Patent Application
20060235756
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to online media file sharing and advertising, in particular, media file streaming with advertisements appended to the front of each individual file being streamed.
2. Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
It is known that there is no presently successful business method for combining advertisements and individual file streams into an industry large enough to rival other advertisement-supported media such as radio or TV. Additionally, it is known that files may be shared freely person-to-person, or may be downloaded from web site's servers or separate ftp servers, and companies, groups, or individuals can each provide them to the public; the problem with this is that there is no centralized way of controlling what content is offered, and there is little or no money being made on current business methods like that of Kazaa or Napster. Person-to-person applications require a one-time download of the software, and then through a search mechanism, all available files bearing the name or criteria of the individual's search may be located. The size, date, and name of the file are available as well as the name of the person offering the download, their connection speed, and the expected speed of the transfer. Typically these services, including Napster and Kazaa, propagate millions of dollars worth of online piracy of media files from TV shows, to films, to music; and are today believed to be stealing revenues from the music industry that would otherwise go to the media companies who produce the media content.
Recently, online companies like Pressplay.com have tried to offer legal alternatives to Kazaa and Napster that are endorsed by the larger media companies, such as subscription services for file streaming and/or downloading. But these services are slow to catch on with the public, and are growing slower than free file-sharing services like Kazaa. They are ultimately not as profitable as expected. Meanwhile the media industry continues its tremendous decline in revenue.
A need exists for a legal, free online media service that provides unlimited media content to the entire public for free as individual file streams, and depends upon advertising revenue.
A need also exists to reverse the current shrinking music industry by redirecting the enormous online piracy community into a legally legitimate file-streaming community.
A need further exists to offer a subscription service that is more desirable to millions of Internet surfers than the current generally unpopular online media subscription services available.
1. Solution to the Problem.
The present invention discloses an online file-streaming and advertising business method that provides a solution to the above problem by providing a means for allowing for the on-demand availability of all media content as individual file streams including films, TV programs, songs from all albums, both miscellaneous and rare video and sound clips, etc., for free to the public.
First, the advertising is paid for and appended to the media files. Second all of the files are located on the centralized network of servers, each to be individually accessible by the general public through local Internet Service Providers, and advertisers and independent investors pay for the associated traffic costs. Third, the user searches the network of servers to find the individual media file(s) they are looking for. Fourth, the user clicks to stream the individual file. The file is streamed: first the advertisement is shown, then the media is viewed. During the time after the advertisement is presented in the file stream, the user may fast forward and rewind for no longer than the initial duration of the song. Finally, the individual media file disappears from the computer and the user is left to find more.
This system provides a platform for advertisers to reach the Internet public in an effective way. This system provides a legal, reasonable alternative to both the current systems of online piracy, as well as the current systems of legal media file-streaming and downloading web sites and Internet companies that generally rely upon streaming bundles of files.
2. Summary.
The present invention discloses an online file-streaming and advertising method for integrating advertising into file streaming, that forces whomever streams the media file to also view or hear the advertisement. First the individual clicks to download. Then the stream starts to download but the individual cannot yet access the file—this is known as “buffering.” The advertisement is then played before the media can be viewed or heard. Then the media is viewed or heard and may be fast-forwarded or rewound so long as the stream is present for no longer than the set initial duration of the file stream. Finally, the file disappears off the individual's computer. The individual cannot skip past or get away from the advertisement. The individual cannot pirate or steal the media file in any way, because the file cannot be copied when it is streamed.
Diagram of how the virtual “web radio” web site would look if it were online. This diagram points to what the functions of the web site might be, and how it might be laid out. At the top, there is a search engine that can search the database of individual media files housed on the centralized network of servers.
Details the process inherent in the business method. This diagram shows how the advertising content and media content gets to the individual, as well as the path that the individual media files take. It shows how the web site will be the central destination for the flow of the business method.
The best mode of carrying out this description can be attained when certain elements are in place. First, there must be a fully functional virtual “web radio” web site with the capability of accessing a centralized network of individual media files and streaming those files to individuals, that connects to homes and LANs through local Internet Service Providers. Second, advertisers must pay money to append their advertisements to the front of individual file streams. Third, the advertisements must be appended to the front of the streams of the individual media files so that the individual must first view or hear the advertisement before they hear or view the actual media content part of the file. Fourth, there must be a centralized network of servers, or at least a central database, physically in place that contains all the individual media files. Fifth, there must be a separate software program available to the public that endeavors to streamline individuals' usage of the web site for the purpose of the individuals' convenience. Finally, there should be a method in place that allows for optimized streaming. When the user starts streaming a file, the file will “buffer” enough so as to make the transfer fast and generally unproblematic. Part of this business method is already standard for streaming. When the viewer is finished viewing the stream, the file does not remain on the individual's computer.
The virtual “web radio” web site includes elements such as email, chat room, message boards for people involved or interested in working in the media industry at any level, headlines, and tailored search engines for Music, Film, TV, and Local. Additionally, it includes a section called “My Web Site,” which would function as the way for people who go to the site to customize the way it looks to them, to view their recent downloads, and to manage their profile. These features are inconsequential to the basic business method. They are a feature of a specific claim of the business method that is designed to make the virtual “web radio” web site into a portal with the purpose of assisting the creation of an online community based on and around the web site. In the basic business method however, the web site must only necessarily include a way to access the centralized network of servers containing the individual media files with advertisements appended to the front, and must then stream those files to the individual.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, other web site formats may be used, and there may be other acceptable methods for gathering all of the media content: a centralized network of servers is preferable for instance, but not necessary.
