Collaborative playlist management

• US 8,392,505 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Haughay, Allen P. Jr., Lee, Jeffrey T., Perry, Ryan, Ingrassia, Michael Ingazio Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/238,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709/231, 707/104.1, 707/200, 707/201, 707/203, 707/205, 707912-916, 7079992-999203
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for collaboratively managing a playlist of media items including a communications interface. The communications interface may be configured to receive a user feedback from each of a plurality of portable media devices and may include a processor configured to generate an updated playlist based on the user feedback. The user feedback may be related to a queued media item in a playlist.

Claims

1. A media server, comprising:

a media management application configured to play a first playlist;

a communications interface configured to receive a first user feedback from a first portable media device of a plurality of portable media devices when the media management application is broadcasting the first playlist to the plurality of portable media devices, wherein the first user feedback is related to a queued media item in the first playlist; and

a processor configured to;

generate an updated playlist based on the first user feedback, wherein the updated playlist includes a new media item not included in the first playlist;

cause the new media item to be streamed from one of the plurality of portable media devices to the media server without storing the new media item on the media server; and

direct the media management application to broadcast the updated playlist instead of the first playlist to the plurality of portable media devices, wherein the updated playlist comprises a change from the first playlist, wherein the change comprises one of the following;

(i) a different set of media items than the first playlist and (ii) a different order of media items than the first playlist.

2. The media server of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit metadata related to the first playlist to the plurality of portable media devices.

3. The media server of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit metadata related to the updated playlist to the plurality of portable media devices.

4. The media server of claim 1, wherein the first user feedback comprises user ratings of the queued media item.

5. The media server of claim 1, wherein the first user feedback comprises user votes on the queued media item.

6. The media server of claim 1, wherein the first user feedback comprises searchable metadata related to the queued media item.

7. The media server of claim 1, wherein the first user feedback is responsive to feedback from at least one other portable media device.

8. The media server of claim 1, wherein the first user feedback comprises textual comments.

9. The media server of claim 8, wherein the textual comments comprise promotional comments related to the queued media item.

10. The media server of claim 1, wherein the second user feedback comprises textual comments.

11. The media server of claim 1, wherein the first user feedback comprises a message associated with the queued media item.

12. The media server of claim 11, wherein the message comprises information about an upcoming event related to the queued media item.

13. The media server of claim 1, wherein the second user feedback is a summary of the first user feedback.

14. The media server of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the updated playlist by adding the new media item to the first playlist based on the first user feedback.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, the program code including instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a method comprising:

receiving a first feedback from a first user using a first client device and a second feedback from a second user using a second client device when a first playlist is being played by a media server, wherein the first feedback and the second feedback are related to a queued media item included in the first playlist;

generating a third feedback based on at least one of the first feedback and the second feedback;

generating an updated playlist based on the first feedback and the second feedback, wherein the updated playlist includes a new media item not included in the first playlist, wherein the updated playlist comprises a difference from the first playlist, wherein the difference comprises one of the following;

(i) a different set of media items than the first playlist and (ii) a different order of media items than the first playlist;

causing the new media item to be streamed from one of the first client device and the second client device to the media server without storing the new media item on the media server;

directing the media server to broadcast the updated playlist instead of the first playlist to the first client device and the second client device; and

sending the updated playlist and the third feedback to at least one of the first client device and the second client device.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the first playlist to be displayed on the first client device and on the second client device.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the updated playlist to be displayed on the first client device and on the second client device.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

adding the new media item to the first playlist based on the first feedback and the second feedback.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein generating the updated playlist step comprises:

deleting a rejected media item from the first playlist based on the first feedback and the second feedback.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein generating the updated playlist comprises reordering media items in the first playlist.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first feedback is a text message.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the first feedback to be displayed on the second client device.

23. A system comprising:

a media server configured to play a first playlist; and

a plurality of portable media devices coupled to the media server, wherein;

the plurality of portable media devices are configured to receive metadata related to the first playlist from the media server;

the media server is further configured to receive a first feedback from the plurality of portable media devices when the media server is broadcasting the first playlist;

the first feedback is related to a queued media item included in the first playlist;

the media server is further configured to generate an updated playlist based on the first feedback, wherein the updated playlist includes a new media item not included in the first playlist, the adding including streaming the new media item from one of the plurality of portable media devices to the media server, wherein the updated playlist comprises a change from the first playlist, and wherein the change comprises one of the following;

(i) a different set of media items than the first playlist and (ii) a different order of media items than the first playlist;

the media server is further configured to cause the new media item to be streamed from one of the plurality of portable media devices to the media server without storing the new media item on the media server;

the media server is further configured to broadcast the updated playlist instead of the first playlist to the plurality of portable media devices; and

the media server is further configured to send the updated playlist to at least one of the plurality of portable media devices.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the-media server is configured to generate a second feedback based on the first feedback, wherein the updated playlist is generated further based on the second feedback.

25. A portable media device comprising:

a display;

a user input device; and

a processor configured to;

present on the display a remote application including metadata associated with a first playlist comprising a queued media item;

receive, via the user input device, a first feedback related to the queued media item;

transmit the first feedback to a communications interface of a media server, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive a second feedback related to the queued media item from at least one other portable media device; and

receive metadata associated with an updated playlist comprising the queued media item, wherein the updated playlist comprises a change from the first playlist, wherein the change comprises one of the following;

(i) a different set of media items than the first playlist and (ii) a different order of media items than the first playlist, wherein the second feedback is indicative of the change; and

stream the queued media item to a media server to enable the media server to broadcast the queued media item to at least one other portable media device without storing the queued media item on the media server.

26. The portable media device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to receive metadata related to the updated playlist from a remote server.

27. The portable media device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to display the metadata related to the updated playlist on the display.

28. The portable media device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to present the second feedback on the display.

29. A method for managing a playlist of media items comprising:

playing a first playlist at a media server;

receiving a first feedback from a first user using a first media device and a second feedback from a second user using a second media device at the media server when the media server is playing the first playlist, wherein the first feedback and the second feedback are related to a queued media item included in the first playlist;

generating a composite feedback at the media server based on the first feedback and the second feedback;

generating an updated playlist at the media server based on the composite feedback, wherein the updated playlist includes a new media item not included in the first playlist, wherein the updated playlist comprises a difference from the first playlist, and wherein the difference comprises one of the following;

(i) a different set of media items than the first playlist and (ii) a different order of media items than the first playlist;

causing the new media item to be streamed from one of the first media device and the second media device to the media server without storing the new media item on the media server;

broadcasting the updated playlist instead of the first playlist from the media server to the first media device and the second media device.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

causing a plurality of metadata associated with the updated playlist to be displayed on the first media device and on the second media device.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein generating the updated playlist comprises deleting the queued media item from the first playlist if the composite feedback is negative.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein generating the updated playlist comprises promoting the queued media item within the first playlist if the composite feedback is positive.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the first feedback includes a tag.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the generating the updated playlist comprises adding the new media item to the first playlist based on the composite feedback.