SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALBUM PLAYBACK IN A RANDOM MODE

• US 20090222115A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Uffer, Judith L., MALCOLM, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,996,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

An embodiment relates generally to a method of playback in a media player. The method includes retrieving at least one song from a media library in a random mode on a media player and playing the at least one song through the media player. The method also includes initiating an album mode on the media player and retrieving remaining songs on an album associated with the at least one song.

Claims

1. A method of playback, the method comprising:

retrieving at least one audio file from a media library in a random mode on a media player;

commencing the play of the at least one audio file through the media player;

initiating an album mode on the media player; and

retrieving remaining audio files on an album associated with the at least one audio file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising ordering the remaining audio files for playback after completion of the playing of the at least one audio files.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising initiating the random mode after a completion of playing the last audio file of the remaining audio files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media library is located on a local drive of the media player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media library is located on a music subscription service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an error message in response to a failure of retrieving the remaining songs associated with the at least one song.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving remaining audio files on an album associated with the at least one audio file further comprises attempting to retrieve remaining audio files on an album associated with the at least one song in the background while the at least one audio file is playing.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a widget to indicate the remaining audio files on the album are retrieved and ready to play in response to the retrieval of the remaining songs on the album.

9. An apparatus for playing media, the apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to playback media in multiple modes;

a persistent storage module coupled to the controller and configured to store media files;

a display unit coupled to the controller;

an input interface coupled to the controller; and

an audio interface coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to be in a random mode for playback of media files;

to receive an indication to initiate an album mode in response to a signal from the input interface while playing a selected media file, to compile an album playlist that further comprises of rest of the files associated with the selected media file; and

ordering the album playlist for playback after the completion of playback of the selected media file.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to return to the random mode in response to completion of the playback of the album playlist.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to display an error message on the display unit in response to a failure of retrieving any media files associated with the selected media file.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the media files further comprise at least one audio file.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising of a computer interface coupled to the controller, wherein the computer interface adapted to couple to a computer device with access to a network port.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to search for media files associated with the selected media file at a music subscription service in response to a failure of retrieving any media files associated with the selected media file on the persistent storage module and the computer interface coupled to the computer device.

15. A system for playback of media files, the system comprising:

a computer configured with a network port and for storage of media files; and

a media application executing on the computer and configured to playback the media files in a multiple modes, wherein the media application is configured to is configured to be in a random mode for playback of the media files;

to receive an indication to initiate an album mode in response to a signal from an input interface while playing a selected media file, to compile an album playlist that further comprises of rest of the files associated with the selected media file; and

ordering the album playlist for playback after the completion of playback of the selected media file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the media application is further configured to return to the random mode in response to completion of the playback of the album playlist.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to display an error message on the display unit in response to a failure of retrieving any media files associated with the selected media file.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the media files further comprise at least one audio file.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the media application is configured to search for media files associated with the selected media file at a music subscription service through the network port in response to a failure of retrieving any media files associated with the selected media file on the persistent storage module.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the media application is further configured to to retrieve remaining media files on an album associated with the at least one media file in the background during the playback of the at least one media file.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the media application is further configured to generate a widget to indicate the remaining media files on the album are retrieved and ready to play in response to the retrieval of the remaining media files on the album.