Jukebox network system

Abstract

A plurality of jukeboxes each having a display, input component, audio output, and controller are connected over a network. The controller is configured to play music data sets selected by a user and to store local affinity data uploadable to the network. The controller is further configured to store network popularity and affinity data received from the network. The controller causes the display to present menus and screens based on the data received from the network. The controller is also configured to perform searches over multiple identification categories and store collections of music data sets based on multiple identification categories.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A jukebox network system having a plurality of jukebox devices connected over a network, each of the jukebox devices comprising:
 (a) an input component;   (b) an audio output;   (c) a memory configured to:
 (i) store local affinity data that is periodically sent to the network, the local affinity data including identification of music data sets previously selected from a plurality of music data sets and played together during a common credit session, and 
 (ii) store network affinity data, the network affinity data being generated by and received from the network, the network affinity data including, for each of the plurality of music data sets, a list of other music data sets paired therewith and having high affinity values, which are determined from the local affinity data periodically received by the network from the plurality of jukebox devices; and 
   (d) a controller configured to:
 (i) retrieve for play a first music data set selected by a user upon establishment of one or more credits, 
 (ii) select a second music data set from the music data sets paired with the first music data set in the network affinity data stored in the memory prior to the selection of the first music data set by the user, and 
 (iii) present an option to the user to play the second music data set. 
   
     
     
         2 . The jukebox network system of  claim 1 , wherein the network notifies the plurality of jukebox devices of the availability of newly generated network affinity data. 
     
     
         3 . The jukebox network system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of jukebox devices requests to download at least a portion of the network affinity data from the controller upon receipt of the notification. 
     
     
         4 . The jukebox network system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to request to download at least a portion of the network affinity data upon selection of the first music data set. 
     
     
         5 . The jukebox network system of  claim 1 , wherein the local affinity data includes the number of times that two or more music data sets were previously selected and played during common credit sessions. 
     
     
         6 . The jukebox network system of  claim 1 , wherein the local affinity data is uploaded to the network at predetermined periodic intervals. 
     
     
         7 . The jukebox network system of  claim 1 , wherein when a jukebox device is disconnected from the network, the controller of the disconnected jukebox device is configured to select for presentation to the user, based on the network affinity data stored in the memory of the disconnected jukebox device, the second music data set only from music data sets stored in the memory of the disconnected jukebox device.