Abstract:
The present invention enables a user to share his/her listening experience selectively with others without sharing headphones and without disturbing others who do not want to listen. In a preferred embodiment, a first listener can accomplish this by storing in a Portable Electronic Device or similar device a library of listening experiences, listening to one of the listening experiences, and while listening to that one listening experience streaming the one listening experience to at least one other Portable Electronic Device or similar device. A second listener at the other Portable Electronic Device can then listen to the same listening experience as the first listener at the same time. It is expected that the listening experiences will typically be songs or other music but the invention may be practiced with any type of audio content. The first listener may also create a playlist of the listening experiences in the library and make the playlist available to others. Others may use the playlist to access the library and listen to one or more listening experiences stored in the library. Also, utilizing the same interface and communication methodologies as described above, the technology platform detailed in this application can be used for commercial purposes to stream location based content, audio and otherwise, to a connected network of Portable Electronic Devices. Commercial uses of this functionality include providing commercial establishments with the ability to create synchronous (users come into a stream at the exact point that it is being streamed in real time) and or asynchronous (users can select and start a transmission from the beginning) featured channels (location based) where they can stream any self created or otherwise authorized content to other Portable Electronic Devices in their range.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/364,375, filed Jul. 14, 2010, provisional application Ser. No. 61/450,863, filed Mar. 9, 2011, and provisional application Ser. No. 61/516,287, filed Mar. 31, 2011, each of which applications is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     REFERENCE TO COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX 
     Submitted herewith are two identical copies (Copy 1 and Copy 2) of a compact disc (Disc 1) containing computer program listings that are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety in the present application. Identification of the files on Disc 1, their sizes and their dates of last modification are set forth in Exhibit 1 of the transmittal letter that accompanies Disc 1. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates to media sharing communities and to methods, apparatus and software for supporting such communities. The invention is described in detail in the context of communities for sharing audio information such as music using Portable Electronic Devices and the like; but the invention may also be practiced to share other information and/or using other modalities. The sharing of location based audio streams and or other digital files can be used for both personal and commercial purposes using the described methods, apparatus and software networks for supporting such functionalities. 
     Portable Electronic Devices such as the iPhone and the Android and other consumer electronic products such as iPod touches and iPads are widely used to listen to music that is stored in the listener&#39;s Portable Electronic Device or other product and/or as it is streamed from a source such as the iTunes store. We will refer to these and all other devices capable of supporting our functionality as Portable Electronic Devices. Often, the listener uses a set of headphones to listen to the music. If the listener desires to share his/her listening experience, choices are limited. The use of speakers probably is not feasible because the headphones are likely being used because the listener is in a public place where others do not want to listen to the music. And sharing the headphones at best creates an awkward situation in which two listeners are tethered together by the signal leads to the headphones. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, the present invention enables a user to share his/her listening experience selectively with others without sharing headphones and without disturbing others who do not want to listen. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first listener can accomplish this by storing in a Portable Electronic Device a library of listening experiences, listening to one of the listening experiences, and while listening to that one listening experience streaming said listening experience to at least one other Portable Electronic Device. A second listener at the other Portable Electronic Device can then listen to the same listening experience as the first listener at the same time. It is expected that the listening experiences will typically be songs or other music but the invention may be practiced with any type of audio content. 
     Numerous variations may be practiced in the preferred embodiment. For example, the first listener may create a playlist of the listening experiences in the library and make the playlist available to others. Others may use the playlist to access the library and listen to one or more listening experiences stored in the library and identified by the playlist. 
     Utilizing the same interface and communication methodologies as described herein, the technology platform can be used for commercial purposes to stream location based content, audio and otherwise, to a connected network of Portable Electronic Devices. Commercial uses of this functionality include providing commercial establishments with the ability to create a featured channel (location based) where they can stream any self created or otherwise authorized content to other Portable Electronic Devices in their range. 
