Personalized time-shifted programming

• US 20010037375A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rajasekharan, Ajit, Story, Guy A., Mott, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

A method and apparatus for personalized time-shifted programming. Digital content is retrieved, for example, from a digital library. Once retrieved, the content is stored locally, for example, on a personal computer. The locally stored content is transferred, in whole or in part, to a playback device that allows a user to listen to the content of the playback device. In one embodiment, the user may designate portions of a playback time provided by the playback device to various selections. For example, with a playback device that provides two hours of content, a user may wish to listen to one half hour of news, one half hour of a series and one hour of an book. Thus, the user may partition one quarter of playback time to each of news and the series and one half of the playback time to the book. In one embodiment, the present invention provides different automatic update techniques for the playback device that may be selected by the user based on how the content is to be used. For example, the news portion may be one half hour of the most recent news available from a particular source. The series may be the most recent episode in the series, whether or not the user has listened to other stored episodes. The book portion may provide one hour of the book from the most recent stopping place each time the playback device is coupled to the library retrieval device.

Claims

1. A method for providing personalized time-shifted media programming comprising:

retrieving digital media content from a library;

storing in the media content for subsequent playback; and

storing a subset of the media content in a playback device, wherein the subset of media content is automatically selected to update consumed media content according to a user'"'"'s predetermined specifications.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of storing a subset of the media content comprises automatically storing a most recent segment of a dynamically changing particular audio content.

3. The method of

claim 2

wherein the segment is selectable by the user.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of storing a subset of the media content further comprises the steps of:

determining a selected segment length;

determining a selected particular media content; and

storing a segment of the selected particular media content in the playback device having a length of the selected segment length.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of storing a subset of the media content comprises automatically storing a most recent episode in a series of episodes.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of storing a subset of the media content further comprises the steps of:

determining an media program having a series of episodes;

retrieving a particular episode in the series of episodes; and

retrieving an episode subsequent to the particular episode when the particular episode has been consumed.

7. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of storing a subset of the media content comprises automatically storing a most recent segment from a series of audio content having multiple segments.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of storing a subset of the media content further comprises the steps of:

selecting a segment of the media content;

storing a portion of the media content in a playback device;

determining an amount of the portion of the media content consumed, if any; and

storing a subsequent portion of the media content corresponding to the amount of the portion of media content consumed in the playback device.

9. An apparatus for providing personalized time-shifted programming comprising:

means for retrieving digital content from a library;

means for storing in the content for subsequent playback; and

means for storing a subset of the media content in a playback device, wherein the subset of media content is automatically selected to update consumed media content according to a user'"'"'s predetermined specifications.

10. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the means for storing a subset of the content comprises means for automatically storing a most recent segment of a dynamically changing particular content.

11. The apparatus of

claim 10

wherein the segment is selectable by the user.

12. The apparatus of

claim 9

wherein the step of storing a subset of the content further comprises:

means for determining a selected segment length;

means for determining a selected particular content; and

means for storing a segment of the selected particular content in the playback device having a length of the selected segment length.

13. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the means for storing a subset of the content comprises means for automatically storing a most recent episode in a series of episodes.

14. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the means for storing a subset of the content further comprises:

means for determining an program having a series of episodes;

means for retrieving a most recent episode in the series of episodes; and

means for storing the most recent episode in a playback device.

15. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the means for storing a subset of the content comprises means for automatically storing a most recent segment in a static content.

16. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the means for storing a subset of the content further comprises:

means for selecting a static content;

means for storing a portion of the static content in a playback device;

means for determining an amount of the portion of the static content consumed, if any; and

means for storing a subsequent portion of the static content corresponding to the amount of the portion of static content consumed in the playback device.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

retrieve digital media content from a library;

store the media content for subsequent playback; and

store a subset of the media content in a playback device, wherein the subset of media content is automatically selected to provide media content according to a user'"'"'s predetermined specifications.

18. The computer-readable medium of

claim 17

, wherein the sequence of instructions to store a subset of the media content further cause the processor to automatically store a most recent segment of a dynamically changing particular media content.

19. The computer-readable medium of

claim 17

, wherein the sequence of instructions to store a subset of the media content further cause the processor to:

determine a selected segment length;

determine a selected particular media content; and

store a segment of the selected particular media content in the playback device having a length of the selected segment length.

20. The computer-readable medium of

claim 17

, wherein the sequence of instructions to store a subset of the media content further cause the processor to automatically store a most recent episode in a series of episodes.

21. The computer-readable medium of

claim 17

, wherein the sequence of instructions to store a subset of the media content further cause the processor to:

determine an media program having a series of episodes;

retrieve a most recent episode in the series of episodes; and

store the most recent episode in a playback device.

22. The computer-readable medium of

claim 17

, wherein the sequence of instructions to store a subset of the media content further cause the processor to automatically store a most recent segment in a static media content.

23. The computer-readable medium of

claim 17

, wherein the sequence of instructions to store a subset of the media content further cause the processor to:

select a static media content;

store a portion of the static media content in a playback device;

determining an amount of the portion of the static media content consumed, if any; and

store a subsequent portion of the static media content corresponding to the amount of the portion of static media content consumed in the playback device.

24. An apparatus for providing personalized time-shifted programming comprising:

a library access device that provides access to a library;

a storage device coupled to the library access device that stores content retrieved from the library; and

a playback device having a memory and an interface coupled to the storage device;

wherein the playback device stores a selected content that is a subset of the content stored by the storage device, and further wherein the selected content is determined automatically based on predetermined user content selections.

25. The apparatus of

claim 24

, wherein the library access device is a personal computer.

26. The apparatus of

claim 24

, wherein the library access device is an Internet terminal.

27. The apparatus of

claim 24

, wherein the library access device is a dedicated audio library access device.

28. The apparatus of

claim 24

wherein the storage device is a magnetic disk.

29. The apparatus of

claim 24

, wherein the storage device is an optical disc.

30. The apparatus of

claim 24

, wherein the storage device is a flash memory.

31. The apparatus of

claim 24

, wherein the playback device memory comprises flash memory.