Methods and systems for per persona processing media content-associated metadata

• US 7,220,910 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Alkove, James M., Debique, Kirt A., Plastina, Daniel, Colville, Scott, Mazhar, Khurshed
• Primary Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US10/100,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 369/30.07, 369/30.08, 715/733, 715/789, 715/811, 846/15
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/015 PDA [personal digital assistant] or palmtop computing devices used for musical purposes, e.g. portable music players, tablet computers, e-readers or smart phones in which mobile telephony functions need not be used touch-screen interfaces G10H2220/096
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analog or digital, e.g. DECT GSM, UMTS smartphone, PDA or palmtop used for musical purposes G10H2230/015; mobile ringtone G10H2230/021
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Various systems and methods described above permit a user'"'"'s content experience (e.g. music playing experience) to be monitored and for metadata describing this experience to be collected. This metadata can be dynamically updated as a user experiences media content and then used to impart to the user a personalized experience that is tailored to that specific user. A user'"'"'s metadata can, in some instances, provided across a wide variety of computing devices on which the user may experience the media content, thus standardizing the user'"'"'s personalized media experience. In addition, intelligent or “smart” playlists can be provided which, in some instances, can be dynamically and automatically updated to reflect current user experiences, thus providing a highly personalized and enjoyable content experience.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a user'"'"'s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s experience, the parameters comprising at least a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

producing metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s);

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user; and

using the metadata to automatically personalize one or more playlists, to reflect the user'"'"'s media-playing experience, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of the following parameters;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated, and a timestamp parameter associated with when the effective rating was provided;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played;

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user; and

wherein each of said playlists is defined by a file format comprising;

a first portion containing data that is associated with a user of the playlist; and

a second portion containing data associated with the playlist, wherein the second portion comprises;

a static portion that contains a list of media content for the playlist; and

a dynamic portion that defines one or more queries for dynamically updating the playlist.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which the user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

4. The method of chum 1, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that the user can experience.

6. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring a user'"'"'s media playing experience, wherein the time periods comprise individual days;

monitoring a user'"'"'s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s media-playing experience during the defined time periods;

producing metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user, wherein said produced metadata can comprise part of a piece of content that includes the media content itself.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the parameters comprise one or more of:

a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience for each song that a user plays.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which the user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

11. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods, the time periods comprising individual days, times of the day, and times of the week;

monitoring a user'"'"'s music-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s experience during the defined lime periods, the parameters comprising one or more of;

a last played time associated with when a particular piece of music was played by the user;

an update lime associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate music;

an effective rating that provides a rating for music that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on music;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of music has been played;

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user;

producing metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with music content experienced by the user, wherein said produced metadata can comprise part of a piece of content that includes the media content itself.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that the user can experience.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which the user can experience the media.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which the user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

16. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 11.

17. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 16.

18. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 11.

19. A method comprising:

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences;

producing metadata associated with each of the users'"'"' media-playing experiences;

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the users;

using the metadata to automatically personalize one or more playlists for at least one of the users to reflect a user'"'"'s media-playing experience; and

identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience;

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that the user can experience.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which the user can experience the media.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and is locally played on the computing device.

25. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to implement the method of claim 19.

26. A computer-executable media-playing software application configured to implement the method of claim 19.

27. A method comprising:

monitoring multiple user'"'"'s media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the users'"'"' experiences, the parameters comprising at least a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the users, wherein the one or more parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of the following parameters;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a timestamp parameter associated with when the effective rating was provided;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user;

producing metadata, for each of the users, associated with the monitored parameter(s);

associating, for each of the users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the users; and

using the metadata to automatically personalize one or more playlists for at least one of the users to reflect a user'"'"'s media-playing experience, wherein to automatically personalize does not require the user to do anything to update the one or more playlists.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experiences.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experiences; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that the one or more of the user can experience.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which the one or more of the users can experience the media.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the one or more user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity.

35. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing is devices,implement the method of claim 27.

36. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 35.

37. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 27.

38. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of lime periods for the purpose of monitoring one or more user media-playing experiences, wherein the lime periods comprise individual days;

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with individual user'"'"'s experience during the defined time periods;

producing, for individual users, metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating, for individual users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the respective users.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of:

last played lime associated with when a particular piece of content was is played by the user;

an update lime associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of

content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the:

act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that one or more users can experience.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which one or more users can experience the media.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more users can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the one or more users to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

46. The method of claim 38 further comprising identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity.

47. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 38.

48. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 38.

49. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 38.

50. A method comprising:

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences using a first device on which one or more users can experience the media;

identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity;

producing metadata associated with the users'"'"' media-playing experiences;

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the users;

maintaining, for individual users, at least the metadata in a database on the first device;

updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by one or more user to experience the media by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device; and

using the metadata to automatically personalize one or more playlists on the first and second devices for at least one of the users to reflect a user'"'"'s media-playing experience.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experiences.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein:

the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experiences; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that one or more users can experience.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which one or more users can experience the media.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the act of updating is performed by using, at least in part, a third party.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein the act of updating is performed by providing both the metadata and its associated media content to at least the second device.

58. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 50.

59. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 58.

60. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 50.

61. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring a user'"'"'s media playing experience, wherein the time periods comprise times of the day;

monitoring a user s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s media-playing experience during the defined time periods;

producing metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience for each song that a user plays.

62. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring a user'"'"'s media playing experience, wherein the lime periods comprise times of the day;

monitoring a user s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s media-playing experience during the defined time periods;

producing metadata with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which the user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

63. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring a user'"'"'s media playing experience, wherein the time periods comprise limes of the week;

monitoring a user'"'"'s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s media-playing experience during the defined time periods;

producing metadata with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience for each song that a user plays.

64. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring a user'"'"'s media playing experience, wherein the time periods comprise times of the week;

monitoring a user'"'"'s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s media-playing experience during the defined time periods;

producing metadata with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which the user can experience the media content and farther comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

65. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of lime periods for the purpose of monitoring a user'"'"'s media playing experience, wherein the lime periods comprise one or more or;

individual days, times of the day, and times of the week;

monitoring a user'"'"'s media-playing experience by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the user'"'"'s media-playing experience during the defined time periods;

producing metadata with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating produced metadata with media content experienced by the user.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the parameters comprise one or more of:

a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the user'"'"'s music-playing experience for is each song that a user plays.

69. The method of claim 65, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which the user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

70. A method comprising:

monitoring multiple user'"'"'s media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the users'"'"' experiences, the parameters comprising at least a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the users;

identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity;

producing metadata, for each of the users, associated with the monitored parameter(s);

associating, for each of the users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the users; and

using the metadata to automatically personalize one or more playlists for at least one of the users to reflect a user'"'"'s media-playing experience.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the one or more parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of the following parameters:

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a timestamp parameter associated with when the effective rating was provided.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experiences.

74. The method of claim 70, wherein:

the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experiences; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

75. The method of claim 70, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that the one or more of the user can experience.

76. The method of claim 70, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which the one or more of the users can experience the media.

77. The method of claim 70, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

78. The method of claim 70, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more user can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the one or more user to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

79. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 70.

80. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 79.

81. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 70.

82. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring one or more user media-playing experiences, wherein the time periods comprise times of day;

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with individual user'"'"'s experience during the defined time periods;

producing, for individual users, metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating, for individual users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the respective users.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of:

a last played lime associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein the:

act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

86. The method of claim 82, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that one or more users can experience.

87. The method of claim 82, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which one or more users can experience the media.

88. The method of claim 82, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

89. The method of claim 82, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more users can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least is a second device that can be used by the one or more users to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

90. The method of claim 82 further comprising identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity.

91. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 82.

92. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 82.

93. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 82.

94. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring one or more user media-playing experiences, wherein the time periods comprise times of the week;

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with individual user'"'"'s experience during the defined time periods;

producing, for individual users, metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating, for individual users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the respective users.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of:

a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

96. The method of claim 94, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience.

97. The method of claim 94, wherein the:

act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

98. The method of claim 94, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that one or more users can experience.

99. The method of claim 94, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which one or more users can experience the media.

100. The method of claim 94, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

101. The method of claim 94, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more users can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the one or more users to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

102. The method of claim 94 further comprising identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity.

103. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 94.

104. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 94.

105. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 94.

106. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring one or more user media-playing experiences, wherein the time periods comprise one or more of;

individual days, times of the day, and times of the week;

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with individual user'"'"'s experience during the defined time periods;

producing, for individual users, metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating, for individual users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the respective users.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein the parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of:

a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

108. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience.

109. The method of claim 106, wherein the:

act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

110. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of is monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that one or more users can experience.

111. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which one or more users can experience the media.

112. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

113. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more users can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the one or more users to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

114. The method of claim 106 further comprising identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity.

115. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 106.

116. A computer-executable computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 106.

117. A software application configured to implement the method of claim 106.

118. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of time periods for the purpose of monitoring one or more user media-playing experiences;

monitoring multiple users'"'"' media-playing experiences by monitoring one or more parameters associated with individual user'"'"'s experience during the defined time periods;

identifying each of the users with an identifier, each user'"'"'s identifier being recognizable by its associated user, but not being mathematically reversible to ascertain the associated user'"'"'s actual identity;

producing, for individual users, metadata associated with the monitored parameter(s); and

associating, for individual users, produced metadata with media content experienced by the respective users.

119. The method of claim 118, wherein the time periods comprise individual days.

120. The method of claim 118, wherein the time periods comprise times of day.

121. The method of claim 118, wherein the time periods comprise times of the week.

122. The method of claim 118, wherein the time periods comprise one or more of:

individual days, times of the day, and times of the week.

123. The method of claim 118, wherein the parameters comprise, for each user, one or more of:

a last played time associated with when a particular piece of content was played by the user;

an update time associated with when one or more other parameters are updated;

a user rating for allowing a user to rate content;

an effective rating that provides a rating for content that the user has not actually rated;

a service rating for providing a third party rating on content;

a playcount total comprising the total number of times a particular piece of content has been played; and

one or more custom parameters that can be programmed by the user.

124. The method of claim 118, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience.

125. The method of claim 118, wherein the:

act of monitoring is performed by monitoring the users'"'"' music-playing experience; and

the act of producing is performed for each song that a user plays.

126. The method of claim 118, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a media-playing application configured to play media that one or more users can experience.

127. The method of claim 118, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a computing device on which one or more users can experience the media.

128. The method of claim 118, wherein the act of monitoring is performed relative to media that is locally stored on a computing device and locally played on the computing device.

129. The method of claim 118, wherein the act of monitoring is performed by a first device on which one or more users can experience the media content and further comprising updating metadata on at least a second device that can be used by the one or more users to experience the media content by providing metadata from the first device to at least the second device.

130. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement the method of claim 118.

131. A computing device embodying the computer-readable media of claim 118.

132. A computer-executable software application configured to implement the method of claim 118.