Media playback queuing for playback management

• US 8,148,622 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Filson, John Benjamin, Yeates, Kyle H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/496,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 846/15, 846/04
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Management or coordination of playback of digital media assets by an electronic device (e.g., a computing device), that supports media playback is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the electronic device can be controlled such that a user is able to schedule playback of distinct digital media assets.

Claims

1. A method for controlling playback of digital media assets on a client computing device, the method comprising:

providing a queue for identifying one or more digital media assets that are to be played back at the client computing device;

selecting a current digital media asset from the queue for playback;

initiating playback of the current digital media asset by the client computing device;

receiving, during playback of the current digital media asset, a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back;

placing, during playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been selected in the queue without interrupting the playback of the current digital media asset; and

receiving a user indication of where the particular digital media asset should be placed in the queue.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular digital media asset is placed in the queue based on the user indication.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user indication is a first user indication or a second user indication, and

wherein the particular digital media asset is placed at the top of the queue based on the first user indication, and placed at the bottom of the queue based on the second user indication.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular digital media asset is placed within the queue such that it is selected to next be played after the current digital media asset completes its playback.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the placing comprises interposing playback of the particular digital media asset as the next particular digital media asset to be played once the playback of the current digital media asset has completed.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client computing device is a hand-held computing device that includes a storage device for storing the current digital media asset as well as the particular digital media asset.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client computing device is a hand-held computing device that streams the current digital media asset to another device having audio or video output capability to present the current digital media asset via the another device.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the placing comprises interposing playback of the particular digital media asset as the next particular digital media asset to be played once the playback of the current digital media asset has completed.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client computing device is a hand-held computing device that includes a storage device for storing the current digital media asset as well as the particular digital media asset.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client computing device is a hand-held computing device that streams the current digital media asset to another device having audio or video output capability to present the current digital media asset via the another device.

5. A method for controlling playback of digital media assets on a client computing device, the method comprising:

providing a queue for identifying one or more digital media assets that are to be played back at the client computing device;

selecting a current digital media asset from the queue for playback;

initiating playback of the current digital media asset by the client computing device;

receiving, during playback of the current digital media asset, a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back; and

placing, during playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been selected in the queue without interrupting the playback of the current digital media asset,

wherein the particular digital media asset is placed within the queue such that it is selected to be played after all of the other digital media assets remaining in the queue have been played back.

6. A method for controlling playback of digital media assets on a client computing device, the method comprising:

providing a queue for identifying one or more digital media assets that are to be played back at the client computing device;

selecting a current digital media asset from the queue for playback;

initiating playback of the current digital media asset by the client computing device;

receiving, during playback of the current digital media asset, a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back;

placing, during playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been selected in the queue without interrupting the playback of the current digital media asset; and

playing, following playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been placed in the queue after the playback of the current digital media asset ends.

10. A method for controlling playback of digital media assets on a client computing device, the method comprising:

operating a digital media playback device in a first playback mode or a second playback mode;

providing a playback queue configured to contain digital media assets to be played back;

playing back at least one of the digital media assets in the playback queue;

receiving at least one first user selection of a particular digital media asset or a particular digital media asset group;

if in the first mode,

interrupting the digital media asset currently being played in response to the at least one first user selection, and

playing the particular digital media asset or the particular digital media asset group instead of the digital media asset currently being played; and

if in the second mode,

placing the particular digital media asset or the particular digital media asset group into the playback queue such it is played after the digital media asset currently being played has completed.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein, if in the second mode, the placing the particular digital media asset or the particular digital media asset group into the playback queue is such it is played promptly after the digital media asset currently being played has completed.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein if in the second mode, the method further comprises:

playing the particular digital media asset or the particular digital media asset group after completing playback of the digital media asset currently being played; and

returning, following the playback of the particular digital media asset or the particular digital media asset group in the playback queue, to playback other of the digital media assets provided in the playback queue.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least computer program code tangibly stored thereon for controlling playback of digital media assets on a client computing device, the method comprising:

computer program code for providing a queue for identifying one or more digital media assets that are to be played back at the client computing device;

computer program code for selecting a current digital media asset from the queue for playback;

computer program code for initiating playback of the current digital media asset by the client computing device;

computer program code for receiving, during playback of the current digital media asset, a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back;

computer program code for placing, during playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been selected in the queue without interrupting the playback of the current digital media asset; and

computer program code for placing, during playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been selected in the queue without interrupting the playback of the current digital media asset

computer program code for playing, following playback of the current digital media asset, the particular digital media asset that has been placed in the queue after the playback of the current digital media asset ends.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a media asset storage device configured to store a plurality of digital media assets;

a user input device configured to receive one or more user inputs to specify user selection of one or more of the digital media assets;

a display screen for presenting at least one graphical user interface that facilitates the user selection of one or more of the digital media assets;

a playback queue configured to store an indication of any of the one or more of the digital media assets selected by the user selection that are to be subsequently played;

a playback module configured to manage playback of the one or more of the digital media assets selected by the user selection using the user input device; and

a processor for performing playback of the one or more of the digital media assets as managed by the playback module,

wherein the playback module is configured to (i) initiate playback of a current digital media asset by the processor; and

(ii) place, during playback of the current digital media asset, a particular digital media asset that has been selected using the user input device into the playback queue without interrupting the playback of the current digital media asset.

15. An electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the playback module is further configured to subsequently play the particular digital media assets that have been placed in the playback queue after the playback of the current digital media asset.

16. An electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the electronic device is a hand-held electronic device.