Disney files patent: Insurance program for portable media players
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Nov 29, 2005 at 12:47am
On Monday, Macsimum News posted a report titled “Disney takes Lost seriously: An iPod insurance plan is revealed.” Now you could check out all the details yourself. On November 24, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed that The Walt Disney Company had filed patent application 20050262147 titled “Insurance program for portable media players.”
Abstract: An insurance program is provided for a portable media player wherein such player has media content or data downloaded thereon. The program provides for the replacement of such stored media or data due to loss of data, corrupted or missing files, etc. Such program is specific to the player and may also be programmed to upgrade such media or compensate the owner for the loss of such media.
Other patent details of the Disney insurance plan
The following patent facts, not revealed in the Macsimum News report posted Monday, could be found under patent points #24 through to #46, as follows:
In summary, a portable media player [PMP] having built-in or removable medial software storage means for storing media software on the player is provided having an insurance program associated therewith for insuring the owner of the player from various calamities. The media software storage means links any media software to the specific player so that it can be identified to that particular player and user. The content can be downloaded from the web or loaded from physical media such as DVD, CD, or other like memory storage means. Such storage means may be built-in or removable from the player and the insurance program may be initiated by the owner of the player if the player is lost or stolen.
It is contemplated that the PMP should connect to a PC. The PC should be able to manage the files on the PMP using a tool similar to Windows File Manager, a proprietary file managing system owned by Microsoft, Inc. Files can be copied from the PMP to the PC and vice versa, as long as all content protection remains with the files. The user should have an easy mechanism to transfer content from a PC to the PMP. The PMP should enable the user to view, manage, and manipulate the files on the PMP using tools like Windows File Manager (i.e., drag & drop files, create and manage folders, rename files, etc) or any other file management or control manager system, such as iTunes, a proprietary service of Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, California.
The PMP should also interface with software that may reside on the PC. The PMP should be able to connect to the PC via a cradle. The PMP can then be inserted into the PC cradle where it automatically syncs with the PC to transfer any new movies, music, or images from the PC based on user selected profiles (e.g., select all new files, select only new files on a specific date or genre, parents or children’ profile, etc). The PMP should also enable the content to be synchronized with the PC based on consumer profiles (i.e. kids, parents, or a specific person). The profile would specify what types of content to copy down to the PMP. For example, Dad may want sports, R rated movies, easy listening songs, and images of the kids when he travels. Such downloaded media may have the insurance program contemplated herein provided along with the specific media so that it pertains only to that media.
The disclosure herein contemplates that the PMP user registers its device with the provider.
The purpose of registration would be to require the customer to accept the usage rules for content for PMP devices, mechanism to unlock files for PMP use, gather account information (name, address) for 1-click purchases, as well as insurance programs for replacement or compensation of corrupted or lost files, etc, and for forensic tracking of content files.
The user must register to use or purchase PMP files. Once the purchase is complete, the file will be bound to the primary personal computer (PC) of the user. Based on the license restrictions set by the media company for each title, the user may be able to:
° Transfer the PMP file to another PC
° Transfer the PMP file to an approved PMP
° Transfer the PMP file to other users
° Create a backup PMP file on CD
Once the file is bound to the user PC, it is the user’s responsibility to maintain the content. Purchased PMP files will not be replaced if lost, stolen, or otherwise damaged unless insurance is provided, as discussed herein.
Thus, the disclosure herein contemplates an insurance program built in to a portable media player having media content associated therewith, for replacing or otherwise compensating the owner of the PMP for corrupted or damaged files, missing files, loss of data, etc. The program is tied to the particular PMP and may also cover upgraded or improved programs. Such a program protects the owner of the PMP from computer crashes, etc. The media stored or downloaded to the PMP built-in hard drive, or removable storage means, may originate from an external source, such as a DVD, CD, memory storage card, etc.
The database on the PMP may be programmed to detect a change in a program on the PMP and trigger the insurance program. When the changed program is replaced or the user is otherwise compensated for the lost, damaged or corrupted program or the like, a new replacement insurance program may be sent to the PMP rendering the original insurance program obsolete. The insurance program contemplated herein may be keyed to a single program stored on the PMP to the exclusion of others. The database may be resident on the PMP or on the user’s computer.
