The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 31, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 16, 1999
Russell Todd Berman, San Jose, CA (US);
Michael Andrew Radford, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Brett Austin Kennedy, Santa Monica, CA (US);
David Kiyoshi Matsumoto, San Jose, CA (US);
Synetix Technologies, San Francisco, CA (US);
Abstract
A playback unit resembling a home audio component, retrieves audio data from a remote server and plays them back in real time, using a home audio system, in response to user selection. The playback unit provides an interface between a network source for audio material, such as the Internet, and a conventional home audio system for playback. The playback unit has a relatively simple operating system that does not require a lengthy boot-up sequence, cannot be accessed by the user, and does not require the launch of special software to initiate playback. Access to audio material and distribution rights can be controlled by network servers. In this to way, the playback unit can retrieve audio material from the network on demand, thereby vastly expanding the range of music available for playback, and can reproduce that music using the home audio system for high quality playback in a comfortable setting, with controlled access to audio material and controlled distribution and duplication of the material.