Patent Application
20070264982
The present invention relates to distribution of digital media, and more specifically, to a system and method for recommending and retrieving digital media using networks.
Exchanging and downloading of digital media, such as digital music files, games, images, videos and books, has become increasingly popular in recent years. The music industry, for example, now encourages and supports downloading of digital music over networks, such as the Internet. There are now numerous licensed sites that offer digital music. In 2004, there were over 140 million paid downloads in the U.S. These downloads generated $330 million in revenue for record companies. Such digital music sales are predicted to rise to 25% of the total revenue for record companies within five years.
The use of portable electronics has also increased significantly in recent years. Many consumers are now using portable devices, such as portable MP3 players, to play digital music. Portable devices that include communications capability, such as cellular or mobile telephones, may abet the existing market trends and offer consumers a platform for downloading and listening to music.
Unfortunately, existing channels for digital media offer consumers an overwhelming number of items for purchase. Consumers are often bewildered by such an excess number of choices. Existing approaches to providing recommendations to consumers may not track quickly changing interests and/or tastes, and may not correspond to small but pertinent peer groups. In addition, it is often difficult to provide recommendations to consumers using the small user interfaces that are available on existing portable devices. These challenges may act to reduce sales of digital media.
There is a need, therefore, for a system and method of distributing media that assists consumers in identifying digital media that the consumers may be interested in purchasing.
A system and method for providing recommendations and retrieving content are described. In an embodiment of the method performed by a mobile telephone, information about a plurality of media files associated with a user of the mobile telephone is displayed, and in response to a user's selection, a media file of the plurality of media files is identified. A respective message from a group of messages that includes pre-defined messages is selected in response to an action by the user. A message is generated. The generated message includes the selected message, a recommendation for the identified media file and a link to a location that is specifically associated with the identified media file. The link is configured to provide access to the media file when activated. The message is transmitted to at least one recipient using a network.
The operations of displaying information, identifying a media file, selecting a respective message and/or generating the message may be performed by an application resident in the mobile telephone. In some embodiments, the operations of displaying information, identifying a media file, selecting a respective message and/or generating the message are performed by an integrated media player and recommendation application resident in the mobile telephone.
In another embodiment of the method, the media file is identified in response to a user's selection. The message is generated. The message includes the recommendation for the media file and the link to the location that is specifically associated with the media file. The link is configured to provide access to the media file when activated. The message is transmitted to at least the one recipient using the network.
When the message is generated, the respective message may be selected from the group of messages that includes pre-defined messages. In some embodiments, the message is added to the group of messages. In some embodiments, at least the one recipient for the message is selected using an address book. At least the one recipient for the message may be selected in accordance with a telephone number for at least the one recipient.
The message may be a text message. The message may be transmitted using Short Messaging Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Push, instant messaging and/or email. The network may include the Internet. The network may include wireless communication. The location may be a website and the link may be a URL.
In some embodiments, the message is received on a portable device. The portable device may include a music player and/or a cellular telephone. The media file may be provided by activating the link. The providing may include downloading at least a portion of the media file. At least the portion of the media file may be a preview of the media file.
In some embodiments, an additional file corresponding to the media file is downloaded. The additional file allows at least the portion of the media file to be played back using a software application that is compatible with the media file. In some embodiments, the software application is downloaded.
In some embodiments, the media file is purchased. A credit may be provided to a sender of the message when at least the one recipient purchases the media file. A confirmation message may be sent to a sender of the message when at least the one recipient purchases the media file. A list of top-N media files associated with the sender of the message may be provided to at least the one recipient.
The media file may be a digital music file. The message may include a description of the media file. The description may include an artist's name and a song title.
The method and system may reduce or eliminate the challenges associated with existing approaches to distributing media.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.
A system and method for distributing media are described. Individuals may use the system and/or practice the method to provide one or more recommendations to one or more recipients, such as friends and/or colleagues, who in turn may act on the recommendations. The recommendations may be one or more messages that include one or more links, such as a uniform resource locator (URL) or hyperlink to a web page or website, that is specifically associated with one or more media files, such as one or more music tracks. A sender of a message may select the message from a pre-defined list or group of messages, as described below in the discussion of
By accessing the link (for example, by clicking on it), a respective recipient of the message may access a respective media file. This may include downloading at least a portion of the respective media file, such as a preview of the respective media file and/or the respective media file. The recipient may download an application program that is compatible with the respective media file and that allows the recipient to play the respective media file back. The respective recipient may download a header file, such as a Digital Rights Management file or header, that unlocks the respective media file and allows the respective recipient to play the respective media file. The respective recipient may purchase the respective media file.
In some embodiments, the sender of the message may be notified when at least one recipient purchases the respective media file. The sender may receive a credit, such as a financial reward and/or a financial discount, after sending the message and/or when at least one recipient purchases the respective media file. The financial reward and/or the financial reward may be used, by the sender, during a future purchase of another media file. In some embodiments, the sender may pay for a respective media file sent to one or more recipients. For example, the sender may send the respective media file as a gift.
The respective media file may include digital music, a game, an image, a video, a ring tone, software and/or a book or printed document. In an exemplary embodiment, the messages, which include the recommendations and associated links, may be communicated between portable or mobile devices, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, portable music players, notebook computers and/or tablet computers. The messages may be communicated, at least in part, using computers and/or servers. The messages may be communicated using email, Short Message Service (SMS), text messaging, instant messaging, Multimedia Message Service (MMS) and/or a Wireless Application protocol (WAP). The messages may be communicated over a network, such as the World Wide Web (WWW) or the Internet, an Intranet, a local area network that uses a protocol such as Bluetooth and/or WiFi, a wired network, a network with a persistent connection and/or a wireless network. The wireless network may use one or more communications protocols, including Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and/or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA).
By providing messages that allow senders and recipients to exchange recommendations, to preview media files and/or to purchase media files, the system and method may make it easier to determine relevant content, i.e., content that is of interest. The system and method may, therefore, increase sales of such media files. In addition, the system and method may be implemented using existing user interfaces on portable devices, thereby further increasing the ease of use and effectiveness of using such portable devices to purchase and/or play back the media files.
Attention is now directed towards a system for distributing media.
An access point 114 may couple the network 112 to a network 116. In an exemplary embodiment, the network 116 is the Internet. The network 116 is coupled to a billing server 118 and an application server 120. The access point 114 may be configured to act as a gate keeper, allowing a subset of the devices 110 to communicate with the billing server 118 and the application server 120. The subset of the devices 110 may correspond to those users that have signed up for and/or paid for the messaging and media file distribution system that is described below. In some embodiments, the subset of the devices 110 may correspond to those users that receive service from a respective service provider. The service may be cellular telephone service and/or Internet service.
The billing server 118 may keep track of financial transactions in the media file distribution system, including credits (e.g., credits for recommendations provided and/or recommendations that are acted on by one or more recipients) and debits (e.g., debits corresponding to user purchases of media files). The applications server 120 may store and provide the media files, such as music files and/or previews of the music files, to one or more of the mobile devices 110. In some embodiments, the applications server 120 may store and/or provide one or more messages (including the recommendations and the links) to one or more of the devices 110 in response to a user's instructions instead of generating and transmitting the one or more messages from the user's device, such as device 110-1. The applications server 120 may store and provide one or more applications programs that are compatible with the media files and that allow recipients of the media files to play the media files back. The one or more applications programs may be configured to execute on one or more of the portable devices 110. The applications server 120 may store and provide Digital Rights Management headers corresponding to the media files.
In some embodiments, the system 100 may include additional or fewer components. Functions or one or more of the components may be implemented by another component. Two or more components may be combined into a single component. Positions of one or more components may be changed.
Attention is now directed towards embodiments of methods or processes for distributing media. A user of a portable device may choose to send a message to recommend a media file to one or more recipients. For example, after downloading and/or purchasing a digital music file, the user may wish to recommend it to one or more friends and/or colleagues. Alternatively, the user may wish to recommend one or more music files in a collection of music files that he or she has already downloaded and/or purchased. This user may generate the message using a recommendation application that is resident in the portable device and/or the applications server 120 (
In an illustrative example, Mary Smith, who has previously purchased music files corresponding to songs by several groups, including Kosheen, and downloaded them, wants to recommend Kosheen's song “Hungry” to her friend John Smithson. In other embodiments, however, Mary Smith may additionally recommend music files that she has not purchased, for example, by selecting music files listed on a website for a store. On her cellular telephone, she selects “Kosheen—Hungry” from a folder that includes her music files. Optionally, at this point Mary may listen to all or a portion of the selected music file. She may do this, for instance, to verify that she has in fact selected the song that she intends to recommend to John. Continuing with our example, Mary selects an option to recommend that song. When Mary is prompted for the recipient, she scans through her address book using a music player and/or recommendation application and selects John Smithson. Mary may search for the recipient based on the recipient's telephone number.
