Abstract:
A system ( 128 ) for distributing at least one item from a set of media content items is disclosed. The system comprises the set of media content items, which can be warehoused in a vending machine ( 112 ) or in a remote server ( 524 ). The system further comprises a portable storage device ( 100 ) having at least one user selectable icon ( 104 ) and an associated reference pointer to a corresponding media content item in the set. Also, the system comprises the vending machine ( 112 ), which is responsive to a signal from the portable storage device ( 100 ), the signal being dependent upon a user selection of the icon ( 104 ). The vending machine is capable of locating the corresponding media content item, and reproducing the item on an output medium ( 118 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of distribution of audio, video and multi-media content associated with the areas of entertainment and education for example. In particular, the invention relates to distribution of such content in a manner which provides for both user control, or customisation, of the content, and also for ensuring that an appropriate payment is charged and collected for the content reproduction. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, distribution of audio and video content, eg. pre-recorded music and video selections, is typically done using physical media such as compact discs (CDs) for audio, or video cassettes for video. With these media, a content owner is assured of payment by means of both copyright protection, and by controlling the physical means of distribution directly or through agents. 
     An emerging method for distributing content is the Internet, by means of which encoded files using, for example, the MPEG  1  audio layer  3  (MP3) standard, are distributed and downloaded. This method can potentially broaden and extend current distribution channels, however it poses severe difficulties to content owners in terms of both vulnerability to copying without appropriate compensation being paid, and in regard to difficulty in the enforcement of copyright. 
     Distribution of content using current physical media does not typically offer a customer the option to be selective in what is purchased. Therefore, although a customer may wish to buy a recording of a number of songs from a particular artist, an available CD may, while containing some of the songs of interest, also contain other material of no interest to the customer. This can lead to a reluctance to purchase the entire CD, and to reduced sales of the content. Furthermore, if the reluctance to buy is overcome, then having purchased such a CD, an additional problem of convenience arises for the customer who wishes to listen to only certain songs, and who must therefore program their CD player to skip uninteresting tracks. 
     A further problem arises if a customer wishes to make a special compilation of music, say for a dance party. Current methods involve use of multi-CD players with programmable control facilities, or alternatively, transfer of desired tracks to another medium, for example tape. In the former case, the required equipment is expensive and complex to use, and in the latter case, audio quality suffers from transfer to another medium, and of course there is the issue of copyright infringement. 
     Considering distribution by means of the Internet, current payment infrastructures are relatively embryonic, and secure methods for content downloading which ensure appropriate compensation to content owners are in their infancy. Portable players using the MP3 standard are available, however these are not yet coupled with any payment infrastructure which can ensure payment of compensation to the content owner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention intends to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate some or all of the aforementioned problems. 
     In one aspect therefore, the invention discloses a system for distributing at least one item from a set of media content items, the system comprising: 
     the set of media content items; 
     a portable storage device having at least one user selectable reference pointer to a corresponding media content item in the set; and 
     a vending machine responsive to a signal from the portable storage device, the signal being dependent upon a user selection of the reference pointer, the vending machine being capable of locating the corresponding media content item and reproducing said item on an output medium. 
     In another aspect, the invention discloses a portable storage device comprising: 
     at least one user selectable icon; 
     at least one associated reference pointer to a corresponding media content item in a set of media content items, said reference pointer being responsive to a user selection of the icon. 
     In yet another aspect, the invention discloses a vending machine adapted for use in a system for distributing at least one item from a set of media content items, the vending machine comprising: 
     portable storage device input means for receiving a signal from a portable storage device, said signal dependent upon a user selection of a reference pointer on said portable storage device, wherein said reference pointer references a corresponding media content item in the set; 
     reference pointer processing means for locating the corresponding media content item according to a selected reference pointer; 
     charging means for attributing a charge to a located media content item; 
     authorisation means for authorising reproduction of the located media content item depending upon at least a payment by the user; and 
     output medium processing means for reproducing the located media content item on an output medium dependent upon an authorisation from the authorisation means. 
     In yet a further aspect, the invention discloses a method for distributing at least one item from a set of media content items, the method comprising steps of: 
     establishing communication between a vending machine and a portable storage device having at least one user selectable reference pointer to a corresponding media content item in the set; 
     selecting, by the customer, of the reference pointer; 
     locating, by the machine, according to the reference pointer, the corresponding media content item; and 
     reproducing a located media content item on an output medium. 
     In still a further aspect, the invention discloses a computer readable medium for storing a program for a system distributing at least one item from a set of media content items, said program comprising: 
     code for an establishing step for establishing communication between a vending machine and a portable storage device having at least one user selectable reference pointer to a corresponding media content item in the set; 
     code for a selecting step for selecting, by the customer, of the reference pointer; 
     code for a locating step for locating, by the machine, according to the reference pointer, the corresponding media content item; and 
     code for a reproducing step for reproducing a located media content item on an output medium. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A number of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a physical representation of a system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a process depicted as a flow diagram of method steps for the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 depicts a process depicted as a flow diagram of method steps from a user perspective for the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 depicts a further process depicted as a flow diagram of method steps from a system perspective for the system of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a system including a general purpose computer upon which an embodiment of the present invention can be practiced. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the context of this specification and claims, the terms “smartcard” and “customized smartcard” are used interchangeably throughout the specification. These terms both refer to smartcards having integral microprocessors incorporated therein, these microprocessors being able to detect a user selection signal which is applied to one or more of a plurality of indicia on a surface of the smartcard. By detecting which particular indicia, or combination of indicia, are being selected, the microprocessor is able to perform one or more of a plurality of “actions” in response thereto. The programmability of the smartcard provides flexibility both in the number and placement of the indicia, and also in the actions associated thereto. 
     FIG. 1 depicts a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. A customer uses a pre-defined customised smartcard  100  in conjunction with a vending machine  112  to produce a customised output medium such as a CD  118 , where the CD contains those media selections which the customer has chosen. This system enables a customer to produce tailored CDs, in this instance, which contain those and only those media content selections which the customer desires. This overcomes the problem of purchasing CDs with unwanted material, and/or having to skip uninteresting tracks while playing the material. By inserting the smartcard  100  into a card reader  108  as depicted by a dashed arrow  106 , the customer can press on desired icons  104  on the smartcard  100  through an aperture  110  in the card reader  108 . The icons  104 ,  126  are associated with reference pointers to corresponding media content items, and the association is stored in an on card processor and/or memory  102 . By pressing on a particular icon  104 , which is associated with a reference pointer for “Grease” by the Bee Gees, the customer can record the desired audio selection onto the CD  118 . 
     Sensing of the user pressing on the icon  104  can, for example, be performed by a touch screen incorporated into the aperture  110 . Title  2  (ie.  126 ), which in the present case has an associated reference pointer to “I am Woman” by Helen Reddy, need not be pressed, if the customer is not interested in that particular piece of music. Therefore, the link between the reference pointers on the smartcard  100  and the output CD  118  is not rigid, but rather at the customer&#39;s discretion. By inserting one, or a number, of smartcards  100  a customer can, by pressing icons corresponding to desired content selections only, produce a customised CD  118  which contains only media selections of interest. A keypad  114  provides a user interface whereby control messages including, for example, credit card payment may be effected. A display  116  enables the customer to ensure that the correct designation of desired titles  104  has been made. The display also allows the customer to review an accumulated charge which is to be levied for the selected music selections, prior to final payment. The smartcard  100  can itself also contain some music. 
     The CD  118  is shown in an output hopper  120 , noting that the CD would be produced within the body of the vending machine  112  and only drop into the hopper at completion of the overall process. In alternative embodiments, in addition to, or in place of, the CD  118 , an external recording device such as an MP3 recorder can, for example, be connected to an external recorder port  122 , enabling the designated media selections to be recorded on this external device. Since MP3 recorders are designed to prevent oncopying to further media, both the CD and the MP3 recorder provide assurance to the content owner that appropriate compensation has been paid for copies of media selections. The vending machine  112  need not contain all possible audio, video and other media content selections, and such content can instead be accessed, via the vending machine  112 , on remote servers through a wider network infrastructure by means of a network connection port  124 . 
     FIG. 2 depicts a process  216 , depicted as a flow diagram of method steps for the preferred embodiment. The customer submits the smartcard  100  in the first process step  200 , whereupon the vending machine  112  verifies the acceptability of the card in a process step  202 . This verification can relate to factors including the availability of a credit balance on a pre-paid smartcard, the applicability of expiry dates on a non pre-paid smartcard, pre-paid smartcards which have been cancelled because of theft, etc. Following the verification step  202 , the customer makes one or more designations of desired selections in process step  204 , this being performed by pressing on appropriate icons  104  on the card  100 . Thereafter, the vending machine  112 , making use of the associated reference pointers corresponding to the selections which have been designated by the customer in the step  204 , locates the designated selections in a process step  206 . As noted with reference to FIG. 1, the desired selections, ie. those having been designated, may be located either locally within the vending machine  112  itself, or externally on remote servers within the broader telecommunications environment which the vending machine can access by means of the network connection port  124 . 
     Having located the desired selections, a customer preview step  208  is performed, whereby a customer is provided with an opportunity to preview the selections which he has designated prior to making a decision to purchase. Thus, for audio selections this would involve a short segment being played for the customer, whereas for video and multi-media clips, a corresponding segment would be played for the customer. The audio speaker and video displays used in providing previews are not shown in FIG.  1 . 
     If the customer decides to proceed with the purchase, a charge attribution step  210  is performed, whereby a relevant charge is attributed to the selection which the customer has designated, this charge having been defined by the content owner and/or the owner&#39;s agent. In the customer preview process  208 , the customer is provided with the option of terminating the process if the preview is found to be not satisfactory. In the charge attribution process, the customer is similarly provided with a display of the attributed charges, and also with an opportunity to terminate the process if the attributed charges are deemed unacceptable. 
     Thereafter, in a step  212  payment is made, this of course being on the assumption that the charges in step  210  have been found acceptable by the customer. Payment can be effected in a number of ways. One option is to debit a charge to the smartcard, where the card is of the pre-paid variety. As noted in respect of the verification process  202 , a pre-paid card with no credit balance would be rejected at the outset. Alternatively, payment can be effected by means of a cash payment into the vending machine, (payment means not shown in FIG.  1 ), or alternatively credit card details can be entered by means of the keyboard  114 . For credit card transactions, the vending machine  112  conducts a credit transaction with the customer&#39;s bank across the telecommunications network via the network connection port  124 . 
     Thereafter, in the output process step  214 , the designated selection is output, either by “burning” a CD with the designated selections, or alternatively, by outputting a suitable signal to an external recorder by means of the external port  122 . 
     FIG. 3 depicts a process  322 , depicted as a flow diagram of method steps, from the customer&#39;s perspective. The customer submits the smartcard  100  in a step  300 , whereafter, providing that the card is not rejected through being considered invalid (not shown, see FIGS. 2,  4 ), the customer can designate and display titles of desired selections in a step  302 . Thereafter, the customer has the option of removing the aforementioned card, in the event that it does not contain all the desired media selections, and may insert additional cards, this option being provided in a step  304 . If this option is selected, the present card is withdrawn in a step  306 , and the process  322  loops back to submission of the next card in the step  300 . 
     Once all desired cards have been submitted by the customer, and appropriate selections have been designated, the customer is given an opportunity in a step  308  to view the titles of the designated selections (for example, by means of the display  116  in FIG.  1 ), and to verify their correctness. If the designations are not correct, the process  322  is directed to a reset step  310 , and thereafter back to the card submission step  300 . 
     Alternatively, after validating the designations as correct in the step  308 , the process  322  is directed to a preview decision step  312 , whereby the customer is provided with an option to preview one or more of the designated selections. If this option is taken up, the preview process  314  provides the customer with an opportunity to preview one or more of the designated selections, whereafter an accept/reject step  316  allows the process  322  to either be directed back to the card selection step  304 , and thereafter and the display step  308 , or alternatively, to continue to a payment step  318 . The various payment options have already been described in relation to FIG.  2 . After the payment step  318 , the product is delivered in the “get product” step  320 . 
     FIG. 4 presents a process  426 , depicted as a flow diagram of method steps, from the perspective of the system. In the first instance, the submitted card is verified in a step  400 , whereupon a decision step  402  directs the process  426  to reject the card in a step  404  if the relevant particulars of the card are found to be unacceptable. If the card is verified positively, the process  426  is directed to a step  406  where the customer&#39;s designations in regard to desired selections are input and displayed. As explained previously, input of the designations is performed by the customer pressing on relevant icons  104  on the smartcard  100 , and the display of the designations is presented on the display  116  (see FIG.  1 ). The customer is provided with the opportunity to review his designations in a decision step  408 , whereupon these designations may be rejected, the process  426  then being directed to a reset step  410 , and subsequently looping back to the initial step  400 . 
     Alternatively, if the customer accepts the designations in the step  408 , the process  426  is directed to a step  412  where those selections, having been designated by the customer, are located. As described in relation to FIG. 2, the designated selections may be found either locally within the vending machine  112  itself, or on remote servers in the broader network which are accessed by means of the network connection port  124 . 
     Thereafter, the process  426  considers, in a step  414 , whether all designated selections are available, ie. whether they have all been located. In the event that all designated selections have not been located, the process  426  is directed to a step  416  whereby the customer is notified of this fact. Thereafter, the process  426  is directed back to the input and display step  406 , thereby providing the customer with an opportunity to modify the already designated selections. If, on the other hand, all the designated selections are located and found to be available, then the process  426  is directed to a preview process  418 , and subsequently to a preview decision process  420 . As discussed in regard to FIG. 3, if the customer is dissatisfied with the preview process results, the process  426  is directed back to the input and display process  406 . Alternatively, if the previews are found to be satisfactory, the process  426  is directed to a charging/payment process  422 . The details of this process  422  are as described previously in regard to FIGS. 2 and 3, as is the subsequent step of making and delivering the product in a step  424 . 
