Abstract:
A media product comprising an electronic tag, the tag comprising a memory, wherein the memory has data stored thereon representing preview material associated with the content of the product. A suitable tag and device for querying a memory of the tag are also described.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of media content preview, and more specifically to the provision of sampling the content of a media product. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Promotional material such as sample music tracks and movie previews are often distributed to consumers free in newspapers, magazines and in shops for example. These methods of promotion are expensive and in some circumstances ineffective as potential customers could forget the association between a sample music track or video clip of a movie and the actual CD or DVD for example. 
   In some stores there exists the provision of so-called ‘listening stations’. These generally operate by allowing potential customers to sample music clips of selected products that the store offers. A disadvantage of these ‘stations’ is that there can be long queues to use them, and generally not all of the entertainment media in the store will be available for preview using the station due to limited storage capacity, and the costs associated with making such media available at a station. Other disadvantages exist, such as the floor space which such stations use for example. Stations adapted for previewing video media are currently very limited, but similar disadvantages exist. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a media product comprising an electronic tag, the tag comprising a memory, wherein the memory has data stored thereon representing preview material associated with the content of the product. 
   According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided packaging for a media product, the packaging comprising an electronic tag, the tag comprising a memory, wherein the memory has data stored thereon representing preview material associated with the content of the product. 
   According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an electronic tag suitable for disposal in or on a media product or a packaging thereof, the tag comprising a memory including preview data relating to a content of a media product. 
   According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of previewing the content of a media product using a suitable device, the method comprising loading preview data relating to a content of the product into a memory of the device, wherein the device is adapted to present the preview data to a user of the device in a suitable form for previewing a content of the product. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, and to further highlight the ways in which it may be brought into effect, various embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an RFID memory tag suitable for storing media content and operable in accordance with a preferred embodiment; 
       FIG. 2  is schematic representation of circuitry of the tag of  FIG. 1  and of corresponding read/write circuitry suitable for wireless communication with the tag; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of a media product and related memory tag; and 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of a mobile device incorporating the read/write circuitry of  FIG. 2 . 
   

   It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification specifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings is a schematic representation of a memory tag suitable for use in accordance with a preferred embodiment. The tag  14  is provided on a chip, and comprises a circuit  20 , a memory  22 , a power supply capacitor  24 , and an antenna coil  26  having only a few turns, e.g. five, or in this case a single turn. In a preferred embodiment, the circuit  20  operates at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, and is of an area approximately 0.5 mm 2  and uses FRAM (ferroelectric random access memory) or MRAM (magnetoresistive random access memory) or similar memory technology characterised by low power requirements. The memory tag  14  is of substantially square shape in plan view with an external dimension D for its sides of around 1 mm. It will appreciated by those skilled in the art that other configurations for tag  14  are possible which have the same functionality, but which can differ in shape and dimensions for example. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the circuitry of a memory tag  14  and exemplary read/write circuitry  28  of a device (not shown) are illustrated schematically, using conventional component identifications (C-capacitor, L-inductance, R-resistor, D-diode and S-switch). In an embodiment, the circuit  20  of the memory tag  14  comprises a capacitor C 2  which, in combination with the antenna coil L 2 ( 26 ), forms a resonant circuit with component values being chosen to tune the combination to approximately 2.45 GHz for inductive coupling with a read/write device. The portion of circuit  20  responsible for power supply is diode D 1  and capacitor C 4 ( 24 ), with diode D 1  rectifying the alternating current generated by the inductive coupling and the capacitor C 4  acting as a power supply storage. The portion of the circuit  20  responsible for receiving transmitted data from a read/write device is diode D 2 , capacitor C 5  and resistor R 1  which form a simple envelope detector; the data thus received is stored in memory  22 . The portion of the circuit  20  responsible for the reading of data from the memory  22  is the tuned circuit L 2 /C 2  in combination with S 1  and C 3 , switching C 3  in and out of the circuit using S 1  changes the resonance of tuned circuit L 2 /C 2  resulting in phase modulation of the reflected power from the memory tag  14  to a read/write device. 
   Circuit  28  is suitable for use in a device and is operable to effect reading and writing of data to and from the memory tag  14 . Read/Write circuit  28  comprises a signal generator  30  which generates a signal at the chosen frequency of 2.45 GHz. For transmitting data to the tag  14 , this signal passes via an amplitude modulator  32 , where it is amplitude modulated with data to be written to the memory tag  14 , and a splitter  34 , to an antenna L 1  and capacitor C 1  which form a tuned circuit. The component values of L 1  and C 1  being chosen to tune it to 2.45 GHz, as for the tuned circuit in the memory tag  14 , in order to maximise inductive coupling between the two circuits, and thus transmission of power and data to and from the memory tag  14 . 
   Although memory tag  14  is described above as operating at 2.45 GHz it should be understood that a memory tag operating at other frequencies may be used. Factors affecting the choice of operating frequency for a memory tag are: a) government regulations concerning radio frequency transmissions; b) adequate bandwidth (consistent with government regulations); c) frequency high enough to render the physical size of components in the memory tag small enough to keep the area of silicon required low (and hence the cost to manufacture low); d) frequency low enough to provide adequate performance when using low-cost high-volume CMOS technology to manufacture the memory tag. 