Although the insurance program contemplated herein may be triggered by a damaged, lost or corrupted program, the program may be preset for activation from a remote database, e.g., the users computer, or website, when the PMP is coupled to the same as through a personal computer, to automatically replace or upgrade media stored on the PMP. Such may be preset for a pre-determined number of times that is recorded on the remote database. Such a preset insurance program may also be dependent on certain predetermined parameters stored in the remote database.
The media stored on the PMP may be provided in a built-in hard drive, removable media, such as a flash card, memory stick, etc. Such media may be locked to the particular PMP so that the insurance program contemplated herein is only effective with that particular PMP.
Although the insurance program contemplated herein may be automatically activated, as heretofore discussed, it may be activated by the owner of the PMP if the owner detects a lost or damaged or corrupted file or the like. Such an insurance program may compensate the owner of the PMP for the loss of the program rather than replacing the same.
Although the disclosure disclosed herein has been discussed with respect to a portable media player that receives data from a host computer, the insurance program may be resident on either the player or at the host computer. Further, although specific types of physical media are disclosed, obviously such types of technology is growing rapidly and the disclosure herein is considered as applicable to all presently known storage means and methodology for storing the same, such as SmartMediaMMC/SD, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, UMD, BluRay, Bluetooth, HD DVD, CD, etc., and other such means and methodology that will come along in the future.
Thus, there is disclosed a portable media player having built-in medial software storage means for storing media software and other data programs downloaded from a remote location to the player. The player includes an insurance program associated with media storage means for covering corruption or loss of software or data in the original media software or data on the player.
Such media software and other data is downloaded to the portable media player from the user’s computer and the coverage provides for replacement of such software or data corrupted or lost due to a crash on either the computer or the portable media player. The coverage may provide for replacement of a corrupt program on the player or upgrading of the original media software or data stored on the player. The coverage may provide for replacing a missing file from the media software or data file on said player.
The coverage may compensate the owner of the player for any lost, corrupted or missing media software or data on the player. The media software storage means may include linking means for linking any media software or data to a specific player so that it can be identified to a particular player and user. The insurance program may be coupled to the linking means so that the insurance program can only be activated on the specific player to which the media software or data has been downloaded.
The media software or data may be downloadable from a website, the website having a database related to both the user of the player and the player itself whereby the insurance program may be activated if a downloaded program on the player crashes or is otherwise corrupted. The media software or data is downloadable from physical media containing the software. Such physical media may be a DVD, a compact disk, or a memory storage device.
The database may be programmed to notify the user of the player automatically if a change in a downloaded program on the player is detected. The database may be programmed to send a new insurance program along with the replacement downloaded program and may be programmed to render the original insurance program obsolete when a new insurance program is sent. The insurance program may specifically related to a single media software or unit of data downloaded to the player out of other software or data downloaded to the player.
The insurance program may be preset for activation by a remote database to replace or upgrade media stored on the player a predetermined number of times recorded on the database. The insurance program may be preset for activation by a remote database to replace or upgrade media or data stored on the player dependent on certain predetermined parameters stored in the database.
NOTICE:
Macsimum News presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.
See patent application 20050262147
neo@macsimumnews.com
Cats Says:
When I read about this in your report yesterday, I cringed at the fact there was a “source” that would be revealed being a hoax. I should have guessed that it was your sense of humor. Well done, as your source is everyone’s source, the public patents office. Good find neo.
Posted on November 29, 2005
Dennis Says:
When did Blue tooth become a “storage means and methodology?”
("as applicable to all presently known storage means and methodology for storing the same, such as SmartMediaMMC/SD, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, UMD, BluRay, Bluetooth, HD DVD, CD, etc., and other such means and methodology that will come along in the future.")
In other words, what is the hidden agenda in referencing Bluetooth specifically here?
Posted on November 29, 2005
Lou Says:
Interesting point Dennis.
I think the catch here, if there is one, is found in the reference you cite, specifically in the language “means and methodology.” Perhaps this is an awkwardly described way of saying “wireless” as a “means.”
Posted on November 29, 2005
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Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
Dave Says:
Interesting patent and how you presented it yesterday was equally interesting, knowing how Apple and Disney are working together on content. I think this could fly - if the price is right.
The fear of losing content by whatever means is high, being that the cost of content adds up to more than the device itself. Now I’m wondering if Disney would have to pay Apple anything for this program.
Posted on November 29, 2005