U.S. patent application number 13/842599 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-11 for apparatus, system, and method for integrating content and content services.
This patent application is currently assigned to Clip Interactive, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is CLIP INTERACTIVE, INC.. Invention is credited to Michael Lawless, Jeff Osborn, Jeff Thramann.
Application Number | 20140258292 13/842599 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51489195 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140258292 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thramann; Jeff ; et
al. |
September 11, 2014 |
Apparatus, system, and method for integrating content and content
services
Abstract
A system and method for providing seamless consumption of media
content and managing playlists for seamless consumption of media is
described. One embodiment includes receiving a request for media
content; determining a mode of consumption for the media content;
determining a media content service to provide the media content;
and providing the media content according to the preferred mode of
consumption and from the preferred service and managing playlists
to integrate reproduction of media content from multiple
services.
Inventors: |
Thramann; Jeff; (Longmont,
CO) ; Lawless; Michael; (Boulder, CO) ;
Osborn; Jeff; (Broomfield, CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CLIP INTERACTIVE, INC. |
Boulder |
CO |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Clip Interactive, Inc.
Boulder
CO
|
Family ID: |
51489195 |
Appl. No.: |
13/842599 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61773066 |
Mar 5, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
707/736 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/48 20190101;
H04L 65/4076 20130101; G06F 16/4387 20190101; H04H 60/46 20130101;
G06F 16/435 20190101; G06F 16/9535 20190101; H04L 67/1097
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/736 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: receiving, at a central computer server, a
request for media content; receiving from a user preferences
database maintained on a first data storage device associated with
the central computer server a mode of consumption preference for a
user; determining, based at least in part on the mode of
consumption preference, a mode of consumption for the media
content; determining a media content service from which to request
the media content; performing the following: in response to
determining an ownership mode of consumption for the media content,
sending, to a provisioning computer server of the media content
service, a first set of one or more instructions including one or
more instructions to send, to a second data storage device, a
downloadable media content file encoded with the media content; and
in response to the determining an access mode of consumption,
sending a second set of one or more instructions to add a first
reference to a streamable media content file encoded with the media
content to a playlist database.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a media content
service includes sending a query to one or more computer servers of
one or more media content services for availability data of the
media content.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, in response
to the receiving a request for media content, an advertisement to
the device from which the request was received.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for media content
includes data selected from the group consisting of media content
metadata, RDS data, image data, QR code data, bar code data, and
media content signature data.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content has a type
selected from the group consisting of music, video, electronic
book, and image.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first instruction set further
includes one or more instructions to add a second reference to the
downloadable media content file to a playlist database, the second
reference including an address of the downloadable media content
file on the second data storage device.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the playlist database resides on
the first data storage device and the second data storage device is
a third-party data storage device.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second data storage device is
a first third-party data storage device and the playlist database
resides on a second third-party data storage device.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, in response
to the receiving a request for media content, an advertisement to a
device from which the request for media content was received.
10. A system comprising: a first data storage device having a user
preferences database for storing a user preference for a mode of
consumption, the mode of consumption selected from the group
consisting of ownership and access; and a first computer server
having a network communications interface, a memory, and a
processor, the first computer server configured to: receive a
request for media content via the networks communications
interface, query the user preferences database for a user
preference for a mode of consumption, query one or more second
computer servers of one or more media content services for
availability data of the media content, determine, based at least
in part on a mode of consumption of media content and the
availability data a media content service to provide the media
content, construct a first set of one or more instructions to a
computer server of the media content service to provide the media
content to send, to a second data storage device, a downloadable
media content file encoded with the media content, and construct a
second set of one or more instructions to add a first reference to
a streamable media content file encoded with the media content to a
playlist database.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first computer server is
further configured to send, in response to the receiving a request
for media content, an advertisement to the device from which the
request was received.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the request for media content
includes data selected from the group consisting of media content
metadata, RDS data, image data, QR code data, bar code data, and
media content signature data.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the media content has a type
selected from the group consisting of music, video, electronic
book, and image.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first instruction set
further includes one or more instructions to add a second reference
to the downloadable media content file to a playlist database, the
second reference including an address of the downloadable media
content file on the second data storage device.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the playlist database resides
on the first data storage device and the second data storage device
is a third-party data storage device.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second data storage device
is a first third-party data storage device and the playlist
database resides on a second third-party data storage device.
17. A system comprising: a streaming content database, stored on a
first data storage device; a playlist database configured to
reference media content files stored in the streaming content
database and configured to reference media content files stored in
a third-party data storage device.
18. The system of claim 17, further comprising: a playlist manager
configured to receive instructions to add references to media
content files stored in a third-party data storage device.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising: a third-party media
manager configured to retrieve a media content file referenced in a
third-party data storage device for streaming.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority from to commonly
owned and assigned application No. 61/773,066, Attorney Docket No.
CLIP-002/00US, entitled Apparatus, System, and Method for
Integrating Content and Content Services, and is related to
commonly owned and assigned application Ser. No. 13/660,733,
Attorney Docket No CLIP-001/02US, entitled Apparatus, System, and
method for Digital Audio Services (the '733 Application"), the
disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in
entirety for all purposes.
FIELD
[0002] Disclosed embodiments relate to managing a media playlist
and providing seamless consumption of media. In particular, but not
by way of limitation, disclosed embodiments relate to systems and
methods for managing a media playlist and providing seamless
consumption of media using portable media devices and content
streaming, provisioning, and storage services.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Media content services like Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon
give consumers access to copyrighted works. One reason consumers
use those content services is to avoid the cost of owning content.
But content services likely will always have holes in what they
offer and likely will have trouble incorporating, into their
services, all the ways consumers discover and then consume content.
For example, discovery engines, like YouTube, generally are
"siloed" with no connection to a streaming service, such as
Spotify. In other words, no one tracks content that a consumer
listens to or views on one service and then serves that content or
like content on another service.
[0004] Most consumers discover new content, not through a content
service, but through traditional discovery engines. And in using
those traditional discovery engines, the consumer is passive for
the most part. For example, consumers generally discover new music
through passive listening of radio and then turn to content
services for on-demand access to the new music. So, in general,
listeners consume music from two sources: free sources and content
services, which are paid-for sources. Some free sources, like
radio, allow for passive discovery. Other sources do not--consumers
must select content themselves to some greater extent.
[0005] Streaming services, a type of paid-for content service, can
be referred to generally as, access providers because some allow
limited downloads of content. This differs from traditional
ownership because although the song is downloaded and is actually
present on a particular device local to the user, the user does not
own the file containing song or other media. The media file is, in
some sense, transitory. The user may not be able to move the media
file to another device, the user cannot backup the song, the user
does not have a license for unlimited use of the song. In other
words, the media and its state is controlled by the service.
[0006] Most consumers will never gravitate to one streaming service
at the expense of all others. Rather, most consumers will probably
combine a service with multiple other discovery engines. For
example, music consumers likely will combine some music streaming
service with multiple other music discovery engines like broadcast
radio, satellite radio, internet radio, YouTube, and the like.
[0007] With streaming services, the consumer crafts playlists that
include music that consumers have selected themselves and, to a
lesser extent, music that the service has deemed acceptable to the
listener by virtue of the genome of the listener-selected music. By
and large, however, the listener selects that music. Indeed, even
the music selected by the streaming service using genomic devices
is likely already known to, and may be owned by, the listener. This
access model is like renting the music--the listener pays for the
ability to listen to music on-demand, but does not have rights to
keep it. The listener can either pay-per-listen or pay a flat,
periodic rate. The streaming service maintains the playlist and
manages "radio" based on the listeners selections--all of the
content is provided directly by the streaming service.
[0008] Streaming services do advertise an ability to "discover" new
media content. But this type of discovery is not the same as the
passive type of discovery that happens when someone listens to the
radio. On the radio, a DJ or even a computer selects the music to
play and presents it to the listener. The listener literally does
nothing other than turn on the radio or computer, tune in, and
listen. The listener has no control other than turning on and off
the station. When streaming services use the term "discover," what
they really mean is allowing a customer to textually or
contextually search for media content. It is not a passive
experience and, hence, is not true discovery.
[0009] Another paid-for source are white-label services, branded
download services, or brick-and-mortar record stores. By obtaining
music from these sources, the listener owns the music--the listener
obtains their personal copy and stores it somewhere, either
virtually by storing an electronic file or in reality by, for
example, putting a vinyl LP on a shelf. Again, these paid-for
sources largely require the listener to select, on his own, the
music to obtain. There is no spontaneous discovery available other
than random search and select.
[0010] Although media sources can be classified as either free or
paid-for, any media source will usually involve some sort of
royalty payment for consumption of media content. With the
ownership model, royalties generally are paid out of the purchase
price of the content. Streaming services, on the other hand, can be
considered pay-per-consumption. Pay-per consumption refers simply
to how artists, publishers, record labels, etc. are compensated via
royalties for the consumption of works. In some models, the
royalties are paid from advertising distributed by the consumption
source. For example, a music streaming service will post ads on an
application or web page interface or stream an add In those
instances, the service has control over whether the ad is
presented. In a traditional broadcast medium, royalties are paid in
much the same way. The difference between traditional broadcast
media and streaming service, is that a traditional broadcaster
exercises complete control over the content presented whereas
streaming services offer an array of content for the user to
consume. And for some streaming services in particular, the user
can control the content consumed through playlists. In other
models, users pay subscription fees from which royalties are paid.
Typically, consumers are not subjected to ads if they are paid
subscribers.
[0011] To hear new media content on demand that a consumer has
discovered via some free source or through some source where the
consumer is passive, the consumer must go to some other source to
request, either through access or through ownership, the media
content. And the consumer is left to manage all of the potential
sources of media content and must resort to using multiple services
to consume media. This is particularly true for listeners of
music.
[0012] The result of the current modes of discovering, searching
for, requesting, obtaining, and listening to music is that
consumers must use several different sources and typically have
multiple playlists of music that overlay each individual source.
Again, each source is "siloed" such that the listener lacks the
capability to enjoy music from multiple sources.
[0013] And these problems are exacerbated, particularly for music,
because some streaming services have exclusive rights to music or
particular artists. If a listener is not a subscriber of the
exclusive streamer, this effectively limits the universe of access
for the listener to ownership. If the listener prefers the access
model and consumes most music that way, the listener effectively
lacks access to the music.
[0014] Although present devices are functional, they are not
sufficiently functional or otherwise satisfactory. Accordingly, a
system and method are needed to address the shortfalls of present
technology and to provide other new and innovative features.
SUMMARY
[0015] Exemplary embodiments are shown in the drawings and are
summarized below. These and other embodiments are more fully
described in the Detailed Description section. It is to be
understood, however, that there is no intention to be limited to
the forms described in this Summary of the Invention or in the
Detailed Description. One skilled in the art can recognize that
there are numerous modifications, equivalents and alternative
constructions that fall within the spirit and scope of the
inventions as expressed in the claims.
[0016] Disclosed embodiments can provide a system and method for
providing seamless consumption of media content and managing
playlists for seamless consumption of media. One exemplary
embodiment includes a method for providing alternative modes of
consumption of media that includes receiving, at a central computer
server, a request for media content; querying a user preferences
database maintained on a first data storage device associated with
the central computer system for a mode of consumption preference
for a user; determining, based at least in part on the mode of
consumption preference, a mode of consumption for the media
content; determining a media content service to provide the media
content; performing the following: in response to determining an
ownership mode of consumption for the media content, sending, to a
provisioning computer server of the media content service, a first
set of one or more instructions comprising one or more instructions
to send, to a second data storage device, a downloadable media
content file encoded with the media content; and in response to the
determining an access mode of consumption, sending a second set of
one or more instructions to add a first reference to a streamable
media content file encoded with the media content to a playlist
database.
[0017] Another exemplary embodiment include a system for providing
modes of consumption of media that includes a first data storage
device comprising a user preferences database for storing a user
preference for a mode of consumption, the mode of consumption
selected from the group consisting of ownership and access; and a
first computer server comprising a network communications
interface, a memory, and a processor, the first computer server
configured to receive a request for media content via the networks
communications interface, the first computer server configured to
query the user preferences database for a user preference for a
mode of consumption, the first computer server configured to query
one or more second computer servers of one or more media content
services for availability data of the media content, the first
computer server configured to determine, based at least in part on
a mode of consumption of media content and the availability data, a
media content service to provide the media content, the first
computer server configured to construct a first set of one or more
instructions to a computer server of the media content service to
provide the media content to send, to a second data storage device,
a downloadable media content file encoded with the media content,
and the first computer server configured to construct a second set
of one or more instructions to add a first reference to a
streamable media content file encoded with the media content to a
playlist database.
[0018] Disclosed embodiments are related to tools for discovering
and accessing content using tools that allows consumers to enjoy
the benefits of owning the content without necessarily requiring
dedicated storage and to enjoy the benefits of accessing content
without the limitations of relying on service providers for access.
The disclosed embodiments provide a seamless content discovery,
ownership, and access experience for consumers. A consumer can tag
content and then, using embodiments, have the option of downloading
the content or receive the ability to stream the content without
receiving a download as well as integrating the content into
existing virtual or actual content repositories.
[0019] Disclosed embodiments can track content from a discovery
engine or other environment that is tagged by a consumer. Disclosed
embodiments can also track content (e.g., listen to music) that the
consumer streams from a service (e.g., YouTube, Pandora, and the
like), that the consumer has already downloaded, or both. Using the
disclosed embodiments, existing content streaming services can also
be extended and improved by providing a seamless content experience
for consumers.
[0020] A consumer can be any listener, viewer, or other type of
user of copyrightable work or media content. A consumer device can
be any portable or non-portable consumption device to which
copyrightable content is downloaded or streamed or from which the
copyrightable content is consumed. A consumer device can be
smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or other computing device.
Content can be audio such as music, audio books, etc.; electronic
books; video; or other copyrightable work. A media content service,
content service, or content streaming service can be any service
that provides copyrightable works or media content to
consumers.
[0021] Benefits of the disclosed embodiments include allowing a
consumer to download any broadcast content (e.g., music heard over
the radio) for free thus eliminating financial barriers to content
ownership and adds impulsivity to content consumption (i.e.,
discovery of music) and linking content services to discovery
engines to the benefit of content services. Disclosed embodiments
provide for tracking consumers, their information, and the content
they consume. This information can be shared with third parties to
enhance the relationships between users and the third parties. For
example, artists and record labels can further develop the
relationships between artists and their fans. For other
copyrightable works, creators, producers, and content providers can
further develop relationships with content consumers.
[0022] Disclosed embodiments allow a consumer to integrate owned
content with content the consumer does not own, but accesses from
some content service. Disclosed embodiments also allow a content
service to provide a broader spectrum of content by integrating
content it normally provides with content it does not normally
provide. Furthermore, disclosed embodiments allow content services,
and the content producers (e.g., artists, record labels,
broadcasters, etc.) to receive information about consumer demand
for and consumption of content not provided by the content
services, either because the content is new or the content is
otherwise unavailable to the content service.
[0023] As previously stated, the above-described embodiments and
implementations are for illustration purposes only. Numerous other
embodiments, implementations, and details are easily recognized by
those of skill in the art from the following descriptions and
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] Various objects and advantages and a more complete
understanding of the disclosed embodiments are apparent and more
readily appreciated by reference to the following Detailed
Description and to the appended claims when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying Drawings wherein:
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a system
that allows for the seamless management and consumption of media
content according to some embodiments.
[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed schematic block diagram that
includes content management server according to some
embodiments.
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an schematic block diagram of
specially-programmed computer that can implement one or more of
computer system components in accordance with some embodiments.
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram that includes a
consumer device specially programmed with an application that
communicates with media content services.
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram in which an
application interacts with a content management server.
[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic block diagram of playlist
management.
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates a method for seamlessly providing
alternative modes of consumption of media.
[0032] FIG. 8 illustrates a method for managing a playlist to
provide agnostic consumption of media.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] In referring to the drawings, like or similar elements are
designated with identical reference numerals throughout the several
views. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a system 100
that allows for the seamless management and consumption of media
content according to some embodiments. System 100 includes a
consumer device 160 for the reproduction (i.e., display, play,
etc.) of content. Consumer device 160 can receive content from the
internet 150 and can receive and transmit data to the internet 150
either through wired or wireless connectivity. Consumer device 160
can be a mobile phone that receives network traffic from the
internet 150 via a wired or wireless network communications
adapter, via a radio transceiver over a wireless telephone network
170. Consumer device 160 can also include a radio receiver for the
reception of broadcast media from a radio source 180, for playing
on the consumer device 160. Other broadcast sources are
contemplated, including television. As described further below, in
some embodiments, other types of media content can be received by
consumer device 160. Furthermore, some embodiments can be used with
other types of consumer devices, including computers (e.g., laptop
computers, tablet computer, desktop computers) and other devices
with computing capabilities. Those of skill in the art can
appreciate the different types of consumer devices that can send
network traffic data, receive network traffic data, or both and
that be used with disclosed embodiments.
[0034] In some embodiments, consumer device 160 can be used to
reproduce streamed media content such as audio, video, images,
text-based media, and the like. In some embodiments, consumer
device 160 can be used to download and store media content for
consumption. Such media content can include audio, video, images,
electronic books, and the like.
[0035] Content provisioning service 110 can be a non-branded source
(i.e., white label service) for consumers to obtain ownership of
content, usually through a purchase. Examples of content
provisioning services 110 include MediaNet and 7Digital, which
provide electronic music files. Some embodiments can work with
other branded or non-branded sources like iTunes or Amazon. Content
streaming service 120 can be any media content source that provides
access to content for consumers for streaming purposes. Examples of
content streaming services 120 that provide access to music include
Pandora, Spotify, and Beats. Examples of content streaming services
120 that provide access to other types of media include YouTube,
Hulu, and Veoh. Streaming services 120 can be branded or
non-branded and offer media content for free, for a fee, or for
other consideration (e.g., agreement to accept advertisements).
Storage service 130 can be any third-party service that allows
consumers to store media content files and other types of
electronic files. Examples of storage services 130 include DropBox
and Amazon Cloud Player. Some embodiments can include other
services or storage devices that either provide or store media
content.
[0036] Those of skill in the art can appreciate that media content
files can come in many different formats. For audio media, the
format of content files can be aac, au, m4a, m4p, mp3, way, wma,
and the like. For video, the format of content files can be .flv,
.avi, .mov, .mp4, .wmv, .asf, and the like. For electronic books,
the format of content files can be KF8, AZW, EPUB, XML, PDF, and
the like. The lists of file formats is meant to be illustrative and
should not be considered limiting. In short, whether media is
streamed or downloaded, the format of content files can be
proprietary or non-proprietary, and content files can be compressed
or uncompressed. Some embodiments can be agnostic as to the format
of the content.
[0037] Content management server 140 manages access by consumer
device 160 to the content from services 110-130. Details of how
content management server 140 manages access are further described
below. Content management server 140 can also receive feeds from
broadcasters available to consumers. Consumers can tag content they
have heard, viewed, etc. or that is received by a consumer device
160 from a broadcaster. As is further described below, content
management server 140 can provide further access to or ownership of
media content. As described in the '733 Application, content
management server 140 can communicate with consumer device 160 and
broadcasters 180.
[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed schematic block diagram that
includes content management server 140 according to some
embodiments. Content management server 140 can be one or more
computing devices and data storage devices. Each of the modules
shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware,
or any combination of them. Each of the modules can be further
combined in fewer hardware, firmware, or software components or
further separated into more hardware, firmware, or software
components. Systems and methods implementing the disclosed
embodiments, including the illustrative embodiment in FIG. 2, can
be implemented on a computer equipped with memory, processor,
user-interface, storage media devices, and network communications
interfaces. The invention also provides a tangible digital storage
medium embodying machine-readable instructions executable by a
computer, where the instructions implement the method.
[0039] For example, FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of
specially-programmed computer 300 that can implement one or more of
the foregoing components in accordance with some embodiments. Such
a computer 300 can include a network communications interface 310,
storage medium 320, memory 330, program instructions 340, and
processor 350. Program instructions 340 can be used to implement
one or more of the components or portions of components of the
system 300. Moreover, in some embodiments, additional hardware
components of computer 300 can be included that implement one or
more of the components or portions of components of the system 300.
The storage medium 320 is can be a hard disk drive, but this is
certainly not required, and one of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that other storage media may be utilized with disclosed
embodiments. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that the storage medium 320, which is depicted for
convenience as a single storage device, may be realized by multiple
(e.g., distributed) storage devices.
[0040] Returning to FIG. 2, clip server 210 can receive a content
tag or information related to content from one of consumer devices
160a-d usable by a consumer in accordance with some embodiments.
The clip server 210 can interact with a provisioning module 220 to
provide content to the consumer through ownership and a delivery
module 240 to provide the content to the consumer through access.
Through ownership, the consumer owns a copy of the content and
through access, the consumer is granted access without ownership of
the content. Ownership usually is accomplished by purchasing
content with a single, lump payment; and access usually is
accomplished by paying for a single instance of consumption.
[0041] The determination of the mode of consumption (i.e., whether
to provide content to the consumer through ownership or access) can
depend on information about the consumer in a user preference
database 215 or other type of data store; information from the
consumer or one or more of consumer devices 160a-d; information
about the content; information related to some promotion or offer
related to the content, information related to the capabilities of
services 110-130, which services can provide most cost-effective
access, and the like. In some embodiments, the determination can
depend on tagging information received from consumer device 160,
either separately or in combination with a user preferences
database 215.
[0042] In some embodiments, a user preferences database 215 can be
in data storage device associated with the content management
server 140 or with one or more consumer devices 160a-d. In some
embodiment a user preferences database 215 can be in multiple data
storage devices. In other words, particular user preferences can be
stored on particular devices. For example, preferences specific to
a consumer device could by in a database on a data storage device
associate, with that consumer device. When a consumer tags media
content on for example, a phone, the media content could be
streamed to the phone based on a user preference specific to the
phone. That user preference could be in a database on a storage
device local to the phone, centrally located, or located with a
third party. The consumer could have a user preference that
indicates media content would be downloaded to, for example a
table. In that case, the same media content, when tagged from the
tablet, could be downloaded. This could be, for example, because
the phone has limited disk space, but the tablet does not suffer
the same problem.
[0043] Moreover, in some embodiments, one or more user preference
databases 215 can be made accessible to a consumer through one or
more of consumer devices 160a-d. Using the same example from above,
in such embodiments, a user preference database can be updated, for
example, so that media content can be downloaded the phone, so that
media content can be streamed to the tablet, and the like. User
preference database 215 can include preferences for how media
content is deliver, how media content is obtained, whether media
content is referenced in a playlist, how playlists are managed, how
media content services are used, and the like.
[0044] For example, each media content service 110-130 can have
capabilities unique or particular to that media content service.
The consumer may subscribe to multiple media content services
110-130 that can provide the media content to the consumer. The
consumer may prefer delivery of the media content in a particular
way that only one of the media content services 110-130 has the
capabilities to provide (e.g., delivery of content in a particular
format, delivery to a particular device, etc.). In that instance,
that particular service with the particular service capabilities
can be used to provide the content.
[0045] Moreover, a media content service can have limited
capabilities that prevent a particular type of media content
delivery requiring that provision of media content be accomplished
through a different media content service. For example, a
particular content streaming service may prevent access of media
content on a particular type of device. In that case, a different
content streaming service or a content provisioning service can be
used to stream or download the media content requested by the
consumer.
[0046] The provisioning module 220 can be used to establish
ownership rights to content. Ownership rights can be implemented
through downloading content or providing ongoing access to it. A
white label provisioning module 225 and streaming module 230 can be
used to implement ownership download or access from one or more
external or internal media content services 110-130; devices,
including one or more consumer devices 160a-d; or storage services
130. The white label services module 225 can be used to retrieve
content for storage for a consumer. For example, clip server 210
can receive a content tag indicating that a consumer tagged a song
and has chosen to download it. In some embodiments, clip server 210
can retrieve user preferences for the consumer from the user
preferences database 215, which indicates that the consumer prefers
to download music to a mobile device 160c from a particular content
provisioning service 110 that is a white label service (i.e., a
non-branded provider of access to content). In some embodiments,
the provisioning module 220 can retrieve user preferences for the
consumer from the user preferences database 215. The provisioning
module 220 can instruct the white label services module 225 to
retrieve a media content file encoded with the song (e.g., mp3
file) from the particular white label service. The provisioning
module 220, the white label services module 225, or some other
module can then direct the media content file to the consumer's
mobile device 160c. In some embodiments, a representation of the
content can be included on one or more of consumer devices 160a-d
while the actual content is stored elsewhere, either externally or
internally.
[0047] The streaming module 230 can be used to interact with one or
more of content streaming services 120, storage services 130, or
other services or internal or external storage to provide ongoing
access to content for a consumer as if the consumer had downloaded
the content to a particular device. This can be accomplished by
instructing one or more of the media content services 120-130 that
provides access that the consumer has obtained ownership rights to
content so that one or more of the media content services 120-130
that provides access provides ongoing access to the content for the
consumer without restriction or interruption normally reserved for
consumers who lack ownership of the content or with reduced
restriction or interruption. The content can be stored internally
or externally, in a database associated with one or more of the
consumer devices 160a-d, with the content management server 140, or
with one or more of the media content services 110-130. In some
embodiments, the streaming module 230 can be used to add
information about the consumer's ownership of the content to one or
more playlists maintained or used by the consumer. A playlist can
likewise be stored internally or externally, in a database
associated with a consumer device 160a-d, with the content
management server 140, or with one or more of the media content
services 110-130.
[0048] In some embodiments, content media files can be stored in a
database associated with one or more of the consumer devices
160a-d, associated with the content management server 140, or
associated with one or more of the media content services 110-130.
A database can be associated with a server or service if it is
accessible to the server or service and can be local or remote to
the server or service. For example, databases 215, 217 are
associated with content management server 140; data storage devices
430, 440 depicted in FIG. 4 are associated with consumer device
160c; database 270 is associated with content streaming service
270; and database 280 is associated with storage service 130.
[0049] Content provisioning service 110 can be any service, as
described above, that provides ownership of media to consumers.
Content streaming service 120 can be any service, as described
above, that provides access of media to consumers and can include
subscription-based services or any other source that can provide
media on demand. Content streaming service 120 can have an
associated database 270 in which consumer playlists are stored,
media content files are stored, or both. Storage service 130 can be
any service, as described above, that provides internet, or cloud,
storage of media for consumers. Storage service 130 can have an
associated database 280 in which media content files are stored,
including media content files owned by consumers. In some
embodiments, database 280 can also store consumer playlists.
[0050] Delivery module 240 can be used to establish access rights
to content for the consumer. Access can be implemented by sending
an instruction to a media content service that a consumer is
allowed to consume content (e.g., listen to a song, watch a video,
read a book, etc.). Streaming module 230 can be used in the same
way described above in connection with the provisioning module 220
and to communicate with streaming services 120 and storage services
130 to establish streaming capabilities for a consumer and one or
more of a consumer's devices 160a-d. Device storage services module
260 can be used to store a media content file or a representation
of content in either an internal or external storage device
associated with one or more of consumer devices 160a-d or with
content management server 140, such as content database 217 for
integration in a playlist or otherwise. The cloud storage module
255 can be used similarly for use with proprietary or
non-proprietary third-party storage services.
[0051] The streaming module 230 can be used to instruct internal or
third-party external content streaming services 120 to stream
content to one or more of consumer devices 160a-d or to otherwise
control streaming or access of content for a consumer on one or
more consumer devices 160a-d that has rights to stream or access
the content. The streaming module 230 can also record
representations of content that can be used to indicate to an
internal or external content streaming service 120 that a consumer
or consumer device has rights to stream the content. The
representations of content can be recorded in a database on an
internal or external data storage device. Secure locker module 250
can be used to instruct a storage service 130 that is a proprietary
third-party storage service that a consumer or consumer device has
rights to access content stored in a secure locker.
[0052] It should be understood that the modules of the content
management server 140 depicted in FIG. 2 can be further combined or
separated or organized differently. Those of skill in the art can
appreciate that other embodiments can include different module
organizations and combinations.
[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment that includes a consumer
device 160 specially programmed with application 410 that
communicates with services 110-130. Application 410 can manage
media content from the services 110-130 similar to content
management server 140. Consumer device 160 can also receive
broadcast signals from radio broadcast sources 180 either through
an internet feed or a radio signal. Application 410 can be used to
tag content received from such broadcast signals. In some
embodiments, application 410 can be used to tag content that is
transmitted to a broadcast device 450, such as radio, television,
satellite radio, and the like. Various embodiments of methods and
systems for receiving and tagging broadcast and other media content
is more fully described in the '733 Application.
[0054] Application 410 can also be used to tag media content from
other sources. For example, images of objects or objects themselves
can be tagged. For example, the image of a book on a browser on the
consumer device 160 or some other computing device can be tagged.
This can be accomplished by taking a picture of the object,
scanning a bar code, QR code, or some other type of code associated
with the object, taking a picture of a browser window, selecting
the image in a browser, reading a RF tag associated with the
object, scanning the object or an image of the object, and the
like. Those of skill in the art can appreciate that identifying
information associated with an object can be collected in various
ways. Tagging an object can be accomplished using the application
410 or by collecting information associated with the object outside
of the application 410 and using the application 410 to retrieve
the information.
[0055] Application 410 can also interact with streaming service
application 420 by adding the content to the playlist managed
through streaming service application 420. In other words, if the
user normally would add a reference to content either owned by the
user or available via streaming from a streaming service,
application 410 can add the reference automatically when the user
tags the content. If the content was downloaded, for example, to
the consumer device 160, a reference to the media content file on
the consumer device 160 can be added. If the media content was made
available to the user through a streaming service, a reference to
the media content file streamed by the service can be added. In
some embodiments, application 410 or content management server 140
can use an application programming interface (API) of the content
streaming service 120 or streaming service application 420 to add a
reference to the media content file. Such an API can allow an
interface with a playlist manager, of the content streaming
service. An API for a content provisioning service 110 or content
storage service 130 can allow application 410 or content management
server 140 to send instructions for managing and retrieving media
content files, managing playlists, and communicating with the
service. In some embodiments, application 410 or content management
server 140 can add a reference to the media content file directly
to a playlist database maintained on the consumer device 160, by
the content streaming service 120, or at a content storage service
130.
[0056] Application 410 can manage a playlist database 434 that
references content 432 stored locally on the consumer device 160 or
external to the consumer device 160 or maintained or provided by
one or more services 110-130. For example, application 410 can
manage a playlist that references content stored on a content
streaming service 120, a storage service 130 or elsewhere. Current
streaming services can only reference content that is either stored
on the device to which the content is streamed or owned and stored
by the streaming service itself. Some embodiments allow for the
reference of content that is owned and managed by third parties. In
this way, media content that is provided by disparate services or
stored in disparate databases can be accessed via a single playlist
or a reduced set of playlists and a consumer device 160 is agnostic
about how media content is provided or where media content is
stored. It is to be understood that capabilities of application 410
described herein can also be capabilities of one or more modules of
content management server 140.
[0057] Streaming service application 436 can be an application that
serves as an interface to a proprietary streaming service and can
serve similar functions to application 410 but is proprietary and
provided by content streaming service 120.
[0058] Playlist database 434 on consumer device 160 can be
proprietary or non-proprietary. It can be created by streaming
service application 420, application 410, or through some other
application, software, or component of a streaming service
application 120 or content management server 140. In some
embodiments, a list of files made available by the operating system
of consumer device 160 can serve as a playlist database 434. In
some embodiments, the download of one of the media content files
432 to the consumer device 160 can have the effect of adding a
reference to the media content file to a playlist 434. In some
embodiments, a playlist database 434 can reference media content
files on a storage device 440 separate from, but connected to,
consumer device 160.
[0059] Referring now to FIG. 5, an embodiment is shown in which
application 410 interacts with content management server 140 rather
than directly with media content services 110-130. In the
embodiment shown, application 410 can be used to tag content,
interact with streaming services application 420, and interact with
media content files 432 and playlist database 434 stored on local
data storage devices 430 and with media content files on local data
storage device 440. Content management server 140 can be used to
interact with media content services 110-130. In some embodiments,
content management server 140 can maintain a playlist database 510
that tracks media content files owned by a user, accessible to the
user, or both. In some embodiments, content management server 140
can also manage a content database containing media content files
owned by a user. Playlist database 510 can include references to
media content files stored in a database or data storage device
associated with consumer device 160, in a database associated with
the content management server 140 or with one or more of the
content media services 110-130.
[0060] In some embodiments, if a consumer lacks a subscription to a
content streaming service, a consumer can still tag a media content
(e.g., a song heard over the radio) and, thereby, request the media
content file encoded with the media content be downloaded. The
consumer might select a tag that includes a download request or a
download request can be included in the user preferences database
215 for the user. In other words, the identifying information about
the media content can be received from the consumer device 160 by
the content management server 140 and the media content file
encoded with the song can be sent to the consumer device 160.
[0061] If content is not available (e.g., not on a public playlist)
on the streaming service, the user can download the song through
the content management server 140 or application 410 and that song
can then be available to the individual user through a content
streaming service 120 or content streaming service application 420.
In other words, whether the content streaming service 120 carries
the content can be determined and, if it does not, the content can
be obtained elsewhere, and sent to the consumer device 160 or
centrally cached or stored for the consumer. The content, although
it exists outside the content streaming service 120, can be
consumed using the content streaming service 120. The content
streaming service 120 or some other database can maintain a record
of the content as part of the consumer's playlist, queue, or the
like on behalf of the consumer. A request from the content
streaming service 120 can be received by the consumer device 160,
by a storage service 130, or some other service to which the
consumer has access to play the media content for the consumer. In
some embodiments, the consumer's other content source can be a
local data storage device controlled by the consumer or associated
with a consumer device 160 or some other data storage device
managed by a third party. Media content files encoded with the
media content are stored in one of these storage devices. The
content, owned by the consumer, can be made available through the
content streaming service 120 to just the consumer owner of that
media content.
[0062] In some embodiments, rather than download media to the
consumer device 160 or some other storage location, the consumer
can be given access to the media through a streaming service 120
despite the user not having a subscription. In other embodiments,
however, identifying information about the content and consumer can
be received and passed on to one or more of the media content
services 110-130. The content management server 140 or application
410 can indicate that one or more of the media content services
110-130 should provide the content to the consumer or consumer
device 160, that the consumer has interest in the content, the
consumer prefers the content, and the like. One or more of the
media content services 110-130 can then add such information to
existing information about the consumer or consumer device 160, the
media content, or both.
[0063] In some embodiments, the content management server 140 can
send an instruction to the content provisioning service 110 to
provide a media content file to the storage device of choice on
behalf of the consumer and send a transaction record including
payment information for the media content. Using such embodiments,
the consumer is provided ownership of the content file for free,
and royalties are paid on behalf of the consumer. For example, a
radio broadcaster can offer ownership of a song as a promotion. A
user, hearing a radio ad or the song, can tag the song. In response
to receiving the tag information, the content management server 140
or application 410 can query a user preferences database 215 to
retrieve the consumer's preferred method of storage, store the clip
or other record related to the tagging, in a database, and send a
request to a content provisioning service 110 to send a media
content file to the preferred method of storage.
[0064] A request similar to the request sent to a content
provisioning service 110 can be sent to a content streaming service
120 to provide access to the song for the consumer and add a
reference to the song's content file or link to one or more of the
consumer's playlists. In some embodiments, the content management
server 140 can send a transaction record including payment
information for a per-play subsidy for the streaming or access cost
for the particular content. The content management server 140 can
also add a reference to the song's content file or link to one or
more of the consumer's playlists.
[0065] In other embodiments, the consumer can determine whether the
content should be downloaded, regardless of whether the content is
available on the content streaming service 120. In other words, a
consumer preference for downloading the content or accessing the
content through a content streaming service 120 can be received and
a determination of whether to download based on that preference can
be made, regardless of whether the content is available from a
content streaming service 120.
[0066] In some embodiments, application 410 can be embedded within
content streaming service application 420. Benefits to content
streaming service include the ability to deploy market by market or
nationally. This embodiment also allows for a single interface
point on a consumer device that can be activated when tagging media
content. The media content or information about the media content
can be added to a list that the consumer can then move to a desired
location within whatever consumer device 160 is used. One benefit
of such an embodiment is that a consumer is much more inclined to
use a content streaming service. Another benefit is that tagging
content for any purpose can be centralized at this one interface
point. Many content streaming services allow the consumer to tag
streamed content and create playlists, queues, etc. within the
media content service's environment (i.e., the content streaming
service application 410 or interface). The single interface point
can be embedded in or laid over the content streaming service
application 410 or interface. For example, for music, it results in
one button the user can use to say "I like this song," regardless
of whether the song is on the radio or in the stream. For the
consumer, the method of delivery of media content and follow on
access or ownership is seamless without the consumer lacking
awareness of the original source of the media content or of the
services the consumer uses.
[0067] For example, a music streaming service can add a song tagged
by the consumer to the consumer's playlist within the music
streaming service. As another example, the information can be used
to add the content to a "wishlist" or "queue" on a media content
service. In another example, a media content service can aggregate
the information to make decisions about the content it provides to
its customers, including whether to provide the particular content,
whether to provide similar content, whether to cease providing
certain content, and the like. The information sent to a media
content service can be specific to that media content service or
type of media content service and can include information specific
to influencing any decision made by the media content service.
[0068] In some embodiments, a consumer could be listening to the
radio, the consumer could tag a song, the consumer could then
receive a chit, or clip, in response to tagging the song, and that
chit can include an advertisement. In other words, an indication
that the consumer tagged the song could be received and a chit
would be sent to the consumer device with advertisement information
in response. Chits, or clips, their behavior, their contents, and
their management are described more fully in the '733 Application.
A chit, or clip, can contain information about the tagged content,
the consumer, advertisements or offers related to the consumer, the
tagged content, and/or the source of the tagged content. The clip
can include a link to a content streaming service 120 to which the
user subscribes. Through the link, the media content of the content
streaming service 120 could be searched to determine if it provided
the tagged or "clipped" content. If the content streaming service
120 provided the content, the content streaming service 120 could
be alerted that the consumer likes the content and the tagged
information about the content (not necessarily the downloaded
content file itself) would be automatically added to the consumer's
favorites list, playlists, etc.
[0069] A clip can include the capability to launch a content
streaming service application 420 and allow the user to put the tag
where they want. In other words, in response to receiving
information that a consumer has tagged content, a link to a content
streaming service 120, software to launch a content streaming
service application 420, or an instruction to launch a content
streaming service 420 webpage can be sent to a consumer device 160
so that the consumer can access the content or other, related
content (content can be related by virtue of sharing the same
artist, label, content category, and the like). For example, a
player can be embedded in a clip (and/or be integrated with a
consumer device 160 media player or application) to enable the
simple tagging of content for access. A consumer can still tag
content and still play the content and can do so without having to
download the content to a consumer device 160.
[0070] One benefit of this is that the consumer is not required to
dedicate storage to the ownership of the content. The consumer has
already arranged for access to the content thereby minimizing or
eliminating disadvantages of ownership.
[0071] One benefit of the disclosed embodiments is that the
consumer user can use existing and proven music discovery
capabilities to improve the content available through their media
content service. For example, this can support the "natural
economy" of music as it drives people to radio to get the more
popular songs not available on the streaming services. Another
benefit is that a streaming service can be alerted to the content
their customers want but which the service does not supply. This
gives the streaming service data that can be used to intelligently
prioritize how to fill their content holes. This results in a more
complete streaming service. In some embodiments, media content that
a consumer tags is provided to the consumer regardless of whether
any service makes it available. As the content holes are filled by
media content services because they have more intelligence about
what users are consuming, the operator of the content management
server 140 can give away less free media content to the streaming
customers.
[0072] In some embodiments, advertising revenue is generated from
delivering ads in response to consumers tagging media content. That
revenue is used to subsidize free media content for the consumer.
As services fill their content holes, the operator of the content
management server 140 is able to keep more of that revenue.
Moreover, information related to the consumer, and to the potential
fan of the media content in particular, can still be identified via
the tagging. Consumers are more likely to tag content because they
obtain access or ownership of the media content regardless of
whether the media is available through their service or not because
the consumer pays nothing. As a result, more royalties are paid to
the creators of content (e.g., song writers, record labels,
etc.).
[0073] One benefit to a media content service is that they minimize
their content holes and pay no streaming fees when they stream
media content downloaded for the consumer via the content
management server 140 or application 410. In some embodiments, if
the streaming service already has access to media content, the
content management server 140 or application 410 will still send a
tag to the streaming service but the operator of the content
management server 140 can pay the streaming service every time that
media content is played via the consumers playlist that references
the streaming service for the media content. As a result, as more
music is tagged through application 410, the streaming services are
able to subsidize royalty fees for streaming content to a greater
extent.
[0074] In another embodiment, a tagging data can be received from a
consumer device 160 and, in response, a stream or other content can
be sent to the consumer device 160. For example, the information
related to the tagged media content received from a consumer device
160 can be sent to one or more of media content services 110-130.
In response, information about one or more of the media content
services 110-130 can be sent to the consumer device 160. For
example, an offer to register with one or more of the media content
services 110-130 can be sent to a consumer device 160 from which
the tagging data was received.
[0075] Some embodiments leverage radio-driven discovery of music.
An ad-sponsorship model that is all driven by on-air radio ads can
be used. When a consumer tags content from a radio broadcast,
tagging data can be received, recorded, and further information can
be added related to the tagging, the consumer, the consumer device,
and the like. For example, award points can be recorded for the
consumer; rights to share media content (i.e., access of ownership)
can be obtained for sharing with other consumers or consumer
devices; and the like. Similar models can be implemented using some
embodiments for other types of media.
[0076] In some embodiments, tagging data can be tracked for a
consumer and once a predetermined threshold number of tags for a
song, artist, content provider, content type, vendor, marketer,
product, service, or the like is accumulated for a consumer,
content, an offer, or some benefit in digital form can be sent to
the consumer or consumer device, content can be cached for the
consumer, consumer subscriber information can be sent to a media
content service, and/or the like. For example, a consumer who tags
numerous coupons and makes purchases and otherwise engages with a
large number of commercial offers might have enough points to buy
10 songs. That is, the consumer obtains awards to own 10 songs. As
an alternative, the awards can be redeemed so that that consumer
can access 400 streaming plays. Again, similar models can be
implemented using some embodiments for other types of media.
[0077] Referring now to FIG. 6, a schematic block diagram is shown
that illustrates how playlists stored in different databases can
interrelate. Data storage device 430 of consumer device 160 can
store a playlist 434 that references media content A-H. Data
storage device 430 also stores media content files A-C and E-H.
Media content file D is not stored on data storage device 430
(indicated by cross-hatching). The playlist item for media content
D can reference a media content file on data storage device 440,
storage device 280 associated with storage service 130, or storage
device 270 associated with content streaming service 120. When a
media player on consumer device 160 plays the media content from
playlist 434, media content from any of those sources can be
referenced and that media content from one of those sources can
streamed or downloaded for play.
[0078] In some embodiments, a playlist 510 can be stored on a data
storage device 505 associated with content management server 140.
In some embodiments, playlist 510 can reference media content files
stored on data storage devices unrelated to content management
server 140. This can serve as backup. In some embodiments, playlist
510 can be used as the operative playlist when playing media on
consumer device 160.
[0079] A playlist 550 can also be stored on storage device 280
associated with storage service 130 and can be available to
application 410 via content management server 140. In some
embodiments, application 410 or another application can access
playlist 550 for media play on consumer device 160. Playlist 550
can include a reference for media content B, not also stored with
media content files 540. The playlist 550 reference for media
content B can be for content available through streaming service
120, on data storage device 430, or some other data storage device.
When media content Bis referenced from data storage device 270
associated with streaming service 120, data storage device 270 is
considered a third-party data storage device. In the event that the
reference is for media content B available through content
streaming service 120, a media player on consumer device would, for
example play the media content A on data storage device 280, then
stream media content B from content streaming service 120, then
play media content C on data storage device 280.
[0080] Likewise, a playlist 530 can be stored on a data storage
device 270 associated with content streaming service 120. Playlist
530 can reference media content files located on data storage
device 270 in content streaming database 520 containing media
content files, data storage device 430, and third-party data
storage device 280. When the consumer streams a playlist from
content streaming service 120, the streaming service can direct a
media player to one of the other data storage devices 430, 280 and
media content files 432, 540.
[0081] In some embodiments, it is, possible to reference any media
content file available through any type of media content service or
stored on any accessible data storage device. Certain media content
services have, capabilities and particular limitations based on
their proprietary implementations. Availability of playlists and
media content can therefore be limited for particular services. In
yet other embodiments, playlists can be embedded. For example; a
playlist can reference one or more other playlists and can
reference playlists located on other data storage devices. Those of
skill in the art can appreciate that referencing media content
files stored in databases associated with other services can be
accomplished programmatically through interfaces (i.e., APIs) or
other available protocols. In some embodiments, a content service
playlist can reference media content in third-party data storage
devices. That is, media content in the playlist of one service,
regardless of where that playlist is stored, can be referenced by
pointing to media content managed by another service.
[0082] In some embodiments, media content may be unavailable from
any service. In that case, the application 410 or content
management server 140 can update a playlist with a placeholder. In
some embodiments, application 410 or content management server 140
can query media content services 110, 120 for availability at
certain intervals (i.e., every day, every week, etc.) or when the
consumer runs through the playlist and the media content is set to
play had it been available.
[0083] In some embodiments, the content management server 140 can
become a respected authority for ownership equivalency rights to
licensed media content. Application 410, content management server
140, or some other server can request to stream media content from
a media content service and have the media content service respect
the authority of the content management server 140 to make that
request. For example, the content management server 140, can send a
request to stream "Space Oddity" from iTunes, which, because the
content management server 140 is a respected authority, iTunes
agrees to respect and renders the song. In some embodiments, media
content services can act as a proxy to provide the authority
described above.
[0084] In some embodiments, content management server 140 or some
other similar server can generally serve as a media content
ownership equivalency. This would allow content management server
140 or the other similar server to "authorize" media content as
owned by a consumer or other entity and, therefore, playable by
other sources, which may require ownership recognition to provide
their service. For example, a consumer can purchase a song, like
"Space Oddity" by David Bowie, from one media content service, like
Amazon. Making this purchase (which involves a digital download),
grants the consumer rights to stream that song at any time free of
charge from Amazon's cloud. A second media content service, like
iTunes, does not recognize that the consumer owns the song through
Amazon and therefore does not allow the consumer to stream it in
spite of the ownership. The consumer may not have the proper
proprietary player for the media content service that does allow
the song to be played (i.e., the consumer has iTunes but not an
Amazon player).
[0085] In some embodiments, content manager server 140 can verify
ownership to the media content service that has not recognized
ownership so that the media content can be accessed. In the example
above, the consumer would be allowed to stream the iTunes "Space
Oddity" song because the content management server can insure that
the consumer owns the content or has rights to it.
[0086] In some embodiments, content management server 140 can
receive a request from a media content service 120, 130 to verify
ownership or access rights to media content for a consumer or
consumer device 160a-d. The content management server 140 can send
a token to a media content service 120, 130 that verifies
ownership. In some embodiments, a token can be any record that
proves rights authority. In some embodiments, a token can include
an identifier for the media content, the consumer, a consumer
device, the media content service requesting the token, a media
content service from where ownership or access has already been
established, security keys or codes, a consumer password, a media
content service password, and the like to establish a right. In
some embodiments, a token can be established according to some
industry standard or proprietary or non-proprietary method or
format.
[0087] Referring now to FIG. 7, a method 700 for seamlessly
providing alternative modes of consumption of media is shown. At
710, a request for media content is received. At 720, a user
preferences database is queried for a mode of consumption
preference for a user. In some embodiments, the user preferences
database can be stored on various data storage devices as described
above. At 730, a mode of consumption is determined based at least
in part on the mode of consumption preference. In some embodiments
a mode of consumption can be based, at least in part, on a user
preference. In some embodiments a mode of consumption can be based
on one or more other factors, individually or in combination,
including cost, availability of storage, network type, speed, or
reliability, and the like. At 740, a media content service is
determined to provide the media content. Likewise, this
determination can be made based on similar factors as described
above.
[0088] At 750, if the mode of consumption is ownership,
instructions to send a downloadable media content file are sent to
a provisioning computer server of a media content service. At 760,
if the mode of consumption is access, a set of one or more
instructions to add a reference to a streamable media content file
to a playlist database is sent to a content streaming service. It
is to be understood that a media content file may be unavailable
from any media content service for download. In some embodiments,
the instruction can be sent at a later time and even at particular
intervals, as described above, and to media content services that
would provide the mode of consumption that is not preferred. That
is, if the consumer preferred access, but the media were available
only for download (i.e., ownership) then an instruction can be sent
to download the media content file.
[0089] Any or all of 710-760 can be performed by an application
such as application 410 and/or a central server such as content
management server 140 as described above.
[0090] FIG. 8 shows a method 800 for managing a playlist to provide
agnostic consumption of media. At 810, a request for media content
is received. In some embodiments, the media content can be provided
or made available in conjunction with method 800. At 820, the
location of a playlist on a data storage device associated with a
media content service can be determined. In some embodiments, such
a playlist can also be associated with a consumer device by virtue
of the consumer device storing a content streaming application. At
830, the location of the media content file encoded with the media
content can be determined. In some embodiments, the media content
file can be stored on a data storage device associated with a media
content service other than the media content service with which the
playlist data storage device is associated as described above. In
other embodiments, the media content file can be on a data storage
device associated with a consumer device or some other data storage
device as described above.
[0091] At 840, an instruction is sent to add a reference to the
media content file to the playlist. In some embodiments, if a
preferred mode of consumption becomes available, the media content
becomes available through a preferred media content service, or the
media content file is moved, 840 can be repeated to update the
playlist.
[0092] Some embodiments described herein relate to a computer
storage product with a non transitory computer-readable medium
(also referred to as a non-transitory processor-readable medium)
having instructions or computer code thereon for performing various
computer-implemented operations. The computer-readable medium (or
processor-readable medium) is non-transitory in the sense that it
does not include transitory propagating signals (e.g., a
propagating electromagnetic wave carrying information on a
transmission medium such as space or a cable). The media and
computer code (also referred to herein as code) may be those
designed and constructed for the specific purpose or purposes.
Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include, but are
not limited to: magnetic storage media such as hard disks, optical
storage media such as Compact Disc/Digital Video Discs (CD/DVDs),
Compact Disc-Read Only Memories (CD-ROMs), magneto-optical storage
media such as optical disks, carrier wave signal processing
modules, and hardware devices that are specially configured to
store and execute program code, such as Application-Specific
Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs),
Read-Only Memory (ROM) and Random-Access Memory (RAM) devices.
[0093] Examples of computer code include, but are not limited to,
micro-code or micro-instructions, machine instructions, such as
produced by a compiler, code used to produce a web service, and
files containing higher-level instructions that are executed by a
computer using an interpreter. For example, embodiments may be
implemented using Java, C++, or other programming languages and/or
other development tools.
[0094] In conclusion, disclosed embodiments provide, among other
things, a system and method for providing integrated playlists and
seamless consumption of media. Those skilled in the art can readily
recognize that numerous variations and substitutions may be made to
the disclosed embodiments, their use and their configuration to
achieve substantially the same results as achieved by the
embodiments described herein. Accordingly, there is no intention to
limit the disclosed embodiments or the claimed inventions to the
disclosed exemplary forms. Many variations, modifications and
alternative constructions fall within the scope and spirit of the
inventions as expressed in the claims.
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