Abstract:
The present invention provides a digital jukebox with a more user-friendly interface. The jukebox includes a display, memory, a processor, and control devices. The processor includes a graphical user interface component that generates an image for presentation on the display. The control devices when operated send signals to the processor for making selections presented on the display by the graphical user interface component.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application No. ______ filed pro se on Jan.  17 ,  2001 , entitled “The Evolutionary Digital Jukebox” and bearing a serial number to be provided in a preliminary amendment as soon as the serial number can be retrieved. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to jukeboxes and, more specifically, to jukebox interfaces.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    User interfaces for vinyl record jukeboxes have typically been just a single piece of paper that indicates a list of artists and songs next to selection numbers. Because the number of vinyl records stored in a vinyl record jukebox is a small number, this type of user interface works well. A compact disc (CD) jukebox has the ability of storing a large of number of CDs. Because of the volume of songs available on the CD jukebox, the user interface used for vinyl record jukeboxes does not work for the CD jukebox. CD jukeboxes typically use some form of page scrolling device, which flips hard copies of pictures or covers of CDs and allows a user to select songs by entering an associated identification number.  
           [0004]    With the introduction of digital jukeboxes, the user interfaces described above are no longer applicable. This is because the number of digital music recordings that can be stored within a digital jukebox can far surpass the number of CD recorded songs that are stored in a CD jukebox.  
           [0005]    Therefore, there exists a need for a customer friendly user interface for a digital jukebox that allows a user to easily progress through the large volume of songs stored in the digital jukebox. Otherwise, if the user interface for a digital jukebox does not provide the same ease of use as that in a vinyl disc jukebox or a CD jukebox, the customer will quickly lose interest and decide not to bother with the digital jukebox.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a digital jukebox with a more user friendly interface. The jukebox includes a display, memory, a processor, and control devices. The memory stores graphic files and associated music files. The processor is coupled to the display and memory. The processor includes a graphical user interface component that generates an image for presentation on the display. The graphical user interface component includes an alphanumeric list component that generates selectable alphanumeric components, wherein the stored graphic and music files are associated with one or more alphanumeric components. The graphical user interface component also includes an album select component that generates images of albums for display based on a selection from the generated alphanumeric list and the associated graphic and music files, and a song selection component that generates a list of selectable songs based on the selection of an album image. The generated alphanumeric components, album images, and song list are displayed on the display. The control devices include a scrolling device, a switch device, and a song selection device. The scrolling device generates a scrolling signal when operated. The switch device generates a switching signal when operated. A song selection device generates a signal for selecting a song from the generated song list. The processor sends the generated scrolling signal to at least one of the alphanumeric list component, the album select component, or the song selection component based on the generated switching signal.  
           [0007]    In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the scrolling device is a joystick.  
           [0008]    In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the scrolling device is a dial.  
           [0009]    In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the switch scrolling device is a throw switch.  
           [0010]    In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, the switch scrolling device is a toggle switch.  
