PERSONAL MULTI-MEDIA PLAYING SYSTEM

• US 20080133696A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hanebeck, Hanns-Christian Leemon
• Application Number:
  US11/566,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133696A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• 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 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system are provided which enables personal, user-defined programming by allowing a user to select, store and retrieve media programming according to the user'"'"'s personal preferences. In an exemplary embodiment, a user is enabled to define, select and refine channels by categories, such as “sports”, “news” and “music”, inter alia. A favorites list or playlist is used to provide a listing for types of audio programs in an order of preference of the user. The audio system enables user personal feedback on actual audio program presentations and which is selectively used to automatically update the user'"'"'s favorites listing of audio information programming preferences. The user is enabled to input commands, both manually or verbally, to change audio presentations in an order of user priority as presented on the automatically updated favorites listing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling a user of a media device to select categories of media content preferred by said user; and

transmitting only media pieces within said categories to said media device for playing on said media device.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said media device is an audio device, said content being comprised of a playlist of individual audio pieces, said method further including:

enabling said user to provide a like/dislike indicium while said audio pieces are playing on said audio device, said like/dislike indicium being representative of whether said user likes or dislikes one of said audio pieces.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said playlist is created by an audio content server and said individual audio pieces are transmitted from said audio content server to said audio device.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including transmitting said like/dislike indicium from said audio device to said content server.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said content server is further operable for adjusting content of said playlist in response to said like/dislike indicium received from said audio device.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said like/dislike indicium is generated by said user by actuating a switching device on said audio device while one of said audio pieces is playing on said audio device.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including enabling said user to select channels to be accessed by said content server in creating said playlist.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said categories is a text website, said method further including translating text on said text website into verbal format for playing as one of said audio pieces on said audio device.

9. A medium containing machine-readable indicia, said machine-readable indicia being executable within a signal processing system for providing control signals for operating a personal media system, said control signals being operable for:

enabling a user of an audio device to select categories of media content preferred by said user; and

transmitting only media pieces within said categories to said media device for playing on said media device.

10. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said media device is an audio device, said media content being comprised of a playlist of individual audio pieces, said control signals being further operable for:

enabling said user to provide a like/dislike indicium while said audio pieces are playing on said audio device, said like/dislike indicium being representative of whether said user likes or dislikes one of said audio pieces.

11. The medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said playlist is created by an audio content server and said individual audio pieces are transmitted from said audio content server to said audio device.

12. The medium as set forth in claim 11 and further including transmitting said like/dislike indicium from said audio device to said content server.

13. The medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein said content server is further operable for adjusting content of said playlist in response to said like/dislike indicium received from said audio device.

14. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said like/dislike indicium is generated by said user by actuating a switching device on said audio device while one of said audio pieces is playing on said audio device.

15. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said control signals are further operable for enabling said user to select channels to be accessed by said content server in creating said playlist.

16. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein one of said categories is a text website, said control signals being further operable for translating text on said text website into verbal format for playing as one of said audio pieces on said audio device.

17. A system for implementing a personal media system, said system comprising:

a media device operable for enabling a user of said media device to select categories of media content preferred by said user;

a media content server coupled to said media device, said media content server being arranged to receive information identifying said categories transmitted from said media device; and

means for transmitting only media pieces within said categories from said media content server to said media device for playing on said media device.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said media device is an audio device, said media content being comprised of a playlist of individual audio pieces, said playlist being created by said audio content server in response to said categories of audio content selected by said user.

19. The system as set forth in claim 18 and further including:

means for enabling said user to provide a like/dislike indicium while said audio pieces are playing on said audio device, said like/dislike indicium being representative of whether said user likes or dislikes one of said audio pieces.

20. The system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said playlist is modified by said content server in response to said like/dislike indicium received from said audio device.