Media Play Lists

• US 20070180057A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McEnroe, Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• 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 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/84 using optical recording H04N5/80, H04N5/89, H04N5/91 take precedence

Abstract

List processing functionality (LPF) is described for creating a play list that defines an order in which video media programs are to be presented. Different techniques are described for creating the play list, including various manual techniques and various automatic (or semi-automatic) techniques.

Claims

1. A method for constructing a play list for presenting media programs, comprising:

presenting a first program to a user;

receiving the user'"'"'s selection of a second program; and

presenting the second program after the completion of the first program based on the user'"'"'s selection,

wherein the user'"'"'s selection to present the second program after the first program generates a play list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the programs comprise user-recorded programs.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the user'"'"'s additional selection of at least a third program while another program is being presented, and adding said at least third program to the play list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects the second program during any time in the presentation of the first program without being prompted to make a selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects the second program approximately at the end of the first program after receiving a prompt to make a selection.

6. One or more machine-readable media containing machine-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 1.

7. Functionality including respective logic configured to perform each of the presenting a first program to a user, receiving the user'"'"'s selection of a second program, and presenting the second program of claim 1.

8. A method for constructing a play list for presenting media programs, comprising:

identifying at least one program criterion;

automatically constructing a play list based on said at least one program criterion; and

presenting at least one program specified in the play list based on a playback order defined in the play list.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the programs comprise user-recorded programs.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one criterion comprises one or more of:

a criterion pertaining to program series;

a criterion pertaining to program theme;

a criterion pertaining to program source;

a criterion pertaining to program popularity;

a criterion pertaining to a program maturity rating;

a criterion pertaining to program timeframe;

a criterion pertaining to program cast;

or

a criterion pertaining to empirical data that reflects user consumption of program information.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a selection user interface presentation to the user that allows the user to select from among plural criteria,

wherein said at least one criterion is identified via the selection user interface presentation.

12. The method of claim 8, finer comprising:

determining that the user is watching a program; and

determining at least one characteristic of the program,

wherein the identifying comprises determining said at least one criterion based on said at least one characteristic of the program.

13. One or more machine-readable media containing machine-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 8.

14. Functionality including respective logic configured to perform each of the identifying at least one program criterion, automatically constructing a play list, and presenting at least one program specified in the play list of claim 8.

15. Recording functionality for recording media video media programs received from a media provider, comprising:

a storage device;

logic configured to record plural programs in the storage device; and

list processing functionality for processing play lists, comprising;

logic configured to construct a play list that specifies a playback order in which at least two programs stored in the storage device are to be played back; and

logic configured to play back said at least two programs in the playback order.

16. The recording functionality of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to construct the play list comprises logic configured to receive a user'"'"'s manual selection of said at least to programs, wherein the playback order is defined by an order in which the user selects said at least two programs.

17. The recording functionality of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to construct the play list comprises logic configured to receive a user'"'"'s manual selection of at least a second program while a first program is being presented.

18. The recording functionality of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to construct the play list comprises logic configured to automatically select at least a second program based on assessed similarity of said at least second program with a first program that is being presented.

19. The recording functionality of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to construct the play list comprises logic configured to identify at least one criterion and logic configured to select said at least two programs based on said at least two program'"'"'s satisfaction of said at least one criterion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one criterion comprises one or more of:

a criterion pertaining to program series;

a criterion pertaining to program theme;

a criterion pertaining to program source;

a criterion pertaining to program popularity;

a criterion pertaining to a program maturity rating;

a criterion pertaining to program timeframe;

a criterion pertaining to program cast;

or

a criterion pertaining to empirical data that reflects user consumption of program information.