MIXED SOURCE MEDIA PLAYBACK

• US 20120022967A1
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bachman, William Martin, Sanders, Christopher J., Martin, Timothy B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/686 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title or artist information, time, location or usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

Playlists having media items from more than one source are described. Media items in a first library are mapped to media items from an online media item store. Media items within the playlist that can be found in the first library will be played from the first library, while media items not within the first library will be played from the online media store. By identifying media items present in both libraries and playing them only from the first library, the described method can reduce the royalties needing to be paid by the online media store. Further methods are disclosed for setting limits on the number of media items that can be shared by a second library.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

mapping media items in a first library to media items in a second library, the first library comprising media items which are controlled by a user, the second library comprising a collection of media items to which the user does not have the individual right to perform, the mapping identifying items represented in both the first and second libraries; and

sending a quantity, up to a limit, of media items in a playlist that are not identified in the first library from the second source for playback by a client, the limit being determined based on inputs comprising royalty rates charged for sharing media items from the second source with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the limit on the quantity of media items sent from the second source of media items is increased responsive to purchases of media items from the second source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the limit is a limit/time interval.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the limit is greater for earlier time intervals than subsequent time intervals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of media items sent is set based on a determined cap of royalties accrued.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a media item from the second source is sent for addition to the playlist after the playlist'"'"'s creation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media item from the second source is selected because it is similar to a seed media item that is included in the playlist.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second source is associated with an online store.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the media items from the second source that are included in the playlist are suggested by the online store.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the limit is further determined based on expected sales of media items from the second source induced by the sharing of the media items.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the playlist was created by a friend.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a communication from the client device further contributing to the limit.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of media items includes sending media further comprises sending each media item that is not identified in the first library from the second source shortly before it is ready for playback.

14. A computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method comprising:

loading a playlist using a media player, the playlist comprising media items from a first and a second library, the second library being remote with respect to the first library, the playlist comprising a limited number of media items from the second library;

playing media items in the playlist, the media items present in the first library being played from the first library; and

downloading and playing media items not within the first library from the second library without accruing a fee owed to a host of the second library.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the media player requests media items from the second library after the creation of the playlist, but before the media item is scheduled to play.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the media player outputs a user-detectable signal when a media item from the second library is played to indicate to a user that the media item is from the second library.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the media player maintains a record of previously played items from the second library.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a user can purchase a media item from the second library by following a link presented in the record of previously played items.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the media player plays media items from the second library subject to data representative of user preferences.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the media player receives an instruction from the second library that limits the number of media items the media player can request from the second library.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the instruction is derived based on royalty information inputs and expectation of profit from sale of the media items data.

22. A system comprising:

a client device having a library of media items, the client device further having a media player configured to playback media items in a playlist, the media player being configured to insert and download media items that are suggested for inclusion in the playlist based on their similarity to at least one other media item in the playlist; and

an online media store having a library of media items available for purchase including media items that are not within the client device'"'"'s library of media items, the online media store further having a record of all the media items stored in the client device'"'"'s library, and having a record of media items that are similar to the media items in the client device'"'"'s library, regardless whether the similar media items are stored in the client device'"'"'s media library, the online media store further configured for recommending media items that are similar to at least one item in the playlist, but not found in the client device'"'"'s library, and further configured for sharing a limited quantity of the recommended media items without receiving a fee in exchange.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the limited quantity of the recommended media items being determined is based on inputs comprising royalty rates for sharing media items from the online store with the client device and expected sales of the media items.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the media player maintains a record of previously played items from the second library and provides a link to the online store to purchase one of the previously played items.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the media player provides an interface to allow a user to set a limit on the number of media items that can be played from the online store.