Abstract:
A transfer system from transferring a media file includes a vehicle media system and a wireless mobile device. The vehicle media system includes a wireless receiver, a security measure, and a processor configured to wirelessly detect the wireless mobile device, and receive, using the wireless receiver, the media file from the wireless mobile device. The wireless mobile device includes a wireless transmitter, and a processor configured to wirelessly detect the vehicle media system, and transmit, using the wireless receiver, the media file from the wireless mobile device. At least one of the wireless mobile device and vehicle media system is configured to create a wireless connection between the vehicle media system and the wireless mobile device, and the wireless connection does not include the security measure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/999,570, filed on Dec. 7, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure is generally related to a digital media communication protocol structured to facilitate transferring and/or transmitting one or more digital media files to and/or from a media terminal and a media node via at least one interactive computer network. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As technology continues to develop and play a significant role in today&#39;s society, a vast majority of portable devices, including mobile telephones, cellular telephones, portable MP 3  players, handheld or portable game consoles, Personal Digital Assistants (“PDA”), etc. are equipped with memory devices, such as hard drives and/or removable flash or memory cards, which are capable of holding or storing large amounts of data and or digital media files including digital photographs, videos, audio/music files, etc. Accordingly, with the advent of such devices having these capabilities, individuals or users are more inclined to carry around their media files, such as, for example, digital photo albums, family videos, and/or favorite music tracks. 
         [0006]    The drawback to the above noted portable media devices, however, is that many of the devices include relatively small display screens, some of which display poor quality photos and/or videos. In addition, the speakers associated with the corresponding portable device(s) are typically rather small and produce minimal or poor sound therefrom. 
         [0007]    In addition, the individuals or users of the media devices may desire to share the digital media files and/or transfer, display, or play the files on a computer or other media device equipped with a larger or better quality screen, or having higher quality speakers than that disposed on the portable device(s). In addition, some media devices may have better editing software, or have access to the World Wide Web to further distribute the digital media files. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the digital media communication protocol of the present specification is structured to facilitate transferring or transmitting one or more digital media files between two or more media devices, such as a media terminal and/or a media node, via at least one interactive computer network. In particular, it would be beneficial if the digital media communication protocol includes a communication link structured to bypass at least one or more security measures, such as a password and/or firewall, employed by the interactive computer network, the corresponding networking devices, and/or the particular media devices themselves. 
         [0009]    In addition, once the communication link is established it would be particularly beneficial if the various media devices, including the media terminal(s) and/or media node(s), are structured to display, save, edit, manipulate, and/or transfer the one or more digital media files. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    For a more complete understanding of the nature of the present disclosure, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the digital media communication protocol in accordance with the present specification. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the digital media communication protocol in accordance with the present specification. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of the digital media communication protocol in accordance with the present specification. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partial flow chart of at least one illustrative implementation of the digital media communication protocol of the present specification.  FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of at least one embodiment of the system for enabling social interactive wireless communication as disclosed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    As shown in the accompanying drawings, the present specification relates to a digital media communication protocol, generally indicated as  10 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , at least one embodiment of the present protocol or system  10  includes one or more media terminals  20  and one or more media nodes  30 . In particular, the media terminal(s)  20  of at least one embodiment is disposed in an accessible relation to at least one interactive computer network  40  and may include, for example, a computer processing device  22 , an input device  24 , and a display device  26 . Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the media terminal(s)  20  of the various embodiments described herein may include a computer, however, any device structured to facilitate the practice of the present system in the intended fashion may be utilized, including but in no way limited to a desktop computer, laptop or notebook computer, PDA, video game console, mobile telephone, media system of a vehicle (e.g., an automobile), etc. 
         [0017]    The media node(s)  30  of at least one embodiment of the present system  10  generally includes a portable device such as a cellular or mobile telephone, PDA, portable mp3 player, laptop or notebook computer, or any other digital media device structured to facilitate the practice of the present system in the intended manner. In at least one embodiment, however, the media node  30  is not limited to a portable device, and may include a more stationary device or structure such as, for example, a desktop computer. 
         [0018]    Furthermore, the various embodiments of the present specification include at least one interactive computer network  40 ,  40 ′. In particular, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , at least one embodiment includes one or more home, office, private, limited, or closed interactive computer networks  40  at least partially defined by one or more networking devices  42 , including but not limited to a router, access point, and/or switch. Accordingly, the interactive computer network  40  may include a Local Area Network (“LAN”), Wide Area Network (“WAN”), Private Area Network (“PAN”), peer-to-peer network, near field communication (“NFC”), Bluetooth network, etc. As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , it is also contemplated that, especially wherein the interactive computer network  40  is a Bluetooth or peer-to-peer network, the media terminal(s)  20  and/or the media node(s)  30  can function as the networking device(s)  42 , at least to the extent of defining the interactive computer network  40 . Additionally, and referring again to  FIG. 1 , at least one interactive computer network  40 ′ of at least one embodiment includes access to the World Wide Web, for example via the Internet. Such access to the World Wide Web  40 ′ may be facilitated in any manner, including but not limited to, via a cable or DSL modem  44 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , or via one or more satellites  46  and/or one or more towers or base stations  48 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0019]    In addition, and still referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , at least one embodiment of the present system  10  includes a wireless range  50  structured to permit access to the one or more interactive computer networks  40 . In particular, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the wireless range  50  may be at least partially defined by networking devices  42 , such as a wireless router, access point, switch, etc. In yet another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , however, the wireless range  50  may be partially defined by the media terminal  20  and/or media node  30 , such as, for example, wherein the interactive computer network  40  includes a Bluetooth or peer-to-peer network. 
         [0020]    In addition, and as an attempt to minimize or eliminate unauthorized access or security breaches to the interactive computer network  40 , the interactive computer network  40  and/or the various networking device(s)  42  may include one or more networking device security measures  41  including a firewall, and/or passwords/keys such as, for example, Wi-Fi Protected Access (“WPA”) keys, and/or Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”) keys. Accordingly, only authorized individuals or computers may generally have access to the interactive computer network  40  through the firewall, via use of the password(s)/key(s), and/or any other networking device security measure(s)  41 . 
         [0021]    The present system  10  further includes at least one digital media file  60  initially disposed or saved on at least one of the media terminal(s)  20  or media node(s)  30 . Specifically, the digital media file(s)  60  may be disposed on the media terminal(s)  20 , the media node(s)  30 , or both. However, it should be apparent that for purposes of the present system  10 , the digital media file  60  need not necessarily be created or originated on either the media terminal(s)  20  or the media node(s)  30 . In particular, the digital media file(s)  60  may include virtually any electronic file or data such as a digital photograph, video, audio, animation, text, or any other electronic document or object. 
         [0022]    Moreover, in at least one embodiment of the present system  10 , the media node(s)  30  is disposable within the wireless range  50 , wherein the media node  30  is detectable by the media terminal  20 . In particular, as stated above, in at least one embodiment, the media node  30  includes a portable device, such as a mobile or cellular phone, PDA, laptop, etc. Accordingly, the media node  30  may be disposed within, i.e., enter, the confines of the wireless range  50 , for example, when a user or individual carries the media node  30  therein. In addition, for purposes of the present system  10 , the media node  30  may be disposed within the wireless range  50  when the device is powered on, activated, or otherwise configured into a discoverable and/or detectable state while simultaneously being physically disposed within the confines of the wireless range  50 , and as such, the media node  30  need not necessarily be portable or easily movable. For instance, while physically disposed within the confines of the wireless range  50 , the media node(s)  30  may be powered on or otherwise have wireless or Bluetooth capabilities activated. 
         [0023]    Furthermore, the media terminal(s)  20  disposed in accessible relation to the interactive computer network  40  are structured to detect the media node(s)  30  as the media node(s)  30  is disposed within the confines of or is otherwise detectable within the wireless range  50 . Particularly, in at least one embodiment, each media node  30  includes a node identifier structured to distinguish one media node  30  within the wireless range  50  from another. For example, the node identifier may include a device name, model/serial number, Media Access Control (“MAC”) address, or Internet Protocol (“IP”) address. Accordingly, as the media node  30  enters or is otherwise disposed within the wireless range  50 , the media terminal  20  is structured to detect and/or identify the media node  30 , for example, by the corresponding node identifier. 
         [0024]    In addition, at least one embodiment of the present system  10  includes a terminal program disposed in an accessible relation to the media terminal  20 . In particular, the terminal program of at least one embodiment is a computer software program structured to facilitate the practice of the present system  10  in the intended fashion, at least from the media terminal  20  side of the system  10 . The terminal program, of at least one embodiment, may be disposed on the media terminal  20 , such as, for example, on a hard drive, or other memory device associated with the media terminal  20 . In yet another embodiment, however, the terminal program may be accessible via the at least one interactive network  40 ,  40 ′, such as, for example, via the World Wide Web. For example, in the embodiment wherein the terminal program is accessible via the World Wide Web, a user may direct a web browser disposed in the media terminal  20  to a particular web site, which then runs or executes the terminal program and/or downloads the terminal program to the media terminal  20 . 
