NETWORK LIBRARY SERVICE

Abstract: A novel network library service is provided for enabling a user to assemble his own personal and private collection of digital media which are electronically deliverable to him over a communications network such as the Internat. Any item in the library may be selected at any time by the library owner and sent to the owner at any location. This network library service includes a user access mechanism for coupling to a network for communicating with a user, for receiving user requests and for delivering requested items to the user. The library service also includes a list storage mechanism coupled to the user access mechanism for storing a list of digital media which the list owner has included in his personal library collection. The library service further includes a validation mechanism for comparing a request from the list owner with his stored personal list of digital media for providing an indication of which requested items are listed. The library service also includes a delivery mechanism responsive to the validation mechanism for delivering listed requested items to the user access mechanism for electronic delivery to the list owner. The network library service further includes an authentication mechanism for receiving and examining user authentication information and denying access to the requested items if authentication fails. This network library service provides a full library service for creation, management and access to a varied private collection of virtual possessions.

Description: NETWORK LIBRARY SERVICE DESCRIPTION Technical Field This invention relates to services provided over communications networks such as, for example, the Internet communications network. Background Of The Invention A variety of different services are currently provided over the Internet. Some examples are banking services, automobile purchasing services, book buying services, stock market services, music buying services, auction services, grocery shopping, travel reservations, real estate services, mortgage services, and so on and so on. These services are intended to make the life of consumers easier and more effortless. The numbers and types of services provided over the Internet are growing rapidly and no doubt will continue to grow. Nevertheless, there remains numerous areas that have not been fully exploited by the Internet. And some that have been exploited leave room for improvement in their manner of organization and performance. Summary Of The Invention The present invention provides a novel network library service for enabling a user to assemble his own personal and private collection of digital media which are electronically deliverable to him over a communications network such as the Internet. Typical digital media which may be included by the user in his network library are musical selections, movies, still pictures, multimedia materials, video games, books, periodicals, textual data, and the like. Any item in the library may be selected at any time by the library owner and sent to him wherever he is located. All that is needed by the owner is an appropriate device for accessing the Internet and an appropriate mechanism for reproducing the item delivered from the library. For the case of a musical selection, for example, the access device may be a wireless telephone and the reproduction mechanism may be an audio amplifier and loudspeaker system. If desired, all of these elements may be combined in a single unit. The present invention provides a full library service for secure creation, management and access to a varied private collection of virtual possessions . The present invention comprises a network library service for providing a user with a personal collection of digital media which are electronically deliverable to the user over a network. This library service includes a user access mechanism for coupling to a network for communicating with a user for receiving user requests and delivering requested materials. The library service also includes a list storage mechanism coupled to the user access mechanism and storing a list of digital media which a user has included in his personal library collection. The library service further includes a validation mechanism for comparing a request from the user with his stored personal list of digital media for providing an indication of which requested items are listed. The library service also includes a delivery mechanism responsive to the validation mechanism for delivering listed requested items to the user access mechanism for delivery to the user. For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further advantages and features thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the scope of the invention being pointed out in the appended claims. Brief Description Of The Drawings Referring to the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a network system including a library service constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing in greater detail the construction of a representative embodiment of a library service constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3 shows in greater detail a representative form of construction for the list control mechanism of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 shows an example of digital media data stored in the list storage mechanism of FIG. 2; and FIGS. 5A-5C show examples of customized playlists that may be stored in the list storage mechanism of FIG. 2. Detailed Description Of The Illustrated Embodiment Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a representative embodiment of a network environment in which the present invention is used. The present invention is represented by library service 10 which is linked to a communications network 11. Network 11 may be, for example, the widely used Internet communications network. Linked to the network 11 are various user mechanisms represented, for example, by a computer 12, a user token mechanism 13, an audio player 14, and a video player 15. These mechanisms are coupled to network 11 by a network access terminal 16. Also linked to network 11 are a number of provider mechanisms represented, for example, by music provider 17, video provider 18, video game provider 19, and text provider 20. Computer 12 may be, for example, either a desktop or a laptop type of personal computer. User token mechanism 13 may be, for example, a key pad for entering a personal identification number, a Smart Card and a Smart Card reader or some form of biometric identification device. The purpose of the user token mechanism 13 is to identify the user with as high a degree of reliability as possible. Access terminal 16 establishes a connection between the user mechanisms 12-15 and the communication network 11 for enabling the user mechanisms to communicate with network 11 and vice versa. Access terminal 16 may take the form of, for example, a communication modem, a personal computer or a wireless digital telephone. Providers 17-20 are connected to the network 11 and supply to the network various types of digital media, such as music, movies, video games, text materials, etc. Such digital media may include, for example, textual data (books, magazines, etc.), encoded or encrypted sound materials, still or motion pictures, computer- generated multi-media items (for example, video games), and subscriptions to various media services (for example, customized news feeds, stock market ticker tapes and so forth). Library service 10 provides management of the flow of materials from the different providers to the particular user devices being used. In particular, library service 10 maintains a list of the particular digital media which are available in the personal library of each particular user. Each user is responsible for the contents of his particular library list. He picks and chooses the items that are listed as part of his library. Items can also be deleted when desired. Library service 10 makes any one or more of the listed items available to the owner of the library upon his request. Library service 10 includes an authentication mechanism for establishing the identity of the library owner with a high degree of accuracy before allowing access to his library of materials. As such, only the library owner or his authorized representative will be allowed access to his particular library of media materials. Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown in greater detail a representative form of construction for the library service 10 of FIG. 1. This library service 10 provides a user with a personal collection of digital media which are electronically deliverable to the user over the network 11. The representative embodiment of FIG. 2 includes a user access mechanism 21 coupled to network 11 by link 22a for communicating with a user for receiving user requests and delivering requested digital media materials to the user. The library service 10 of FIG. 2 also includes a list storage mechanism 23 which is coupled to the user access mechanism 21 (by way of an authentication mechanism 26). For each authorized library service subscriber, the list storage mechanism 23 stores a list of digital media which the subscriber has selected for inclusion in his personal library. Library service 10 of FIG. 2 further includes a validation mechanism 24 coupled to both the user access mechanism 21 (by way of an authentication mechanism 26) and the list storage mechanism 23 for comparing a request from a user with his stored personal list of digital media stored in list storage mechanism 23 for providing an indication of which requested items are listed on his stored list. Signals identifying the requested and listed items are supplied by the validation mechanism 24 to a delivery mechanism 25 which delivers the listed requested items to the user access mechanism 21 for delivery to the predetermined user, namely the owner of the library list in question. Library service 10 also includes an authentication mechanism 26 coupled to the user access mechanism 21 for examining identification authentication information received from a user for authenticating the identity of the user seeking to access a personal list of digital media. If the identity of the user is not authenticated, the user is advised of this fact and no access is allowed to the sought after list of digital media. In this event, the user request is not submitted to either the validation mechanism 24 or the list storage mechanism 23 and no digital media is delivered to the requester. The identification information needed by the authentication mechanism 26 is provided by the user token mechanism 13 of FIG. 1 and is supplied by way of access terminal 16, network 11 and user access mechanism 21 to the authentication mechanism 26. This authentication information can be any unique identifier in the possession of the user. The token mechanism 13 may take various forms. It may be, for example, a key pad for enabling entry of an appropriate identification code. Or it may take the form of a Smart Card having the necessary information encoded thereon and a Smart Card reader for entering the information into the system. As a further alternative, the token mechanism 13 may be a biometric device for scanning a fingerprint, the retinal features, or other physical feature of the user. In any event, a sample of the necessary identification information would be preloaded into the authentication mechanism 26 for purposes of comparison with the information submitted by the user. The library service 10 of FIG. 2 further includes a provider access mechanism 27 coupled to the network 11 by way of link 22b and responsive to the validation mechanism 24 for communicating with a digital media provider for causing such provider to supply (a listed) requested item to the delivery mechanism 25 for delivery to the authorized user. Typical digital media providers are represented by music provider 17, video provider 18, video game provider 19, and text provider 20 in FIG. 1. Library service 10 also includes a media storage mechanism 28 for storing some of the digital media which a user is allowed to access. This media storage mechanism 28 is responsive to the request signals produced by the validation mechanism 24 for supplying the requested items to the delivery mechanism 25 for delivery to the user. If a requested item is available in the media storage 28, it would be obtained from such location. Otherwise, it would be obtained from a remote media provider via the provider access mechanism 27. If desired, items obtained from the remote media provider may also be stored in the media storage mechanism 28 for later reuse. As a further feature, the user may load into the media storage 28 digital media currently in his possession. This is accomplished by way of user access mechanism 21 and bus 29. The stored library list is updated by way of the list control mechanism 32 and the update mechanism 31. This user provided media is then available from the library service for later reuse by the user. This is convenient for cases where the user wishes to reuse the media at a different location or no longer has the media in his immediate possession. Library service 10 also includes a new item order mechanism 30 which is coupled to the user access mechanism 21 via the authentication mechanism 26 for receiving a new item purchase request from the user and producing a purchase order for the new item. This purchase order is then supplied by way of provider access mechanism 27 and network 11 to a network-connected digital media provider, for example, an appropriate one of providers 17-20, for causing such provider to supply the new item to the delivery mechanism 25 for delivery to the user. The media provider also supplies the necessary cataloging information to a storage update mechanism 31 for adding the particulars regarding the new item to the user's personal list of library items contained in the list storage mechanism 23. New item order mechanism 30 provides the appropriate billing and payment functions for new items for which payment is required. When the validation mechanism 24 determines that a requested item is not included on the list of digital media stored in his library, the user is informed of such fact and is given the option of ordering such item via the new item order mechanism 30. Library service 10 further includes a list control mechanism 32 for enabling a user to access his digital media list which is stored in list storage mechanism 23 and to perform certain functions with respect to the list. A representative form of construction for the list control mechanism 32 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3. The list control mechanism 32 is coupled to the storage mechanism 23 by way of a bus 33a and receives user instructions from an authenticated user from the authentication mechanism 26 by way of a bus 33b. The list control mechanism 32 includes a list access mechanism 34 for enabling the authenticated user to access and display at least part of his stored personal list of digital media. List access mechanism 34 accesses the stored list by way of bus 33a and supplies the requested information to the user by way of bus 33c and user access mechanism 21. The user can display such information on an appropriate monitor which may be, for example, part of computer 12. In this way, the user can review all or part of his digital media list which is stored in the list storage mechanism 23. List control mechanism 32 also includes a search mechanism 35 for enabling the user to have a search performed on his stored list of digital media for purposes of locating the entry for a desired item and reviewing the catalog information for such item. If the desired item is not found on the list, the user is advised of such fact. List control mechanism 32 further includes a category selection mechanism 36 for enabling a user to select a desired category of items from his stored personal list of digital media. The information with respect to all of the items in the desired category is supplied back to the user by way of bus 33c and the user access mechanism 21. By way of example only, the user can select all items of music belonging to a particular genre or all items of music performed by a particular artist. The list control mechanism 32 also includes a playlist creation mechanism 37 coupled to the list storage mechanism 23 for enabling a user to create from his stored personal list of digital media a customized playlist of selected titles. The user supplies by way of bus 33b the name for the playlist and the listing of items to include on the playlist. The playlist creation mechanism 37 then supplies the necessary information to the storage update mechanism 31 via bus 33d to create the playlist as one of the listed items on the user's digital media list. Thereafter, the user need only request the particular playlist without having to individually request the different items included on such playlist. FIG. 4 shows an example of digital media data that may be stored in the list storage mechanism 23 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows five major types of digital media that may be listed, namely: music, video (movies), games (video games), books and periodicals (magazines, newspapers, journals, etc.). For each type of item, there is shown a typical list of the different catalog information that may be included in the list storage mechanism 23 for each individual item. Thus, for the case of music, for example, there is included for each musical selection an item number, a genre, the name of the artist performing the song, the title of the song, the name of the album, the album track number for the song and the name of the recording company that recorded the album. Other types of digital media not shown in FIG. 4 which may be listed in the list storage mechanism include still pictures, reproduction of works of art, multimedia materials, maps, graphs, various types of textual data and anything else the user might like to look at from time to time. The library service of this invention is intended to provide a person with his own personal library on the Internet. FIG. 5A-5C show examples of customized playlists that may be stored in the list storage mechanism 23 of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 A shows a music playlist which includes all of the songs recorded by the Beatles group and which are listed in the digital media list stored in the list storage mechanism 23. The category selection mechanism 36 of FIG. 3 can be used to locate and identify the different listed songs recorded by the Beatles. FIG. 5B shows an example of a music playlist which includes all the Reggae type music included in the library owner's list of digital media. FIG. 5C shows a music playlist entitled "My Favorites" and includes various selections which are individually selected by the library owner. Once created, a playlist is stored in the list storage mechanism 23 and treated as another singular entry on the media list. Thus, instead of requesting individual items, the library owner may request a particular playlist and he will be provided with all of the selections listed on the playlist. The service provided by the present invention makes it possible for a person to create, access and manage a wide ranging catalog of media types. One simple example of this is that a person could buy a collection of audio recordings without having to own the physical media. Playback is achieved on a multi-media capable device, once access rights have been confirmed using the authentication information contained in the user token. While there has been described what is at present considered to be a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and it is, therefore, intended to cover all such changes and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A network library service for providing a user with a personal collection of digital media which are electronically deliverable to the user over a network, such library service comprising: a user access mechanism for coupling to a network for communicating with a user for receiving a request from a user and delivering requested information; a list storage mechanism coupled to the user access mechanism, for storing a list of digital media which the user has included in the user's personal library collection; a validation mechanism for comparing the user request with the user's stored list of digital media and for providing an indication of which requested items are listed; and a delivery mechanism, responsive to the validation mechanism, for delivering listed requested items to the user access mechanism for delivery to the user. 2. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including an authentication mechanism, coupled to the user access mechanism, for receiving and examining user authentication information from a user for authenticating the identity of an entity seeking to access said user's list of digital media and denying access if such authentication fails. 3. A network library service in accordance with Claim 2 wherein the authentication information received from the user is provided by a Smart Card and Smart Card reader. 4. A network library service in accordance with Claim 2 wherein the authentication information received from the user is provided by a biometric device. 5. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including a provider access mechanism coupled to the network and responsive to the validation mechanism for communicating with a digital media provider for causing such provider to supply a listed requested item to the delivery mechanism for delivery to the user. 6. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including a digital media storage mechanism for storing digital media which the user has included in his personal library collection, such digital media storage mechanism being responsive to the validation mechanism for supplying a requested item to the delivery mechanism for delivery to the user. 7. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including: a new item order mechanism coupled to the user access mechanism for receiving a new item purchase request from the user and producing a purchase order for the new item; a provider access mechanism coupled to the network and responsive to a purchase order for a new item for communicating with a digital media provider for causing such provider to supply the new item to the delivery mechanism for delivery to the user; and a list storage update mechanism for adding the new item to the user's personal list of digital media. 8. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including a list access mechanism coupled to the user access mechanism and to the list storage mechanism for enabling a user to access and display at least part of his stored personal list of digital media. 9. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including a list access mechanism coupled to the user access mechanism and to the list storage mechanism for enabling a user to select a desired category of items from his stored personal list of digital media. 10. A network library service in accordance with Claim 1 and including a playlist creation mechanism coupled to the user access and to the list storage mechanism for enabling a user to create from his stored personal list of digital media a customized playlist of selected titles. 11. A virtual library comprising: a storage mechanism for storing a collection of digital media items; an Internet access mechanism for accessing digital media providers on the Internet and transferring copies of selected digital media items to the storage mechanism; and an authentication mechanism for enabling an authorized user to transfer copies of selected digital media items to the storage mechanism to assemble his own personal and private collection of digital media items and for enabling the authorized user to thereafter effect the playback of selected items from this personal library collection.

Inventors: BAKER CHRISTOPHER, MERRIAM CHARLES, BAKER, CHRISTOPHER, MERRIAM, CHARLES
Applicants: SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC, SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06Q30