Automatic music management methods and system

Abstract

A method of managing a song on a computer jukebox is provided. The method includes transferring a song from a data center to a temporary cache in a digital memory of the computer jukebox in response to a user selection, and transferring the song from the temporary cache to a local file in the digital memory according to a predetermined criteria.

1 . A method of managing a song on a computer jukebox, comprising:
 transferring a song from a data center to a temporary cache in a digital memory of the computer jukebox in response to a user selection; and   transferring the song from the temporary cache to a local file in the digital memory according to a predetermined criteria.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined criteria comprises criteria selected from the group consisting of a number of user selections of the song, a number of user selections of the song within a predetermined time, and a change in the number of user selections of the song over time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined criteria further comprises a predetermined musical genre. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined musical genre is selected based on a number of user selections of songs categorized in the predetermined musical genre. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring an album that includes the song to the local file in the digital memory. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the least popular songs stored in the local file according to the predetermined criteria; and   removing a predetermined number of the least popular songs from the local file if the local file has reached a predetermined memory limit.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transferring multiple songs from the data center to the temporary cache in the digital memory in response to multiple user selections;   transferring the songs that meet the predetermined criteria from the temporary cache to the local file in the digital memory;   determining the most popular of the songs transferred from the data center to the temporary cache according to the predetermined criteria; and   transferring a predetermined number of albums comprising the most popular of the songs transferred from the data center to the temporary cache.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined number of albums is transferred once during a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining the least popular albums stored in the local file based on a number of user selections of songs included on each album; and   removing a predetermined number of the least popular albums from the local file if the memory of the local file has reached a predetermined limit.   
     
     
         10 . A computer jukebox system, comprising:
 a digital memory configured to store a plurality of songs in digital files, the digital memory comprising a temporary cache and a local file;   an audio output unit configured to play the plurality of songs;   a data center comprising at least one server configured to transfer at least one song of the plurality of songs to the temporary cache in response to a user selection;   a communication interface configured to receive the plurality of songs from the data center; and   a processor configured to transfer the plurality of songs from the digital memory to the audio output unit; the processor transferring the at least one song of the plurality of songs from the temporary cache to the local file according to a predetermined criteria.   
     
     
         11 . The computer jukebox system of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined criteria comprises criteria selected from the group consisting of a number of user selections, a number of user selections within a predetermined time, and a change in the number of user selections over time. 
     
     
         12 . The computer jukebox system of  claim 10 , wherein the data center transfers multiple songs to the temporary cache in response to multiple user selections. 
     
     
         13 . The computer jukebox system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor automatically transfers the plurality of songs from the temporary cache to the local file according to the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         14 . The computer jukebox system of  claim 10 , wherein the data center transfers a predetermined number of albums to the digital memory. 
     
     
         15 . The computer jukebox system of  claim 14 , wherein the albums that are transferred are albums that include songs that most exceed the predetermined criteria and that are not already stored in the local file. 
     
     
         16 . A computer jukebox, comprising:
 a digital memory configured to store a plurality of songs in digital files, the digital memory comprising a temporary cache and a local file;   an audio output unit configured to play the plurality of songs;   a processor configured to transfer the plurality of songs from the digital memory to the audio output unit; and   a communication interface configured to receive the plurality of songs from a data center,   wherein the temporary cache stores a song from the data center in response to a user selection and the processor transfers the song from the temporary cache to the local file according to a predetermined criteria.   
     
     
         17 . The computer jukebox system of  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined criteria comprises criteria selected from the group consisting of a number of user selections, a number of user selections within a predetermined time, a change in the number of user selections over time. 
     
     
         18 . The computer jukebox of  claim 16 , wherein the data center transfers multiple songs to the temporary cache in response to multiple user selections, 
     
     
         19 . The computer jukebox of  claim 16 , wherein the processor automatically transfers the plurality of songs from the temporary cache to the local file according to the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         20 . The computer jukebox of  claim 16 , wherein the data center transfers a predetermined number of albums to the digital memory, the albums that are transferred are albums including songs that most exceed the predetermined criteria and that are not already stored in the local file.