Patent Application
20050091107
The present invention relates to a media player system and alternatively a computer operating system incorporating media player and e-commerce functionality.
Various music players and video players operating on personal computer systems are known. One example is the Windows Media Player available from Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash. In operation, the Windows Media Player can be opened by various known alternatives, such as clicking on a toolbar icon, opening from a “Programs menu from the Windows operating system “Start area, or alternatively clicking on a desktop icon. Once opened, the Windows Media Player can be used to open and play videos or music files.
Other examples of conventional media players include Musicmatch Jukebox Basic available from Musicmatch of San Diego, Calif. or iTunes available from Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. By way of example, the Musicmatch Jukebox Basic can be installed on a personal computer by loading the software, such as by downloading from the Musicmatch.com website. This software can be opened by the various known techniques, such as such as clicking on a toolbar icon, opening from a “Programs menu, or clicking on a desktop icon. Once opened, the Musicmatch Jukebox Basic appears in a separate window from the computer desktop, and separate from other program windows. It can be used to open and play music files on a personal computer, and to perform other music related functionalities such as downloading music, burning CDs, playing downloaded music, playing a “radio or audio stream from a website server received via the internet, playing other streamed audio, playing tracks from a CD, managing a music file library, sending to a portable music player, managing a user's subscription account, obtaining information via the Internet on music, performers etc.
One problem with known media players is that they are not fully integrated with or skinned with an e-commerce engine or the operating system of the computer on which they are operating. In operation typical music players open into a separate window on a computer desktop. E-commerce functionality typically is limited to downloading music tracks leading to inefficiency or the need for multiple software program operation to allow users to shop for or purchase related or unrelated merchandise and services. If a user wants to listen to music, typically, a player window is opened and configured to play the music desired and then is operated in background if the user wishes to perform other functions on the computer.
Another shortcoming of known media players is that they do not have an automatic interactive facility with one or more servers, whereby personal preferences or other criteria are provided to push or automatically download desired content.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system to more seamlessly integrate media, entertainment, advertising and e-commerce to computer desktops and operating systems.
The present invention alleviates to a great extent these and other disadvantages of known music or media players by providing a system and method in which a media player is integrated with an e-commerce system and/or the operating system. In one embodiment, the media player and e-commerce system are skinned with the operating system. In this description, “skinned will be understood to mean integrated with or operating together with. In one example, the media player and its e-commerce engine dictate numerous characteristics of the user interface of the operating system in order to provide a seamless media, entertainment and/or e-commerce experience for the user. In another example, the media player takes over all the portions of user's system, such as taking control over its look and feel, desktop and/or other functions of the user's system such as by incorporating operating system, browser, search, e-commerce, media playing and payment, and/or other capabilities. Among the capabilities controlled is a cache memory which occupies a portion or all of otherwise unused portions of the user's system hard drive or other memories and provides relatively instant access to content in it.
In the preferred embodiment, the media player of the present invention is integrated with the operating system desktop environment whereby a separate window is not necessary to operate the media player and the look and feel of the desktop environment is or can be controlled by or through the media player. For example, the media player controls can be situated in a particular location on the desktop, which will be referred to herein as a “toolbar or “media player location, and the computer display provided in other portions of the display screen not dedicated to the media player toolbar.
Likewise e-commerce and shopping capability is integrated with the media player. In this description, “media player will cover both the media playing functionalities, as well as other functionalities including without limitation, the cache memory management functionalities, e-commerce functionalities, no-click payment functionalities, advertising vehicle functionalities, search functionalities and so on.
The E-commerce functionality of the present invention provides, in one embodiment, expedited browsing and/or purchasing of goods or services. In one aspect, items related to or deemed by an e-commerce module to be related to a media being played or browsed via the media player are displayed for information purposes, or for purchase. For example, in this embodiment, content can be provided to the user system based on observed or indicated preferences. In another aspect, content, such as movies or music are available for viewing either on a rental or purchase basis for a fee, with payment managed by the media player system of the present invention.
In another embodiment of the e-commerce functionality, an advertising vehicle is provided in which the media player system establishes an Internet connection and sends a connection signal to a server system. The server system then provides content, optionally including advertising to the media player system for display at designated times, or upon a play operation by the user or interspersed in play or simultaneously with play. Alternatively, the server system can otherwise detect the media player system without the sending of a connection signal.
In another aspect of the present invention, if a user wishes to download media or otherwise stream a media file, that can be accomplished via the desktop rather than in a separate window or background if desired.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a computer operating system is provided integrating the media player functionality as described herein. For example, the operating system provides integrated Internet access capability, media player capability and/or e-commerce capability. In another example, media or advertising content is cached either locally by the operating system for display as desired, or as set via parameter selection and control, or alternatively such content is cached on a remote system and provided to the user's system by pulling or pushing operations.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated from review of the following detailed description of the invention, along with the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.
In the following paragraphs, the present invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout this description, the preferred embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than as limitations on the present invention. As used herein, the “present invention” refers to any one of the embodiments of the invention described herein, and any equivalents. Furthermore, reference to various aspects of the invention throughout this document does not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced aspects.
An entertainment or Internet commerce system is illustrated in
The user systems 40 also preferably are capable of operating on the Internet, or on local networks, WANs or on a stand-alone basis. These systems can include any computing devices, such as computers (such as PCs, laptops, notebooks, PDAs etc.), telephone handsets, cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDAs) and so on. The term “user system is also used interchangeably herein with the term “user , “consumer , “appliance , “client or “client system. Also as understood herein, the term “PC is used to refer to any type of personal computer, including without limitation desktop, portable, laptop, notebook and PDA computers. It should be noted that user systems 40 of the present invention are referred to with reference numbers 40 and 1240 in this description.
These computing systems are operated via an operating system such as for example Windows available from Microsoft Corp. or any other operating system available such as Solaris from Sun Microsystems, PS/2 from IBM, the Macintosh operating system from Apple Computer Inc., or Linux etc. Alternatively, the operating system embodiment of the present invention can be used to operate one or more of the user systems 40.
As illustrated in
A computer software application embodiment of the present invention will now be described as a media player. The media player 100 can be a single user application designed to run on a user system 40, or alternatively a networked application to run on plural user systems.
In a preferred embodiment, the media player connects to a back end server over the Internet, which can be any type of content provider, such as an e-commerce system 30 or a media provider system 20. In this embodiment, the media player acts as a client application preferably combining the functionality of a media player, e-commerce client and the operating system desktop into one unique user experience.
The media player 100 software is installed on a user system 40 by any desired method. In one embodiment it is pre-installed as an application or alternatively as an operating system. In another embodiment, it is downloaded from a server over the Internet. It may also be installed from a transportable media, such as a magnetic or optical media and read from a corresponding reader on the user system 40. For example, the media player can be loaded on to the user system 40 via a DVD or CD disk loaded onto a drive in a computer. The installation process installs the necessary application software on to the user system 40 personal computer. In an application program embodiment it places an icon for the application on the desktop and installs an icon into the operating system menu system. One example of an installation process is illustrated in
Various operating modes of the media player 100 also may be selected. Alternatively only one operating mode may be available. The operating mode can be selected in an installation or set-up procedure as illustrated in step 230, or alternatively can be selected at any time by selecting among the operating modes available.
One operating mode is the Full Mode. In the Full Mode, the media player application runs in its own application window on user system's desktop. All or selected functions of the media player 100 are available through the application window. In the Full Mode, the User may close, minimize and resize the media player windows as desired, by procedures normally associated with such operational steps using GUI operating systems, such as Windows.
An alternate preferred embodiment of the Full Mode is an embodiment in which the user system display is split into two regions, one region reserved for the media player functionality, and the other for other forms of display, or other applications. In this embodiment, other applications preferably cannot be displayed on the region reserved for the media player. The operation of this embodiment is similar to the part-screen embodiment of a Native Desktop mode (see below), and is described in more detail in the description of the part-screen Native Desktop mode below.
Another operating mode of the media player 100 is the Native Desktop Mode. In this mode, the media player 100 application is skinned on to the user system's desktop, i.e. controlling the system's desktop. This can involve a seamless integration into the personal computer's desktop. Various functions of the media player application (as described more fully below) may be accessible from one or more of various starting points on the user system's desktop. These starting points can include any or all of the following locations on a user's desktop: operating system tray bar 300, any other location on an operating system taskbar 310, menu system 320, such as the start menu accessed by clicking “start or a program menu, or application frame title bars 330, toolbars 340, status bars 350, desktop icons 360, pullout menu drawers 360 or dropdown menus 360 accessed from any portion of the desktop, tabs 370, scrollbars etc. By way of one example, a “radio option can be provided at any or all of the locations on a user's desktop. In an illustration, a “radio option is provided in one or more of traybar icon 400, dropdown menu 410, start menu 420 and/or frame title bar 430. In this one example, clicking on the radio selection location 400, 410, 420 or 430, a radio display is shown, such as illustrated by way of example in
A part-screen window mode (similar to the two region version of the Full Mode described above) is illustrated in
Preferably upon startup of the user's system 40 in this embodiment, media player 100 functionality access is available in region 710. One way of accomplishing this is to put start instructions in a system initialization file, or start file. Alternatively, the media player 100 in this embodiment is incorporated as a part of the operating system that starts and creates the media player region 710 as part of start up.
In a preferred embodiment, a user interface is provided that integrates a desktop (i.e. workspace region 720), Internet browser and/or search system, media player and optionally e-commerce functionality together in one desktop experience. In this embodiment, a computer 40 becomes an entertainment, media playing or Internet appliance at start up, providing instant access to Internet, searching, and media This appliance 40 can be implemented as a hardware or a software integration as discussed above. In one example of a hardware integration, the media player appliance includes computing components such as including a CPU 110, input device 160, memory 130, 140, 180, output devices such as a display 170 or speaker and network connection 150, the personal computer run by an operating system that includes the media player 100 features of this invention, or alternatively that has a separate media player 100 loaded at startup or upon user selection.
In the native desktop mode, the user may dedicate the desktop 510 or workspace region 720 to other applications such as work environment applications, but the media player functionality is easily accessible to the User. Unlike other applications the media player does not need to occupy any of the desktop 510 or workspace region 720 in one embodiment. It is embedded directly into the system environment at any desired locations.
Another operating mode is a customized desktop. This mode can incorporate the functionality of the native desktop mode or the full mode, with additional customization options. For example, a user can select (or develop on her own) a customized the look and feel, of the system desktop. The media player application is thereby embedded into the desktop skin in a customizable fashion. For example, in this embodiment, the user can select among various options for placement of links (or click locations) for various different functionalities (described below) of the media player. For example function “A can be specified for location on a traybar 300 and start menu 320 and function “B can be specified for location on a pull down menu 360 and traybar 300 and so on for as many functions as desired. In this example, any function can be function “A or function “B . In an embodiment, at least one default set up is provided that is customizable. Likewise in the customizable mode, the appearances of different parts of the desktop are customizable or “skinable , such as graphics, window appearance, frame appearance and so on. Also in the Customized Desktop mode, the user can select among the various functionalities to incorporate.
The same benefit applies in Customized Desktop mode as in Native Desktop mode. The User is able to maximize the desktop for work or other applications, yet have full access to the media player functionality as desired.
In an embodiment a user also may switch between operating modes. The Player application may transition between Full Mode and Native Desktop Mode or between Full Mode and Customized Desktop Mode, or between the different types of Full Mode, such as application window and reserved desktop space. The User may also switch between Native Desktop Mode (non-Skinned) and Custom Desktop Mode (Skinned).
Various optional functions of the media player 100 now will be described. It should be understood that all or any combination of these functions can be incorporated in the media player 100. Likewise, in a customizable desktop mode, the user optionally can select among the functions desired. As the functions are discussed, one possible embodiment will also be described with respect to the player region 710 embodiment. It should be understood that these and other functions of the invention are provided for illustrative purposes only and other features can be incorporated as well. Likewise, although some of the functions are illustrated with regards to the player region 710 embodiment, the functions also are in other embodiments of the invention as desired.
One function is integrated shopping, i.e. e-commerce. This function can enable shopping and purchase of any desired goods and services, including media related items, such as music, movies or video, or any other goods and services. The media player 100 enables e-commerce directly inside the media player, without the user needing to open a browser window or other software to visit e-commerce websites 30 or media provider websites 20. The User may shop for products and services. Software and media purchased optionally are downloaded directly to the media player and installed into the a media library of the media player (also called a “cache , “cache library or “cache memory herein). In an embodiment, the media player is fully integrated with an e-commerce engine, both of which are skinned onto the operating system desktop. In the part-screen window mode illustrated in
One example of storage and access to cached media is illustrated in the flowchart illustrated in
Continuing with the processing steps depicted in
An example of loading files or data into the cache memory 1026 will be discussed from the point of view of a client system 40 is illustrated in
The content cache memory 1026 can be filled with any type of content desired, such as songs, movies, advertising etc. In a preferred embodiment, all of the blank memory of user system 40 (preferably the hard drive alone) is filled with content of the cache memory 1026. The cache memory 1026 also preferably would be invisible to the user of user system 40. In other words, it would appear as empty hard drive space to the user, even though it contains content available via the media player 100. Preferably the cache memory space 1026 occupies all of the available memory space (or hard drive space) of the user system 40, in order to maximize the content available to the user on the user system 40. If user desires to enter programs or other data into the memory of user system 40, the user can do so, and preferably has priority access, and some of the cache memory space is correspondingly reduced, along with its content. Selection of the cache memory 1026 files to delete can be done on any preferably automatic scheme, such as first in first out, predetermined hierarchy, such as songs first then movies, or old songs first then old movies, or new songs first, or detected user preferences, or specified user preferences etc. Likewise, the player system 100 can replace existing cached data or files with other data or files received via the ECN by the media player.
In one embodiment, the cache file listing 1032 is color or iconically coded to differentiate among content. For example, free content, already paid for content and not yet paid for content would appear differently. Color coding is one example, such as titles of free content may be green, already paid for content black and not yet paid for content can be red. Alternatively or additionally, icons can be used such as “$ signs for content requiring a payment.
In an alternative embodiment, user systems 40 are purchased by the users with the a cache memory 1026 pre-loaded with content. Thus the new computer system comes with visible files, in the user file space 1024 and not visible files in the cache memory space 1026. This can involve any amount of content limited typically by available disk space. In one embodiment the cache 1026 comes pre-loaded with a specified number of movies, music videos, commercials, songs and or website content.
On embodiment of cache content would be website content. Thus, in this example, certain websites subscribe to a media player content supplier to provide the full content updates of their websites at specified time intervals. Subsequently, particular user systems 40 identified as targets of those websites (either by request, subscription or other determination) receive periodic loading of the website content into their cache. Thus a user who wants daily news could have a news website content cached directly to the cache 1026 overnight, and then view any time desired, such as in the morning. This has the advantage of a more robust user experience and at the same time shifting the website's bandwidth usage if desired to lower cost or volume times.
As illustrated in step 1130, the selected content files are received in the user system 40, from any desired source, preferably via the Internet 10. Optionally a play schedule or script is received by the user system 49 first, and then the user system 40 acts in accordance with the schedule or script. For example, the script can designate. times and content to download (and locations where the content can be found) to the user system 40, and the user system 40 can act accordingly. In other words, the script can include identifications of said one or more media files, location data indicating the Internet locations from which designated ones of said media files can be downloaded, downloading sequence for said one or more media files and /or a download timing parameter or any other control instructions desired for the client system. It is understood “script as used herein refers to a file or other form of data containing the desired information. The received content can either be displayed as desired, or optionally (or additionally) stored in a memory on the user system 40. This memory can be organized as the cache memory discussed above. As indicated in step 1140, the content is played.
In one embodiment, the user system 40 is left on at all times, or at relevant times, and a presence indication signal is not provided, or is periodically provided. In this alternative embodiment, when the user system 40 is not connected to the Internet at a relevant time, content is not received. When the user system is connected to the Internet at relevant times, the cache memory is filled.
Continuing with the method illustrated in
No-click payment is an alternative payment processing, as illustrated in
An alternative of the no-click payment system is illustrated in
In one embodiment, once the play button is pressed in step 1052, processing passes without delay to transaction record or processing as illustrated with step 1055. In another embodiment, there is some delay, such as a 10, 20 or 30 second or longer delay. One purpose this achieves is to allow the user system 40 time to commence laying of step 1080.
