Granted Patent B2

US 7,797,300 · App. 11/852,787 · Granted Sep 14, 2010

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A method of searching a computer jukebox for music, the computer jukebox comprising a digital memory and a processor, the method comprising:

assigning each of a plurality of songs to at least a first music library and a second music library, wherein the first music library includes songs stored on a data center and wherein the second music library includes songs stored on a digital memory of the computer jukebox;

using the processor to determine if more than one music library is available for searching;

using the processor to automatically select a music library to be searched if only one music library is available for searching; and

providing to a user a list of music libraries available for searching using one or more alpha/numeric characters if more than one music library is available for searching, the list of music libraries being provided in a format that allows the user to select which music library to search, wherein the list of music libraries available for searching includes the first music library if the first music library is available for searching and includes the second music library if the second music library is available for searching.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a music library for searching from the list of music libraries available if more than one music library is available for searching.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising entering a search criteria and returning search results from the selected music library that match the search criteria.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising selecting at least one common characteristic and returning search results from the selected music library that match the search criteria and the at least one common characteristic.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one common characteristic comprises a song name, an artist name, an album name, or a music genre.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein entering a search criteria comprises entering characters and wherein search results are returned for each character that is entered.

7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising entering a search criteria and returning search results from the selected music library and all other available music libraries that match the search criteria.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the search results from the selected music library and all other available music libraries are displayed as separate lists.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first music library consists of songs that are stored at the data center.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first music library consists of songs that have been added to the data center within a predetermined time period.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second music library consists of songs that are stored on a digital memory of the computer jukebox.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assigning a plurality of songs to a third music library, wherein the third music library consists of songs that are stored at the data center and songs that are stored on the digital memory of the computer jukebox.

13. A method of searching a computer jukebox for music, comprising:

determining whether the computer jukebox is connected to a data center in response to a request for a search;

automatically selecting a first music library, consisting of songs stored on a digital memory of the computer jukebox, to be searched if the computer jukebox is not connected to the data center; and

providing to a user a list of music libraries available for searching using one or more alpha/numeric characters if the computer jukebox is connected to the data center, the list of music libraries being provided in a format that allows the user to select which music library to search,

wherein the list of music libraries comprises the first music library and/or a second music library, if the first and/or second music libraries are available, and wherein the second music library comprises songs stored at the data center.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second music library consists of all songs stored on the data center and all songs stored on the digital memory of the computer jukebox.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the list of music libraries further comprises a third music library consisting of all songs stored at the data center that were added to the data center within a predetermined time period.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising selecting a music library for searching from the list of music libraries available if the computer jukebox is connected to the data center, entering a search criteria, and returning search results from the selected music library that match the search criteria.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising selecting at least one common characteristic and returning search results from the selected music library that match the search criteria and the at least one common characteristic, wherein the at least one common characteristic comprises a song name, an artist name, an album name, or a music genre.

18. A computer jukebox system, comprising:

a computer jukebox, comprising:

a display to be accessed by a user,

a digital memory for storing a plurality of songs in digital files included in a second music library,

an audio output unit for playing the plurality of songs,

a processor for transferring the plurality of songs from the digital memory to the audio output unit, and

a communication interface for receiving songs; and

a data center for storing a plurality of songs included in a first music library and comprising at least one server for transferring songs to the communication interface of the computer jukebox,

wherein the processor determines if more than one music library is available for searching in response to a request for a search, the processor automatically selecting the music library to be searched if only one music library is available for searching; and

wherein the processor provides on the display a list of music libraries available for searching using one or more alpha/numeric characters if more than one music library is available for searching, the list of music libraries being provided in a format that allows a user to select which music library to search, and

wherein the list of music libraries available for searching includes the first music library if the first music library is available for searching and includes the second music library if the second music library is available for searching.

19. The computer jukebox system of claim 18 , wherein, in response to a selected music library and an input search criteria, the processor provides search results from the selected music library that match the search criteria.

20. The computer jukebox system of claim 19 , wherein, in response to at least one selected common characteristic, the processor provides search results from the selected music library that match the search criteria and the at least one common characteristic.

21. The computer jukebox system of claim 19 , wherein the processor provides search results for each character of the search criteria that is input.

22. The computer jukebox system of claim 18 , wherein the data center stores the entirety of the first music library.

23. The computer jukebox system of claim 18 , wherein the digital memory stores the entirety of the second music library.

24. The computer jukebox system of claim 18 , wherein the digital memory stores a portion of a third music library and wherein the data center stores another portion of the third music library.

25. The computer jukebox system of claim 18 , wherein, in response to a selected music library and an input search criteria, the processor provides search results from the selected music library and all other available music libraries that match the search criteria.

Assignments (13)