Claims
- 1. A method for delivering a sound or visual file from a central server or servers to an electronic device or devices for a user comprising:
compressing the file using a compression algorithm; storing the file in compressed format on a storage medium; and transmitting the compressed file from said storage medium to the electronic device, wherein said compression algorithm comprising normalizing sample amplitudes in sound file, and said file playable back for the user with high quality reproduction and selectable by the user from the central server or servers to be retrieved by the electronic device with or without a worldwide network connection.
- 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the file on the electronic device.
- 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising playing back the file on the electronic device.
- 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising using the file as an alert message for the electronic device wherein the file is played to alert the user of the occurrence of a specific event.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the electronic device is a telephone, and wherein the file is a sound file played to alert the user of an incoming call.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein a segment of the sound file is played to alert the user to the call.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said segment may be played repeatedly to alert the user to the call.
- 8. The method of claim 5 wherein the user associates the sound file with a specific caller's phone number, wherein the sound file plays when specific caller calls.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein a plurality of sound files are delivered and stored on said telephone, and wherein a user of said telephone may associate one specific sound file of said plurality of sound files with one specific caller from a plurality of callers.
- 10. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
said telephone being shared by a plurality of users, wherein a plurality of different sound files are delivered to and stored on said telephone, and wherein a specific sound file of said plurality of sound files is associated with a specific user of said plurality of users, wherein said specific sound file alerts the user of an incoming call where said specific user is the intended recipient of said incoming call.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone, home phone, computer, clock, watch, pager, door bell, car alarm, palm pilot, or personal calendar.
- 12. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of sound files are delivered to and stored on the electronic device.
- 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device includes an attachable accessory unit for receiving the sound files.
- 14. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting step is wireless.
- 15. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting step is through the Internet or other computer based system.
- 16. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting step is independent of the Internet or other computer based system.
- 17. The method of claim 1 wherein said sound file is a personal recording recorded by a user of the device.
- 18. The method of claim 1 further comprising charging a fee to a user of the device, said fee being charged based on the number of clips received or their duration.
- 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the file is a segment of a full song, musical composition, or other sound recording.
- 20. The method of claim 19 further wherein a user of the device may transact the purchase of an item associated with said sound file upon hearing said sound file.
- 21. An electronic device comprising:
a recording method which can store a large number of clips, including sound clips, image clips, or a combination thereof, said clips capable of being actual recordings of live performances; a receiver which receives the clips from a remote server; and a player which can selectively play said clips, wherein said clips can be playable as alerts for the electronic device upon the happening of a predetermined circumstances such as an incoming call or other event or circumstance and wherein a user of the device may select a clip to play for alerting of the specified event.
- 22. The device of claim 21, wherein the receiver is a wireless device which receives the clip by way of wireless communication.
- 23. The device of claim 21, wherein the receiver has a hardwired connection to the internet for receiving the clips.
- 24. The device of claim 21, wherein the receiver receives the clips by way of a standard hardwired telephone network without accessing the internet.
- 25. The device of claim 21 wherein said clips are edited snippets from full files, and wherein the device is further capable of storing and playing full files including full sound files, full image files, or a combination thereof.
- 26. The device of claim 23, wherein said full files can be used as said alerts.
- 27. The device of claim 21, wherein said clips are taken from songs, musical compositions, cartoons, movies, television shows, personal recordings, or a combination thereof.
- 28. The device of claim 21, the device being a cellular phone, home phone, computer, clock, watch, pager, door bell, car alarm, palm pilot, or personal calendar.
- 29. The device of claim 28 wherein the device is a cellular phone using sound alerts.
- 30. The device of claim 29 wherein said sound alerts are used to indicate an incoming call.
- 31. The device of claim 30 wherein said sound alerts are further used to identify the caller or callee.
- 32. The device of claim 31 wherein said sound alerts for identifying the caller may be selected by either the caller or callee.
- 33. The device of claim 21 including a collection of sound clips, image clips, or a combination thereof stored on the device.
- 34. The device of claim 21 further comprising an accessory unit attachable to the device, said accessory unit being capable of interfacing with said device and containing said media storage of said clips.
- 35. The device of claim 34, wherein said accessory unit further contains a player which can play said clips.
