METHODS OF RENDERING RECOMMENDED MEDIA ASSETS TO A USER BY EMPLOYING A HANDHELD MEDIA PLAYER

• US 20100057779A1
• Filed: 08/30/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Methods of rendering of unpaid media assets from an on-line merchandiser to a user are disclosed by the use of handheld media players. One embodiment uses the idle screen to display metadata of an unpaid asset when another paid asset is being played. Another embodiment employs the switching-on screen of the player. Recommended unpaid assets by the merchandiser are delivered and stored in the unused storage capacity of the player. The unpaid assets are invisible to the user except that when they are selected by the processor and are displayed on the mentioned screens. The unpaid assets are organized in a single structure as those media assets owned by the user. The capacity occupied by the unpaid media assets is adjusted dynamically based upon the required capacity by the user at a specific time. The media assets stored are managed based on their assigned priorities. The user can pay the on-line merchandiser after the recommended asset is selected through a method that the assigned credits to the user are deducted and the user pays for the on-line merchandiser when next time he or she is connected to the merchandiser through a general purpose computing device.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of rendering an unpaid media asset to a user using a handheld media player, the method comprising:

displaying metadata of the unpaid asset while a paid media asset is being played;

receiving user'"'"'s input actions for selecting said unpaid asset; and

paying for said asset.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said method further comprising of playing the selected media asset after said paying operation.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said method of paying the asset including:

deducting assigned credits from an on-line merchandiser to the user;

paying to replenish the credits when the media player is connected to said on-line merchandiser through a general purpose computing device;

or

paying an on-line merchandiser directly when the media player is with a wireless communication means and is connected to the merchandiser through a communication network.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said method further comprising of replacing the displayed metadata of the unpaid asset by new one for a new unpaid asset after a predetermined period of time if the user'"'"'s selection is not received.

25. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said unpaid media asset is related to the paid media asset being played.

26. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said unpaid media asset including:

one delivered to and stored in the media player by an on-line merchandiser through a general purpose computing device; and

/or

one delivered to the media player directly in a real time means by the on-line merchandiser when the media player is with a wireless communication means.

27. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said handheld media player including:

a processor that controls operations of the player;

a display screen that displays messages;

a user input device that receives the user'"'"'s input actions; and

a file storage system that stores paid and unpaid media assets,

wherein said storage system is managed by a storage capacity manager that ranks each unpaid asset with a priority and the lowest priority asset is deleted automatically by the manager if the capacity is required as a result of the user or the system operations.

28. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said media assets associate with a media metadata that includes a format with a plurality of fields including:

a field indicating visibility of the associated media asset on a display by a conventional means of user interaction with a user input device; and

a field indicating priority of the associated media asset with regards to using the storage capacity when said capacity is insufficient for the media player.

29. A method of rendering an unpaid media asset to a user using a handheld media player, the method comprising:

displaying metadata of the unpaid media asset on the first screen of the media player immediately after the media player is switched on;

receiving said user'"'"'s input actions and paying for the asset;

or

displaying the first level of user interface with a subcategory including unpaid media assets.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said unpaid media asset associated with the displayed metadata is selected based upon a recorded user interest profile recorded in the media player.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said method further comprising of playing the selected media asset after said paying operation.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said method of paying the asset including:

deducting assigned credits from an on-line merchandiser to the user; and

paying to replenish the credits when the media player is connected to said on-line merchandiser through a general purpose computing device;

or

paying an on-line merchandiser directly when the media player is with a wireless communication means and is connected to the merchandiser through a communication network.

33. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said unpaid media asset including:

one delivered to and stored in the media player by an on-line merchandiser through a general purpose computing device; and

/or

one delivered to the media player directly in a real time means by the on-line merchandiser when the media player is with a wireless communication means.

34. A method of managing a file storage system in a media player, comprising:

storing unpaid media assets in a temporally unused storage capacity of the file storage system;

wherein each unpaid asset is ranked with a priority with regards to use the storage capacity of the file system; and

deleting lowest priority unpaid asset in a repeatable manner if said unused storage capacity is required as a result of a user or the system operations, wherein said deleting operation is carried out without notice from the user.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said unpaid assets are delivered to the media player by a means including:

transferring the assets from the on-line merchandiser to the media player through a general purpose computing device; and

/or;

transferring the assets from the on-line merchandiser to the media player directly when the player is with a wireless communication means.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said method further comprising:

storing more unpaid media assets if more unused storage capacity is available; and

;

re-ranking priorities for each unpaid media asset.

37. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said priority is determined including a means based upon the user specific media asset database.

38. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said priority is determined including a means based upon the most played artist list by the user.