Apparatus and methods for playing digital content and displaying same

Abstract

A system is presented providing content to a plurality of handheld devices (including musical selections). The devices can access a server over the Internet via a WIFI or other similar wireless interconnection and can download songs requested by a user from the server or from other users using, e.g., a P2P protocol. All downloads are governed by applicable DRM rules. Content and playlists may also be pushed by a server from other sources and means including, e.g., podcasting, based on predetermined rules, favorite preferences of users, and other criteria.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 807,840 filed Jul. 20, 2006, and 60 / 943,675 filed Jun. 13, 2007 and is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 10 / 953,746 filed Sep. 29, 2004, all incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]a. Field of Invention[0003]The present invention relates to the field of digital audio and video player devices that are preferably portable and receive content either from a secure subscription-based, “a-la-carte” content delivery service, or from other participant devices, and more particularly to a portable player apparatus that is in wireless communications with an Internet-based file server and / or to a peer player apparatus. The present invention also relates to a system and method for delivery and management of such content to such devices, and improvements thereto.[0004]b. Description of the Prior Art[0005]The development of compress...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]A preferred embodiment of the device disclosed in the '746 application consists of a portable wireless audio and / or video player apparatus having one or more of the following elements: a peer-to-peer audio and / or video data transfer module to allow communications with another wireless audio and / or video player apparatus; a wireless communication link to an Internet-connected base, a communication software module for requesting one or more audio and / or video data files from an Internet-based database server via the Internet-connected base station; a first security means for enabling the downloading and storage of the requested files; a second security means for the management and playing of the stored files; and one or more software modules for interfacing with a user to effect the foregoing features using an easy-to-understand interface. More specifically, the player apparatus is able to function as a standalone device to generate, search and obtain new audio and / or video digital data files (containing content and associated metadata (as defined below)) wirelessly over the Internet, without the need to use an intervening device, such as a desktop or laptop computer that temporarily stores the content data files to be transferred to the portable device, or software that runs on a laptop or desktop computer to manage the transfer and arrangement of content on the portable device. This feature enables a non-technical user to access and use digital audio and / or video content without knowledge of how to operate a computer. Further, to overcome the limitations of the display interface of the prior art, the user interface software according to embodiments of the present invention is designed to enable more complex user functions and data organization, and to display these simply and clearly. Such user interface software permits the device to reasonably and comfortably function for the user as a standalone device while permitting the user to search for new content, manage and modify large volumes of content, and share content across a large number of potential users who may be listed by user ID or name. Moreover, the device obtains files from a server or laterally from another device without using a browser-type application.

[0015]It is also a feature of the embodiments of the previous device to provide the user with a flexible programming capability both as to time and selection for the playing of the individual audio and / or video files or groups of files. This includes allowing a user to select and play individual content selections from a broad content library stored in a network on-demand, and alternatively to request that hours of continuous programmed content be playable on demand, which programming will be updated on a periodic basis (e.g., daily), without limiting the user's ability to start, stop, rewind or fast-forward through the program.

[0018]It is a feature of the embodiments of the previous device to provide a secure method for content owners to enable distribution of their audio and / or video content to mass-market consumers on a subscription basis.

Problems solved by technology

However, due to computational requirements, consumers were generally only able to access and use compressed and uncompressed digital audio and video on their personal laptop and desktop computers (except for conventional commercially-sold pre-recorded CDs and DVDs, which were playable on standard players connected to home stereos and the like).

This severely limited portable use and access to such digital audio and video content in that it required the user to be present at or near his or her computer to see and / or hear the playback, which typically could only be through speakers and / or a screen internal to or connected to the computer and not easily transported in digital format to more favorable listening environments, such as the user's car.

Disadvantageously, however, data transfer and advanced sorting and sequencing of selections are difficult or impossible for a user to accomplish unless the DMP is connected to the computer, which does not allow the user to obtain new content or to make other desirable modifications to the content stored on the DMP, such as easily modifying the sequence of the content selections stored on the device while the player device is not connected to the computer.

Further, in the case of audio, these players typically do not enable a non-technical user to create and manage custom “playlists” (i.e., fixed song sequences), such that a user can easily develop and use a variety of personalized playlists for use at different times. Also disadvantageously, the display and user interface on these audio devices is typically limited in size, involves the use of multi-functional buttons which are complex for many users and is not touch-sensitive, thereby preventing non-expert users from easily viewing and modifying the listing and sequence of audio tracks stored on the DMP.

A further disadvantage of the prior art is that users are typically required to select content selections one-by-one and then to add them to the device.

This requirement creates an inconvenience for the user since typically the user may prefer variety in programming and in many cases may not want to create a selection-by-selection sequence of entertainment, especially in the case of music.

However, in all cases involving terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, the user does not have true on-demand access to a large library (e.g., 2 or 3 million items) of content, along with full transport control over pausing, skipping, repeating, fast-forwarding, rewinding and deleting content.

Also, neither terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, nor Internet-based media services, allow the user to call up and access specific new selections on-demand on a portable device that does not have full PC functionality (e.g., a laptop) and is not connected to an Internet connection.

Further, in the case of radio-linked audio player devices, player device reception is typically limited due to physical terrain and geographic features, which can distort radio signals that in all cases need to be continuously present and stable during the audio output to provide the user with a satisfactory entertainment experience.

However, these devices generally have certain limitations: (1) The devices can store the digital content locally only when it is broadcast, requiring the user to wait for the broadcast to occur, and offering no opportunity for the user to access a missed broadcast.

(2) In the case of music in particular, copyright and related laws limit the ability of these devices that receive broadcasts to be legally manufactured and marketed to consumers without explicit content owner approval, if such devices enable the user to exert a significant amount of control over the content playback and management, such as the ability to rewind or repeat a recording of broadcast satellite radio, or enable users to predict with certainty that particular copyrighted music will be broadcast at a particular time to enable the user to capture a digital recording.

A further disadvantage of the prior art is that a security method is not provided for content owners to enable distribution of content to users, management of the content and deletion / expiration of their content on a subscription basis using only a standalone DMP that is not reliant on the use of associated desktop or laptop computer software, while still maintaining royalty records and rights, especially against secondary party transfers.

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