System and method for playlist management and distribution

• US 20060195512A1
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, David E., Rogers, Ian, New, Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US11/361,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6236 between heterogeneous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0038 System on Chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/01 Automatic library building
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• 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: H04L 12/1822 : Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 : Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 : Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 : The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 : Multimedia

Abstract

A system and method for storing a playlist of media files that is accessible from various locations in a network. In one aspect, the playlist is accessible from multiple users of the network. A method is also described for arranging the media files of a playlist. In one aspect, the method for arranging the media files is based in part on implicit and/or explicit user behavior.

Claims

1. A method of storing a playlist of media files accessible from various locations on a network comprising:

receiving, upon a user selection action to identify a created playlist, a list of media file identifiers wherein each identifier is associated with a media file said user has selected to include in said playlist;

identifying a media file source associated with each identifier; and

storing said list of media file identifiers in a storage on said network so that multiple users of said network, including said user, can access said playlist from various locations.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending, upon a request from one of said multiple users to access said list of media file identifiers, said list to said requesting user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending, upon a request from said user to send said list of media file identifiers to one of said multiple users in said network, said list to said one of said multiple users.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said user selection action to identify said created playlist comprises said user naming said playlist.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said user selection action to identify said created playlist further comprises saving said named playlist.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said locations comprises said users local media library.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said locations comprises a local media library associated with one of said multiple users of said network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said locations comprises a database located on said network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said locations comprises a database located on the internet.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said media file identifiers comprises a pointer associated with each of said media files.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said media file identifiers comprises a universal resource locator associated with each of said media files.

12. A system for storing a playlist of media files accessible from various locations on a network comprising one or more servers configured to:

receive, upon a user selection action to identify a created playlist, a list of media file identifiers wherein each identifier is associated with a media file said user has selected to include in said playlist;

identify a media file source associated with each identifier; and

store said list of media file identifiers in a storage on said network so that multiple users of said network, including said user, can access said playlist from various locations.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising said one or more servers configured to send, upon a request from one of said multiple users to access said list of media file identifiers, said list to said requesting user.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising said one or more servers configured to send, upon a request from said user to send said list of media file identifiers to one of said multiple users of said network, said list to one of said multiple users.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said user selection action to identify said created playlist comprises said user naming said playlist.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said user selection action to identify said created playlist further comprises saving said named playlist.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein one of said locations comprises said user'"'"'s local media library.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein one of said locations comprises a local media library associated with one of said multiple users of said network.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein one of said locations comprises a database located on said network.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein one of said locations comprises a database located on the internet.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein each of said media file identifiers comprises a pointer associated with each of said media files.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein each of said media file identifiers comprises a universal resource locator associated with each of said media files.

23. A method for arranging media files of a playlist comprising:

identifying at least one media file of said media files of a playlist;

accessing data associated with said identified media file, said data being collected from a user;

generating a first score based on a first portion of said data;

generating a second score based on a second portion of said data; and

determining, based in part on said first score and said second score, a position of said identified media file within said playlist.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said data comprises a rating associated with said identified media file.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said data comprises a date when said identified media file was last played.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said data comprises a frequency said identified media file has been played.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said data comprises whether said identified media file has been transferred to a portable media player.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said data comprises whether said identified media file has been transferred to a local media library associated with said user.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein said data comprises whether said identified media file has been recommended by said user to another user.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein said data is stored on a server.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein said data is stored at a local processor associated with said user.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein said first portion of said data comprises a date when said identified media file was last played.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said date is processed into a score to be used to determine said first score.

34. The method of claim 23 wherein said second portion of said data comprises a rating associated with said identified media file.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said rating is processed into a score to be used to determine said second score.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein said rating comprises a rating associated with an artist associated with said identified media file.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein said rating comprises a rating associated with an album associated with said identified media file.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein said rating comprises a rating associated with a genre associated with said identified media file.

39. The method of claim 34 wherein said rating comprises a default rating.

40. The method of claim 23 wherein said first score comprises a rating score associated with said identified media file and a last played scored associated with said identified media file.

41. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of determining said position comprises aggregating said first score and said second score and weighting said first score and said second score against scores of said media files in said playlist.

42. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of determining said position is based on the formula [N*(R/N)^p]^0.94, wherein N is the number of said media files in said playlist, R is a random integer, and p is a constant value.

43. The method of claim 23 further comprising generating a separation number so that an attribute associated with said media files in said playlist is not repetitive.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said attribute comprises an artist associated with said media files.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein said attribute comprises an album associated with said media files.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein said attribute comprises a genre associated with said media files.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein said separation number is based on the formula T/N_a, wherein T is the total number of said media files within said playlist, wherein N_a is the number of media files with said attribute.