- 36. An electronic device comprising:
a medium storage drive to store a large number of sound files, image files, or a combination thereof, said files capable of being actual recordings of live performances; and a player which plays said files, wherein said files are used as alerts for the electronic device, and wherein a user of the device may select a file to play for alerting of a specified event.
- 37. A method of selling a sound file to a consumer comprising:
providing a telephone or other electronic device capable of playing sound recordings, said telephone being operated by the consumer; providing free sound clips to the consumer for playing on the device; and providing the consumer an option to purchase the sound file, the option to purchase the sound file selectable by using the telephone keypad, wherein the consumer may purchase the sound file through said means for purchasing the sound files, upon hearing a sound clip taken from the file.
- 38. A method of selling a sound file to a consumer comprising:
providing a telephone or electronic product capable of playing sound recordings, said product being operated by the consumer; providing free sound clips to the consumer for playing on the product; providing a virtual media storage containing said sound clips, wherein said consumer can browse said virtual media storage and select sound clips to be downloaded to said product; providing an option to purchase said sound file, using the product, or said virtual media storage, or a combination thereof.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein said virtual media storage is accessible through the product, and wherein purchasing said sound file comprises the step of indicating an intent to purchase said file by pressing at least one key.
- 40. The method of claim 38, wherein said virtual media storage is accessible through the Internet, and wherein purchasing said sound file comprises the step of computer interaction on a keyboard indicating intent to purchase said file by way of the internet.
- 41. The method of claim 38, wherein said file is downloadable to the user's product in a file format which cannot be copied by third parties.
- 42. A method of selling a sound or image file, or a combination thereof comprising the steps of:
(a) Providing an electronic device; (b) Reviewing categories of music or image files from a selection by way of a telecommunications network; (c) Listening to truncated samples of the music or image files from the selection; (d) Selectively storing or downloading selected truncated samples of the music or image files free of charge; (e) Receiving the truncated samples of the music or image files on a portable electronic device for subsequent personal use such as using a ring tone, alarm or other alert; and (f) Subsequently purchasing the complete music or image file from those previously selected truncated music or image files by way of a telecommunications network.
- 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the file is downloadable to the electronic device, or contained on a physical storage medium.
- 44. The method of claim 43, said medium being a cassette tape, video tape, record, CD, or DVD.
- 45. A cellular phone comprising:
a receiving element for receiving preselected sound clips, said clips having high quality reproduction of musical compositions; and a player to play said clips with the cellular phone; wherein said clips are playable as ring alerts for when the phone receives a telephone call.
- 46. The phone of claim 45, wherein said receiving element comprises software integrated with existing hardware of the cellular phone.
- 47. The phone of claim 45, wherein said player includes a software system integrated into existing hardware of the cellular phone.
- 48. The phone of claim 45, further comprising a media storage to store a plurality of said clips with said cellular phone.
- 49. A method of distributing music and audiovisual works to consumers while accounting to copyright owners of the works comprising the steps of:
(a) Making available on a website various selections of works in various categories for review by identifying information and offering a portion of the work for hearing or listening, each work being coded internally with identification to a copyright owner or its representative; (b) Allowing consumers to select the viewable or listenable portion of the work for data storage online or for downloading to the consumers' electronic devices at home wherein the downloaded file being encrypted to only play on the consumer's electronic devices first receiving the download; (c) Optionally tracking those consumers who received the download of the portion of the work and reporting to the copyright owners or their representatives information concerning the download; (d) Allowing a consumer to return to the website to purchase and download a complete copy of the copyrighted work previously sampled by the consumer; (e) Conducting an online purchasing transaction and charging the consumer for the download; (f) Downloading a complete copy of the copyrighted work to the consumer in an encrypted fashion so as to be playable only in the consumer's electronic device and not exchangeable with third parties; (g) Tracking those consumers who received the download of the copyrighted work and reporting to the copyright owner of their representatives information concerning the download; and (h) Paying the copyright owners or their representatives a portion of the money received from the consumers for their downloading of the copyrighted work.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation application claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/301,681 filed on Jun. 27, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/303,115 filed on Jul. 3, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.60/312,450 filed on Aug. 14, 2001, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/343,159 filed Oct. 26, 2001, all of which applications are incorporated herein by this reference thereto.
Provisional Applications (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60301681 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
|
60303115 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
|
60312450 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
|
60343159 |
Oct 2001 |
US |