Automated playlist generation

• US 20040017997A1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SONICblue Incorporated
• Inventors: Cowgill, Clayton Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,228,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/65
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A digital media player. The digital media player includes storage to store media content and a user interface to provide information to a user. The information includes at least one task associated with the media content. The media player also includes a control to allow the user to select at least one task and a processor to perform a task selected by the user.

Claims

1. A digital media player, comprising:

a storage to store media content;

a user interface to provide information to a user, wherein that information includes at least one task associated with the media content;

a control to allow the user to select at least one task; and

a processor to perform a task selected by the user.

2. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the task performed by the processor further comprises comparing a current time stamp with recording time stamps associated with the media content.

3. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the task performed by the processor further comprises comparing a current time stamp with played time stamps associated with the media content.

4. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the task performed by the processor further comprises comparing an originating time stamp associated with a time period specified by the user.

5. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the task performed by the processor further comprises creating a mix of content for the user.

6. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a screen display.

7. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises an audio interface.

8. The digital music player of claim 1, wherein the control further comprises at least one push button.

23. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the means for providing information to a user further comprises a screen display.

24. The digital media player of claim 1, wherein the means for providing information to a user further comprises a voice interface.

25. The digital music player of claim 1, wherein the means for allowing the user to select at least one task further comprises at least one push button.

9. A method of selecting media content files to a user, the method comprising:

receiving a user input indicating a predetermined selection criteria;

accessing information associated with a store of media content files; and

selecting media content files based upon the correspondence between the predetermined selection criteria and the information associated with a store of media content files.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises recording time stamps associated with the media content files, wherein the recording time stamps indicate content files acquired after a certain time stamp.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises a played time stamp associated with the media content files, wherein the played time stamps indicate files played before a current time stamp.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises an original time stamp associated with the media content files, wherein the original time stamp indicates that the media content file originated within a predetermined range of time stamps.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises a number of times played, wherein the number of times played is higher than a threshold of times played.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined selection criteria is an automated selection criteria.

15. A method of automatically selecting media content files, the method comprising:

selecting a predetermined number of most-frequently accessed media content files to form a selection list;

adding at least one additional file to the selection list; and

presenting the selection list to a user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file from a list of frequently accessed media content files, wherein the list of frequently accessed media content files has more entries than a list comprises of the most-frequently accessed media content files.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file from a collection of files that includes a file already on the selection list.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file from a same genre as a file on the selection list.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file with a same principle as a file on the selection list.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein adding a file with the same principle as a file on the selection list further comprises adding a file with the same principle that has not been accessed in a predetermined amount of time.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein adding a file to the selection list further comprises selecting another file of a same type of media content at random.

22. A digital media player, comprising:

a means for storing media content;

a means for providing information to a user, wherein that information includes at least one task associated with the media content;

a means for allowing the user to select at least one task; and

a means for performing a task selected by the user.

26. An article containing machine-readable code that, when executed, causes a machine to:

receive a user input indicating a predetermined selection criteria;

access information associated with a store of media content files; and

select media content files based upon the correspondence between the predetermined selection criteria and the information associated with a store of media content files.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises recording time stamps associated with the media content files, wherein the recording time stamps indicate content files acquired after a certain time stamp.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises a played time stamp associated with the media content files, wherein the played time stamps indicate files played before a current time stamp.

29. The article of claim 26, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises an original time stamp associated with the media content files, wherein the original time stamp indicates that the media content file originated within a predetermined range of time stamps.

30. The article of claim 26, wherein the predetermined selection criteria further comprises

31. The article of claim 26, wherein the predetermined selection criteria is an automated selection criteria.

32. An article containing machine-readable code that, when executed, causes the machine to:

select a predetermined number of most-frequently accessed media content files to from a selection list;

add at least one additional file to the selection list; and

present the selection list to a user.

33. The article of claim 32, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file from a list of frequently accessed media content files, wherein the list of frequently accessed media content files has more entries than a list comprises of the most-frequently accessed media content files.

34. The article of claim 32, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file from a collection of files that includes a file already on the selection list.

35. The article of claim 32, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file from a same genre as a file on the selection list.

36. The article of claim 32, wherein adding at least one additional file to the selection list further comprises adding a file with a same principle as a file on the selection list.

37. The article of claim 32, wherein adding a file to the selection list further comprises selecting another file of a same type of media content at random.