     Commercial applications of said invention fall into two core categories: situations where users want to be able to start a transmission from the intended beginning of the file and situations where a user would like to come into a transmission at the exact point where the live transmission is being streamed in real time. Examples of the former include using the technology platform in a museum where a user would like to hear the audio description of an exhibit from the beginning, or going on a walking tour of a city and hearing a description of the landmark that they are near. Those functionalities utilize our asynchronous streaming technology described in greater detail below. Examples of the later include hearing the live audio feed of a TV station at a fitness club directly on a user&#39;s Portable Electronic Device, hearing the live (real time) audio of a Broadway play or movie (location based) in real time, hearing a featured audio channel at a department store or local coffee shop, or hearing the live (real time) audio of a lecture. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following detailed description in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a typical Portable Electronic Device that can be used in the practice of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram depicting several components of a Portable Electronic Device that may be used in the practice of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a user interface for use in practicing the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart depicting an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 5A-5O  depict illustrative user interfaces in the practice of an illustrative embodiment of the invention; and 
     
    
    
     Throughout  FIGS. 3, 4 and 5A-5O , the same numbers are used to represent the same or similar components. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts the front side of a typical Portable Electronic Device  100  that may be used in the practice of the invention. The Portable Electronic Device includes a touch sensitive display screen (or “touch screen”)  110  mounted in a case  150 . In the edge of the case at one end are a first microphone  160 , a headphone jack  165  and an on/off switch  170 . In the edge of the case at the opposite end arc a second microphone  180  and a speaker  185 . Keystrokes may be input to the Portable Electronic Device through a keyboard displayed on the touch screen and messages may be displayed on the touch screen. 
     Various software applications (or Apps) come pre-loaded in some Portable Electronic Devices and additional Apps may be downloaded to the Portable Electronic Device from a variety of sources. In the case of Portable Electronic Devices sold by Apple, Inc such as the iPhone and other products such as iPod Touches and iPads, Apps may be obtained from Apple&#39;s iTunes Store. In one or more modes of operation, icons representing the Apps that are loaded in the Portable Electronic Device can be displayed on touch screen  110 ; and the software application can be activated by touching the appropriate icon. For purposes of illustration,  FIG. 1  depicts an icon  120  that is used to obtain local weather information and an icon  130  labeled “MyStream” that is used to activate the software of the present invention. As will be appreciated, icon  130  is only illustrative of one way to activate the software. Other ways such as keyboard entries may also be used; and other designs and labeling may be used on the icon. 
     As is well known, Portable Electronic Devices have a wide range of capabilities. Some of these capabilities are depicted in the block diagram of  FIG. 2 . Within case  150  are one or more computer processors  210 , a memory  220 , a memory controller,  230  and a peripherals interface  240  which are interconnected by a communications bus  250 . The peripherals interface connects to several components including radio frequency (RF) circuitry  260 , audio circuitry  262 , and an input/output (I/O) system  264  that includes touch screen  150 . Memory  220  may include high speed random access memory and may also include flash memory and one or more magnetic disk drive storage devices. Memory  220  stores the operating system for the Portable Electronic Device, various modules to control certain of its operations, and various software applications that are either pre-loaded or installed by the Portable Electronic Device&#39;s user. Some of these are depicted in  FIG. 2 . Of particular note, memory  220  includes an audio library. A more extensive listing of illustrative software is set forth in FIGS. 1A and 1B of U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,949, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Portable Electronic Devices have extensive communication capability using an antenna secured within the case. Of particular note, Portable Electronic Devices can connect to one or more wireless telephone networks. They may also connect to Bluetooth® transceivers using Bluetooth® technology; and they may also connect with other transceivers using Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi 808.11 protocols such as IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, and/or IEEE 802.11n). Further information about typical Portable Electronic Device communication capabilities is found in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,949. See, for example,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  and Col. 10, line 53 to Col. 11, line 20. 