     The method for distributing at least one item from a set of media content items can be practiced using a conventional general-purpose computer system  500 , such as that shown in FIG.  5 . The processes of FIGS. 2-4 may be implemented as software, such as an application program executing within the computer system  500 . The computer system  500  can communicate with a remote server  524 , in which some or all of the set of media content items is warehoused, over a network  520  by means of a connection  526 . In particular, the steps of the method of distributing one or more of a first set of audio, video and entertainment media content selections are effected by instructions in the software that are carried out by the computer. The software may be divided into two separate parts, namely one part for carrying out the distributing one or more of a first set of audio, video and entertainment media content selections methods, and another part to manage the user interface between the latter and the user. 
     The software may be stored in a computer readable medium, including the storage devices described below, for example. The software is loaded into the computer from the computer readable medium, and then executed by the computer. A computer readable medium having such software or computer program recorded on it is a computer program product. The use of the computer program product in the computer preferably effects an advantageous apparatus for distributing one or more of a first set of audio, video and entertainment media content selections in accordance with the embodiments of the invention. 
     The computer system  500  comprises a computer module  501 , input devices such as a keyboard  502  and mouse  503 , output devices including a printer  515  and a display device  514 . A Modulator-Demodulator (Modem) transceiver device  516  is used by the computer module  501  for communicating to and from a communications network  520 , for example connectable via a telephone line  521  or other functional medium. The modem  516  can be used to obtain access to the Internet, and other network systems, such as a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN). 
     The computer module  501  typically includes at least one processor unit  505 , a memory unit  506 , for example formed from semiconductor random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM), input/output (I/O) interfaces including a video interface  507 , and an I/O interface  513  for the keyboard  502  and mouse  503  and optionally a joystick (not illustrated), and an interface  508  for the modem  516 . The I/O interface  513  also interconnects the computer  500  with specialised hardware/software  522  which is necessary to perform specialised functions including the CD production. 
     A storage device  509  is provided and typically includes a hard disk drive  510  and a floppy disk drive  511  . A magnetic tape drive (not illustrated) may also be used. A CD-ROM drive  512  is typically provided as a non-volatile source of data. The components  505  to  513  of the computer module  501 , typically communicate via an interconnected bus  504  and in a manner which results in a conventional mode of operation of the computer system  500  known to those in the relevant art. Examples of computers on which the embodiments can be practised include IBM-PC&#39;s and compatibles, Sun Sparcstations or alike computer systems evolved therefrom. 
     Typically, the application program of the preferred embodiment is resident on the hard disk drive  510  and read and controlled in its execution by the processor  505 . Intermediate storage of the program and any data fetched from the network  520  may be accomplished using the semiconductor memory  506 , possibly in concert with the hard s disk drive  510 . In some instances, the application program may be supplied to the user encoded on a CD-ROM or floppy disk and read via the corresponding drive  512  or  511 , or alternatively may be read by the user from the network  520  via the modem device  516 . 
     Still further, the software can also be loaded into the computer system  500  from other computer readable medium including magnetic tape, a ROM or integrated circuit, a magneto-optical disk, a radio or infra-red transmission channel between the computer module  501  and another device, a computer readable card such as a PCMCIA card, and the Internet and Intranets including email transmissions and information recorded on websites and the like. The foregoing is merely exemplary of relevant computer readable mediums. Other computer readable media may be practiced without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     The method of distributing one or more of a first set of audio, video and entertainment media content selections may alternatively be implemented in dedicated hardware such as one or more integrated circuits performing the functions or sub functions of distributing one or more of a first set of audio, video and entertainment media content selections. Such dedicated hardware may include graphic processors, digital signal processors, or one or more microprocessors and associated memories. 
     The foregoing description discloses a number of embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Thus, for example, although the end-product output media have been described in relation to compact discs and MP3 recorders, the concept is extendable to any output media which supports the functionality described, namely that of ensuring compensation to the content owner by preventing on-copying from the output medium. 
     Furthermore, the reference pointers used to identify the designated selections can be either proprietary pointers defined within a closed system context, or alternatively can be more generally accepted pointers such as universal reference locaters (URLs) such as are used for designated addresses in the Internet context. 
     The system as described also supports provision of free downloading of material, in the event that the content owner decides to do so. Therefore, a “zero charge” can be levied within the context of the inventive concept.