   A memory tag of this functional type can be produced using RF technology. Alternatively, optical technologies can be used to power, read and write to a memory tag, as described in the Applicant&#39;s earlier British Patent Application No. 0227152.6 for example. 
   The term ‘memory tag’ as used herein is not intended to be limiting. Such a term refers to a device substantially as herein described with reference to  FIG. 1  for example, which is a device comprising a memory from which data can be read, and to which data can be written, using an inductive coupling of with a read/write device, or using other means such as optical technology for example as described above. 
   According to a preferred embodiment, a tag  14  is embedded in the packaging of a media product, or mounted thereon, or otherwise disposed on or in the product packaging or the product itself, and a memory of the tag comprises data representing preview material of the product. So, for example, the tag can be directly or indirectly (e.g. using the packaging) attached to a suitable product. Referring to  FIG. 3 , a tag  14  is shown mounted on the packaging  30  of a media product  40 . The product  40  can be a music product such as a CD, tape, minidisk, DVD or any other media suitable for storing music, a video-related product such as a videotape, or DVD for example, or even a game product suitable for uploading data onto a games console, PC or other suitable device such as a mobile phone or PDA for example. The tag  14  is adapted to store data in memory  22  relating to the content of the product on which it is disposed, mounted or attached. The tag  14  can be mounted on a disposable packaging of the product  40 , or on or in the packaging of product  40  proper (e.g. on or in a CD/DVD jewel case for example). 
   In the case that a tag  14  is attached to the packaging of a music product such as a CD for example, memory  22  stores preview data relating to the content of the CD. Such content can comprise a playlist of the CD, a sample of at least a track of the CD, or other related information, such as information relating to the artist or group or a sample of a music video for example. A combination of the above can be stored by memory  22 . Content can be stored in memory  22  at a lower quality than that stored on the CD/DVD etc, thereby helping to conserve the capacity of memory such that other related content can be stored, or a longer sample can be stored for example. For example, audio preview data can be stored at a lower quality than that of the music product it relates to, and video data can be stored at a lower resolution for example. Lower quality/resolution data can be prepared and uploaded to memory  22 . Alternatively, the quality of the preview material stored in memory  22  can worsen over time, or can be valid only for a limited number of plays on a suitable device. 
   In the case of a video-related product such as a DVD or videotape for example, the content stored in memory  22  of a tag  14  (again, related to the content of the product to which it is mounted, attached or otherwise disposed) can comprise a clip of the content of the product. In the case of a movie, this can be a clip of the movie for example. Other possibilities include storing a movie trailer or clip thereof, or other related information such as a clip of a movie review for example. 
   In the case of a game for a console or computer for example, stored content/preview material can be a video clip of a portion of the game when running on the console or computer for example. Other alternatives are possible. Again, a video clip can be stored at a lower resolution to conserve space in memory  22 , and similarly, audio can be stored at lower quality. 
   It will appreciated that the exact nature of the content stored in memory  22  (in so much as it is related to the product on which it is attached/mounted etc) can vary greatly. In order to enable an association between the preview material stored in memory  22  and the product itself, such material is advantageously related to the product, but need not be. 
   In a preferred embodiment, data stored in memory  22  of tag  14  is adapted to be read by a suitable device which can belong to a consumer, or be the property of a store in which products such as those described above are sold, and which is therefore useable by visitors to the store in order to sample media products sold by the store. Such a device can be a mobile station such a mobile telephone for example, a PDA or other device adapted to read information from the tag  14 . 
   In this connection,  FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of a suitable device  60  incorporating the read/write circuitry  28  of  FIG. 2 . The circuitry  28  of device  60  is operable to read data stored in memory  22  of tag  14 . The device comprises a processor  61  operable to process such data. Device  60  can additionally comprise a speaker  62  or conventional audio jack or similar  63  for receiving headphones (not shown) or other listening equipment. Thus, if data read by device  60  from tag  14  includes audio content, this can be played to a user of device  60  using the speaker  62  or via the jack  63  using suitable headphones or similar. 
   Alternatively, or as well as that described above, device  60  can comprise a suitable display  64  such as an LCD, LED or OLED display for example. Other alternatives are possible as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. If memory  22  comprises video data, perhaps encoded using a suitable encoding algorithm such as MPEG-x, DivX, XVid or similar for example, such video can be displayed to a user of device  60  using display  64 . It will appreciated that memory  22  can comprise audio and video data, which will generally be related to one another (especially in the case of a movie clip for example), in which case device  60  is operable to display video data and output audio substantially simultaneously. 
   Accordingly, a device  60  is operable to query a memory  22  of tag  14 , which tag is disposed, attached or otherwise mounted in or on a media product  40 . Memory  22  is operable to store preview data relating to the content of the product  40 , and the user of device  60  is therefore able to sample the content of the product  40  in an efficient and convenient (to both store and consumer) manner. It will appreciated that device  60  can comprise circuitry adapted to only read data stored in memory  22  of tag  14 , and corresponding write functionality need not be present in device  60 . 
   It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above provisions lend themselves to allowing a user of a device to control a number of content previews at one time. For example, a number of previews can be effectively queued in a device, with a user specifying which one to sample first, or it being done automatically by the device.