In another example, with reference to
Another function is the radio function, discussed briefly above. In this function, for example, various radio stations and streamed audio programming are provided. This can be personalized to a programmed genre or software selected genre's depending on the user's tastes as determined from prior usage of the media player by the user. Other features can be incorporated, such as song skip, pause, fast forward and so on. In the embodiment illustrated in
As discussed in greater detail above, the User may use the media player client application 100 to stream personalized media directly to the computer desktop. The media player 100 contacts a server over the Internet and requests media. The server controls the media stream back down to the media player client. The media player client displays or plays the streamed media for the user. A subscription media function also can be provided in which certain media streams or stations require a payment for access. It should be noted that the streamed media can be any form of media, including the cached media display, as discussed above, or other forms of cached media display, such as personalized advertising.
The User may use the media player client application to specifically select media, as also discussed above. The selected media is delivered from servers over the Internet to the media player client application on the user's system 40. The media player client application displays or plays the selected media. Any player functionality can be implemented, such as starting, stopping, skipping, fast forwarding and reversing. For example, illustrated functions include fast forward button 770, reverse button 780, pause or stop button 790, volume slide bar 800 and play position slide 810.
Media on demand is another feature optionally integrated into the media player. The user selects specific media to be streamed to the media player from servers over the Internet.
Play list management is another optional function. The media player is used to manage various user created play lists as discussed above. The media player application client also optionally creates default or customized play lists such as: most popular, most recently added, genre specific, etc. or experience based.
A Digital Magazine functionality also optionally is implemented. The media player enables viewing of online digital magazines, such as BuyMagazine available at buymagazine.com. The media player implementing this functionality optionally supports e-commerce through the digital magazine.
Optionally, contextual discovery (or artificial intelligence programming) can be implemented for the media player to generate information, text, graphics, commercial offers, advertising or recommendations directly related to the currently playing media, or to media previously played.
Optionally, the server system generates the information, text, graphics, offers, advertising, recommendations, etc. based on information provided from the media player. In this option, the media player provides the server information about the currently (now) playing media or media previously played over any desired time period. The server uses this information in a software implemented process to make decisions and selections of data to send to the media player for processing and/or display. Examples of information generated can include artist biography, influencers, and contemporaries and genre information.
The media player optionally includes a media library function in which music, photos, movies and other media are managed, organized and/or displayed as discussed above. The library preferably is stored as a database either on the user's stem 40 or on a system accessed via the Internet, where the user may store media content to be played or viewed in the media player application client. The user may search and sort the contents of the media library. For example display of the media library contents optionally is in accordance with the display of cache library as discussed above.
Download management and scheduling is a further optional function as discussed above. Users may use the Player 100 application to schedule downloads of media. Likewise the user can record streamed media, or video, such as television programs. Optionally, a download storage disk space limit is set in order to prevent overloading of memory modules available to the media player. A user also can select and review automatic downloads of recommended media as determined by preferences stored on or determined by the media player 100 application or a server accessed via the Internet. The media player 100 may accept storage on behalf of the user's system 40 that is pushed to it from servers over the Internet.
One implementation of download management is of an advertising vehicle in which, in addition to possible functions discussed above, such as an entertainment system operating with cached content,. In this embodiment, advertising campaigns can be targeted as specific users as selected by any criteria. Examples of criteria are geographic, demographic, or contextual as observed from interests learned through previous use of the media player or other content access. At desired times, advertising campaigns are sent from a supplier system (such as illustrated with reference numbers 20 or 30) to desired user systems 40. They can be stored for sending to the user system 40 until the user system is available to receive the content, such as by accessing the Internet or a particular website on the Internet.
One embodiment of an advertising. display system is illustrated in
One example of operation of the advertising display system can be discussed with reference to the procedure illustrated in
The received advertising content can either be displayed as desired, or optionally (or additionally) stored in a memory on the user system 1240. This memory can be organized as the cache memory 1026 discussed above. As indicated in step 1150, the advertising content 5 is played. The advertising can optionally be played upon selection by the user, upon selection of another media file by the user and played in conjunction with that file, or optionally on an automatic schedule provided to the user system 1240. In one example, a content tile is a movie. Advertising content can be displayed like commercials interspersed within the move, at the beginning or end, or in a frame. In another example, a user can be offered payment options for content, such as free if viewed with advertisements, or fee if no advertisements. In a further example, content is played like a radio station or a stream of plural songs, or mixtures of songs and news or other content. Periodically, advertising is played either simultaneously, or as advertising breaks.
