally in the jukebox for an interminable period.
• the service may include the facility whereby the user is warned that a song is about to drop out of the top N entries, or has dropped out, and offered the opportunity to purchase the respective music data. Such a purchase may take place via the jukebox by means of a number of different payment methods, as will be described in more detail below.
• the present invention enables every participating jukebox to have a precisely up-to-date hitparade (or top N entries therefrom) in relation to any country around the world stored inside the local A/V storage and rendering device (music songs or video clips), and this system may be combined with, for example, an automatic subscription service for a certain hitparade (or portion thereof), such that related services can be offered.
• a music server 100 supporting a content database 102 is connected, via a communications network such as the Internet 104 to a remote digital electronic audio jukebox 106.
• the audio jukebox 106 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 112 and a random access memory (RAM) 108 and a flash memory 110, of which two the latter both are connected to the central processing unit (CPU) 112 for known reasons.
• the CPU 112 has outputs to a display 114 and an audio digital to analog converter (DAC) 116, and an input from a user input device 118.
• DAC audio digital to analog converter
• the audio jukebox 106 further comprises an interface and modem 120 to support the communication link with the music server 100 via the Internet 104, and a central storage location 122 in the form of a hard disc drive (HDD), which HDD is connected to the CPU 112.
• a music distribution method according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is arranged according to a block 200 to start automatically in respect of every update of the music chart for the respective territory, most likely every week. It might be mentioned that such an update of the music charts may take place at other time intervals, for instance every two weeks or every month or even in irregular time intervals.
• the jukebox 106 accesses the server 100, which server 100 is then according to a block 202 arranged to perform an authentication negotiation process and check the access rights (according to subscription fees paid) of the jukebox 106.
• the new top N entries of the music chart (for instance Top #40 hits) are compared with the previous chart stored in the central storage location 12 of the jukebox 106 by means of comparing file names of files representing the new and old charts. It might be mentioned that other methods for comparing the new and old charts may be used, for instance based on file identification data or similar.
• entries are downloaded from the content database 102 to the audio jukebox 106 via the Internet connection, for storage in the central storage location 122 thereof, which entries are not in the previous chart but are in the new music chart.
• the track file is encrypted using AES and, during the next power-on, the customer is asked, via the display 114 of the audio jukebox 106, if they wish to purchase the track or hit of the chart.
• the system may be arranged to keep track of, and inform the customer of, the relative popularity of the track in question, so as to assist in their decision as to whether or not to buy the track.
• encryption of the track files may be performed with another encryption methods, for instance DES, Blowfish, IDEA etc. All encrypted tracks are retained in the audio jukebox 106 for some predetermined retention period, after which retention period they are erased according to a block 206 if they are not marked as purchased.
• the customer can, at any time access the music server 100 from the audio jukebox 106 via the Internet connection 104 with a view to potentially purchasing one or more tracks stored or retained in the central storage location 122.
• a sub-routine 200b the customer can, according to a block 210, scroll through a list of all encrypted and, therefore, inaccessible tracks currently retained in the central storage location 122, that is to say those tracks which have been previous entries in the top N of the respective music chart and which have now dropped out of the top N entries and if the customer selects one or more of these tracks for purchase, once payment has been effected, the respective track file(s) are decrypted and marked as purchased.
• the customer can according to a block 220 scroll through all of the tracks stored or retained in the central storage location 122, whether still in the top N of the music chart (and therefore not encrypted) or not (and therefore encrypted), purchase a track as desired and, once payment has been effected, the track is decrypted (if necessary) and, in any event, marked as purchased.
• a music distribution method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is similar in many respects to that described with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings, and like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals.
• the user terminal may comprise a mobile telephone 106a with Flash memory 122 receiving the twenty (20) most popular music tracks (top #20) from the German pop music charts, in which distribution method according to the second exem- plary embodiment downloads preferably take place overnight, to reduce network traffic.
• the communication link is provided by a GSM or GPRS connection 104a
• the user terminal in this case the mobile telephone 106a
• the user terminal in this case the mobile telephone 106a
• the modem 120 is a GPRS modem
• the central storage location 122 is a music flash memory.
• the method steps in respect of the music server side are substantially the same as those described in relation to Figure 2 of the drawings.
• a music distribution method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is arranged to start at a block 300 automatically in respect of every update of the music chart for the respective territory, most likely every week.
• the mobile telephone 106a accesses the server 100, which server 100 is then arranged to perform an authentication negotiation process and check the access rights (according to subscription fees paid) of the mobile telephone 106a according to a block 302.
• the new top N entries of the music chart that is to say twenty (20) in this case, are compared with the previous chart stored in the central storage location 122 of the jukebox and, according to a block 304, only entries which are not in the previous chart but are in the new music chart are downloaded from the content database 102 to the mobile telephone 106a via the GSM/GPRS connection 104a, for storage in the central storage location 122 thereof.
• the track file is encrypted (using, for example, AES) and, during the next power-on, the customer is asked, via the display 114 of the audio jukebox 106, if they wish to purchase the track. If so, payment is effected and then the track is decrypted and marked as purchased, otherwise the encrypted track is deleted.
• the system may be arranged to keep track of, and inform the customer of, the relative popularity of the track in question, so as to assist in their decision as to whether or not to buy the track.
• a customer can start a selection process at any time 106a.
• the customer is enabled via the mobile telephone 106a to scroll through all tracks stored in the central location 122 and selects one track desired to be purchased.
• the track is marked as purchased and the sub- routine ends according to a block 312.
• a music distribution method according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention is, once again, similar in many respects to that described with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings, and like elements are again denoted by the same reference numbers.
• the system may comprise an Intemet- connected Audio Video jukebox with a HDD, receiving the Dutch Top #20 video clips, wherein tracks which drop out of the Top #20 are retained interminably in the central storage location of the jukebox.
• a music server 100 supporting a content database 102 is connected, via a communications network such as the Internet 104 to a remote digital electronic au- dio/video jukebox 106c.
• the jukebox 106c comprises a random access memory (RAM) 108 and a flash memory 110, both connected to a central processing unit (CPU) 112.
• RAM random access memory
• CPU central processing unit
• the CPU has outputs to a display 114, an audio digital to analog converter (audio DAC) 116 and a video digital to analog converter (video DAC) 117, and an input from a user input device 118.
• the jukebox 106c further comprises an interface and modem 120 to support the communication link with the music server 100, and a central storage location 122 in the form of a HDD.
• a music distribution method according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention is, according to a block 400, arranged to start automatically in respect of every update of the music chart for the respective territory, most likely every week.
• the jukebox 106c accesses the server 100, which server 100 is then according to a block 402 arranged to perform an authentication negotiation process and check the access rights (according to subscription fees paid) of the jukebox 106c.
• the new top N entries of the music chart are compared with the previous chart stored in the central storage location 122 of the jukebox 106c and, according to a block 404, only entries which are not in the previous chart but are in the new music chart are downloaded from the content database 102 to the audio jukebox 106c via the Internet connection, for storage in the central storage location 122 thereof.
• a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method in which an A/V storage and rendering device and a paid subscription service (for instance fee per time period) may be provided in combination, in which the content (for instance top N entries from any hit parade around the world) stored locally, in client jukeboxes, is automatically updated (without user interaction) via a communications network.
• the client jukebox is arranged and configured such that a communica- tion link opened between it and the remote server at any time - no user interaction at the client end is required.
• such entries may remain stored in the local device interminably, or it may be deleted from the local device once it has dropped out of the top N entries of the respective hit parade.
• the system may be arranged to allow a user to purchase any of the hitparade songs or video clips, in order to keep them stored in the local device interminably, at any time and of their own volition, or the system may provide a service whereby the user is prompted with a warning that a chart hit has dropped out of the top N, or is about to drop out of the top N, of the respective music chart and will therefore be deleted unless they purchase a copy.
• This offer may remain active for some selectable retention period, as the music data file could be arranged to remain stored in the local device in an encrypted format.
• the above-mentioned subscription could be prc-paid (in full) when purchasing the necessary hardware, for example, or it could be paid periodically, that is to say payments becoming due for each relevant time period (for instance monthly, yearly, etc.)
• Methods of payment include: • A bank account link ⁇ Credit card ⁇ Internet payments (for instance FIRSTGATE click&buy) ⁇ To a mobile telephone operator with a monthly bill ⁇ Any other known payment method.
• any reference signs placed in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims.
• the word “comprising” and “comprises”, and the like does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the specifica- tion as a whole.
• the singular reference of an element does not exclude the plural reference of such elements and vice- versa.
• the invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware.
• the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
• a music distribution method comprising providing: a number of, for example, networked A/V storage and rendering devices, and a paid subscription service (fee per time period), which would automatically (without user interaction), via a network, keep A/V content updated, for instance Top #N from any hitparade around the world, whereas N is an integer.
• the A/V contents would then either remain inside the device interminably, or disappear after slipping out of the Top #N, in which case the device could: enable the customer to buy, at any time, any of the hitparade songs or video clips in order to keep them inside the device interminably, or actively trigger the customer to buy songs or video clips which are slipping out of the Top #N ranking and would otherwise disappear from his device.

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Citations (6)

• 2005
  • 2005-05-10 WO PCT/IB2005/051523 patent/WO2005109356A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (6)

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