System with several devices sharing content and a central server

Abstract

A portable wireless communications subscriber audio and/or video player apparatus and system and method for selecting, requesting, downloading, and playing audio and/or video data content files from an Internet-based database server. The wireless link is preferably implemented in accordance with the WiFi protocol, which allows connectivity to the Internet by being in proximity with a local base station or WiFi hotspot (i.e., publicly available local wireless access hub connected to the Internet). The portable wireless communications subscriber audio and/or video player apparatus and system preferably include a security means for monitoring and blocking unauthorized use of the player apparatus and system. The player apparatus further preferably has the capability to communicate with other neighboring player apparatus for the purpose of exchanging content data files, playlists and personal messages.

1 . A wireless digital media distribution and playback system comprising:
 a data communications network, at least a portion of which is a wireless network;   a digital media player connected to the wireless network, said digital media player including a presenter that presents at least one of an audio and a visual presentation to a user from a digital media file and a communication interface to download and/or upload a digital media file using said communications network; and   a server coupled to said data communication network, said server including a content database storing a plurality of digital files for distribution to digital media players over said data communications network.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the digital media player incorporates a rights management system to prevent unauthorized access to the digital media. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  where the rights management system's permitted usage is based on a purchase or other authorization for permanent access. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said rights management system's permitted usage is based on a rental, lease, or barter. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  where the rights management system's permitted usage is based on a system of credits that can be used as a payment system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a user is approved as a subscriber to receive content using an approval process and wherein said server includes a subscriber database including information unique to each subscriber. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each subscriber is assigned a PIN number stored in said subscriber database, wherein each subscriber provides his PIN number as part of a request for content. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein for each request, the server verifies that a subscriber PIN number provided in the request is valid by checking the subscriber database. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein content is delivered to each player in an encrypted form and each player must use a private decryption key to read the content. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of devices connected through said network, using at least one of a broadband wireless, WiFi, a peer-to-peer and Ad-Hoc connection, each device receiving content through said network. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said devices receive content from said content database. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said devices share content between each other. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said content include one of an audio, an image, a text and a video file. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein each device is associated with a user-specific listing including one of a user profile, user preferences, user playlist, and wherein said user-specific listing is available to other devices in the system. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the user of one device uses the user-specific listing of another device to decide what content to share. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said user-specific listing includes commentary about content, said commentary including opinions of users, ratings, of content, ranking of content, or popularity of content, said commentary being shared by other devices. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said devices are selected from the group consisting of portable players, cell phones, desktops, PDAs, application specific devices, set-top boxes and hand-held devices. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein one of said devices includes a media recorder to record a media file, said device providing said media file to other devices on the system. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said server includes a content monitor that monitors the exchange of content between devices and the rendering of content by the devices. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein at least one device includes a local monitor that monitors the rendering of content by said one device and caches the corresponding information for uploading the information to the server when a connection becomes available. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said content monitor data is used by the system to calculate payments to content owners based on said information. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a catalog stored in said content database, said catalog identifying content available for the devices to render and share, said devices downloading and sharing content based on entries in the catalog. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 11  wherein a user of one device accesses the system from a different device and make entries into the subscriber database relevant to that user. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said user of one device registers a second device on the subscriber database. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16  wherein at least one of said devices caches the user-specific information of other devices and makes available the same for browsing by other devices.