Abstract: A method of allowing a consumer to digitally mark portions of media content and later retrieve the marked portions uniquely keyed to that consumer, comprising the steps of: retrieving a sample of the media content; entering a unique identifier; keying the retrieved sample to the unique identifier; and at a later time, retrieving the sample by entering the unique identifier.

Abstract: A universal compact disc (CD) player having the ability to decode and play an encoded audio file residing on a CD, regardless of the particular encoding algorithm used to encode the audio file, consists of: a spindle motor and optical pickup adapted to read the signal recorded on the CD; an amplifier to amplify the signal read by the pickup; a programmable digital signal processor adapted to decode the amplified signal under the direction of a decoding software program; a nonvolatile memory containing the decoding software program directing the operation of the digital signal processor; a program adapted to read the decoding software program from a memory card into the nonvolatile memory; a digital-to-analog converter to convert the decoded signal into an analog audio signal; and a speaker or headphones to convert the analog audio signal into sound.

Abstract: A multi-station audio distribution apparatus having at least two listening stations, a data control mechanism and a listening station interface mechanism disposed between the listening stations and the data control mechanism. Each of the listening stations has a user input in the form of a bar code scanner to enter an audio material selection and each has an audio output. The data control mechanism retrieves digitized audio material corresponding to each of the user's audio material selections. The listening station interface mechanism transfers the user's inputs from each of the listening stations to the data control mechanism, receives the digitized audio materials corresponding to each user's input from the data control mechanism, converts the digital audio materials to analog audio signals and transfers the analog audio signals to each of the respective listening stations for the audio output.

Abstract: A multi-station video/audio distribution apparatus having at least two preview stations, a data control mechanism, a preview station interface mechanism disposed between the preview stations and the data control mechanism, and a video display interface mechanism disposed between the preview stations and the data control mechanism. Each of the preview stations has a user input in the form of a bar code scanner to enter a video material selection, an audio output and a video display. The data control mechanism retrieves digitized video and audio material corresponding to each of the user's video material selections.

Abstract: A universal compressed audio player having the ability to decode and play an encoded audio file residing in a music storage, regardless of the particular encoding algorithm used to encode the audio file, consists of: a music storage containing a compressed audio file to be decoded; a programmable digital signal processor adapted to decode the compressed audio file under the direction of a decoding software program; a nonvolatile memory containing the decoding software program directing the operation of the digital signal processor; a program adapted to copy the decoding software program from a memory card into the nonvolatile memory; a digital-to-analog converter to convert the decoded signal into an analog audio signal; and a speaker or headphones to convert the analog audio signal into sound.