(12) United States Patent
`Logan et al.
`
`US006199076B1
`(10) Patent N0.:
`US 6,199,076 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`(54) AUDIO PROGRAM PLAYER INCLUDING A
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`_
`
`DYNAMIC PROGRAM SELECTION
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`(76) Inventors; James Logan, 18 Castle Hill Rd”
`Windham, NH (Us) 03087; Danie] E
`Goessling, 43 Davelin Rd” Wayland,
`M A (Us) 01778; Charles G_ Cal], 4
`Pheasant Run, Hingham, MA (Us)
`02043
`
`( * ) Notice;
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U_S_C_ 154(k)) by 0 days_
`
`.
`(21) Appli NO" 08/724,813
`(22) Filedi
`Oct- 2, 1996
`(51) Int. Cl.7 ............................. .. G06F 15/00; G09B 5/04
`
`707/501; 434/319; 434/320
`_
`(52)
`(58) Fleld 0f Search ................................... .. 707/501, 513;
`434/10’ 308’ 318’ 319’ 320’ 185’ 156; 704/270’
`278; 345/328_335> 356_357
`_
`References Clted
`U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(56)
`
`5,153,579 * 10/1992 Fisch et a1. ................... .. 340/825.22
`*
`Okada ................................ ..
`* Cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—Joseph H. Feild
`Assistant Examiner—Alford W. Kindred
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Charles G. Call
`
`_
`
`_
`
`_
`
`_
`
`_
`
`An audio program and message distribution system in WhlCh
`a host system organizes and transmits program segments to
`client subscriber locations. The host organiZes the program
`segments by subject matter and creates scheduled program
`ming in accordance With preferences associated With each
`subscriber. Program segments are associated With descrip
`tive subject matter segments, and the subject matter seg
`ments may be used to generate both teXt and audio catalog
`ing presentations to enable the user to more easily identify
`and select desirable programming. A playback unit at the
`subscriber location reproduces the program segments
`received from the host and includes mechanisms for inter
`actively navigating among the program segments. A usage
`lo is com iled to record the subscriber’s use of the rovided
`prigram nIfaterials, to return data to the host for billing, to
`adaptively modify the subscriber’s preferences based on
`actual usage’ and to Send Subscriber-generated Comments
`and requests to the host for processing. Voice input and
`control mechanisms included in the player alloW the user to
`perform hands_free navigation of the program materials and
`to dictate comments and messages Which are returned to the
`host for retransmission to other subscribers. The program
`se ments sent to each subscriber ma include advertisin
`mgterials Which the user can selecti/vely play to obtai?
`credits against the subscriber fee. Parallel audio and teXt
`transcript ?les for at least selected programming enable
`Subject matter Searching and Synchronization of the audio
`and text ?les~ Speech Synthesis may be used to Convert
`transcript ?les into audio format. Image ?les may also be
`transmitted from the server for synchroniZed playback With
`the audio programming
`
`17 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`Establish Account
`
`203
`
`207
`y /
`
`Download
`Programming &
`Catalog Updates
`
`l
`213
`Edit Downloaded
`\\
`— l + Program
`Sequence
`
`r
`l
`
`r
`l
`
`‘
`
`l
`l
`l
`l
`
`i
`Playback
`Session(s)
`
`212/ l
`
`Edit Future
`Choices &
`Preferences \ 215
`l
`217
`Upload Session
`19
`Log
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 1
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`Sheet 1 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
` '______
`
`
`
`_
`
`n:
`
`nEQEEm
`
`-mow
`BFm:IE___Smowm:_$235
`Emaoimo“mo_>._ow-n5525
`
`x020
`
`mN.‘
`
`w:mow$320'm2.
`
`venomE26I
`
`o:050Duo5525
`
`87.x/,
`
`
`
`a:For
`
`Ecocomm:~I5:
`
`w
`
`
`emw
`
`
`mNF
`
`mm?
`
`PE
`
`32%
`
`.00
`
`425.1
`
`528
`
`S:
`
`
`
`«$menm>>
`
`allllllllllllllllI.l
`
`00.anwEND.33
`Go;
`
`325500
`
`55558
`
`“625500
`
`9.6885
`
`2.:
`
`82a:
`
`meofiooi09
`
`
`
`_________________r
`
`_u
`
`RF/r
`
`v?“(a32:32---m2I95605
`
`35E
`
`-ouc:o::<
`
`06.3.
`
`E
`
`_
`
`92
`
`6953SacEmaoi
`
`
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 2
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`Sheet 2 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`Establish Account
`
`203
`
`207
`
`/
`
`Download
`Programming &
`Catalog Updates
`
`21
`3
`
`1
`
`Edit Downloaded
`Program
`Sequence
`
`211
`
`1
`
`Playback
`Session(s)
`212/ i
`
`214
`
`Program
`
`Edit Future
`Choices &
`Preferences
`
`1
`
`Upload Session
`Log
`
`\ 215
`
`217
`_/219
`
`Fig. 2
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 3
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`Sheet 3 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`Eoomm
`
`EmEmom
`
`newnew
`
`208m
`
`EmEamm
`
`wasvcm
`
`tflw262
`
`xBExoom
`
`3
`
`€3328mm
`
`cwcoammm
`
`5629.22908m
`:Sm
`
`Emuo<
`
`Eogmwmn.
`
`aV6835
`
`.522$.me
`
`EmEmmw
`
`tfiw
`
`35:50
`
`x023:
`
`>52Eoowm
`
`wE:_o>
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 4
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 4
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`Sheet 4 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`Advenisers
`
`
`
`
`
` Accounts
`
`
`ContentProviders
`
`«————URL————
`
`Advertisements
`
`
`Subscribers
`
`Matching
`
`
`02’
`0,-
`J8
`04>
`mo
`8 e
`30.
`
`H 8
`
`3’60
`“-98
`m0-
`Q
`3
`‘0
`
`2
`:x
`'0
`2
`o
`0)
`
`an
`
`om
`
`8
`'5
`3
`c
`a)
`E
`a)
`E.
`o.
`3
`w
`
`"
`8
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 5
`
`
`
`311
`
`342
`
`Programs
`
`'0
`a)
`as
`8
`3
`o-
`g
`
`fi-
`
`C3)
`I— D)
`o
`.1
`LL
`0)
`O)
`(U
`(I)
`D
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 5
`
`

`

`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`d. S
`
`Sheet 5 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`351
`
`353
`
`- CurrentPlay
`
`
`_ll.| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 1|_
`.W _ _W _ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ll_
`
`_M _ __
`
`_m\_ _ _ __
`
`_WH_ _1 lllllllll II» __ m _ __
`"6 ¢ l_ w _,+
`_m3_ _ * __
`
`Stack
`Caller
`
`Caller
`
`CurrentPla
`Y
`
`390
`
`StackPtr
`
`330
`
`o?gggww??cgg??gg??cggg
`nammmwmwammmnammwummmm
`
`rd 0mm OOoooOOooOOoooo
`
`“uwpp LN.” mm Lmmm
`
`S mmmttttbmmttmmtthmmm
`
`
`
`?rmmlD. nmm mm nmmm
`
`RSTPHEABLTPHETPABL TP
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`Sheet 6 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`403
`
`/ —1 "1
`Scan
`Potential
`Prepare Transcript of
`Content
`Audio Programs
`
`222::
`
`401
`
`4os\
`
`i
`
`Index by
`Topic
`
`f ______________________ _,
`
`409
`
`system
`Subject
`Database
`
`Compare
`
`I
`407
`i
`|
`Z
`I
`I
`|
`|
`|
`|
`:
`:
`1
`i
`|
`l
`|
`|
`|
`i
`I
`1
`|
`|
`
`L
`
`System Filter
`
`process
`Candidate
`414--—— Programs
`
`416
`
`Raw Program
`Database
`
`425
`index by Subject -/
`+
`431
`Condense Content /
`
`+
`Create Topic
`Description
`+
`
`'\
`433
`
`435
`Parse into Paragraphs /
`i
`Prepare Voice Program
`from Script
`
`Com plete
`Prog ram_Seg ment -/438
`Data Package
`
`+
`440
`Compress /
`
`Program
`Library
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 7
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 6, 2001
`
`Sheet 7 0f 7
`
`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`HTML File
`.
`.
`. <lMG SRC-"IMGFILE1.JPG"><EM>Television and motion pictures
`<IEM>offer the viewer a rich combination of sights and sounds which effectively
`convey a large amount of information to the viewer, and hence require an
`information delivery system having substantial <EM>bandwidth</EM>. Radio
`programming requires only a fraction of the bandwidth of a <A
`HREF-"target">full-motion vldeo<IA> presentation, and is especially suitable
`for conveying information expressed in text narrative form. Using suitable audio
`compression techniques, speech can be transmitted over communications
`pathways of much more limited bandwidth, <|MG
`SRC="lMGFlLE2.JPG">includi ng telephone dial up connections to the Internet,
`permitting that facility to be used to provide real-time telephone connections
`between two computers connected via the lnternet,<lMGOFF> and play
`pre-recorded audio ?les as they are transferred from an Internet server to a
`suitably programmed client computer. .
`i
`.
`
`I
`470
`F _______________________ —- J
`
`lmagelD
`lmgStart
`
`______________________ —— H StartLOC
`r __________________ —— E
`EndLoc
`
`72
`
`75
`
`450
`
`l
`i
`
`:
`
`1
`
`I
`I:
`
`I
`
`l
`
`Fig. 1 ;
`1
`l
`E
`l
`Y
`
`460
`
`_______________ —— H StartLoc
`
`76
`
`, ____________ -— E
`
`EndLoc
`
`I __________ -- A Anchor
`78
`r _______ —< B EndAnchor /
`
`L ProgramlD
`
`73
`
`123212
`lmgOff {/474
`
`K
`
`i
`l
`l
`l
`|
`l
`l
`l
`l
`l
`l
`l
`
`Compressed Audio File
`/ \"\ —————— "
`"Television and motion pictures" "bandwidth" "full motion video"
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 8
`
`

`

`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`1
`AUDIO PROGRAM PLAYER INCLUDING A
`DYNAMIC PROGRAM SELECTION
`CONTROLLER
`
`2
`collection in an easy and intuitive Way Without the need for
`a visual display screen and using only simple selection
`controls.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to electronic information distribu
`tion systems and more particularly to a system for dynami
`cally and interactively selecting and playing particular pro
`grams from a program library.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The three dominant commercial systems for providing
`audio programming to a listeners are broadcast radio
`systems, cassette tape playback systems and compact disk
`playback systems.
`Broadcast radio uses both the AM and FM frequency
`bands making a large number of simultaneously broadcast
`programs available on an essentially random access basis.
`Unfortunately, since most broadcast stations attempting to
`appeal to the same general listening audience, much of the
`programming is duplicative and special interest programs
`are broadcast on a limited basis. In addition, because there
`is no convenient Way for listeners to be aWare of the Wide
`variety of materials scheduled for broadcast, most people
`listen to only a limited number of stations Which dependably
`broadcast the programming considered to be most accept
`able. Even When desired programming is found, it must
`typically be listened to When it is broadcast; that is, at times
`chosen by the broadcaster and not the listener.
`Tape and compact disk audio players offer the listener the
`opportunity to purchase speci?c music selections or albums
`performed by favorite artists and to replay selections from
`these purchased recording Whenever desired. Pushbutton
`track selection, as Well as improved ?delity, has made the
`CD player the preferred choice of many, despite the cost and
`inconvenience of purchasing a library of desired disks.
`Unfortunately, specialiZed information programming, unlike
`music, is largely unavailable on tape or disk, and that media
`is not capable of adequately conveying rapidly evolving
`information such as local and World neWs, Weather reports,
`and rapidly changing trade and business information.
`Although broadcast radio provides adequate, up to the
`minute coverage of general neWs topics, specialiZed infor
`mation continues to be largely unavailable on any of these
`three audio delivery systems, not Withstanding the fact that
`radio, tape and CD players continue to be Widely used,
`particularly in automobiles, for general neWs and music
`programming.
`More recently, “Internet radio” sources has been intro
`duced Which make ?les of audio program material available
`for doWnloading on the World Wide Web using conventional
`Web broWsers to locate and request speci?c ?les Which are
`then played in real time by special programs, including the
`popular “Real Audio” program offered by Progressive Net
`Works. Although Internet radio systems make it possible to
`deliver a richly diverse selection of audio programs to
`interested listeners on request, including specialiZed infor
`mation not offered by conventional broadcast media, the use
`of a visual Web broWser to search for and then play indi
`vidual program selections one at a time makes conventional
`Internet radio players impractical for routine desktop use,
`and Wholly unsuitable for use by an automobile drive.
`It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
`provide easy access to rich selection of audio programming
`and to alloW the listener to dynamically and interactively
`locate and select desired programming from the available
`
`10
`
`25
`
`35
`
`55
`
`65
`
`The present invention takes the form of an audio program
`player Which automatically plays a predetermined schedule
`of audio program segments and Which further includes
`simple controls that alloW the listener to perform one or
`more of the folloWing functions:
`to skip the remainder of any segment being played in
`order to listen to the neXt program segment;
`to skip backWard to the beginning of the current segment,
`and then backWard again to the beginning of the prior
`segment on the schedule, thereby replaying any desired
`segment or search for a previously played segment in
`the sequence;
`to listen if desired to an audio speech announcement
`describing each segment before it is played, and to skip
`the forWard or backWard to the neXt or prior
`announcement, thereby immediately obtaining the
`information needed to determine Whether a given seg
`ment is or is not of interest;
`to listen if desired to an audio speech announcement
`describing a subject matter categories Within Which
`several program segments are grouped, and to skip
`from category announcement to category announce
`ment in either the forWard or reverse direction, skip
`ping all program segments in categories of insuf?cient
`interest;
`a. to listen to only predetermined highlight passages in
`any program segment, thereby more rapidly revieW
`ing the highlights only of a program segment With
`the ability to commence normal playing at any point
`Where the highlight passage reveals information
`Which the listener desires to hear in more detail;
`b. to execute a hyperlink jump to a different, cross
`referenced position in the program sequence, or to a
`program segment not speci?ed in the program
`sequence, and to provide audible cues to the listener
`to identify passages Which identify the presence of a
`cross-referencing hyperlink.
`According to a further feature of the invention, the audio
`program player plays program segments in an order deter
`mined by a session schedule Which identi?es an ordered
`sequence of program segments. The session schedule is
`preferably created in the ?rst instance by a server subsystem
`Which develops and periodically transmits to the session
`schedule to the player. According to still another feature of
`the invention, the player subsystem incorporates means for
`modifying the session schedule received from the server
`subsystem by adding or deleting speci?c programs and by
`altering the order in Which the programs are presented.
`As contemplated by the invention, the player subsystem
`includes a control mechanism responsive to commands
`received from a listener to dynamically alter the sequence
`and content of the programming material actually presented.
`More speci?cally, the player may advantageously incorpo
`rate means for skipping the remaining content of any pro
`gram being played at any time, or returning to the beginning
`of a particular subject to replay its content. Each given
`program segment is preferably preceded by a topic descrip
`tion segment, and the program skipping mechanism is the
`player is preferably adapted to automatically skip to the neXt
`topic description, bypassing the intervening program
`content, Whenever a skip command is receive When a topic
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 9
`
`

`

`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`3
`description is being played. Similarly, related topics
`(program segments) are sequentially grouped together by
`subject category, and a subject description program segment
`advantageously precedes each subject collection. When the
`user issues a skip command at the time a subject description
`is playing, the player automatically skips all of the program
`segments (topics) Within the described subject and continues
`by playing the next subject description. In this Way, the
`listener can rapidly skim through subject categories, one at
`a time, until a desired subject is reached, and then alloW the
`player to play topic descriptions one at a time until a desired
`topic (program segment) is reached.
`In accordance With still another feature of the invention,
`means are employed for identifying one or more discrete
`passages Within any program segment as being a
`“highlight,” and the player incorporates means operative
`When the player is placed in a “play highlights” mode for
`skipping those portions of the content Which are not
`highlights, thus enabling the listener to revieW only the key
`points of a presentation, or to more rapidly locate particular
`passages on interest Within the body of a particular program
`segment.
`According to yet another feature found in the preferred
`embodiment of the invention, a designated portion of a
`program segment may be designated as a hyperlink anchor
`from Which, at the request of the user, the player jumps to
`another portion of the session sequence and begin playing a
`different sequence of program segments. Means are advan
`tageously employed for generating an audible cue signal to
`inform the listener that a hyperlink anchor is being played,
`enabling the listener to request that the link be executed. The
`hyperlink capability may be used to advantage to implement
`cross references to related information, or to provide an
`audible menu of alternative programming Which the user
`may select merely by executing the link When the anchor
`passage identi?es other information of interest to the lis
`tener. In the preferred embodiment, a stack mechanism is
`used to alloW hyperlinks to be called in nested fashion, so
`that a hyperlink may be executed from a linked program
`segment, With each “return” command from the user causing
`play to be resumed at the program segment from Which the
`last link Was performed.
`As contemplated by still another aspect of the invention,
`the player subsystem includes means for identifying a pro
`gram segment, or a particular passage Within a program
`segment, as a bookmarked item for ease of reference later.
`In addition, the player system incorporates means for accept
`ing a dictated annotation from the user Which associated
`With any bookmarked passage. This annotation mechanism
`may be used to particular advantage When the program
`segments provided to the subscriber include email or voice
`mail messages, since the bookmarking may be used to
`identify speci?c messages, or portions thereof, Which
`require later attention, and the annotation mechanism pro
`vides a convenient mechanism for dictating replies and/or
`specifying actions to be take in response to particular
`messages or portions thereof.
`These and other objects, features and advantages of the
`present invention may be more completely understood by
`considering the folloWing detailed description of a preferred
`embodiment of the invention. In the course of this
`description, reference Will frequently be made to the
`attached draWings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram of an electronic
`program and advertising distribution system Which embod
`ies the invention;
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`4
`FIG. 2 is a How chart illustrating the principle steps
`folloWed in the course of the performing the information
`distribution functions contemplated by the invention;
`FIG. 3 is a How chart illustrating the principle steps
`performed during a playback session in the illustrative
`embodiment;
`FIG. 4 is an information structure and data How diagram
`illustrating the manner in Which programming is selected
`and accounting functions are performed in the illustrative
`embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 5 is an information structure diagram illustrating the
`manner in Which the program segments are dynamically
`selected and played in response to the user’s preferences and
`control decisions;
`FIG. 6 is a How chart Which describes a preferred proce
`dure for preparing the program content Which is distributed
`to subscribers in accordance With the invention; and
`FIG. 7 is an information structure diagram illustrating the
`manner in Which a narrative text ?le expressed in hypertext
`markup language (HTML) may be translated in to the
`combination of an audio speech ?le, a text ?le transcript, and
`a sequencing ?le used by the player to create a multimedia
`presentation.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`The illustrative embodiment of the invention shoWn in
`FIG. 1 utiliZes the Internet to provide communications
`betWeen a host computer indicated generally at 101 and an
`audio player device illustrated at 103.
`Subscriber Audio Player
`The player 103 may be advantageously implemented by a
`conventional laptop or desktop personal computer including
`a processor (the client CPU 105), a time of day clock 106,
`and a data storage system consisting of both high speed
`RAM storage and a persistent mass storage device, such as
`a magnetic disk memory, the data storage system being used
`for storing audio, text and image data at 107 and for storing
`usage data at 109 Which records the nature of the program
`ming reproduced by the player 103. The player 103 further
`includes a sound card 110 Which receives audio input from
`a microphone input device 111 for accepting voice dictation
`and commands from a user and Which delivers audio output
`to a speaker 113 in order to supply audio information to the
`user. The program data stored at 107 may advantageously
`include compressed audio recordings and/or text (?les of
`characters) Which may be converted into audio form by
`conventional speech synthesis programs executed by the
`client CPU 105.
`The sound card 110 is conventional and preferably com
`plies With the recommendations detailed in the Hardware
`Design Guide for Microsoft Windows 95, by Doug
`Klopfenstein, Microsoft Press (1994), ISBN 1-55615-642-1.
`The sound card 110 advantageously supports a 44 kHZ,
`16-bit, stereo codec providing analog to digital conversion
`of audio input signals from the microphone 111 as Well as
`digital to analog conversion for programming directed to the
`speaker 111. The sound card provides external connections
`and hardWare support for Microphone-In, Line-In, Line-Out,
`and Headphones-Out, With volume controlled by the player
`softWare (including volume level logging as discussed later
`in connection With FIG. 3 of the draWings).
`To support multimedia capabilities, the CPU 105 should
`meet or exceed the capabilities of an Intel 486 DX2-66
`computer to provide consistently good playback results and
`the sound card 110 should include a 16-bit digital-to-analog
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 10
`
`

`

`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`5
`converter for playback and a 16-bit analog-to-digital con
`verter for recording. The sound card 110 should further
`support 8, 11, 22, and 44 kHZ Waveforms. A frequency of 44
`kHZ is used for CD-quality sound and fractions of 44, such
`as 11 and 22, are often used for compressed Waveforms
`meant to save CPU processing. Support for an 8 kHZ
`frequency should be in order to properly support WindoWs
`95 TrueSpeechTM compression, Which is optimiZed for com
`pression and playback of human speech. Using TrueSpeech
`compression, programs containing largely voice narrative
`data can be substantially condensed, and users can record
`annotations and voice mail responses as discussed later.
`In addition, the sound card 110 should be capable of
`reproducing doWnloaded MIDI (Musical Instrument Device
`Interface) commands, enabling the system take a MIDI data
`stream and produce sound according to the compressed ?les
`consisting of digital sheet music instructions. Preferably, the
`sound card should support at least 16-voice polyphony (the
`ability to play several sounds at the same time), and poly
`message MIDI, an capability included in WindoWs 95 that
`alloWs a sound card to receive and batch-process multiple
`MIDI messages (such as Note On and Note Off). The sound
`card 110 should also a microphone port for microphone 111,
`a speaker-out port (for one or tWo (stereo) unpoWered
`speakers 113, and a headphone-out port.
`The personal computer CPU 105 is also preferably con
`nected to a conventional personal computer video display
`118 and a standard keyboard 119, as Well as a pointing
`device (such as a mouse, trackball or touchpad, not shoWn).
`The facilities provided by the operating system, such as
`WindoWs 95, typically includes multimedia support, as
`noted above, as Well as a standard WINSOCK TCP/IP stack
`and modem dial up driver softWare to support a SLIPP/PPP
`Internet connection, as neXt discussed.
`The player 103 further includes a conventional high speed
`data modem 115 for receiving (doWnloading) the program
`information 107 from the remote server 101 and for trans
`mitting (uploading) program selections and preferences as
`Well as usage data in the ?le 109 to the server 101. To effect
`these ?le transfers, the modem 115 is connected via con
`ventional dial up telephone SLIP or PPP TCP/IP series data
`communication link 117 to an Internet service provider 121
`Which provides access to the Internet. The service provider
`121 is in turn connected to the host server 101 via a high
`speed Internet link seen at 123.
`Host File Server
`The host server 101 provides a FTP server interface 125
`Which provides ?le transfer protocol services to the player
`103, a CGI interface 127 Which performs Common GateWay
`Interface script program execution in response to requests
`from the player 103, and an HTML interface 129 Which
`provides hyperteXt transport protocol (HTTP) World Wide
`Web server functions to the connected player 103. The host
`server 101 stores and maintains a plurality of data ?les
`including a program data library indicated generally at 130
`consisting of a collection of compressed audio program
`segments 131, announcement (“glue”) segments 132, teXt
`program segments 133, image segments 134, advertising
`segments 135 and program catalog information 137.
`The compressed audio segments program segments com
`prise audio voice and music ?les Which may be compressed
`using conventional compression mechanisms suited to the
`data being compressed, such as TrueSpeech compression for
`voice signals and MIDI ?les for compressed synthetic music
`reproducible by the sound card 110 as noted earlier.
`Compressed voice programming in the database 131 may
`advantageously be accompanied by teXt transcripts (?les of
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`6
`characters) stored in the teXt database 133. Similarly, images
`stored in the image database 134 may be used to provide a
`multimedia presentation Which combines images repro
`duced on the display 118 of player 103 With concurrently
`presented audio at the speaker 113 and/or displayed teXt.
`Program segments Which present advertising , illustratively
`shoWn as being resident in a separate database 135 in FIG.
`1, may likeWise consist of audio, teXt and/or image
`segments, as may the program segments Which provide
`announcements betWeen program segments as Well as
`audible and visible menu options Which the user may select
`as described later.
`As hereinafter described in connection With FIG. 5, each
`voice or teXt program segment preferably includes a
`sequencing ?le Which contains the identi?cation of high
`lighted passages and hypertext anchors Within the program
`content. This sequencing ?le may further contain references
`to image ?les and the start and ending offset locations in the
`audio presentation When each image display should begin
`and end. In this Way, the image presentation may be syn
`chroniZed With the audio programming to provide coherent
`multimedia programming.
`As contemplated by the invention, information Which is
`available in teXt form from neWs sources, libraries, etc. may
`be converted to compressed audio form either by human
`readers or by conventional speech synthesis. If speech
`synthesis is used, the conversion of teXt to speech is pref
`erably performed at the client station 103 by the player. In
`this Way, teXt information alone may be rapidly doWnloaded
`from the server 101 since it requires much less data than
`equivalent compressed audio ?les, and the doWnloaded teXt
`further provides the user With ready access to a transcript of
`voice presentations. In other cases, Where it is important to
`capture the quality and authenticity of the original analog
`speech signals, a teXt transcript ?le Which collaterally
`accompanies a compressed voice audio ?le may be stored in
`the database 133 from Which a transcript may be made
`available to the user upon request.
`The host server 101 further stores Web page data 141
`Which is made available to the player 103 by means of the
`HTML interface 128. The host server 101 additionally stores
`and maintains a user data and usage log database indicated
`at 143 Which stores uploaded usage data received from the
`store 109 in the player 103 via the Internet pathWay 123 and
`the FTP server interface 125. The user data 143 further
`contains additional data describing the preferences, demo
`graphic characteristics and program selections unique to
`each subscriber Which is developed largely from user
`supplied data obtained When users submit HTML form data
`via the Internet pathWay 123 for processing by the CGI
`mechanism 127.
`The host server 101 periodically transmits a doWnload
`compilation ?le 145 upon receiving a request from the
`player 103. The ?le 145 is placed in a predetermined FTP
`doWnload ?le directory and assigned a ?lename knoWn to
`the player 103. At a time determined by player 103 moni
`toring the time of day clock 106, a dial up connection is
`established via the service provider 121 and the Internet to
`the FTP server 125 and the doWnload compilation 145 is
`transferred to the program data store 107 in the player 103.
`The compilation 145 is previously Written to the doWnload
`directory by a doWnload processing mechanism seen at 151
`in the server 101. DoWnload processing, as described in
`more detail later, eXtracts from the library 130 data de?ning
`compressed program, advertising, and glue segments, and/or
`associated teXt program data, based on selections and pref
`erences made by (or inferred for) the user as speci?ed in the
`subscriber data and usage log database 143.
`
`LENOVO ET AL. -- EX. 1003 -- Page 11
`
`

`

`US 6,199,076 B1
`
`7
`The download compilation ?le 145, though represented as
`a single ?le in FIG. 1, preferably takes the form of one or
`more subscriber and session speci?c ?les Which contain the
`identi?cation of separately stored sharable ?les. By Way of
`example, the recommended order and the identi?cation of
`the program ?les making up an individual playback session
`are stored in a session schedule ?le (to be described in detail
`in connection With FIG. 5) Which contains program identi
`?ers of the program segments to be played during an
`upcoming session. The player 103 doWnloads the session
`schedule ?le and then issues doWnload requests for those
`identi?ed program segment ?les Which are not already
`available in the player’s local storage unit 107.
`Usage data in the store 109 maintained by the player 103
`is preferably uploaded as a ?le bearing a predetermined ?le
`name indicative of the particular subscriber and upload time
`and stored in a predetermined FTP upload directory. This
`upload advantageously occurs at the same time the player
`103 establishes a doWnload connection to the FTP server
`125 as noted earlier, and occurs prior to the doWnload of the
`compilation 145. Because the upload data from the store 109
`in the player 103 identi?es program segments desired by the
`subscriber, program segments neWly requested by the user
`are appended to the compilation 145. Note that, in typical
`cases, programming in addition to the speci?cally requested
`programming Will be included in the doWnload compilation,
`and the transfer of that programming can begin immediately
`While the neWly uploaded user selections and other infor
`mation are being processed as indicated at 153 to identify
`additional information to be included in the doWnload
`compilation.
`As indicated at 161 in FIG. 1, the host server upload
`processing mechanism 153 also provides a number of
`reports, as described in more detail later, based upon the
`record of actual player use by individual subscribers and the
`community of subscribers as a Whole. This report processing
`is advantageously performed on a periodic basis in connec
`tion With ?nancial and accounting functions including sub
`scriber and advertiser billing, content provider royalty pay
`ment accounting, and marketing analysis processing.
`It should be understood that numerous other information
`storage, processing and communications schemes may be
`substituted for the preferred Internet server and PC client
`player architecture shoWn in FIG. 1. A dedicated host
`computer Which communicates directly With client stations
`via dial up telephone facilities may be used, and cellular
`radio, cable modem and satellite links may be used to
`provide data communications in lieu of the conventional
`SLIP/PPP telephone and Internet links shoWn in FIG. 1. To
`facilitate use of the system in an automobile, a “player”