           [0011]    In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, the album select component includes an album identification component for identifying an album from the generated album images. The graphical user interface further includes an album image component for generating an image associated with an identified album. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system used in conjunction with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an example user interface formed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a jukebox embodying the user interface shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a screen shot of an example user interface display formed in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a screen shot of a help screen for the user interface and user interface display shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 illustrates a network-based digital jukebox system  20 . The system  20  includes one or more jukeboxes  22  coupled to a jukebox programming and billing system  24  over a public or private data network  26 . The jukebox  22  includes a user interface  30  coupled to a general purpose computer processor  32  that is coupled to a speaker system  34  and memory  35 . The user interface  30  includes a display  36  and control devices  38 . The system described below can be used in various other applications that require a user to select from a large volume of stored items.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 illustrates a non-limiting example layout  40  of the user interface  30 . The layout  40  is located on a box-like jukebox at a height that allows a user to easily use the user interface  30  while standing at the jukebox  22 . The example layout  40  includes a display  42  located in the lower left corner of the layout  40 . Above the display  42  is a money-receiving slot  44 . Adjacent to the display  42  in the lower right corner of the layout  40  is a dial  46 . Above the dial  46  is a jump button  48  and song highlight buttons  50 A and B. Above the song highlight buttons  50 A and B and adjacent to the money slot  44  is a circular help button  52 , a song select button  54 , and an artist information button  56 . The functions of the buttons  48 - 56  and the dial  46  are described in more detail below and shown by way of a non-limiting example in FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that the buttons and dial may be implemented as other devices, such as toggle or throw switches, joysticks, potentiometers, a momentary contact switch, or other known input devices.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a non-limiting example jukebox  22 A and the general location of the components of a user interface  30 .  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 illustrates a non-limiting example interactive image  100  that is presented in the display area  42  of the layout  40  as shown in FIG. 2. The interactive image  100  includes a row of alphanumeric characters  102 , an artist select row  104 , a selected album image area  106 , a song list area  110 , and an information area  112 . The alphanumeric row  102  is located at the bottom of the interactive image  100 . Above the alphanumeric row  102  is the artist select row  104  and from left to right above the artist row  104  are the information area  112 , the selected album image area  106 , and the song list area  110 .  
         [0022]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, in order for a user of the jukebox to select music to be played by the jukebox, the user must first receive play credits. Play credits are generated after money is inserted in the money slot  44 . The money slot  44  can be configured to receive paper or coin currency or credit/debit cards. The processor  32  determines the number of credits that a user has accrued based upon the amount of money deposited, credited, or debited. The number of credits is displayed at the bottom of the information area  112 . When the user has play credits, the user can select one or more songs to be played. Songs are stored in the memory  34  according to a letter or number associated with the performing artist or album. The alphanumeric row  102  includes groups of letters and numbers. In order to find a desired song, the user first highlights a letter or number group from the alphanumeric row  102  according to the name of the associated album or artist. The dial  46  controls what group of letters or number group is highlighted along the alphanumeric row  102 . In this example the following letters and numbers are grouped together into single selection groups:  0-9;  A-C; D-G; H-K; L-N; O-R; S-T; U-W; and X-Z. It will be appreciated that other groupings can be implemented. When a group of letters or numbers is highlighted, all albums or artists names that are categorized and stored within the jukebox according to the highlighted letters/numbers are presented in the artist select row  104 . Rotation of the dial  46  in the counterclockwise direction moves the highlighted selection in the alphanumeric row  102  from right to left, and clockwise movement of the dial  46  moves the highlighted selection in the alphanumeric row  102  from left to right.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIG. 4, the highlighted selection in the alphanumeric row  102  is L-N. With the selection of L-N in the alphanumeric row  102  all artists or albums that are stored in the memory  35  as an L, M, or N artist/albums are presented in the artist select row  104 . As shown in FIG. 4, seven artist/album images are illustrated in the artist select row  104 . It will be appreciated that the jukebox may store more or less than seven artists/albums for a single alphanumeric group, as desired. When more than seven artists/albums are associated with a selected letter or number group, the dial  46  is used to scroll to artist/album images that are not presently displayed in the artist select row  104 . Included in the middle of the artist select row  104  is a selection window  120 . The artists/albums are preferably stored in alphabetical order by the artist/album name and preferably displayed according to the alphabetical order from left to right in the artist select row  104 . In one embodiment, when a new selection is made in the alphanumeric row  102 , the left-most artist/album image in the artist select row  104  is the first artist in the alphabetic listing associated with the alphanumeric row selection. In order to switch the dial  46  to provide input for scrolling in the artist select row  104 , the user depresses the jump button  48 . Once the jump button  48  has been activated (and after the dial  46  was used to interact with the alphanumeric row  102 ), all actions of the dial  46  are directed to the artist select row  104  and no longer to the alphanumeric row  102 . A subsequent activation of the jump button  48  reverts inputs from the dial  46  to interact only with the alphanumeric row  102 , and so on. A counterclockwise movement of the dial  46  scrolls an artist/album image into the right side of the artist select row  104  according to the alphabetic order and all the other presently displayed images are moved one space to the left. The left-most image is no longer displayed. The reverse is true for clockwise rotation of the dial  46 . It will be appreciated that other types of artist/album ordering, such as genre, can be implemented.  
