Patent US5691964A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5691964A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Music playing system with decentralized units
Assignee: NSM MUSIC GROUP Ltd
•
Filing: 1993-12-20
•
Granted: 1997-11-25
•
Expires: 2013-12-20
Abstract
Abstract A music playing system includes a number of music playback units with playback changer devices, coding units, and ISDN cards. Each of the music playback units is provided with playable pieces of music. There is at least one input unit by means of which the pieces of music to be played on a playback unit are selected. In addition, there is a central computer with a memory in at least one playback unit, with the memory storing data about the pieces of music available in the playback units. The playback units can be connected between themselves and to the central computer via remote data transmission lines.
Inventors
- 👤 Horst Niederlein
- 👤 Anton Huber
- 👤 Armin Frank
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/76; H04H60/81; H04H60/93; H04H60/94; G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/30; G07F17/305; G11; G11B; G11B19/00; G11B19/02; G11B19/08; G11B27/00; G11B27/002; G11B27/10; G11B27/11; G11B27/34; H04H60/09; H04H60/14; H04H60/21; H04H60/78; H04H60/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A music playback system, comprising: a plurality of music playback units; a central computer having a memory that is provided in at least one of the music playback units; at least one input unit for selecting pieces of music that are to be played back on a music playback unit; and lines connecting the central computer to the music playback units and connecting the music playback units to each other, wherein each of the music playback units has a number of pieces of music at its disposal for playback, and wherein data about the pieces of music that are available in the music playback units is stored in the memory of the central computer but the pieces of music themselves are not stored in the memory of the central computer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A music playback system, comprising: a plurality of music playback units; a central computer having a memory that is provided in at least one of the music playback units; at least one input unit for selecting pieces of music that are to be played back on a music playback unit; and lines connecting the central computer to the music playback units and connecting the music playback units to each other, wherein each of the music playback units has a number of pieces of music at its disposal for playback, and wherein data about the pieces of music that are available in the music playback units is stored in the memory of the central computer but the pieces of music themselves are not stored in the memory of the central computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A music playback system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of terminals each having an intermediate memory, the terminals being connected to the music playback units, and wherein each at least one input unit is provided at a respective one of the terminals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein the terminals are connected to said central computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein said terminals are connected with one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein said central computer stores or processes user data of the individual music playback units, and wherein code operating units are respectively provided at the music playback units or at the terminals, with such code operating units releasing access to the central computer and the corresponding user data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein the remote data transmission lines are bidirectional ISDN lines and the music playback units are provided with an ISDN card.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein said central computer is a personal computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein said music playback units are provided with a playback changer device and a coding unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A music playback system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of music centers, each comprising a music playback unit, a central computer, a coding unit and a decoding unit, are connected via remote data transmission lines to a plurality of terminals each comprising a personal computer and a decoding unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A music playback system according to claim 9, wherein a music center functions as main unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A music playback system according to claim 9, wherein each of said music centers is connected to a respective scanner.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A music playback system according to claim 2, wherein money operating units are respectively provided at the music playback units or at the terminals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
161 words
A music playback system, comprising: a first music playback unit where a plurality of first pieces of music are stored; a second music playback unit where a plurality of second pieces of music are stored, at least some of the second pieces of music being different from the first pieces of music; a first input unit connected to the first music playback unit for selecting pieces of music, including the second pieces of music, that are to be played back on the first music playback unit; a second input unit connected to the second music playback unit for selecting pieces of music, including the first pieces of music, that are to be played back on the second music playback unit; a central computer that stores data about the pieces of music that are available in the first and second music playback units; and means for communicating between the first music playback unit, the second music playback unit, and the central computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
161 words
A music playback system, comprising: a first music playback unit where a plurality of first pieces of music are stored; a second music playback unit where a plurality of second pieces of music are stored, at least some of the second pieces of music being different from the first pieces of music; a first input unit connected to the first music playback unit for selecting pieces of music, including the second pieces of music, that are to be played back on the first music playback unit; a second input unit connected to the second music playback unit for selecting pieces of music, including the first pieces of music, that are to be played back on the second music playback unit; a central computer that stores data about the pieces of music that are available in the first and second music playback units; and means for communicating between the first music playback unit, the second music playback unit, and the central computer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A music playback system according to claim 13, wherein the means for communicating comprises data transmission lines.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
A music playback system according to claim 13, wherein the first music playback unit comprises a first playback changer device for recordings and the second music playback unit comprise a second playback changer device for recordings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A music playback system according to claim 15, wherein the means for communicating comprises ISDN lines, wherein the first music playback unit further comprises a first ISDN card, and wherein the second music playback unit further comprises a second ISDN card.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A music playback system according to claim 13, wherein the central computer carries out central administrative tasks but does not store pieces of music.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4232295A
Cited
US4282575A
Cited
US4471379A
Cited
EP0082077A1
Cited
US4499568A
Cited
DE3207022A1
Cited
EP0140593A2
Cited
GB2178275A
Cited
GB2185361A
Cited
GB2193420A
Cited
WO1990015497A1
Cited
US5497502A
Cited
DE4021707A1
Cited
WO1992001342A1
Cited
US5341350A
Cited
WO1992022983A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-11-24 | 2001-05-26 | 2001-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-11-24 | 2005-05-26 | 2005-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-11-24 | 2009-05-26 | 2009-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |