COMBINING SONG AND MUSIC VIDEO PLAYBACK USING PLAYLISTS

• US 20120117042A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Durante, Samantha Susan, Ferch, Kraldon T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A single playlist can be generated that includes both songs and music videos. Additionally, a song on a playlist can be identified and a check made as to whether a music video corresponding to the identified song is available. If a music video corresponding to the identified song is not available, then the identified song is played back. However, if a music video corresponding to the identified song is available, then the music video is played back instead of the identified song.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a song on a playlist;

checking whether a music video corresponding to the identified song is available;

playing back the identified song if the music video corresponding to the identified song is not available; and

playing back the music video instead of the identified song if the music video corresponding to the identified song is available.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein playing back the music video comprises playing back the music video and keeping the playlist unaltered.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising modifying the playlist by replacing an identifier of the identified song in the playlist with an identifier of the music video.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the checking comprises:

obtaining a song identifier for the song;

checking, for each of multiple music videos, whether metadata associated with the music video includes the song identifier; and

determining that one of the multiple music videos corresponds to the identified song if metadata associated with the one of the multiple music videos includes the song identifier.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the song identifier comprises an album identifier identifying an album on which the song is included and a track identifier identifying which track of the album the song is included as.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the checking comprises checking whether the music video has been associated with the identified song by the user.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing the identifying and checking when the playlist is generated.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing the identifying and checking while playing back the playlist.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a music video corresponding to the identified song is available if the user has a right to play back the music video corresponding to the identified song.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a music video corresponding to the identified song is available if the music video corresponding to the identified song is included in a video library on a computing device being used by the user.

11. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive an identification of one or more songs;

receive an identification of one or more music videos; and

generate a single playlist including both the one or more songs and the one or more music videos.

12. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 11, wherein for at least one of the one or more music videos there is no corresponding song available to a user of a computing system including the one or more processors.

13. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 11, wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

identify one of the one or more songs on the playlist;

check whether a music video corresponding to the one song is available;

play back the one song if the music video corresponding to the identified song is not available; and

play back the music video corresponding to the one song instead of the one song if the music video corresponding to the one song is available.

14. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein to play back the music video is to play the music video and keep the playlist unaltered.

15. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein to check whether a music video corresponding to the one song is available is to:

obtain a song identifier for the one song;

check, for each of multiple music videos, whether metadata associated with the music video includes the song identifier; and

determine that one of the multiple music videos corresponds to the one song if metadata associated with the one of the multiple music videos includes the song identifier.

16. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 15, wherein the song identifier comprises an album identifier identifying an album on which the song is included and a track identifier identifying which track of the album the song is included as.

17. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein to check whether a music video corresponding to the one song is available is to check whether the music video has been associated with the one song by the user.

18. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the identification and check when the playlist is generated.

19. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein a music video corresponding to the one song is available if the music video corresponding to the one song is included in a video library on a computing device that includes the one or more processors.

20. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

identify a song on a playlist, the playlist including a song identifier for each of multiple songs, each song identifier comprising an album identifier identifying an album on which the song is included and a track identifier identifying which track of the album the song is included as;

check whether a music video corresponding to the identified song is available, wherein a music video corresponding to the identified song is available if a music video having associated metadata including the song identifier is included in a video library on a computing device including the one or more processors;

play back the identified song if the music video corresponding to the identified song is not available; and

play back the music video instead of the identified song if the music video corresponding to the identified song is available.