Media playback queuing for playback management

• US 8,624,098 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• 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:
  US13/429,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 846/04, 846/15
• 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:

selecting a playlist of digital media assets to be played back by the client computing device;

initiating playback of the digital media assets in the selected playlist; and

during playback of the digital media assets in the selected playlist,

receiving a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back, and

interposing playback of the particular digital media asset as a next digital media asset to be played after playback of a digital media asset of the selected playlist being currently played has completed,

wherein if the particular digital media asset is another playlist, the interposing comprises interposing playback of a plurality of digital media assets associated with the another playlist to be played after playback of the digital media asset of the selected playlist being currently played has completed.

2. 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 digital media assets of the selected playlist and the particular digital media asset.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving of the selection of the particular digital media asset comprises receiving an indication whether a user of the client computing device requests that the particular digital media asset is to be played next.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a graphical user interface on a display screen of the client computing device, the graphical user interface includes at least a first selectable item to request that the particular digital media asset be played next.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second selectable item to request that the particular digital media asset be played now.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the receiving of the selection is based on a selection from the graphical user interface.

7. 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 computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for selecting a playlist of digital media assets to be played back by the client computing device;

computer program code for initiating playback of the digital media assets in the selected playlist;

computer program code for receiving, during playback of the digital media assets in the selected playlist, a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back; and

computer program code for interposing, in response to the selection of the particular digital media asset, playback of the particular digital media asset as a next digital media asset to be played after playback of a digital media asset of the selected playlist being currently played has completed,

wherein if the particular digital media asset is another playlist, the computer program code for interposing comprises computer program code for interposing playback of a plurality of digital media assets associated with the another playlist to be played after playback of the digital media asset of the selected playlist being currently played has completed.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the client computing device is a hand-held computing device that includes a storage device for storing the digital media assets of the selected playlist and the particular digital media asset.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer program code for receiving of the selection of the particular digital media asset comprises computer program code for receiving an indication whether a user of the client computing device requests that the particular digital media asset is to be played next.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code for presenting a graphical user interface on a display screen of the client computing device, the graphical user interface includes at least a first selectable item to request that the particular digital media asset be played next.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second selectable item to request that the particular digital media asset be played now.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer program code for receiving of the selection is based on a selection from the graphical user interface.

13. 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) receive, via the user input device during playback of a current one of the one or more digital media assets in the selected playlist, a selection of a particular digital media asset to be played back, and (ii) interpose, in response to the selection of the particular digital media asset, playback of the particular digital media asset as a next digital media asset to be played from the playback queue after playback of the current one of the one or more digital media assets in the selected playlist has completed.

14. An electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein the playback module is further configured to subsequently play the particular digital media asset that has been placed in the playback queue after the playback of the current digital media asset has completed.

15. An electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a hand-held electronic device.

16. An electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein the particular digital media asset is an audio item.

17. An electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein the particular digital media asset is a video item.

18. An electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to present the graphical user interface on the display screen, and wherein the graphical user interface includes at least a first selectable item to request that the particular digital media asset be played next.

19. An electronic device as recited in claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second selectable item to request that the particular digital media asset be played now.

20. An electronic device as recited in claim 19, wherein the electronic device is a hand-held electronic device.