         [0025]    Either way, the terminal program may include at least one script which is structured to consistently or periodically monitor the wireless range  50  associated with the interactive computer network  40  for the existence of media nodes  30 . When a media node  30  is disposed within the wireless range  50 , the terminal program may be structured or configured to automatically alert a user at the media terminal  20  of the existence or detection of the media node  20 . In particular, the terminal program may deploy a pop-up display, play an audio alarm or tone, etc. On the other hand, the terminal program may be structured or configured to alert or notify the user of any detected media nodes  30  only upon the user&#39;s specific instructions. For example, the media terminal  20 , and in particular the terminal program thereof, may be structured to list or display the media nodes  30  currently disposed within the wireless range  50  upon the user clicking on or otherwise manipulating a corresponding option of the terminal program. 
         [0026]    At least one embodiment of the present system  10  further includes a communication link  70  structured to dispose the media terminal(s)  20  and the media node(s)  30  in a communicative relation with one another via the interactive computer network  40 . In particular, the communication link  70  of the various embodiments of the present system  10  is created and/or requested by the media terminal  20 . As stated above, the media terminal  20  is structured to detect the media node(s)  30  disposed within the wireless range  50 . As also stated above, the media node  30  may, but need not, however, be configured to have access to the interactive computer network  40 . For example, the interactive computer network  40  and/or the corresponding networking device(s)  42  may be equipped with one or more security measures  41 , including a WEP key or other password. The media node  30  may, but need not have access to the WEP key or other security measure  41  so as to access the corresponding interactive computer network  40 . Even so, the media terminal  20  is structured to create and/or initiate a communication link  70  with the one or more detected media nodes  30  disposed within the wireless range  50 , for example, by sending and/or transmitting a request to the corresponding media node(s)  30  to establish a communication link  70  therewith via the interactive computer network  40 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the media terminal  20  need not be disposed within the wireless range  50  in order to detect the media nodes  30  or to create and/or initiate a communication link  70  therewith. In at least one embodiment of the present system  10 , the media terminal  20  does, however, need to be disposed in an accessible relation with the interactive computer network  40 , for example, wirelessly or via a direct cable  43 . 
         [0027]    More in particular, the communication link  70  of at least one embodiment of the present specification is structured to bypass one or more media terminal security measures  21 , media node security measures  31 , and/or networking device security measures  41 . Moreover, the security measures  21 ,  31 ,  41  may includes passwords, keys, firewalls, etc. structured to minimize or eliminate unauthorized access to the corresponding media terminal  20 , media node  30 , networking device(s)  42 , and/or interactive computer network  40 ,  40 ′. Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment wherein the interactive computer network  40  and the wireless range  50  are at least partially defined by networking device(s)  42 , such as a router, access point, or switch, once established, the communication link  70  is structured to be disposed between the media terminal  20  and the media node  30 , and through the corresponding networking device(s)  42 . Particularly, in at least one implementation of the present system  10 , because the media terminal  20  is disposed in an accessible relation to the interactive computer network  40 , and because the communication link  70  is created and/or initiated by the media terminal  20 , the communication link  70  can be established regardless of whether the corresponding media node  30  independently has access to the interactive computer network  40 . In addition, the initiation of the communication link  70  by the media terminal  20 , such as through a request to establish a communication link  70 , at least partially allows the communication link  70  to bypass the firewall or other media terminal security measure(s)  21 . 
         [0028]    Moreover, the media terminal  20  of at least one embodiment of the present system  10  may be structured or configured to automatically create and/or initiate a communication link  70  with the detected media nodes  30 . However, more practically, a user in control of the media terminal  20  may direct the media terminal  20  to create and/or initiate the communication link  70  with one or more selected media node(s)  30 , for example, via the terminal program. Similarly, the media node  30  may be structured or configured to automatically accept or decline creation of the communication link  70  initiated by the media terminal  20 . However, in at least one embodiment of the present system  10 , the media node(s)  30  may be structured or configured for a user in control of the media node  30  to selectively accept or decline the creation or establishment of a communication link  70  initiated by the corresponding media terminal  20 . As such, in at least one embodiment, the media node  30  includes one or more node programs structured to facilitate the practice of the present system  10  in the intended fashion, at least from the media node  30  side of the system  10 . 
         [0029]    Once the communication link  70  is initiated, accepted, and/or ultimately established between the media terminal  20  and the media node  30 , the digital media file(s)  60  may be selectively transmitted therebetween. In particular, if the digital media file  60  is initially disposed on the media node  30 , the media node  30  and the media terminal  20  may cooperatively communicate via the communication link  70  such that the digital media file  60  may be transmitted from the media node  30  to the media terminal  20 . In addition, the converse is also true. Particularly, if the digital media file  60  is disposed on the media terminal  20 , the media node  30  and the media terminal  20  may cooperatively communicate via the communication link  70  such that the digital media file  60  may be transmitted from the media terminal  20  to the media node  30 . Furthermore, in at least one embodiment of the present system  10 , the device on which the digital media file  60  is initially disposed, such as the media node  30  or the media terminal  20 , is structured to “push” the digital media file  60  to the receiving device  20 ,  30  via the communication link  70 . Similarly, in at least one embodiment, once the communication link  70  is established, the receiving device  20 ,  30  is structured to “pull” the digital media file  60  from the transmitting device  30 ,  20  via the communication link  70 . 
         [0030]    For illustrative purposes only, the communication link  70 , the terminal program, and/or the node program may be structured to include a selective set of parameters which define or limit the permissions associated with the communication link  70 . In particular, in at least one embodiment, the selective set of parameters may include the option of transmitting the digital media file  60  via the communication link  70  merely for purposes of displaying and/or playing the digital media file  60 , saving the digital media file  60 , manipulating or otherwise editing the digital media file  60 , etc. In the various embodiments of the present system  10 , it is contemplated that these parameters may be selected from either the media terminal  20  or the media node  30 , at various times. For instance, the parameters may be selected by the media terminal  20 , or a user in control thereof, when the communication link  70  is created and/or initiated, or by either the media terminal  20  or the media node  30  when the communication link  70  is accepted or created. 
         [0031]    Furthermore, it is contemplated that the protocol  10  of the present system includes a plurality of versions of the terminal program and/or the node program, stated and described above. For instance, at least one embodiment includes at least one limited version of the terminal and/or node programs and at least one full version of the programs. It is contemplated that the limited versions of the terminal and/or node programs are distributed at no cost or at least a lower cost than the corresponding full versions, and as such, provide limited functionality. Of course, the terminal and/or node programs, whether the limited and/or full versions, may come pre-installed with the corresponding media terminal  20  or media node  30 . 
         [0032]    Moreover, for illustrative purposes only,  FIG. 4  shows one implementation of the system  10  in accordance with the present specification, generally indicated as  100 . In particular, and as above, in at least one embodiment, the media node  30  may include a portable device, such as for example, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, PDA, or mobile computer. For purposes of the illustrative implementation of  FIG. 4 , the interactive computer network  40  includes a wireless range  50  located in one or more offices or rooms, wherein the media terminal  20  is also disposed within one of the offices or rooms in accessible relation to the interactive computer network  40 . 
         [0033]    Furthermore, the digital media file  60  of the present illustrative implementation of  FIG. 4  may be disposed on the media node  30 , whereas the user in control of the media node  30  desires to display the digital media file  60  on the display device  26  of the media terminal  20 . For example, a user of a wireless mobile device (i.e., an example of a media node  30 ) can use the wireless mobile device to control the display of a digital media file  60  on a display (i.e., an example of display device  26 ) of a vehicle media system (i.e., an example of a media terminal  20 ) within an automobile. The vehicle media system may be part of a vehicle navigation system. Alternatively, the vehicle media system may include one or more displays within the vehicle that are separate from the vehicle navigation system. In another aspect, the vehicle media system includes an audio system (e.g., the radio) of the vehicle. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the media node  30  may be disposed within the wireless range  102 . For example, the user in control of, and/or having possession of, the media node  30  may walk into the office which is disposed within the wireless range  50 . As stated above, once the media node  30  is disposed within the wireless range  50 , as shown at  104 , the media terminal  20  is structured to detect the media node  20 . The media terminal  20  may then create and/or initiate a communication link  70  between the media terminal  20  and the media node  30  via the interactive computer network  40 , as shown at  106 , for instance, by sending a request thereto. The media node  30  may then accept the request by the media terminal  20 , which establishes the communication link  70 , as illustrated at  108  in  FIG. 4 . Once the communication link  70  is established, the digital media file  60  may be transmitted, i.e., “pushed” or “pulled”, between the media node  30  and the media terminal  20 , as shown at  110 . 
         [0035]    More in particular, because the digital media file  60 , for purposes of the illustrative implementation shown in  FIG. 4 , is initially disposed on the media node  30 , the digital media file  60  may be transmitted, i.e., “pushed” or “pulled”, to the media terminal  20  from the media node  30  via the communication link  70 . In particular, the media terminal  20  may display the digital media file  60 , save the digital media file  60 , and/or manipulate or edit the digital media file  60 . In addition, the media terminal  20 , in at least one embodiment, may be structured to transmit the digital media file  60  and/or the edited media file back to the media node  30  via the communication link  70 .