Data preparation for media browsing

• US 20030132953A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Anderson, W. Michael, Johnson, Bruce Alan, Sproule, William David
• Application Number:
  US10/317,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/716
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A media browsing system prepares various media content and synchronizes the content with a media player for playback. A user can specify the content and preconfigure the manner in which the content will be subsequently accessible through a common user interface on the media player. A variety of media players having configurable, common user interfaces promote a consistent media browsing experience across media players for users accessing a variety of preconfigured media content.

Claims

1. A media browsing system comprising:

a plurality of playlists;

a synchronization module to accept user input instructions; and

a mapping file generated by the synchronization module according to the user input instructions to associate each playlist with a particular preset button on a common user interface.

2. A media browsing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a media player comprising the common user interface; and

a synchronization port to load the playlists and the mapping file onto a storage medium for the media player.

3. A media browsing system as recited in claim 2, wherein the storage medium is a portable storage medium insertable into the media player.

4. A media browsing system as recited in claim 2, wherein the storage medium is integrated into the media player.

5. A media browsing system as recited in claim 3, wherein the portable storage medium is selected from a group comprising:

an SD card;

a compact flash card;

a PCMCIA flash card;

a CF format hard disk drive;

a PCMCIA format hard disk drive;

a CD; and

a floppy disc.

6. A media browsing system as recited in claim 1, wherein each playlist comprises:

a playlist entry title identifying a title for a media file;

a filename identifying the media file; and

a metadata tag containing data for performing an action associated with the media file.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein each playlist further comprises the media file.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the media file is selected from the group comprising:

an mp3 file;

a .wma file;

a .wav file;

a .wmv file;

a .jpg file; and

an mpeg file.

9. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the media player is selected from a group comprising:

a cell phone;

a PDA;

a personal audio device;

a personal computer;

a car stereo; and

a home stereo.

10. A media browsing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the common user interface comprises buttons selected from the group comprising:

configurable hard keys on a media player; and

configurable soft keys on a touch sensitive screen of a media player.

11. A media browsing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the common user interface further comprises:

a set of preset buttons, each preset button configured by the mapping file to select an associated playlist;

a set of navigation buttons configured to move forward and backward through playlist entries within a playlist; and

an action button configured to activate a function associated with a playlist entry depending on the presence of data in a metadata tag within the playlist entry.

12. A media browsing system as recited in claim 11, wherein the set of navigation buttons further comprises:

a reverse button to move backward through playlist entries within a playlist;

a forward button to move forward through playlist entries within a playlist; and

a play/pause button to toggle operation of a media player between play and pause functions.

13. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving user input instructions;

receiving playlists; and

generating a mapping file to associate each playlist with a particular preset on a common user interface according to the user input instructions.

14. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 13, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for downloading the mapping file and the playlists onto a media player.

15. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the downloading further comprises receiving a signal from a synchronization port indicating that the media player is docked in the synchronization port.

16. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the receiving user input instructions further comprises presenting a configuration interface on a computer screen through which a user can configure the playlists.

17. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 13, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for:

sensing a connection with a media player;

in response to the sensing, initiating a synchronization process.

18. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the sensing further comprises sensing that a media player is docked in a synchronization port.

19. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the sensing further comprises sensing that the media player is linked via a network.

20. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving a docking signal from a synchronization port;

initiating a synchronization process in response to the docking signal;

receiving a plurality of playlists;

receiving user instructions; and

generating a mapping file from the user instructions, the mapping file defining associations between playlists and preset buttons on a common user interface of a media player.

21. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 20, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for synchronizing the playlists and the mapping file with the media player via the synchronization port.

22. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving playlists and a mapping file; and

associating each playlist with a particular preset button on a common user interface according to the mapping file.

23. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 22, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving a selection input from a first preset button; and

playing a playlist associated with the first preset button.

24. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the playing further comprises:

playing media files from the playlist in their order of entry within the playlist; and

for each media file, displaying an entry title identifying the media file.

25. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 24, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving an action input from an action button; and

performing a function using data from a metadata tag associated with a currently playing media file.

26. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein media files are selected from the group comprising:

audio files;

video files;

audio/video files; and

image files.

27. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving preconfigured data that includes a plurality of playlists and a mapping file;

associating each playlist with a particular preset button based on the mapping file;

receiving a selection input from a first preset button;

in response to the selection input, accessing a first playlist associated with the first preset button; and

playing media files from the first playlist.

28. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 27, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for, prior to the playing, navigating to a particular media file in the first playlist.

29. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein playlists include a title for each media file, the processor-readable medium comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for displaying the title on a display panel of a media player.

30. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein playlists include an action metadata tag associated with each media file, the processor-readable medium comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for performing an action based on information in the action metadata tag.

31. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 30, comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for initiating the performing in response to a selection input from an action button.

32. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the information is a telephone number and the action is to dial the telephone number.

33. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the playing further comprises:

recognizing an audio format for a media file;

converting digital audio data from the media file into analog signals; and

converting the analog signals into audible sound waves through a speaker.

34. A method of synchronizing data to a media player comprising:

receiving user input instructions;

receiving playlists; and

generating a mapping file to associate each playlist with a particular preset on a common user interface according to the user input instructions.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, further comprising downloading the mapping file and the playlists onto a media player.

36. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the downloading further comprises receiving a signal from a synchronization port indicating that the media player is docked in the synchronization port.

37. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the receiving user input instructions further comprises presenting a configuration interface on a computer screen through which a user can configure the playlists.

38. A method as recited in claim 34, further comprising:

sensing a connection with a media player;

in response to the sensing, initiating a synchronization process.

39. A method of synchronizing data to a media player comprising:

receiving a docking signal from a synchronization port;

initiating a synchronization process in response to the docking signal;

receiving a plurality of playlists;

receiving user instructions; and

generating a mapping file from the user instructions, the mapping file defining associations between playlists and preset buttons on a common user interface of a media player.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, further comprising synchronizing the playlists and the mapping file with the media player via the synchronization port.

41. A method of playing media content on a media player comprising:

receiving preconfigured data that includes a plurality of playlists and a mapping file;

associating each playlist with a particular preset button based on the mapping file;

receiving a selection input from a first preset button;

in response to the selection input, accessing a first playlist associated with the first preset button; and

playing media files from the first playlist.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, further comprising navigating to a particular media file in the first playlist.

43. A method as recited in claim 41, further comprising displaying titles from playlists on a display panel of a media player.

44. A method as recited in claim 41, further comprising performing an action based on information in an action metadata tag associated with a media file.

45. A method as recited in claim 44, further comprising initiating the performing in response to a selection input from an action button.