MEDIA PLAYING ON A PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER INCLUDING SHOP AND PLAY REMOTE MEDIA

• US 20080189255A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Varia Mobil LLC
• Inventors: Zatloukal, Peter, Engstrom, G. Eric, Heddle, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

A software and/or hardware facility that enables shop and play remote media using a portable media player is disclosed. Shopping may include, but is not limited to, allowing a user to identify media and acquire (via download or stream) the media to a portable media player for free or for compensation. The facility in some embodiments, allows a user to shop for media on a network site or service using a portable media player via a wired or wireless connection. The facility in some embodiments, automatically presents a user with media available from a network site or service that is related to the context of the user'"'"'s use of the portable media player, such as when a user navigates or otherwise uses the portable media player. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A portable media player method comprising:

receiving by a portable media player, a request from a user of the portable media player to browse and select a media to play within a context; and

in response, displaying by the portable media player, a list of media for browsing and selection by the user, including in the list media associated with the context stored on the portable media player available for selection and play, and remote media associated with the context available from a remote service for acquisition and play.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context is a selected one of an album, an artist or a genre.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the portable media player, in response to the receiving, contacting the remote service to ascertain the remote media associated with the context available from the remote service for acquisition and play.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving by the portable media player a selection of one of the remote media available for selection and play, from the user; and

in response, the portable media player facilitating the user in acquiring from the remote service, the remote media for play on the portable media player,

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the facilitating comprises the portable media player offering the user a choice to stream or download the remote media to the portable media player, or the portable media player confirming the acquisition with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the context is a selected one of an album, an artist or a genre.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the invitation comprises an invitation to the user to search for additional remote media of the same or similar context.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving by the portable media player an acceptance by the user of the invitation to search for additional remote media of the same or similar context; and

searching in response, by the portable media player for additional remote media of the same or similar context.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

redisplaying the list by the portable media player, including additional remote media of the same or similar context found, if additional remote media of the same or similar context are found;

or

the portable media player informing the user that no additional remote media of the same or similar context are found, if additional remote media of the same or similar context are not found.

22. The article of claim 1, wherein the content further enable the portable media player to contact the remote service to ascertain the remote media associated with the context available from the remote service for acquisition and play.

6. A portable media player method comprising:

receiving by a portable media player, a request from a user of the portable media player to browse and select a media to play within a context; and

in response, displaying by the portable media player a list of media for browsing and selection by the user, including media associated with the context stored on the portable media player available for selection and play, and an invitation to include remote media associated with the context or a similar context available from one or more remote service for acquisition and play.

11. A portable media device comprising:

a storage module to store a plurality of media;

a display module;

an input component configured to enable a user of the portable media player to input a request to browse and select a media to play within a context; and

a processing module coupled to the storage component, the display module and the input component to display a list of media for browsing and selection by the user, including media associated with the context stored on the portable media player available for selection and play, and remote media associated with the context available from a remote service for acquisition and play.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the context is a selected one of an album, an artist or a genre.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the device further comprises a communication interface coupled to the processing module, and the processing module is further configured to contact the remote service to ascertain the remote media associated with the context available from the remote service for acquisition and play.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein

the input component is to further configured to enable the user to input a selection of one of the remote media available for selection and play;

and

the processing module is further configured to facilitate the user in acquiring from the remote service, the remote media for play on the portable media player,

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing module is further configured to offer the user a choice to stream or download the remote media to the portable media player, or confirming the acquisition with the user.

16. A portable media device comprising:

a storage module to store a plurality of media;

a display module;

an input component configured to enable a user of the portable media player to input a request to browse and select a media to play within a context; and

a processing module coupled to the storage component, the display module and the input component to display a list of media for browsing and selection by the user, including media associated with the context stored on the portable media player available for selection and play, and an invitation to include remote media associated with the context or a similar context available from one or more remote service for acquisition and play.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the context is a selected one of an album, an artist or a genre.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the invitation comprises an invitation to the user to search for additional remote media of the same or similar context.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein

the input component is further configured to enable the user to input an acceptance of the invitation to search for additional remote media of the same or similar context;

and

the processing module is further configured to search in response, additional remote media of the same or similar context.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the processing module is further configure to

redisplay the list, including additional remote media of the same or similar context found, if additional remote media of the same or similar context are found;

or

the portable media player informing the user that no additional remote media of the same or similar context are found, if additional remote media of the same or similar context are not found.

21. An article of manufacture comprising

computer readable storage medium;

and

content stored in the storage medium configured to enable a portable media player to

receive a request from a user of the portable media player to browse and select a media to play within a context; and

in response, display a list of media for browsing and selection by the user, including in the list media associated with the context stored on the portable media player available for selection and play, and either remote media associated with the context available from a remote service for acquisition and play or an invitation to include remote media associated with the context or a similar context available from one or more remote service for acquisition and play.

23. The article of claim 21, wherein the content further enable the portable media player to:

receive an acceptance by the user of the invitation to search for additional remote media of the same or similar context; and

in response, search for additional remote media of the same or similar context.