It should be noted that plural advertising campaigns can be included in a script, as well as any other media content. Other media content can include free or subscription music or video for example. In step 1350, the script is sent to the corresponding user system 1240. For example, this sending step can be executed after or upon receipt of a presence indication signal 1220 from the user system 1240. Alternatively, it can be sent to specific IP addresses as desired. Optionally, the user is provided with an option of executing the script in step 1360. If the script is not accepted, processing stops or alternatively as illustrated with step 1370, an optional rejection signal is returned to the advertising campaign server 1210. In step 1380, the script is executed by the user media player 100 to request and retrieve (download) data such as media files in accordance with the instructions in the script.
In still another alternative embodiment, the user system 1240 actively seeks content when certain criteria are met. For example, an idle time criterion can be used, whereby when the criterion is met, the media player of user system 1240 seeks content from content providers on the Internet, such as advertising campaign server 1210, or other server systems 20, 30 etc.
It should be understood that the preferred embodiment of a PC based media player system 100 has been discussed herein as a way of illustration. Alternative embodiments also are available. For example, smart television can be controlled in the same fashion as media player systems 40 or 1240, i.e. creation of a control script then executed on the television for the display of content and advertising. Likewise a computer type system can be used, with its display going out to a television for viewing. Another application is smart billboards or signage, in which control scripts are created for particularly selected billboards, and media content and advertising displayed thereon. One embodiment is signage at ballparks in which a scoreboard or advertising display plays content and advertising. Another application is portable music players having wireless Internet connections. Alternatively a portable music player having only a wired Internet connection can be synched by connecting it to the Internet such as via a USB cable (or other wired connection) to an Internet appliance such as a smart TV, PC or TIVO, and then is synched by announcing its presence to the server, receiving a script and downloading designated content.
In another function, the media player application 100 allows users to share media files other user systems via a local network or the Internet. Optionally, a limitation on the number of sharers can be set, such as five or ten users. The media player application “listens for other media player applications running on the local network, and when detected can communicate. The media applications may communicate with each other to enable, for example, the sharing for media files and play lists. The user may specify the type of access, if any, that another media player application may have.
Other optional functions include: burning DVDs or CDs (or any other storage media) containing media files, copying to a portable player and play list burns. For example, the user can use the media player to develop play lists, which optionally are stored onto a transportable media or sent via the Internet to another user or stored in a portable player. Optionally, the media player implements digital rights management limiting the number of transfers, plays, burns etc. as set by the copyright owner or media supplier. In one example, the media player has a counter module tracking play list or item burns and a counter limit is set to cap the number of burns. A play list burn can involve creating a play list with a set of media files and then copying it to a CD (or DVD) or portable player. Once the maximum number of burns is reached, the media player implementing digital rights management will no longer allow burning of that specific play list or individual media file.
Any media type can be handled by the media player as desired. Examples include wma, wmv, mp3, aac, mpeg, avi, jpg, gif file formats, or any other file format desired.
Preferably, the media player is compliant with digital rights management standards, such as Windows Media DRM. Optionally, it supports native and 3rd party visualizations and skins.
Other optional functions include: providing browser functionality, such as Next 820, Previous 830, Stop 840, Refresh, and Home page 850 buttons; display browser in player, such as URL selection area 860, instant search capability location 870, favorites 880, enable user to show/hide song artwork such as album graphics, adjust size, and add/delete artwork; saving songs or movies in Player/Artist/Album folders for organizational purposes, such as using options available in drop down windows available by clicking the player 730 or Media 740 buttons; user feedback functions, such as rating or reviewing music and movies; music library browsing; and sound and video quality adjustments (color, volume, timbre, pitch etc.) optionally including a graphic equalizer. In addition, the media player 100 can be personalized to particular vendors or users by positioning a brand name, logo or other identifier on the toolbar space 710, such as at the location indicated with reference number 890. A user optionally can switch between toolbar mode and a desktop mode such as by clicking on a desktop button 900.
