Media Content for a Mobile Media Device

• US 20090291677A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Jonathan R., Andrews, Anton O.A., Fong, Jeffrey C., Lauby, William J., Shum, Albert Y.S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,177,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded

Abstract

Various embodiments enable a user of a mobile media device to select one or more channels to load onto the device. Each channel comprises a collection of media content files, such as video content, audio content, and so on. Each collection of media content files can be associated with a particular genre (or genres) of media content. A channel can be managed such that its collection of media content can be rearranged, augmented, and/or otherwise edited to produce a refreshed version of the channel. A user'"'"'s interaction with content within a channel can be monitored to produce behavior data about the user. The behavior data can be used to customize the playback of a particular channel to reflect user preferences. The behavior data can also be used to produce channels that are custom tuned for the user and can be used to produce a customized version of a mobile media device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s interaction with a first portion of a channel on a mobile device, the channel comprising a collection of media content files associated with a content genre; and

modifying playback of a second portion of the channel based at least in part on the user interaction with the first portion of the channel.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction with the first portion of the channel comprises navigation by the user through one or more media content files.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction with the first portion of the channel comprises skipping over the first portion of the channel.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction with the first portion of the channel comprises user characterization of one or more media content files of the first portion of the channel.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the user characterization comprises an indication that at least one of the one or more media content files is a favorite.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the user characterization comprises and indication that the user dislikes at least one of the one or more media content files.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of modifying playback of the second portion of the channel comprises automatically skipping over at least one media content file of the second portion of the channel.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s interaction with a first instance of a channel, the channel comprising a collection of media content files associated with a content genre; and

modifying a second instance of the channel based at least in part on the user'"'"'s interaction with the first instance of the channel.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction with the first instance of the channel comprises navigation within the first instance of the channel.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the act of navigation comprises skipping over one or more media content files of the first instance of the channel.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction with the first instance of the channel comprises a user characterization of one or more media content files of the first instance of the channel.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the act of modifying the second instance of the channel comprises removing one or more media content files from the second instance of the channel.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the act of modifying the second instance of the channel comprises adding one or more media content files to the second instance of the channel.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

compiling user behavior data based at least in part on the on the user'"'"'s interaction with the first instance of the channel; and

customizing a mobile media device based at least in part on the user behavior data.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein customizing the mobile media device comprises pre-populating the mobile media device with media content that corresponds to the user behavior data.

16. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media coupled to the one or more processors;

computer-executable instructions stored on the computer-readable storage media that, when executed by the one or more processors, implement a method comprising;

generating user interaction data based at least in part on a user'"'"'s interaction with one or more media content files comprised by a first instance of a channel, the channel comprising a plurality of media content files stored on the mobile device;

communicating the user interaction data to a content manager; and

receiving a second instance of the channel from the content manager, the second instance of the channel being generated based at least in part on the user interaction data.

17. A mobile device as recited in claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction comprises navigation through one or more of the one or more media content files.

18. A mobile device as recited in claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s interaction comprises user characterization of one or more of the one or more media content files.

19. A mobile device as recited in claim 16, wherein the content manager comprises a web-based channel management service.

20. A mobile device as recited in claim 16, wherein generating the second instance of the channel comprises deleting one or more media content files from the second instance of the channel based at least in part on the user interaction data.