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US006670537B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,670,537 B2
Hughes et al. (45) Date of Patent: Dec. 30,2003
(54) MEDIA PLAYER FOR DISTRIBUTION OF MUSIC SAMPLES
(75) Inventors: David A. Hughes, New York, NY (US);
Matthew A. Carpenter, New York, NY
(US); Mandana Massiha, New York,
NY (US); Phuong L. Nguyen, Wayne,
NJ (US)
(73) Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tokyo (JP); Sony Electronics, Inc., Park Ridge, NJ (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/838,967
(22) Filed: Apr. 20, 2001
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2002/0152876 Al Oct. 24, 2002
(51) Int. CI.7 A63H 5/00; G04B 13/00;
G10H 7/00
(52) U.S. CI 84/609; 705/26
(58) Field of Search 84/609-614, 634-638,
84/645, 477 R, 478; 434/307 A; 707/104;
705/26, 27
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,340,939 A 8/1994 Kumagai
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5,890,910 A * 4/1999 Tsurami et al 84/609 X
5,918,213 A * 6/1999 Bernard et al 705/26
5,947,746 A * 9/1999 Tsai 84/609 X
5,953,005 A * 9/1999 Liu 434/307 X
6,093,880 A * 7/2000 Arnalds 84/645 X
6,225,545 Bl * 5/2001 Suzuki et al 84/477 R
6,229,769 Bl 5/2001 Packer
6,248,946 Bl * 6/2001 Dwek 84/609
6,256,623 Bl * 7/2001 Jones 707/104 X
6,263,313 Bl * 7/2001 Milsted et al 84/609 X
6,288,319 Bl * 9/2001 Catona 84/609
6,297,439 Bl * 10/2001 Browne 84/635
6,405,225 Bl * 6/2002 Aplel et al 715/526
6,549,612 B2 * 4/2003 Gilford et al 379/67.1
2002/0082901 Al * 6/2002 Dunning et al 705/10
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
EP 649121 A2 * 4/1995 84/609
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Jeffrey Donels
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Miller Patent Services; Jerry A. Miller
(57) ABSTRACT
A method and apparatus ol music distribution Irom a media player. A media player is provided with a "send to Iriend" icon. In one embodiment, when the icon is selected, a clipping ol the currently playing music selection is taken from a predetermined location in the music selection and compressed using a fidelity reducing compression technique to produce a sample ol the current selection suitable for distribution. The compressed clipping is sent to a selected recipient or recipients by email in the background while the music selection continues to play. The recipient(s) can be either a delault recipient(s) or a recipient(s) selected from a list as in an address book application.
41 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets
