While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative in nature, and not intended to be limiting of the invention defined by the claims. Moreover, the individual features of the drawings and the invention will be more fully apparent and understood in view of the detailed description.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate similar elements throughout the views.
One embodiment of the music management system of the present invention is illustrated in
In one exemplary embodiment, the music display system comprises computer hardware and software intended to display digital sheet music on one or more remote displays for a team of musicians or singers to use. In one exemplary embodiment, the hardware comprises a computer 20, a display 50, and one or more input devices 40. In another exemplary embodiment, the display 50 comprises a touch screen LCD or similar touch screen monitor device. The computer 20 is also in communication with a storage device 30. In one embodiment, the storage device is internal to the local computer 20, or in an alternative embodiment, the storage device 30 may be external from the computer 20 and communicate through a communication link.
Another embodiment of the present application is a method for transmitting digital sheet music from a music database 150 to local music management system 10. The method comprises establishing a connection between the music database and the local music management system; sending a retrieval code for a desired digital sheet music to the music database, wherein the retrieval code includes information corresponding to the desired digital sheet music; receiving a digital sheet music data file from the music database in response to the retrieval code; storing the digital sheet music data file in a storage medium, wherein the storage medium is in electronic communication with the local music management system; and displaying the desired sheet on one or more displays in communication with the local music management system. In one exemplary embodiment, the music database comprises an online portal.
In order to minimize potential liability under copyright infringement, in one exemplary embodiment, the music management system utilizes encryption and decryption technology to minimize illegal distribution of the digital sheet music data files between systems. The music management system has the ability to download songs from online content providers. For example, similar to today's MP3 online music purchasing site such as iTunes.com, the user would be able to purchase a digital sheet music data file which could be downloaded and then utilized by the music management system. In one exemplary embodiment the downloaded digital sheet music display file would be in encrypted state. The local music management system would keep the digital music sheet display file in an encrypted state in its local storage system. The song would only be usable by the local music management system provided the correct decryption key is known by the local music management system to open and decode the music sheet data file. In another exemplary embodiment, the encryption key could be based on the membership ID, serial number of the local management system, microprocessor ID of the local music management system, mac address, or a combination of these or any other items having unique value.
In one exemplary embodiment, the connection between the music database and the local music management system is over the Internet. In another embodiment, the digital sheet music data file received from the music database is encrypted. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the local music management system transmits a public encryption key to the music database. In this embodiment, the music database utilizes the public encryption key to encrypt the digital music data file that is then transmitted to the local music management system. The local music management system also has a corresponding private encryption/decryption key which allows it to utilize and process the digital sheet music data file. In one exemplary embodiment, the digital sheet music encryption is common to all users of the local music management system. In other words, only one encryption key is utilized for all music coming into that specific local music management system. In an alternative embodiment, the digital sheet music encryption is unique to each user of the local music management system. In this embodiment, it is viewed that there would be multiple users and/or purchasers of digital sheet music on the system, wherein each user or purchaser would have its own account.
Another embodiment of the present invention comprises storing the digital music data file in a storage device, wherein the method further comprises decrypting the digital sheet music data file before it is stored in the storage medium. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, various decryption/encryption technologies can be utilized and are known to those skilled in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, decrypting the digital sheet music data file comprises utilizing a decryption key corresponding to the public encryption utilized by the music database.
In another exemplary embodiment, the retrieval code includes information corresponding to a user of the local management system and wherein the retrieval code is utilized to generate the encryption key by the music database. In one exemplary embodiment the encryption comprises at least 128 bit encryption.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the digital sheet music data file includes a digital rights management section, wherein the digital rights management section includes information related to restrictions of the digital sheet music file. For example, exemplary instructions include the ability to print, display, copy or modify the digital sheet music data file. One exemplary embodiment comprises limitations on printing digital sheet music. For example, a user may obtain a license to print a specific number of copies of the digital sheet music for his use. Once those numbers of copies have printed, the user may need to obtain additional license rights to print additional copies of the sheet music. An alternative restriction comprises a limitation on displaying the digital sheet music. In this embodiment, the user may be limited to a number of times the digital sheet music can be displayed or on how many displays simultaneously it can be displayed.
As noted above, any encryption technology known to those skilled in the art may be utilized in the present invention. In one exemplary embodiment, the encryption technology utilizes a serial number of the local music management system. This registered serial number can then be utilized as part of the digital rights management section to allow the digital sheet music data files to be displayed and/or processed by only the licensed local music management system.
In another exemplary embodiment, the encryption algorithm utilizes a number, such as a serial number, obtained from the microprocessor of the local music management system. In this embodiment, if the music database has access to the registered serial number for the local music management system, the music can be encrypted utilizing that serial number to ensure that the digital sheet music data files are only utilized and processed on the licensed and authorized local music management system.
In another exemplary embodiment, the local music management system is configured to display, print and manage the digital sheet music data files while the data files remain encrypted. For example, in this embodiment, the local music management system may decrypt the digital sheet music data file into temporary memory storage such as volatile memory. Such an embodiment minimizes the ability of someone to commit copyright infringement and copy the digital sheet music data files of the local music management system for use on an unauthorized or unlicensed music management system.
In one exemplary embodiment illustrated in
As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the digital sheet music data files can comprise one or more various file technologies. For example, exemplary file technologies include RTF, XML, PDF, HTML, or the like.
In one exemplary embodiment, the local music management system comprises one or more input devices. Exemplary input devices include a touch screen, foot pedal, hand wireless remote, keyboard, a mouse and the like. The touch screen is utilized in combination with the graphical user interface to allow a music team leader for song selection, song order, display format and the like. A foot pedal can be programmed for any programmable function. In one exemplary embodiment, the foot pedal is used to advance the display from one digital sheet music file to the next.
As noted above, the local music management system may comprise a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface is configured to allow a user to have access to the stored digital music data files as well as access to external databases and internet music content providers. In an exemplary embodiment, the graphical user interface can be utilized to allow the user to enter a user ID and password and then display a list of available songs for download in any exemplary formats the digital sheet music may be available in.
In another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the local management system comprises a control station and multiple thin client units in communication with the control station. The control station may comprise a personal computer or other networked device in communication with multiple thin client units. A thin client is a network computer typically without a harddisk drive, which, in client/server applications, is designed to be especially small so that the bulk of the data processing occurs on the server. However, in an alternative embodiment, the thin client handles the bulk of the data processing.
In one exemplary embodiment, the local management system comprises a system of networked computing systems, for example a primary personal computer (control station) and one or more multiple thin clients (secondary units), wherein the primary personal computer coordinates music for all of the thin clients.
In one embodiment, the primary unit (control station) networks and links to a group of secondary units. In this embodiment, the primary unit has functionality which includes at least one of the following: the ability to download a list of songs including the song content to one or more secondary units; the ability to select the type/part of music (e/g. trumpet part, piano part, etc.) and send the music content for the selected type for the list of songs to one or more secondary units; the ability to synchronize the list of songs to be displayed on the secondary units; the ability to select the play order of the songs of the playlist in the secondary units; the ability to send commands to select the ‘now playing’ song for the secondary units; the ability to send user defined messages to individual secondary units, groups of secondary units or all of the secondary units; the ability to edit one or more pages of a particular song and send edited page to one or more designated secondary units, such edits include annotations and revised pages, etc.; the ability to receive annotations and other edits from a secondary unit and there store edited/annotated page in database; the ability to synchronize and display a timing devise (e.g. metronome) or sound an audio output on each or selected ones of the secondary units, as well as the ability to maintain such synchronization.
In another embodiment, the secondary units have one or more of the following functionality; the ability to operate in a networked environment or in a “stand-alone” mode; the ability to allow a user to annotate/edit/mark-up pages of music using a user input interface such as a keyboard and mouse device; the ability to allow the user to change the song or displayed page using an input device; the ability to change the song or displayed page on other secondary units displaying the same content as primary unit; and the ability to send user defined messages to the control station and/or other secondary units.
In one exemplary embodiment, the local music management system comprises the ability to create playlists, wherein the playlist comprises a listing of stored digital sheet music data files to be displayed in a specific order and timing. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the playlists is similar to a music playlist such as a MP3 player playlist in that it allows the user to pre-select the digital sheet music to be displayed in a specific order and then to store 520 and later manage that playlist as illustrated in
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in
In another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital sheet music file created by importing a song file from the local music management system will be encrypted only on the local music management system. In an alternative embodiment, multiple local music management systems may be connected through a network system, such as over the internet, and be able to utilize their music databases with each other's systems. Moreover, there is a large collection of public domain sheet music available in print and digital form on the internet. Since these sheet music files are not subject to copyright restrictions, multiple local music systems could use and network these without any copyright infringement considerations.
In another exemplary embodiment, the local music management system comprises a licensing rights enforcement system. The licensing rights enforcement system monitors the digital rights management restrictions for each file, and if the user desires to either print or display a particular file in excess of its current licensed value, the local music management system, in one exemplary embodiment, will automatically obtain an additional license value at a preset royalty amount. In one exemplary embodiment, this royalty is paid immediately and an additional license obtained through the remote database, wherein in an alternative embodiment, the local music management system will periodically, such as weekly or monthly, contacts the remote music management database system to make royalty payments and balance the number of licenses.
In one exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in
In another exemplary embodiment, the local music management system stores the digital sheet music data files on an external storage medium, such as on the internet. In this embodiment, the digital sheet music data files can be accessed via an internet connection. In one exemplary embodiment, the external storage medium comprises a third-party hosted web environment, server form or digital storage facility.
In yet another embodiment, the local music management system comprises a web-based hosted application. In this embodiment, the local music management application is hosted on a remote web server and generates various web pages to manage the local music management system.
The foregoing description of the various embodiments and principles of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, some of the principles of this invention may be utilized in other music management systems. Moreover, although multiple inventive concepts have been presented, such aspects need not be utilized in combination, in various combinations of the inventive aspects are possible in light of the various embodiments provided above. Accordingly, the above description is intended to embrace all possible alternatives, modifications, combinations, and variations that have been discussed or suggested herein, as well as all others that fall within the principles, spirit, and broad scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/824,154 filed Aug. 31, 2006; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/824,172 filed Aug. 31, 2006; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/824,180 filed Aug. 31, 2006; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/824,193 filed Aug. 31, 2006; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/824,190 filed Aug. 31, 2006. The entire disclosure of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60824154 | Aug 2006 | US | |
60824172 | Aug 2006 | US | |
60824180 | Aug 2006 | US | |
60824193 | Aug 2006 | US | |
60824190 | Aug 2006 | US |