Single action media playlist generation

• US 20070038672A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Novak, Michael, Plastina, Daniel, Cain, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists

Abstract

A method for generating a list of media items selected from a library of media items in response to only a single action being performed. The method displays information identifying a portion of the library of media items and selects a group of media items from the portion of the library in response to only a single action. By utilizing only a portion of the media items in the library, the generated list of media items is desirable to a user by excluding less desirable media items.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operation on one or more data processing devices for generating a list of media items selected from a library of media items, said method comprising:

displaying information identifying a portion of the library of media items;

in response to only a single action being performed, selecting a group of media items from the portion of the library of media items; and

generating the list of media items with the group of media items.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising displaying information indicating the single action.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the selecting further comprises selecting media items having a particular characteristic.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the selecting further comprises selecting media items having a rating exceeding a threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the single action is one of selecting a selection element, making a selection on a drop-down menu, dragging and dropping the portion of the library of media items into a playlist basket display, and dragging and dropping a selected part of the portion of the library of media items into the playlist basket display.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the single action of dragging and dropping a selected part of the portion of the library of media items into the playlist basket display comprises dragging and dropping an album associated with particular media items into the playlist basket display,

wherein said selecting a group of media items comprises selecting media items having a particular characteristic when said single action comprises dragging and dropping an album.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the selecting further comprises selecting media items having a rating exceeding a threshold.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said displaying information comprises displaying a portion of the library of media items comprising media items belonging to one of a particular genre, a particular artist, a particular album, a particular publisher, a particular label, a particular songwriter, a particular composer, a particular release date, a particular parental rating, a particular language, a particular mood, a particular content provider, and a particular period.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said generating the list of media items comprises generating the list of media items in an empty playlist basket display.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising ordering the list of media items.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising storing the generated list of media items.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said selecting a group of media items further comprises dragging and dropping a selected part of the portion of media items into a playlist basket display when said single action performed is selecting a selection element limiting media items in the list to those having a particular characteristic, whereby only those media items of the portion exhibiting the particular characteristic are included in the list.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the selecting further comprises selecting media items having a rating exceeding a threshold.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising playing a media item from the group of media items in response to the single action being performed by the user.

15. A system for generating a list of media items selected from a library of media items, said system comprising:

a user interface for displaying information identifying a portion of the library of media items, said user interface comprising a selection component that in response to performance of only a single action, selects a group of media items from the displayed portion of the library of media items; and

a processor for generating the list of media items with the group of media items.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the user interface displays information identifying the list of media items.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the selection component is one of selecting a selection element of the user interface, making a selection on a drop-down menu of the user interface, and dragging and dropping the displayed portion of the library of media items within the user interface.

18. A user interface for generating a list of media items selected from a library of media items, said user interface comprising:

a candidate media item display for displaying a portion of the library of media items;

a playlist basket display for displaying media items to be played; and

a selection element selectable by a user with a single action for selecting a group of media items from the displayed portion of the library of media items and populating the playlist basket display with such selected media items.

19. The user interface of claim 18 wherein said single action performed by the user is selecting a selection element limiting media items selected for inclusion in the playlist basket display to those having a particular characteristic.

20. The user interface of claim 18 wherein said selection of the selection element with a single action performed by the user additionally begins playing the media items in the group.