Merchant Playlist Integration for Customer-Controlled In-App Media

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Solution Overview

Problem

Brick-and-mortar and online merchants face challenges in increasing customer traffic and engagement through entertainment options that are cost-effective, space-efficient, and customizable, while existing solutions like live musicians and jukeboxes are limited and require significant maintenance.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a merchant media system (MMS) that integrates a third-party content provider's API into the merchant's POS or e-commerce system, allowing creation of customizable playlists accessible to customers via their devices, with payment integrated into existing transactions, and using geo-fencing for conditional access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If live musicians or jukeboxes are provided for customer entertainment, then customer engagement and stay duration increase, but cost and space requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer engagementVSAvoidspace requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses digital copies of music content delivered via network to customer devices, replacing physical jukeboxes and live musicians. The media player application on customer devices plays copied music files, eliminating the need for physical entertainment equipment in the establishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical entertainment systems (jukeboxes, live musicians) with an electronic/digital system consisting of a media server, network communication, and software application on customer devices. This substitution eliminates physical space requirements while maintaining entertainment functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If jukeboxes are deployed for on-demand music selection, then customer entertainment options increase, but maintenance difficulty and repair costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemusic selection optionsVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses digital copies of music content stored on a media server and delivered over a network to customer devices. This eliminates physical media components in jukeboxes that require maintenance, as all content is accessed electronically without mechanical playback devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The media player application on customer devices serves multiple functions: playing music, managing playlists, handling payments, and communicating with the media server. This consolidates what would traditionally require separate jukebox components into a single software application, simplifying maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Duration of action of moving object

If traditional entertainment systems are used in brick-and-mortar businesses, then customer stay duration increases, but implementation cost and infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer stay durationVSAvoidinfrastructure requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical entertainment infrastructure with a network-based digital system. Customer devices communicate with a media server over a network, eliminating the need for physical jukeboxes, audio amplification systems, and other infrastructure typically required for in-venue entertainment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The media player application integrates multiple functions including music playback, playlist management, payment processing, and network communication into a single software solution. This reduces infrastructure requirements by consolidating functions that would traditionally require separate hardware systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12505159B1Enterprise platform with integrated user-curated playlist

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 BLOCK INC

AI summary

A merchant processing system accesses a user interface of a content delivery service, to identify media content items. In response to merchant inputs, the merchant processing system causes generation of a playlist of media content items in a playlist format of the content delivery service. In response to determining that the user is accessing an application of the merchant, the merchant processing system causes display of the playlist to the user on a device associated with the user, within one or more screen displays of the application. The merchant processing system then receives a playback request representing a selection by the user of a media content item on the playlist, in response to the display of the playlist to the user, and causes transmission of the selected media content item to the device associated with the user, to cause playback of the selected media content item, based on the playback request.