Automatic hierarchical categorization of music by metadata

• US 20050187976A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Bristow, David, Goodman, Ron, Egan, Howard N.
• Application Number:
  US11/033,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187976A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method, performed by software executing on the processor of a portable music playback device, that automatically files tracks according to hierarchical structure of categories to organize tracks in a logical order. A user interface is utilized to change the hierarchy, view track names, and select tracks for playback or other operations. The user interface uses an overlapping hierarchy of categories. A song title can be accessed in multiple different ways by starting with different categories. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses the top-level categories “Albums”, “Artists”, “Genres” (or styles), and “Play Lists”. Within the Albums category are names of different albums of songs stored in the device. Within each album are the album tracks, or songs, associated with that album. Navigation is performed by presenting a sequence of display screens for each level of the hierarchy.

Claims

1. A method of navigating through a plurality of tracks, the method comprising:

accessing a first hierarchy level of metadata associated with the plurality of tracks;

accessing a second hierarchy level of the metadata in response to a selection from the first hierarchy level; and

either accessing a third level of the hierarchy in response to the selection from the second hierarchy level or selecting at least one track from the second hierarchy level, wherein data pertaining to respective ones of the first, second, and third hierarchy levels are presented in sequential screens, each sequentially presented screen replacing the previously presented screen.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of tracks are music tracks.

3. A method for accessing tracks as recited in claim 1, wherein in the first screen the selections available in the listing are one of listings of genre type, listing of album names, listing of artist names selected previously.

5. The portable media player as recited in claim 3 further configured to display an expansion of the selected second member in a third display screen and wherein accessing at least one track is based on a selection made in the third display screen.

4. A portable media player having a plurality of tracks stored therein, the media player comprising:

a display screen;

a user interface; and

a processor configured to present sequentially a first and second display screen on the display of the media player, the plurality of tracks accessed from a hierarchy of metadata, the hierarchy having a plurality of categories, subcategories, and items respectively in descending levels of the hierarchy;

wherein the portable media player is configured to;

select at least one member from a first level of the hierarchy in the first display screen of the portable media player;

display an expansion of the selected member in a listing presented in the second display screen; and

select a second member from the expansion in the second display screen; and

display an expansion of the selected second member a third display screen; and

accessing at least one track based on a selection made in the second display screen.