One form of Internet Commerce capability also is integrated with the media player system 100, as illustrated in
It should be noted that using these capabilities, the Internet, searching and music playing, for example, are available on the desktop 510 with immediate access. Hitherto, to play media content, it was required to open up a media player, like Windows Media Player form Microsoft Corp. To access the Internet, it was required to open up a browser, like Internet Explorer from Microsoft Corp. To conduct Internet searches, it was required to load a browser, then access a search site, or alternatively install a search type of toolbar on the system. These capabilities and others are provided in a seamless fashion with the player 100, whereby separate windows are not required.
Searching provides a potential revenue source for the provider of the media player 100 to the user, or for a service associated with the media player. For example, search engine services such as Google, available at google.com, Yahoo, available at yahoo.com and Overture, available at overture.com are known to generate revenues from based on some or all clicks user in search results. The media player 100 can incorporate one or more search services via search feature 870. A search produces results displayed in the workspace region 720. The user can click on links in the search results. Links that have associated advertiser fees generate revenues to the search service installed at location 870. The provider of the media player 100 also can arrange with the search services to receive a percentage of the revenue generated by its users. One example of how this is done would be by including data bits along with the click back to the search service associating the clicks with the media player provider.
One form of advertising is movie trailers or clips. For example, among the data sent to user systems 40 cache 1026 can be movie trailers or clips. The movie suppliers can pay a fee depending on the number of views, or simply a flat fee for installation on a specified desired number of user caches 1026.
A privacy policy also can be implemented whereby the player 100 supplier agrees to forego certain.types of data mining, viewing monitoring, purchase tracking etc.
A further advantage of the skinning of the present invention is that it provides a uniform user experience across operating systems. Thus a Linux controlled computer using the media player 100 will provide the same user experience as a Windows or Solaris (or other operating system) controlled computer using the media player 100.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a television type of show (providing for example a live feed, and periodically commercials selected for specific users or groups of users such as based on geography, demographics, preferences etc. are inserted into the video stream. This can be a free type of show, but in one embodiment, a user is provided an option of paying and therefore opting out of commercials. The content of the commercials can optionally be pre-cached into user systems' 40 cache memory 1026, to be played at instructed times during the television show. Thus for example, a user in one embodiment will be offered the alternative of a free streaming show, with commercials, or a subscription or unit purchase show without commercials.
Another aspect of the invention is auto-synching. In this embodiment, the media player 100 detects the build or version of the media player associated software components (or other components such as browser or subscription software). For example, version or build information can be included in the presence indication signal 1120. Alternatively user systems 40 can periodically be polled, or periodically send out their version or build information.
A further aspect of the invention is cache hack protection methodology. In this methodology a hack detection module detects a hack attempt, i.e. to gain unauthorized access to cache memory 1026. If there is a hack detected, optionally the cache memory 1026 can be locked, partially locked (such as only fee requiring content), deleted, partially deleted (such as only fee requiring content). Also preferably already paid for fee requiring content is not deleted and remains available. In one embodiment multiple hack detection techniques are practiced in the hack detection module providing redundancy to minimize a possibility of defeating the hack protection system. In another embodiment, optionally a hack detect signal is sent out to a server system, and in turn a letter, e-mail or other notification or warning is sent to the user.
Various visual appearances, or skins also can be provided, with functionality elements being provided in different skin locations as desired. Examples of visual appearances, would be gaming skins, college logo skins, skateboarding skins, financial oriented skins, musical genre oriented skins and fashion skins.
In an embodiment as illustrated in
In one embodiment, a computer operating system (operating system for any microprocessor controlled device, such as a telephone) is provided in which the operating system integrates the media player and e-commerce functionality as described above with respect to the media player system and method of the present invention.
Another example of operation of the media player 100 operating in native desktop mode or custom mode is provided in
Thus, it is seen that a media player and operating system are provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the preferred embodiments which are presented in this description for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow. It is noted that equivalents for the particular embodiments discussed in this description may practice the invention as well.
Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/513,726, filed Oct. 22, 2003, entitled, “Media Player And Access System And Method And Media Player Operating System Architecture” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/566,379, filed Apr. 28, 2004, entitled, “Media Player And Access System And Method And Media Player Operating System Architecture”, both of which are referred to and hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60513726 | Oct 2003 | US | |
| 60566379 | Apr 2004 | US |
