Playlist structure for large playlists
First Claim
1. A computerized method for enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium, said computerized method comprising:
- identifying one or more media files associated with a playlist;
defining media file references for the identified media files;
retrieving metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files; and
storing the defined media file references and the retrieved metadata in a plurality of playlist units representative of the playlist to aid user selection of the media files prior to rendering the media files, wherein storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata comprises storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata on a computer-readable medium in the plurality of playlist units, each of said playlist units having a size derived from a sector size associated with the computer-readable medium, wherein at least two of the plurality of playlist units include media file references, and wherein all of the retrieved metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files is stored in the same playlist unit as the defined media file reference for the identified media file.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium. Aspects of the invention define a playlist structure to have one or more playlist units. Each playlist unit identifies one or more media files in the playlist and includes metadata for the media files. A consumer electronic device retrieves the playlist units and displays the metadata contained therein to a user to enable navigation of the playlist. Aspects of the invention reduce the memory requirements of the consumer electronic devices and reduce the quantity of disk seek operations needed for playlist navigation.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A computerized method for enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium, said computerized method comprising:
-
identifying one or more media files associated with a playlist; defining media file references for the identified media files; retrieving metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files; and storing the defined media file references and the retrieved metadata in a plurality of playlist units representative of the playlist to aid user selection of the media files prior to rendering the media files, wherein storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata comprises storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata on a computer-readable medium in the plurality of playlist units, each of said playlist units having a size derived from a sector size associated with the computer-readable medium, wherein at least two of the plurality of playlist units include media file references, and wherein all of the retrieved metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files is stored in the same playlist unit as the defined media file reference for the identified media file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable components for navigating a playlist having a plurality of media files associated therewith, said components comprising:
-
a playlist component means for retrieving one of a plurality of playlist units stored in a memory area, the playlist units collectively representing a playlist, wherein each of the playlist units has a size derived from a sector size associated with the memory area, and wherein at least two of the plurality of playlist units include metadata describing at least one of the plurality of media files associated with the playlist; a parser component means for obtaining metadata stored within the playlist unit retrieved by the playlist component, said metadata describing a media file associated with the playlist, wherein all of the metadata describing the media file is stored in the playlist unit and wherein all of the metadata for any of the plurality of media files is stored in a single playlist unit; a user interface component means for displaying, to a user, the metadata obtained by the parser component and receiving a media file selection from the user; and a playback component means for rendering the selected media file to the user. - View Dependent Claims (12)
-
-
13. A computerized system for enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium, said computerized system comprising:
-
a memory area storing a data structure representing a playlist, said data structure comprising a plurality of playlist units, wherein each of the playlist units has a size derived from a sector size associated with the memory area, each of said playlist units comprising; a content entry field for each of the media files associated with the playlist unit, said content entry field storing a media file reference identifying a location of the media file; and a metadata field for each content entry field, said metadata field storing metadata associated with the media file associated with the content entry field, wherein all of the metadata associated with the media file is stored in said metadata field of said playlist unit; and a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions that; identify one or more media files associated with a playlist; define media file references for the identified media files; retrieve metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files; and populate the data structure stored in the memory area with the defined media file references and the retrieved metadata to aid user selection of the media files prior to rendering the media files. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification