USER INTERFACE FOR STREAMING MEDIA STATIONS WITH FLEXIBLE STATION CREATION

• US 20140123006A1
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Elbert D., Wood, Policarpo, Bachman, William, Robbin, Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US13/960,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20140123006A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

User interfaces provide options for customizing a streaming media application to incorporate a personalized stations list defined by a user. For example, a user can create stations based on categories (e.g., genres or other characteristics), specific artists, and/or specific tracks. The user can select categories, artists, or tracks to be used for defining a station via a number of options, such as by searching or browsing a radio service'"'"'s library of tracks; by selecting a currently playing or previously played track; and/or by selecting a track from a user'"'"'s personal media library. Stations that a user has defined can be further customized based on user feedback, and stations on the user'"'"'s personal stations list can be edited, deleted, and/or rearranged as the user sees fit.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, on a computing device, a graphical interface including a group of graphical elements associated with remotely stored streaming media data;

receiving input corresponding to a selection of a graphical element associated with a category;

providing one or more media stream options associated with the category including an option to add one or more new media streams; and

receiving input corresponding to a selection of a media stream option, wherein a new media stream associated with the category is added to a media stream collection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing one or more media stream options includes generating one or more new stream views, and wherein a media stream view includes one or more media stream options.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more media stream views include inter-related selections, wherein one media stream view includes a list view icon, and wherein activating the list view icon causes the addition of a graphical element associated with a new media stream.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the new media stream is featured, and wherein featuring includes displaying historical streaming media data for that new media stream.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein graphical elements have associated media streams that are continuously streamed.

6. A method comprising:

displaying, on a computing device, a graphical interface including a group of graphical elements associated with locally stored media data;

receiving input corresponding to a selection of a graphical element;

presenting one or more media stream options including an option to add a new media stream associated with remotely stored streaming media data; and

receiving input corresponding to a selection of a media stream option wherein a new media stream associated with remotely stored streaming media data is added to a media stream collection.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more media stream options are displayed in a media stream overlay.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the selected graphical element has associated media data that originates from the locally stored media data, wherein the option to add the new media stream is presented while the associated media data is being presented to the user, and wherein adding a new media stream includes transitioning from presenting the locally stored media data to presenting remotely stored streaming media data associated with the new media stream.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the transition between the locally stored media data and the remotely stored streaming media data is uninterrupted.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein providing one or more media stream options includes generating one or more new stream views, and wherein a media stream view includes one or more media stream options.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more media stream views include inter-related selections, wherein one media stream view includes a list view icon, and wherein activating the list view icon causes the addition of a graphical element associated with a new media stream.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the new media stream is featured, and wherein featuring includes displaying historical streaming media data for that new media stream.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein graphical elements have associated media streams that are continuously streamed.

14. A computer system comprising:

a user input device;

a display driver;

a network interface to receive media streams; and

a processor coupled to the user input device, the display driver, and the network interface, the processor being configured to;

generate a graphical interface image for the display driver, the graphical interface image including a group of graphical elements associated with remotely stored streaming media data;

receive a first input from the user input device, the first input corresponding to a selection of a graphical element associated with a category;

update, in response to the first input, the graphical interface image to provide one or more media stream options associated with the category including an option to add one or more new media streams; and

receive a second input from the user input device, the second input corresponding to a selection of a media stream option, wherein a new media stream associated with the category is added to a media stream collection.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured such that updating the graphical user interface to provide one or more media stream options includes generating one or more media stream views, and wherein a media stream view includes one or more media stream options.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the category corresponds to a genre of music.

17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to begin streaming media for the new media stream in response to receiving the second input.

18. A computer system comprising:

a user input device;

a display driver;

a local store to store media data;

a network interface to receive media streams; and

a processor coupled to the user input device, the display driver, and the network interface, the processor being configured to;

generate a graphical interface image for the display driver, the graphical interface image including a group of graphical elements associated with locally stored media data;

receive a first input from the user input device, the first input corresponding to a selection of one of the graphical elements from the group of graphical elements;

update, in response to the first input, the graphical interface image to present one or more media stream options including an option to add a new media stream associated with remotely stored streaming media data; and

receive a second input from the user input device, the second input corresponding to a selection of one of the one or more media stream options wherein a new media stream associated with remotely stored streaming media data is added to a media stream collection.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the selected graphical element has associated media data that originates from the locally stored media data, wherein the option to add the new media stream is presented while the associated media data is being presented to the user, and wherein the processor is further configured to transition from presenting the locally stored media data to presenting remotely stored streaming media data associated with the new media stream in response to the second input.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the transition between the locally stored media data and the remotely stored streaming media data is uninterrupted.