User system providing previews of a user's media collection to an associated portable media player

• US 20070244985A1
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Napo Enerprises, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Svendsen, Hugh
• Application Number:
  US11/403,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244985A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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 21/4113 PC
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• 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 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A system and method for providing previews of media files from a user'"'"'s media collection to an associated portable media player are provided. In general, media files from the user'"'"'s media collection are selected based on a play history of the user and optionally a user profile of the user. Once the media files are selected, previews of the media files are generated. The previews may then be transferred to the portable media player during a docking, or synchronization, process. Thereafter, the previews may be played by the portable media player and, if desired, selected by the user for transfer to the portable media player. The media files corresponding to the selected previews are then transferred to the portable media player during a subsequent synchronization process.

Claims

1. A method for providing previews of a user'"'"'s media collection to a portable media player comprising:

identifying a plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection stored at a user system;

generating previews of the plurality of media files; and

providing the previews to a portable media player during a first synchronization process during which the portable media player is communicatively coupled to the user system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving information identifying a select one of the previews from the portable media player during a subsequent synchronization process; and

providing a one of the plurality of media files corresponding to the select one of the previews to the portable media player during the subsequent synchronization process.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing the one of the plurality of media files corresponding to the select one of the plurality of previews comprises providing the one of the plurality of media files to the portable media player in a desired one of a plurality of formats identified by a user associated with the portable media player.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the plurality of previews to the portable media player in a desired one of a plurality of formats identified by a user associated with the portable media player.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the plurality of media files comprises:

receiving a play history for the portable media player from the portable media player during the first synchronization process, the play history identifying media files played by the portable media player prior to the first synchronization process; and

identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history comprises:

providing the play history to a central system via a network, wherein the central system selects the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection based on the play history; and

receiving information identifying the plurality of media files selected from the central system, thereby identifying the plurality of media files.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history comprises selecting the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection based on the play history, thereby identifying the plurality of media files.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history comprises identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history of the portable media player and a play history of the user system.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the plurality of media files comprises:

receiving a play history for the portable media player from the portable media player during a prior synchronization process occurring before the first synchronization process, the play history identifying media files played by the portable media player before the prior synchronization process; and

identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history comprises:

providing the play history to a central system via a network, wherein the central system selects the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection based on the play history; and

receiving information identifying the plurality of media files selected from the central system, thereby identifying the plurality of media files.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history comprises selecting the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection based on the play history, thereby identifying the plurality of media files.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history comprises identifying the plurality of media files based on the play history of the portable media player and a play history of the user system.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the plurality of media files comprises selecting the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection, at least in part, based on a user profile of a user associated with the portable media player and the associated user system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the user profile comprises information selected from a group consisting of at least one user preference and demographic information regarding the user.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the plurality of media files comprises selecting the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection, at least in part, based on information identifying previews previously transferred to the portable media player.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the plurality of media files comprises selecting the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection, at least in part, based on information identifying media files for which previews were previously transferred to the portable media player and selected by a user associated with the portable media player for transfer to the portable media player.

17. A system comprising:

a communication interface adapted to communicatively couple the system to a portable media player during a first synchronization process; and

a control system adapted to;

identify a plurality of media files from a user'"'"'s media collection;

generate previews of the plurality of media files; and

provide the previews to the portable media player during a first synchronization process.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

receive information identifying a select one of the previews from the portable media player during a subsequent synchronization process; and

provide a one of the plurality of media files corresponding to the select one of the previews to the portable media player during the subsequent synchronization process.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein in order to identify the plurality of media files, the control system is further adapted to:

receive a play history for the portable media player from the portable media player during the first synchronization process, the play history identifying media files played by the portable media player prior to the first synchronization process; and

identify the plurality of media files based on the play history.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein in order to identify the plurality of media files based on the play history, the control system is further adapted to:

provide the play history to a central system via a network, wherein the central system selects the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection based on the play history; and

receive information identifying the plurality of media files selected from the central system, thereby identifying the plurality of media files.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein in order to identify the plurality of media files based on the play history, the control system is further adapted to select the plurality of media files from the user'"'"'s media collection based on the play history, thereby identifying the plurality of media files.