Mary may select content for her message from a list of pre-defined messages. For example, she may select “Take a look at this song.” In some embodiments, Mary may type in the content of the message that includes the recommendation. In some embodiments, the recommendation is appended to Mary's message by the music player and/or recommendation application. A new message created by Mary may be added to the list of pre-defined messages. The music player and/or recommendation application may generate the message for John Smithson, including the selected content (the recommendation) as well as the associated link. The message may include a description of the media file. For music files, the message may include a song title, artist's name and/or identification number.
The cellular telephone may transmit the message to John Smithson, for example, when Mary presses a “Send” key or icon. In an exemplary embodiment, the message is a text message. The message may be communicated using SMS. A confirmation message may be displayed on Mary's cellular telephone when the message is sent. If John Smithson purchases the song, another confirmation message may be sent to and displayed on Mary's cellular telephone. As discussed previously, Mary may receive a financial incentive and/or a financial discount for sending the recommendation and/or if John Smithson purchases the song.
The method 200 may include fewer operations or additional operations. Two or more of the aforementioned operations may be combined. A position of one or more of the operations may be changed.
In an illustrative example, John Smithson receives Mary's message on his cellular telephone. The message indicates that he should “Take a look at this song. Kosheen—Hungry” and includes a link, such as a URL, that he can click on. If John has not previously downloaded compatible music player application or software, when he clicks on the link he may be prompted to download the appropriate software (for example, from the application server 120 in
The method 300 may include fewer operations or additional operations. For example, in some embodiments operations 314 and 316 are combined, i.e., Digital Rights Management information is included in the media file. Two or more of the aforementioned operations may be combined. A position of one or more of the operations may be changed.
Attention is now directed towards embodiments of devices in the media distribution system.
In some embodiments, memory 430 stores programs, modules and/or data structures, including
The music player application 438 may include a recommendation application 440. The recommendation application 440 may include one or more pre-defined messages 442. The music player application 438 may be for playing back one or more of the downloaded music files 448. The recommendation application 440 may allow a user to select one or the pre-defined messages 442, to edit one of the pre-defined messages 442 or enter a new message. The recommendation application 440 may generate the message including the recommendation and the link to a music file, such as one of the music files 448, as described previously in the embodiment 200 (
In some embodiments, the application 438 is a multimedia player application for playing video files, music files and possibly other types of multimedia files.
Each of the above identified modules and applications corresponds to a set of instructions for performing one or more functions described above. These modules (i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules. The various modules and sub-modules may be rearranged and/or combined. Memory 430 may include additional modules and/or sub-modules, or fewer modules and/or sub-modules. For example, while the recommendation application 440 and the music player application 438 are integrated in the portable device 400, in other embodiments, the recommendation application 440 and the music player application 438 may be separate applications. In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of the recommendation application 440 may be implemented on the application server 120 (
The portable device 400 may include additional components or fewer components. Two or more components may be combined into a single component. Positions of one or more components may be changed.
In some embodiments, memory 522 stores programs, modules and/or data structures, including
The log files 540 may include a relational database that stores one content record for each music file or song and/or one transaction record for each user preview or purchase transaction. A content record may include a track identification number, a title, an artist, a playing length, as well as other descriptors. A transaction record may include the user's identification number 532, a music file identification number, whether the music file was previewed or purchased, start and finish times of a download, and/or a price billed to the user.
In some embodiments, the application module 528 is a multimedia application for handling video files, music files and possibly other types of multimedia files.
Each of the above identified modules and applications corresponds to a set of instructions for performing one or more functions described above. These modules (i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules. The various modules and sub-modules may be rearranged and/or combined. Memory 522 may include additional modules and/or sub-modules, or fewer modules and/or sub-modules. Memory 522, therefore, may include a subset or a superset of the above identified modules and/or sub-modules.
The application server 500 may include additional components or fewer components. Two or more components may be combined into a single component. Positions of one or more components may be changed.
Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces in the media distribution system.
The music player application 438 (
The selected or entered message may be edited by the user. This is illustrated in
When the message is completed and the user presses “Send,” the message may be transmitted. As shown in
The message may be viewed by one or more recipients. This is illustrated in
When the recipient clicks on the link 712, the music player application 438 (
Attention is now directed towards embodiments of data structures that may be used to implement the system and/or method described previously.
While the embodiments describe communication of messages, such as SMS text messages, from one portable device to another, in other embodiments, the recommendations may be pushed to users from the application server 120 (
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Rather, it should be appreciated that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
