Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Other

Sony Corpotation

Christopher M Tobin

Gregory David Gudorf

Brian M Siegel

Philip Michael Abram

Kazuaki Iso

Brian Raymond

Marc Beckwitt

Adrienne Lalla

A method an apparatus is provided for providing selected media files, which are chosen from among a plurality of media files, to a user over a packet-switched network such as the Internet. The method begins by receiving over the packet-switched network a request from the user to receive media content. Next, a user profile associated with the user is retrieved from a database. The user profile reflects user preferences in media content to be received over the packet-switched network. The plurality of media files are ranked based at least in part on the user profile. At least one highly ranked media file is selected from among the ranked plurality of media files. At least one of the highly ranked media files is forwarded to the user over the packet-switched network.

Method and apparatus for providing customized selection of audio content over the internet using declared and behavior profile information

Method and apparatus for forwarding media content interspersed with an advertisement

Methods and apparatus for establishing secure communications are disclosed. An identifier is received from a personal object such as a ring. This identifier is received, for example, through a non-contact near field communication. The identifier is recognized and associated to a mobile terminal device of a user, the mobile terminal device being separate from the object. Then, a secure communication channel is established with the mobile terminal device over another connection that preferably provides a secure communication channel.

Methods and apparatus for non-contact radio frequency detection and automatic establishment of corresponding communication channel

Method and apparatus for providing a customized selection of audio content over the internet

A system, method, and user device for restricting access to the content of media over a network. Biometric information is collected and compared against pre-stored biometric information of a user to authenticate the identity of the user. The user then requests access to the content of a medium. Access is permitted to the requested content if the content is identified as content, or indicia identifying the content, that the user previously uploaded to the server. Access is denied to the requested content if the content is not identified as content, or indicia identifying the content, that the user previously uploaded to the server.

Method and system for restricted biometric access to content of packaged media

For possible use in an electronic content distribution system, automatic recognition of compact discs or other storage media containing particular content, and corresponding account crediting is described. In an electronic content distribution system, such as those providing music available by digital downloading or streaming technologies, a user may ordinarily pay a full price to receive the music. A user who possesses and apparently owns a compact disc containing particular content can be conveniently offered a discount or credit usable towards the purchase of the analogous particular content in a form provided by the electronic content distribution system. Preferably, compact discs are uniquely identified by determining whether their digital fingerprint matches a known reference fingerprint for a compact disc containing the particular content.

Methods and apparatus for recognizing compact discs and issuing corresponding credits

A method and apparatus is provided for providing selected media files, which are chosen from among a plurality of media files, to a user over a packet-switched network such as the Internet. The method begins by receiving over the packet-switched network a request from the user to receive media content. Next, a user profile associated with the user is retrieved from a database. The user profile reflects user preferences in media content to be received over the packet-switched network. The plurality of media files are ranked based at least in part on the user profile. At least one highly ranked media file is selected from among the ranked plurality of media files. At least one of the highly ranked media files is forwarded to the user over the packet-switched network.

A method of obtaining, from a remote location, topic-specific information regarding a product includes: electronically receiving one of a plurality of machine-readable codes electronically navigating to an information resource at a remote location; and displaying the information resource's topic-specific information about the product on an electronic display device. In further detail, each of the machine-readable codes is associated with an information topic relating to a product, with at least one machine-readable code having an associated information topic which is different from that of the other machine-readable code or codes. Also, each of the machine-readable codes encodes an identifier which is associated with a corresponding information resource at a remote location. At least one corresponding information resource includes topic-specific information about the product which is different from that of the other corresponding information resource or resources. In the electronic-navigation step, the corresponding information resource at the remote location is the resource associated with the identifier encoded by the machine-readable code.

Electronic network and method for obtaining topic-specific information regarding a product

An electronic system includes a user transaction device that provides a device identifier when coupled to a transaction terminal. The transaction terminal is configured to indicate that a transaction is to be performed when coupled to the user transaction device. The electronic system also includes a transaction privacy clearinghouse (TPCH), coupled selectively to the user transaction device when a transaction is to be performed. The TPCH is coupled to receive the device identifier and accessible data. Additionally, the accessible data is to be stored in a public storage area of a memory storage device that can be communicatively coupled to the user transaction device. The TPCH authorizes a transaction based upon the device identifier and the accessible data that includes account information of a user that is authorized to use the user transaction device. Moreover, a transaction is authorized without providing the identity of the user to the transaction terminal. The memory storage device also includes a private storage area for storage of confidential data such that the private storage area is to be encrypted with a key that is to be stored in the user transaction device.

Personal transaction device with secure storage on a removable memory device

Two electronic devices automatically perform a synchronization session when one of the electronic devices is brought in proximity to the other electronic device. The synchronization session is initiated without user intervention based simply on the fact that the two devices have recently been brought within a predetermined distance of each other. The two electronic devices communicate in a wireless manner. The two devices may determine that they are within a predetermined distance of each other using global positioning technology, via which one of the devices determines its own position and compares it to a known position of the other electronic device. Alternatively, one of the electronic devices may output a low level signal that can be received by the other electronic device when within a certain range. Once the low level signal is received, the recipient of the low level signal outputs a stronger signal to ensure that it is received by the other electronic device requesting a synchronization session, which once established enables synchronization of information between the two devices.

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Central Valley, NY, United States of America

Christopher M Tobin