         [0024]    As artist/album images scroll across the artist select row  104 , the images pass through the artist selection window  120 . As the images scroll across the artist select row  104 , a new image is presented in the artist window  120 . A larger version of the image within the artist window  120  is illustrated in the selected album image area  106 . The artist/album images, usually images of the artist, album or CD cover, were previously inserted at the jukebox programming and billing system  24  and downloaded to the jukebox  22  over the network  26 . Example embodiments of interaction of the jukebox  30  and the jukebox programming and billing system  24  are described in a copending application filed concurrently herewith and bearing attorney docket number EFFF-1-1001.  
         [0025]    The songs associated with the artist/album image shown in the selected album image area  106  are presented in the song list area  110 . Once the user has positioned the desired artist/album image in the artist display area  120  and the songs of that artist/album are displayed in the songs list area  110 , the user highlights songs in the song list area  110  using the song buttons  50 A and B. The song buttons  50 A and B include an up arrow song button  50 A and a down arrow song button  50 B. Selection of the up arrow song button  50 A highlights a song in the list that is located above the previously highlighted song. The down arrow song button  50 B works opposite to the up arrow song button  50 A. If the song list area  110  is not large enough to present all the songs associated with the artist/album, the song buttons  50  are used to vertically scroll through the associated song titles. Once the user has positioned the highlight over the desired song, then the user activates the song select button  54 , which selects the highlighted song for play and removes a predefined number of credits from the number of credits available.  
         [0026]    If a user desires to find out more information about the artist associated with the image displayed in the selected album image area  106 , the user selects the artist info button  56 . While the info button  56  remains depressed, text previously inserted by the artist or an agent representing the artist is presented in the song list area  110 . Once the info button  56  is released, the information presented in the song list area  110  reverts back to the song list.  
         [0027]    If the user desires help regarding how to operate the buttons in relation to the interactive display  100 , the user depresses and holds the help button  52  which presents the example image shown in FIG. 5 on the display  42 , preferably in the song list area  110 .  
         [0028]    In an alternate embodiment, the user interface  30  does not include a jump button  48 . The dial  46  is also used to switch between the alphanumeric row  102  and the artist select row  104 . In one non-limiting example the position of the dial  46  determines which of the alphanumeric row  102  and the artist select row  104  receives a scrolling signal generated by the dial  46 . In this example, the dial  46  includes  5  positions: straight Up; one click left; two clicks left; one click right; and two clicks right. At the straight up position no scrolling signal is generated. At the one click right position, a clockwise scrolling signal is applied to the alphanumeric row  102 . At the two clicks right position, a clockwise scrolling signal is applied to the artist select row  104 . The opposite is true for the left positions.  
         [0029]    In another non-limiting example, the rotational distance or speed of dial movement determines which of the alphanumeric row  102  and the artist select row  104  receive the generated scrolling signal. In this example, a clockwise movement of the dial  46  less than a threshold amount sends a clockwise scrolling signal to the alphanumeric row  102 . A clockwise movement of the dial  46  greater than the threshold amount sends a clockwise scrolling signal to the artist select row  104 .  
         [0030]    In another embodiment, only one of the alphanumeric row  102  and the artist select row  104  are displayed on the display  42  at one time. The mechanism (i.e. the dial  46  or the jump button  48 ) that controls where scrolling input is applied determines which of the alphanumeric row  102  and the artist select row  104  to display.  
         [0031]    In accordance with the present invention, a jukebox is defined as a unit for storage and/or playback of digital media.  
         [0032]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment.