METHOD FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF AUDIO-VISUAL INFORMATION AND A SYSTEM FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF AUDIO-VISUAL INFORMATION

摘要

A jukebox system, including a server that stores a master library of audiovisual selections; a plurality of jukeboxes, each of which is operable to store audiovisual selections received from the server and to play the audiovisual selections at the request of a user; a communication system through which the server and the jukeboxes communicate; wherein the server is operable to define authorized uses for the audiovisual selections received from the server; and further wherein the authorized uses correspond to various rights that third parties have in the audiovisual selections, the rights requiring by law or regulation payment of respective royalties; and further wherein the server maintains information on the authorized uses made by each of the jukeboxes and determines the amount of royalties due.

主权项

1. A jukebox, comprising:
a processor; a computer readable storage medium tangibly storing audiovisual selections available for playback via the jukebox; and a user interface, operable under control of the processor, configured to receive user input corresponding to requests to play back one or more of the audiovisual selections stored on the computer readable storage medium, wherein information concerning authorized uses of the audiovisual selections for the jukebox is maintained in cooperation with a server located remote from the jukebox, wherein the information concerning the authorized uses of the audiovisual selections is consultable to verify the authorized uses to which the jukebox may put a given audiovisual selection, wherein the authorized uses correspond to rights that parties have in the audiovisual selections, the rights requiring payment of fees for the authorized uses of the audiovisual selections, and wherein information on the authorized uses made by the jukebox is maintained by the server, the server being further configured to use the information on the authorized uses to determine the amount of fees due for authorized uses of the audiovisual selections.