Abstract:
A system for the distribution of media assets wherein first and second media player devices individually communicate with the server computer to update a database with the identity of the media assets that are stored thereon. The server computer transmits to each of the first and second media player devices information about the media assets that is stored on the first and second media player devices. As a result of this information, a first media player device may have knowledge of and request a media asset stored on a second media player device. The second media player device responds to the request by transferring or streaming the asset to the first media player.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/177,701 filed Jan. 24, 2000, entitled “DISTRIBUTION/SHARING OF MEDIA ASSETS WITH MEDIA PLAYERS WITHOUT DOWNLOAD FROM CENTRAL PORTAL” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Due to the increasing proliferation of digital music playback devices, a user may possess multiple media asset playback devices, such as one for the home, the car and a portable unit. Accordingly, different media assets may be stored on the different playback devices that are under the user&#39;s control. A system and method are needed which would allow the user to have access to any media asset stored on any of her/his media player devices. It is desirable to be able to coordinate the knowledge of all of the media assets stored among a user&#39;s media player devices to enable direct access to those media assets from any device.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to a system and method for the distribution and sharing of media assets. At least one server computer is provided that manages access to a library database of media assets. These media assets may be stored and accessed by users via a media player device. Each of a plurality of media player devices is in communication with the server computer. The media player devices communicate with the server computer in order to update the database with information pertaining to the media assets that are stored within each media player device.  
           [0004]    The server computer of the system synchronizes and compiles reference data for the media assets stored on each media player device. For a designated group of media player devices the server computer shares media asset reference data pertaining to all of the media assets residing on media player devices in the group. Equipped with the reference data of all media assets that reside on the media player devices that are in that group, each media player device in the group may request or transfer media assets directly between one another without the need to go through the central computer for access to the media asset. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a media player device useful in connection with the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram representation of a process according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    The present invention is initially described with reference to FIG. 1 and is generally shown at reference numeral  10 . The system  10  comprises a plurality of media player devices  110  and a server computer  100 . There is two-way communication link  120  that allows each media player device  110  to transmit information pertaining to the assets that are stored locally on each respective media player device  110  to the server computer  100 . The communication links  120  may be one or a combination of wired and wireless (RF) communication networks, including the Internet. The server computer  100  synchronizes and compiles the information that is received from the respective media player devices  110 . Further details of a system of the type shown in FIG. 1 are disclosed in the commonly assigned PCT application No. PCT/USOO/27564, filed October 5, 2000, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0009]    The server computer  100  (or a group of server computers), which may be addressable via a standard URL on the World Wide Web, functions to allow for the storage, stream and download of media assets to a media player device  110 . In addition, as described above the server computer  100  provides connections to other source sites, such as sources of streaming Internet radio providers. The server computer  100  allows for synchronization and replication of a user&#39;s licensed assets with each of the user&#39;s media player devices  110 . The server computer  100  may be accessible directly from a media player device  110  and may provide a customizable interface or view to each user, if desired.  
         [0010]    Some or all of the user&#39;s licensed assets are catalogued and stored by a master media library database in the remote storage  250  and are managed by a database server application executed by the server computer  100 .  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates an internal diagram of a media player device  110  that enables a user to play a digital media asset. The media player device  110  may be a home consumer device that connects to a television or other monitor as well as a home stereo (amplifier/tuner, etc.) which in turn is connected to speakers, a personal computer (PC) (laptop or desktop), a vehicle-based electronic device, a portable media player device, or a wireless electronic device. An example of still another type of media player device  110  is a cable set-top box.  
         [0012]    Briefly, a media player device  110  comprises a processor  215  that executes a media playback software application program (or alternatively hardware) to enable a user to play or use a digital media asset, such as music, video, games, etc. The media player device  110  may comprise a memory  205 , user interface  210 , a hard drive storage device  230  and a communication device  220 . The communication device  220  of the media player device may be a modem of any wired or wireless type, an EthernetTm card for connection to a local area network, etc. that performs two-way communication via the communication links  120  (FIG. 1). The memory  205  of the media player device  110  stores reference data pertaining to media assets stored on hard drive storage device  230  or on a remote storage  250  (FIG. 1). The communication device  220  further has the capability to electronically transmit data between media player devices and so may further include other communication capabilities, such as infrared (IR) transmission and reception, radio frequency (RF) communication, such as BluetoothTm communication capability, and other wired or wireless LAN connectivity. Another form of direct communication between media player devices may be achieved via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or other hardware interface. A database client application may reside on the media player device  110  so as to manage access to and usage of media assets by the media player device.  
         [0013]    Generally, the media player device  110  may roughly be the size of a CD/DVD player and provide for both audio and video output, though its size may vary with specific applications. The audio output may require an amplifier to drive speakers, or an amplifier may be included within the device. Video is directed to a television or monitor, or in some cases an integrated monitor. The media player device  110  receives its media assets via broadband demand download or stream, traditional phone line download or stream from the server computer  100  (FIG. 1) and/or other media partners. The media player device  110  is also able to download content and information from other Internet web sites through an embedded browser interface. Moreover, the media player device  110  can playback locally stored media assets such as CDs, DVDs, or other physical media as well as media assets stored on its local hard drive storage device  230 .  
         [0014]    An example of facilitating network technology for the media asset sharing between the media player devices is the JiniTm network technology developed by Sun Microsystems. JiniTm network technology provides simple mechanisms that enable devices to interface. Other technologies that might be utilized to implement media asset sharing are a Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), etc. Any of the aforementioned technologies may be utilized to implement an architecture that would allow the media player devices  110  to interact with the server computer  100  over the communications link  120 .  
         [0015]    A group of media player devices  110  will be described with reference to FIG. 1. A consumer may purchase multiple media player devices  110  that may be linked with the server computer  100 , for example, the group comprised of media player devices MP 1 , MP 2 , MP 3  and MP 4 . A group of media player devices  110  may be identified such that server computer  100  stores information designating or indicating that the media players in that group are authorized to know or share information about the media assets locally stored thereon and which players may obtain assets directly from each other. This relationship of a user&#39;s media player devices  100  would allow the user to inventory and access the media assets that reside on all of the user&#39;s media player devices  110  from any of the user&#39;s media player devices  110 .  
         [0016]    Once the server computer has identified a group of media player devices  110 , the server computer  100  may utilize the two-way communication link  120  to transmit the media asset reference data of each member of an identified group of media player devices  110  to all of the members of that group. This transmission of data would enable an operator to access all the media assets and the information pertaining to them from any media player  110  that resides within the identified group of media player devices  110 . The phantom lines in FIG. 1 are meant to represent the direct communication between media player devices within a group for the sharing of media assets stored thereon.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a process according to the invention and illustrating an example wherein the server computer  100  is linked with two particular media player devices  110 , hereinafter referred to as MP 1  and MP 2  (FIG. 1) as an example, that are part of a group of media player devices designated to share information with each other. In step  300 , either or both of the media player devices MP 1  and MP 2  acquire media assets either through the server computer or by other means for storage locally therein. Periodically, as represented in step 305, each of the media player devices  110  contacts the server computer  100  and coordinates the reference (identification) information of media assets stored thereon with that of the master library database managed by the server computer  100 . The server computer  100  in turn synchronizes this information with the master library database and distributes the media asset reference information associated with the locally stored media assets to MP 1  and MP 2  in step 310. The media player devices MP 1  and MP 2  receive and store the media asset reference information that has been transmitted from the server computer  100  in steps 315 and 320 so that the current knowledge about the media assets stored on MP 1  and MP 2  is loaded into the memories of MP 2  and MP 1  respectively. Thereafter, the media player devices MP 1  and MP 2  may freely request the transfer of a copy or the streaming of any media asset that is currently stored on the other media player devices, as shown in steps 325 and 330. In steps 335 and 340, MP 1  and MP 2  respond to the request from the other for media assets, and transmit (streams, transfers) the requested media asset to the requesting media player.  
         [0018]    For example, MP 1  possesses a particular media asset, such as the media asset A and MP 2  possesses another particular media asset, such as the media asset B. MP 1  will contact the server computer  100  and inform the server computer that media asset A resides within the MP 1 . The server computer  100  now has the knowledge that media asset A resides at MP 1 . When MP 2  contacts the server computer  100  to update its media asset status information, the server computer  100  will accordingly respond by transmitting the media asset status (reference) information of MP 1  to MP 2 . MP 2  now has the knowledge that media asset A resides at MP 1 . The media asset status information can be displayed by MP 2  to the media player operator, thereby informing the operator about media assets that are stored on MP 1 .  
         [0019]    The media player device operator may choose to play media asset A from a list that is presented on the display of MP 2 . MP 2  knows that media asset A does not reside locally on the media player device but rather is stored on MP 1 . Through the communication devices on MP 1  and MP 2  respectively, MP 2  may now directly contact MP 1  in order to gain access to media asset A. MP 2  will accordingly transmit a request to MP 1  that MP 1  transmit (e.g., transfer or stream) the media asset A to MP 2 , after which the operator of MP 2  is presented with the media asset at MP 2  for use.  
         [0020]    As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts describe in the present application can be modified and varied over a wide range of applications. Accordingly, the scope of patented subject matter should not be limited to any of the specific exemplary teachings describe herein.