Powerfully simple digital media player and methods for use therewith
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A powerfully simple digital media player and methods for use therewith are disclosed. In one embodiment, a digital media player with a simplified user interface is disclosed that, like an FM radio, allows a user to easily select a category of digital media for playback. In another embodiment, to make the experience more FM-radio-like for a user, instead of charging the user for the digital audio files, digital media files can be distributed for free (or at a reduced charge) by playing advertisements before, during, or after the playback of a digital audio file. In yet another embodiment, an exemplary network infrastructure is provided. In another embodiment, a generic streaming content file interface is presented. Other embodiments are disclosed, and any of these embodiments can be used alone or in combination with one another.
142 Citations
175 Claims
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1-25. -25. (canceled)
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26. A method for playing a digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:
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receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of user input elements of a digital media player, wherein the digital media player comprises a memory operative to store digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories, wherein all digital media files stored in the memory that are playable by the digital media player are grouped in one of the plurality of categories; and in response to receiving the user selection; selecting a category from the plurality of categories; and playing a digital media file from the selected category. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for playing a digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:
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receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of user input elements of a digital media player, wherein the plurality of user input elements are configured to correspond to a plurality of categories of digital media files stored in a memory of the digital media player; and in response to receiving the user selection, playing a digital media file from a category corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of user input elements. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51-75. -75. (canceled)
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76. A method for playing an advertisement-supported digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:
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with a digital media player comprising a memory operative to store a plurality of digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories and a plurality of advertisements, wherein each category is associated with rules for playing advertisements during playback of digital media files, and wherein the rules for each category are specified by a curator of that category, receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of categories; and playing at least one advertisement during playback of digital media files in a selected category according to the rules associated with the selected category. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. A method for playing an advertisement-supported digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:
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with a digital media player comprising a memory operative to store a plurality of digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories, a plurality of advertisements, and a plurality of playlists for the respective plurality of categories, wherein a playlist for a given category is specified by a curator of that category and specifies a playback order of advertisements and digital media files in that category, receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of categories; and playing advertisements and digital media files from the selected category according to the playlist associated with the selected category. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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101-125. -125. (canceled)
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126. A method for providing a category of digital media files to a digital media player, the method comprising:
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with a server, establishing communication with a digital media player, wherein the server stores a plurality of digital media files grouped into a category, a plurality of advertisements associated with the category, and a rule, specified by a curator of the category, for playing advertisements during playback of digital media files in the category; and providing the plurality of digital media files, the plurality of advertisements, and the rule to the digital media player. - View Dependent Claims (127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136)
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137. A method for receiving a category of digital media files from a server, the method comprising:
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with a digital media player, establishing communication with a server storing a plurality of digital media files grouped into a category, a plurality of advertisements associated with the category, and a rule, specified by a curator of the category, for playing advertisements during playback of digital media files in the category; and receiving the plurality of digital media files, the plurality of advertisements, and the rule from the server. - View Dependent Claims (138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
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151-162. -162. (canceled)
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163. A method for providing digital media files from a memory device to a host device, the method comprising:
with a memory device comprising a memory storing a plurality of digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories; establishing communication with a host device; and presenting, to the host device, a generic file representative of a category of digital media files stored in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175)
Specification