     As described above, in one embodiment, software for practicing the invention is made available as a software application (or App) and can be downloaded by a user to his/her Portable Electronic Device from a source such as the iTunes Store. In one embodiment, when such software is installed in the user&#39;s Portable Electronic Device an icon representing that software such as icon  130  is made available for display on touch screen  110  along with icons representing other Apps stored in the same Portable Electronic Device. A user may activate the software of the present invention by touching icon  130 . Upon doing so, a display  310  such as that depicted in  FIG. 5G  appears on touch screen  110 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts the general format of an illustrative embodiment of the user interface used in the practice of the invention. Specific instances of the user interface are depicted in  FIGS. 5A-5O . The interface includes an upper margin  310 , an intermediate space  330  and a lower margin  350 . Intermediate space  330  is used for the display of graphic information, text and messages as well as certain soft keys as described more fully below. Illustratively, immediately above the upper margin is a display line  380  that indicates the name of the wireless service provider and the time. The upper margin includes at  315  the name of the App, which illustratively is myStream, and one or more soft keys  320 ,  325  that may be used as described below to perform functions such as adding or deleting items identified in intermediate space  330 . Lower margin  350  contains four softkeys  360 ,  365 ,  370 , and  375  that in the present example are labeled MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and MyProfile, respectively. MyStream key  360  is used to access a home screen such as that illustrated in  FIGS. 5H and 5I  below; Streamers key  365  is used to provide a listing of users of the MyStream App within the network as illustrated in  FIGS. 5I-5K  below; MyPlaylist key  370  displays the MyPlaylist screen such as that illustrated in  FIG. 5F  below; and the MyProfile key  375  displays user settings such as those illustrated in  FIGS. 5N and 5O  below. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart depicting the overall operation of an illustrative embodiment of the invention. Illustratively, the software is made available for purchase and download from a source such as the iTunes Store as described above. Upon downloading the software, the user is invited by a screen displayed on the touch screen  110  to begin the process as at step  420  of creating a playlist of listening experiences stored in his/her audio library in his/her Portable Electronic Device. At this point, the user is likely to complete a profile at step  430  that sets options on access to the listening experiences identified in MyPlaylist as well as methods of communication such as Bluetooth® and availability of streaming. If the user approves of access to his/her listening experiences, MyPlaylist is made available at step  440  to everyone connected to the same communication network. 
     When a user wants to listen to one of the listening experiences identified in a MyPlaylist he/she created, he/she selects that experience from the list as at step  450 . At step  460 , the selected listening experience is read from memory in the Portable Electronic Device in the form of electromagnetic signals and these signals are converted by the audio circuitry of the Portable Electronic Device to audio signals that are supplied to the user through the speaker of the Portable Electronic Device or through headphones connected to the headphone jack of the Portable Electronic Device. The electromagnetic signals are also transmitted to others from an appropriate Portable Electronic Device transmitter if the user had indicated a willingness to share his/her listening experience in the profile completed at step  430 . Accordingly, in this case, anyone connected to the same communication network can listen to the same listening experience at step  470  by touching the Streamers Tab  365  on his/her Portable Electronic Device and then selecting the streamer who is playing that listening experience. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the listening experiences are synchronized by providing the same electromagnetic signal to all listeners at the same time so that everyone is listening to the same experience at substantially the same point in time. As a result, a listener will ordinarily not hear the entire listening experience when he/she first begins listening because he/she will probably access the listening experience mid-file. He/she will only hear that portion of the listening experience that remains to be streamed at the time the listener selects that listening experience. However, after the initial connection is made, it is likely that users will be able to hear entire streamed listening experiences from the beginning since they have already made the connection to the other listener&#39;s device and subsequent streamed experiences will not have to start mid transmission. 
     In a preferred embodiment, each listener to a streaming listening experience is offered an opportunity at step  475  to purchase a copy of the listening experience from the iTunes store or some other source. Advantageously, a listener can initiate such a purchase by touching a “BUY” soft key on the listener&#39;s Portable Electronic Device. 
     Alternatively, at step  480 , someone may select from MyPlaylist a different listening experience from that being listened to by the first user. In that case, the different listening experience is provided at step  490  ordinarily starting with the beginning of the experience. In some instances, it may be desirable to limit the time duration of the listening experience that is provided to avoid copyright issues. In a preferred embodiment, each listener is offered an opportunity at step  495  to purchase a copy of the listening experience from the iTunes store or some other source. Advantageously, a listener can initiate such a purchase by touching a “BUY” soft key on the listener&#39;s Portable Electronic Device. 
       FIGS. 5A-5O  are a set of screenshots that depict various stages in the operation of the MyStream App as it is applied to the illustrative example of managing and playing a collection of music. 
     At the time the MyStream App is obtained from a source such as the iTunes Store, the user has not had the opportunity to establish his/her playlist or profile. Accordingly, these are the first order of business. Upon touching the MyStream icon  130  on touch screen  110 , the user is presented with the main screen depicted in  FIGS. 5G and 5H . In the bottom margin  350  of  FIGS. 5O and 5H  are the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and MyProfile keys  360 ,  365 ,  370  and  375 . 
