An audio program player comprising: a communications port for establishing a data communications link for downloading a plurality of separate digital compressed audio program files and a separate sequencing file from one or more server computers, a digital memory unit coupled to said communications port for persistently storing said separate digital compressed audio program files and said separate sequencing file, said sequencing file containing data specifying an ordered sequence of a collection of said separate digital compressed audio program files, an audio output unit including at least one speaker or headset for reproducing said audio program files in audible form perceptible to a listener, one or more manual controls for accepting commands from said listener, and a processor for continuously delivering a succession of said audio program files in said collection to said audio output unit in said ordered sequence specified by said sequencing file in the absence of a program selection command from said listener, and for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing audio program file and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of a listener-selected one of said audio program files in said collection in response to a program selection command from said listener. view more

The audio program player as set forth in claim 5 wherein said processor responds to a skip backward program selection command accepted from said listener at a time when said currently playing audio program file has not yet played for said predetermined amount of time for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program segment and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of a program segment which precedes the currently playing program segment in said ordered sequence specified by said sequencing file. view more

The audio program player as set forth in claim 9 wherein at least some of said separate digital compressed audio program files downloaded from said server computer are selected by said server computer based on data describing the preferences of or past requests submitted by said listener. view more

An audio program player for automatically playing a collection of audio program files selected by a listener, said player comprising, in combination: a memory unit for storing: (a) a plurality of audio program files, (b) program description data including displayable text describing each of said audio program files, and (c) at least one separately stored playback session sequencing file which specifies an ordered sequence of a collection of said plurality of audio program files, a communications port for downloading at least some of said audio program files and said playback session sequencing file from said one or more server computers, at least some of said audio program files downloaded from said one or more server computers being selected by said listener from a library of audio program files available from said one or more server computers, and said audio program files in said collection specified by said playback session sequencing file being selected by or on behalf of said listener to produce a personalized playback session, one or more controls for accepting input commands from said listener, a display screen for presenting a visual menu listing to said listener containing displayable text describing some or all of the audio program files in said collection specified by said sequencing file, an audio playback unit for automatically and continuously reproducing said audio program files in said collection in the ordered sequence specified by said playback session sequencing file in the absence of a control command from said listener, and a processor for executing one or more utility programs to perform control functions in response to said input commands from a user, said functions including: (a) in response to a first one of said input commands designating a selected audio program file described on said visual menu listing for causing said audio playback unit to discontinue the reproduction of the currently playing audio program file in said ordered sequence and to instead continue the reproduction at the beginning of said selected audio program file, (b) in response to a second one of said control commands for discontinuing the reproduction of said currently playing audio program file and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of that audio program file which follows said currently playing audio program file in said ordered sequence specified by said playback session sequencing file, (c) in response to a third one of said control commands accepted from said listener at a time when said currently playing audio program file has played for at least a predetermined amount of time by discontinuing the reproduction of said currently playing audio program file and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of said currently playing audio program file, and (d) in response to said third one of said control commands accepted from said listener at a time when said currently playing audio program file has not yet played for said predetermined amount of time for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program file and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of that audio program file which precedes the currently playing program segment in said ordered sequence specified by said playback session sequencing file. view more

A player for reproducing selected audio program segments comprising, in combination:</claim-text> means for storing a plurality of program segments, each of said program segments having a beginning and an end, means for receiving and storing a file ta establishing a sequence in which said program segments are scheduled to be reproduced by said player, means for accepting control commands from a user of said player, means for continuously reproducing said program segments in the order established by said sequence in the absence of a control command, means for detecting a first command indicative of a request to skip forward, and means responsive to said first command for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program segment and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of a program segment which follows said currently playing program in said sequence. view more

A player as set forth in claim <HIL><BOLD>2</BOLD></HIL> further comprising means responsive to the detection of two consecutive ones of said second commands for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program segment and instead tion at the beginning of a program segment which precedes the currently playing program segment. view more

A programmed digital computer for reproducing audio programs as set forth in claim <HIL><BOLD>14</BOLD></HIL> further comprising means responsive to two consecutive ones of said second control commands for discontinuing the translation of the am and instead continuing the translation at the beginning of a program segment which precedes said currently playing program in said sequence. view more