Media playlist methods and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of generating a playlist of media programs in an arrangement of electronic media devices that includes at least one programmable media recorder, comprising:
- (a) adding a media program to a playlist maintained by an electronic processor;
(b) determining by the electronic processor whether the added media program is preferred to be viewed in a first condition or in a second condition;
(c) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the first condition;
setting the programmable media recorder to record the added media program;
determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist;
if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; and
if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the added media program, and placing the added media program in the temporal gap; and
(d) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the second condition;
determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist;
if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, carrying out step (c);
if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program;
determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition; and
if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, and placing in the temporal gap the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for easily creating playlists of media programs to be played sequentially, where each program on a playlist either is played in real time, i.e., when broadcast, or is played time-shifted when the program temporally conflicts with one or more other programs on the playlist. When a playlist is played, a user can pause viewing at any time, in which case the methods and apparatus recompute the program sequence of the playlist and schedules program recordings as required.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of generating a playlist of media programs in an arrangement of electronic media devices that includes at least one programmable media recorder, comprising:
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(a) adding a media program to a playlist maintained by an electronic processor; (b) determining by the electronic processor whether the added media program is preferred to be viewed in a first condition or in a second condition; (c) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the first condition; setting the programmable media recorder to record the added media program; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the added media program, and placing the added media program in the temporal gap; and (d) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the second condition; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, carrying out step (c); if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, and placing in the temporal gap the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An arrangement of electronic media devices for generating a playlist of media programs, comprising:
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at least one programmable media recorder; and at least one programmable electronic processor in communication with the at least one programmable media recorder; wherein the processor is configured to; (a) add a media program to a playlist; (b) determine whether the added media program is preferred to be viewed in a first condition or in a second condition; (c) if the processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the first condition; set the programmable media recorder to record the added media program; determine whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist, place the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist, determine a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the added media program, and place the added media program in the temporal gap; and (d) if the processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the second condition; determine whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, carry out (c); if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, place the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; determine whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, determine a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, and place in the temporal gap the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method of generating a playlist of media programs in an arrangement of electronic media devices that includes at least one programmable media recorder, wherein the method comprises:
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(a) adding a media program to a playlist maintained by an electronic processor; (b) determining by the electronic processor whether the added media program is preferred to be viewed in a first condition or in a second condition; (c) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the first condition; setting the programmable media recorder to record the added media program; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the added media program, and placing the added media program in the temporal gap; and (d) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the second condition; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, carrying out step (c); if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, and placing in the temporal gap the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification