Patent Publication Number: US-2007124776-A1

Title: Media distribution system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      This invention generally relates to media distribution systems and more particularly relates to systems for collecting, storing, recalling and playing music content.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Market research confirms that drivers utilize broadcast radio as a primary source of listening entertainment even though many other entertainment sources are available at their disposal while operating the vehicle. Researchers believe that one of the primary reasons for this is the musical spontaneity that results from listening to broadcast radio. Many people reminisce about their first encounter with a favorite song, album, or artist while listening to broadcast radio. Also, memories of significant events are often linked to songs.  
      Several portable devices are currently marketed which have the ability to store mass amounts of music content. These devices typically employ a hard disk drive (HDD) for storing music libraries consisting of tens of thousands of songs. Although these systems have the ability to store vast quantities of music, they do not offer the same content spontaneity that is available from broadcast radio. This is primarily because each song stored on the mass storage device was probably placed there by the user and the songs are likely to be part of the user&#39;s music library stored on their home PC. The stored songs are therefore not “new.” Additionally, music content stored on the device tends to get “stale” unless it is frequently updated.  
      Some of these HDD storage devices also utilize a wireless LAN or a IEEE Std. 802.11 (hereinafter 802.11) network to conveniently load content onto the HDD device. Although this wireless interface makes it convenient to connect to a network to download music content (from a PC, the internet, or the like), mobile applications can also utilize many publicly accessible 802.11 hotspots to download content through the internet. A cellular telephone network may also be used as a link for downloading content.  
      In an embodiment, the present invention provides a mechanism to allow users to listen to personalized music content stored on local storage device while still offering a degree of music spontaneity associated with broadcast radio. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an example of one possible application of the present invention as a device that is useable within a vehicle, but yet is also useable remotely from the vehicle;  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the system of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 3A-3C  are logic flow diagrams of an embodiment of the methodology employed by the present invention; 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 1  depicts one possible use for the present invention. In this application, vehicle  8  is provided with media storage device  10 . Media storage device  10  can be fitted into a predetermined slot in the dash panel of vehicle  8  as a permanent fixture. However, it is also contemplated that media storage device  10  can be removable from the vehicle dashboard so that it can function remotely.  
      Now referring to  FIG. 2 , media storage device  10  may include, amongst other components, electronic storage member  12  which may be comprised of a hard drive (HDD), semiconductor memory devices, or any other medium suitable for storing electronic information. Electronic storage  12  may be partitioned in to at least two segments—a protected segment  14  and an unprotected segment  16 . Protected partition  14  is any form of electronic storage that is not directly accessible by the user. Thus, protected partition  14  forms the area of electronic storage where the music content is stored for free trial by the user. Media library  16  is “unprotected” because it represents the stored music content that the user has paid for and now owns the right to access and play. Typically, protected partition  14  only serves to store music content for a short period (temporary storage) until the user decides whether or not to purchase the music content. Once the decision is made by the user to purchase the memory content stored on protected portion  14 , it is transferred to media library  16  where it is stored on a long term basis (i.e. until the user decides to delete or otherwise remove the music content). The music content stored on electronic storage  12  is accessible by microprocessor  18 . Microprocessor  18  is adapted to receive music content from at least one music content channel  20 , 22 . The at least one music content channel  20 , 22  is adapted to receive music content from at least a content service provider  24  or a home PC or media service provider  26 . Although at least one content channel  20 , 22  is shown in  FIG. 2  as two distinct channels, it is contemplated that the services provided by provider  24  or server  26  could both be provided from a single source and could be communicated with microprocessor  18  over a single channel. Accordingly, two media content channels  20 , 22  are shown and two providers/servers ( 24 , 26 ) are shown only to assist in understanding the concepts underlying the present invention.  
      Channels  20 , 22  can be implemented using any number of communication technologies known to those skilled in the art. For example, channels  20 , 22  could be implemented over a wireless telephone link, an 802.11 link, through a low bit-rate background channel on satellite digital radio (e.g. SDARS), high definition-radio (HD radio), or any other wired or wireless communication link.  
      Media storage device  10  may be permanently mounted within a vehicle or it may be portable (removable from the vehicle) so that it can be used both within a vehicle and at any location removed from the vehicle. Although media storage device  10  may be a device which is solely dedicated to the task of storing and playing delivered content, it is also contemplated within the scope of this invention that any type of electronic device may be used, in part, as a portable media storage device  10  including, but not limited to, a general purpose computer (desktop or laptop), a cellular phone, a PDA, a radio, or the like. Media storage device  10  is adapted to accept music content delivered along channel  22  from the home PC of the user or any other suitable media server capable of delivering music content. Channel  22  may be a wired or a wireless channel. Other possible media servers  26  include other media storage devices  10 , the internet, or the like. The downloading of media content delivered from server  26  is typically initiated by the user of storage device  10 , and is thus known as “pulled” media content. “Pulled” content is directed to and stored within the unprotected segment  16  of electronic storage member  12  by microprocessor  18 . “Pulled ”content can be directly accessed by a user without restriction.  
      The downloading of media content from provider  24  is known as “pushed” content because its transfer is initiated by provider  24  (not device  10 ). The protected segment  14  of electronic storage medium  12  is set aside for storing “pushed”  26  media content that originates from content service provider  24 . “Pushed” content can not be directly accessed by the user. Content service provider  24  may download (i.e. “push ”) new music to protect segment  14  of storage member  12  by any one of the communication transmission mechanisms discussed above without any initiation mechanism from device  10 . The music content stored on protected segment  14  not only includes songs, but also may include album name, artist name, genre, and other information associated with the songs stored in protected segment  14  of storage member  12 . The download of “pushed ”content may also come by way of home PC/media server  26 . In this embodiment, the content service provider  24  would “push ”the content to the home PC  26 . From there, it would be “pulled ”to device  10  (perhaps along with other selected content) during a next synchronization operation.  
      Any number of schemes can be used to select the categories of media content “pushed” by content service provider  24  onto storage device  10 . For example, one simple approach is to use content service provider  24  to randomly select the music content pushed to media storage device  10 . However, more sophisticated techniques can be used in an attempt to more accurately anticipate the listening preferences of the user. For example, media usage/preference data  28  (and associated statistics) can be collected by microprocessor  18  and passed to content service provider  24 . Media usage/preference data can include all types of information which categorizes the listening preferences of the user. Such categories may include the names of frequently selected albums, artists, music genres, or frequency of selection of (or duration of listening time devoted to) broadcast stations listened to by the user on radio receiver  37 . This information can be used by content service provider  24  to select the “pushed” content that is most likely to appeal to the user.  
      Now referring to  FIGS. 3A-3C , the methodology of the present invention may be carried out in separate tasks (i.e. Threads) implemented in software which is executed by microprocessor  18 . In a first thread (Thread  1 ), microprocessor  18  monitors content transmitted over channel  20  to determine if content service provider  24  is “pushing” media content  26 . If new “pushed” content  30  is available from content service provider  24 , microprocessor  18  accepts the content  30  and stores  32  the new content onto protected segment  14  of storage member  12 . If there is no new content “pushed ”from content service provider  24 , Thread  1  simply loops back  34  to continually poll content channel  20  for the presence of new “pushed” content.  
      In a second task (i.e. Thread  2 ), an appropriate user interface  34  is continually polled to determine if the user has elected to generate a playlist  36 . If the user has not elected to generate a playlist  38 , Thread  2  simply loops back to continually poll user interface  34 . Once the user does elect to generate a playlist  40 , a playlist may be generated  42  by allowing the user to browse the content of unprotected media library  16  and to select the desired songs to place in the playlist. Once the playlist is completed, a song in the playlist may be read from media library  16  and played  44  and to play the “pushed” song interspersed with the songs played from the playlist. Any number of techniques may be used to determine when to play  48  a “pushed” song  46 . One such technique may include using microprocessor  18  to randomly select and to play the “pushed” song. Another technique is to allow a user to program the frequency in which a “pushed” song is to be played (such as every tenth song, five times a day, etc.). It is also important to note that the playing of a “pushed” song does not have to be tied with the songs played from a playlist. For example, the user could be made aware that a “pushed” song is available and then could be given the option to play the “pushed” song. If a “pushed” song is elected by the user (or otherwise scheduled for play)  46 , the “pushed” song is read from the “pushed” content portion  14  of storage member  12  and is played  48  over one or more speakers  13 .  
      In an optional embodiment, after a “pushed ”song is played  48 , the user may be prompted to purchase the “pushed” song  50 . If the user elects to purchase the “pushed ”song, the song is transferred  52 ′ from protected partition  14  of storage member  12  to media library partition (unprotected)  16  of storage member  12 . This transfer is graphically represented by reference numeral  52 ′ in  FIG. 3 . Except for the option of purchasing a “pushed” song, the user does not otherwise have access to the music content stored in protected partition  14 .  
      If the user does not elect to purchase a “pushed” song  54 , the song may be deleted  56  from the protected partition  14  of storage member  12 . The “pushed” song may be deleted  56  from the partition portion  14  immediately after the user declines to listen to it, or, in an alternative embodiment, the user may be given several chances to listen to the song before it is deleted. Once all of the songs in the playlist have been played  58 , control is transferred to logic step  36 . If unplayed songs remain in the playlist, control is transferred to logic block  44  where the next song in the playlist is selected and played.  
      In a third task (i.e. Thread  3 ), a software routine continually monitors the user&#39;s listening habits  33 . If the user is listening to media content  33 , Thread  3  compiles information on the styles of media content preferred by the user  35  and makes this compiled information available to content service provider  24  in the form of media usage/preference data  28 . Purchase information (if the user wishes to purchase a “pushed” song  50 ) can also be transmitted to content service provider  24  in this same way. Compiled information  35  may be derived from the media content stored on unprotected partition  16 . Additionally, more sophisticated schemes may also be used to compile information  35  such as monitoring the broadcast radio stations (and the music genre transmitted thereby) that the user listens to. Additionally, information may be compiled on the user&#39;s listening habits as they relate to playlist songs. Specifically, the number of times a song on a playlist is “skipped over” by a user or “repeated” by a user renders valuable information on the user&#39;s listening preferences. In order to monitor the broadcast radio stations to which the user listens, a radio receiver  37  may be coupled to microprocessor  18  so that microprocessor  18  can compile  35  the appropriate statistics. Of course SDARS, HD radio, or any other source of incoming music content may also be monitored by microprocessor  18  in order to compile information  35  on the types of media content preferred by the user.  
      Having described embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various modifications or additions may be made to the embodiments chosen here to illustrate the present invention, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the methodology of the present invention has been set forth herein in the context of threads or tasks. Although the use of the terms “threads” or “tasks” has been used to described the methodology of the present invention, these terms have been chosen because they lend themselves to describe the methodology of the present invention in a straight forward manner. However, these terms are not meant to restrict the implementation of the present invention to a processor which is capable of performing multitasking. It is contemplated that the present invention can be implemented in a microprocessor which is not capable of multitasking by simply carrying out each of the methods set out in Threads  1 ,  2 , and  3  as part of a single program. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the subject matter sought to be afforded protection hereby shall be deemed to extend to the subject matter defined in the appended claims, including all fair equivalents thereof.