     Upon first touching the MyPlaylist soft key  360 , a screen  510  such as that of  FIG. 5A  is presented on touchscreen  110 . Screen  510  includes in upper margin  310  soft keys  511 ,  512  and  513  which are labeled Add Media, Playing and Edit, respectively, and in lower margin  350  the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and My Profile soft keys  360 ,  365 ,  370 ,  375 . Upon touching the MyPlaylist soft key again, a screen  515  such as that of  FIG. 5B  is presented on touchscreen  110 . This screen provides a list of the various categories of listening experiences that are available in the audio library of the Portable Electronic Device. Screen  515  also provides soft keys  516 ,  517  and  518  labeled Select All, Cancel and Save, respectively. 
     To determine what is in any of these categories, the user touches that category on touch screen  110 . If the number of entries in the audio library is relatively small, the user can select them all by touching Select All key  516 . If the number of entries in the audio library is relatively large, some of the categories may be further sub-divided. For example, the Artists category may be sub-divided by the names of the individual artists. 
     As a result of this selection process, a list  520  such as that of  FIG. 5C  is ultimately displayed on touch screen  110 . This list includes the names  521  of individual songs, a checkmark  522  indicating the selected/not selected status of the songs, and soft keys  523 ,  524 ,  525 ,  526 , labeled Back, Select All, Cancel, and Save, respectively. Songs may be selected for the user&#39;s playlist by touching Select All soft key  524  or the name of the individual song. Selected songs are indicated by a filled in checkmark  522 . Songs may be deselected by touching the name or the checkmark of the song to be deselected. 
     When the selection process is complete, the user touches Save soft key  526 . At this point the selected songs are mapped into a MyStream MyPlaylist; and a list of those songs is generated. A list  530  of selected songs such as that depicted in  FIG. 5D  is then displayed on touch screen  110 . Also presented with list  530  are soft keys  531 ,  532  and  533 , labeled Add Media, Playing and Edit, respectively, and the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and MyProfile soft keys  360 ,  365 ,  370  and  375 . The soft keys allow the user to play selections from MyPlaylist and to edit MyPlaylist. To play a selection, the user touches Playing soft key  532  and then touches the name of the song. To add a song, the user touches Add Media soft key  531 . This returns the user to the screen of  FIG. 5C  where the selection process can be resumed. To edit the list, the user touches Edit soft key  534 . 
     Touching Edit softkey  534  presents the user with screen  535  of  FIG. 5E  which displays the names of the songs on MyPlaylist along with a symbol  536  and soft keys  537 ,  538  and  539  that are labeled Delete All, Playing and Done, respectively. The entire MyPlaylist can be deleted by touching Delete All soft key  537 . The order of songs in the list can be changed by touching symbol  536  alongside the name of any song and dragging the symbol to any other spot on the list and then releasing it. When the user is satisfied with the order of the songs, he/she can then touch Done soft key  539 . 
     The display on touch screen  110  then becomes a list of selected audio files showing artist name, song name, album name and length of song as depicted in  FIG. 5F . The screen also includes the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist, and MyProfile soft keys  360 ,  365 ,  370 ,  375 . This same screen is also presented to the user anytime the user touches the MyStream icon  130  after MyPlaylist has been created. 
       FIGS. 5G and 5H  depict the main screen. The main screen may be accessed from any screen that displays a MyStream soft key  360  by touching that key. The main screen may also be accessed by touching icon  130  on touch screen  110  before MyPlaylist is created. In the bottom margin of  FIGS. 5G and 5H  are the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and MyProfile soft keys  360 ,  365 ,  370 ,  375 . In the intermediate portion are a logo that identifies the software program and two soft keys  541  and  542 . Soft key  541  controls whether the contents of MyPlaylist are made asynchronously available to others so that a third party can select and listen to a listening experience identified on a user&#39;s MyPlaylist even though the user is not listening to it. Soft key  542  controls whether streaming is enabled so that a listening experience then being listened to be a user is also made available by streaming to others. As shown in  FIG. 5G , MyPlaylist can be accessed asynchronously (key  541 ) and a listening experience can be shared with others by streaming (key  542 ). Touching either soft key toggles its state. Thus, touching soft key  542  disables streaming and changes the label on the key to that shown in  FIG. 5H . Touching soft key  542  in  FIG. 5H  re-enables streaming and changes the label on the key back to the label in  FIG. 5G . Soft key  541  operates the same way in enabling asynchronous access to MyPlaylist. Optionally, one or more advertisements  543  may also be displayed on the main screen. 
       FIGS. 5I-5M  depict operation of the streaming function. These screens provide a listing of everyone who is connected to the network regardless of whether they are currently streaming a listening experience to the network. If a song is being streamed, the song title, artist and album title are shown in the display area as is the case for iPhone 4 in  FIG. 4I  and as is the case for both streamers in  FIG. 4J . Others connected to the network but not actively listening will only be identified. These listings may be accessed from any screen that displays Streamers soil key  365  by touching that key. In the bottom margin  350  of  FIGS. 5I-5L  are the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and MyProfile soft keys  360 ,  365 ,  370 ,  375 . Optionally, one or more advertisements (not shown) may be included in the intermediate portion  330 .  FIGS. 5I-5M  also depict the user interface in which commercial content will be visible and featured. Element  554  depicts the button that allows a user to determine file selection, including starting a chosen file at the beginning of a request from a listening user. In its current depiction it is shown as a button labeled “Access My Playlist” which is supported by our asynchronous streaming technology. It can be utilized for commercial uses such as in a museum where a user would like to hear the audio description of an exhibit from the beginning, or for a walking tour of a city where a user would like to hear a description of a landmark that he/she is near. Element  550  depicts the button that allows a user to access the live (real time) transmission of commercial content. This commercial use is in addition to its functionality as a personal music sharing tool described below since both functionalities operate utilizing the same technological methodologies. Such commercial uses include hearing the live audio feed of a TV station at a fitness club directly on a user&#39;s Portable Electronic Device or a featured audio channel at that fitness club location, hearing the live (real time) audio of a Broadway play or movie (location based), or hearing the live (real time) audio of a lecture. The following description of the invention will only depict the technology platform in terms of its use as a personal, location based, audio (primarily music) streaming application, since its commercial uses (described above) follow the same logical flow (and utilize the same technological communication methodologies and user interface) as described below except instead of commercial content being listed simply as another user&#39;s “Playlist” or “Live Stream” it is listed as a featured stream (within the “Streamers” tab shown as element  365 ) with unique content available from its “Live Stream” or in its “Playlist” tab. 
     Touching the identification of a particular streamer as displayed in  FIG. 5I or 5J  results in the display as depicted in  FIG. 5K  of the selected streamer&#39;s profile and soft keys  550 ,  552 . Soft keys  550 ,  552  provide for connection to a listening experience being streamed and the streamer&#39;s playlist, respectively. If someone who is not actively listening is selected, his/her profile will be shown as depicted in  FIG. 5L  along with a soft key  554 . for accessing his/her playlist. 
     If a new listener touches a soft key  550  that provides a connection to a listening experience then being streamed, the new listener&#39;s Portable Electronic Device connects to the streaming signal; and the listening experience begins for the new listener at whatever point the streaming signal has reached. Once one listening experience has finished, the next listening experience on the streamer&#39;s playlist will start. At the same time, the touch screen will provide a graphic such as an album cover or the dust jacket of an audio book related to the listening experience. One such example is shown in  FIG. 5M . Information such a time elapsed, length of the selection and play list count is also displayed. Start, stop, back and volume controls arc also displayed as soft keys  542 ,  543 ,  544  and  545 , respectively. 
       FIGS. 5N and 5O  depict the MyProfile screens. In the bottom margin  350  of  FIGS. 5N and 5O  are the MyStream, Streamers, MyPlaylist and MyProfile soft keys  360 ,  365 ,  370 ,  375 . In the intermediate portion  330  are ON/OFF soft keys  561 ,  562 ,  563  that allow the user to control access to his/her playlist, and to enable streaming and Bluetooth®. Each switch is a toggle. Touching a switch that bears the label ON will disable the function controlled by the switch and change the label on the switch to OFF; and touching a switch that bears the label OFF will enable the function controlled by that switch and change the label to ON. 
     Numerous variations may be practiced in the embodiments depicted above. For example, the invention may be practiced with any form of listening experience. While music selections are likely to be most popular, the listening experiences may include audio books, drama, lectures and other instructional material, commentary, descriptions of sports events, and most of the experiences that have attracted radio audiences for years. The invention also makes it possible to reach selected groups of people with distinctive listening content in circumstances where the distinctive contents might otherwise have “drowned” each other out. For example, different streams of music might be provided to different listeners at a gym or other public assembly. Different shopping information might be provided to different shoppers in a department store or mall. Different instructions might be given to different students assembled in a common meeting room. Numerous other examples will be evident in view of the foregoing. 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, numerous other variations may be practiced within the spirit and scope of the present invention.