Method for playing digital media files with a digital media player using a plurality of playlists

• US 8,713,026 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Spence, Richard C., Conley, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US12/157,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,146 Days
• Field of Search: 707/802, 707/803, 707/748, 705/51
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists

Abstract

A method for playing digital media files with a digital media player using a plurality of playlists is disclosed. One embodiment uses a plurality of playlists—instead of a single playlist—to reference a given pool of digital media files. After the songs of one playlist have been played, another playlist is selected, and songs from that playlist are played. Since the playlist selection is automatically made by the digital media player while it is offline, a fresh listening experience is created without requiring the user to connect the digital media player to the Internet. Preferably, each playlist is purposefully curated to ensure that the play order keeps the experience commensurate with a particular brand message.

Claims

1. A method for playing digital media files with a digital media player using a plurality of playlists, the method comprising:

in a digital media player comprising a connector configured to be removably connected with a memory device comprising a controller and a memory pre-loaded with a plurality of digital media files and a plurality of playlists, wherein the plurality of digital media files and playlists are provided to the digital media player via the memory device without requiring a connection to a network, wherein each playlist specifies a predetermined play order of at least some of the plurality of digital media files and is created by a curator, wherein the curator is an entity other than a user of the digital media player, performing the following while the digital media player is offline;

selecting a first playlist from the plurality of playlists;

playing the digital media files specified in the first playlist; and

after playing the digital media files specified in the first playlist, selecting a second playlist from the plurality of playlists;

wherein the selecting and playing of multiple playlists are performed while the digital media player is off-line, thus providing a radio-like listening experience without requiring a connection to a network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second playlist is a next playlist after the first playlist in the plurality of playlists.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second playlist is selected in a random fashion from the plurality of playlists.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second playlist is selected in a pseudo-random fashion from the plurality of playlists.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one playlist in the plurality of playlists specifies at least one digital media file that is not specified by another playlist in the plurality of playlists.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two playlists in the plurality of playlists specify the same digital media files but sequence those digital media files in a different predetermined play order.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of playlists are associated with a first channel, wherein the memory further stores a second plurality of playlists associated with a second channel, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a user-selection of one of the first and second channels.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first channel and the second channel share at least one of the plurality of digital media files.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the memory further stores at least one additional digital media file that is unique to the second channel and is not specified in any of the playlists associated with the first channel.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the user-selection of the one of the first and second channels is received by receiving a user-selection of a user input element of the digital media player.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user input element comprises at least one of a next channel user input element and a previous channel user input element.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital media files comprise digital audio files.

13. A method for playing digital media files with a digital media player, the method comprising:

in a digital media player comprising a connector configured to be removably connected with a memory device comprising a controller and a memory pre-loaded with a plurality of digital media files and a plurality of playlists, wherein the plurality of digital media files and playlists are provided to the digital media player via the memory device without requiring a connection to a network, wherein each playlist specifies a predetermined play order of at least some of the plurality of digital media files, and wherein at least one playlist in the plurality of playlists specifies at least one digital media file that is not specified by another playlist in the plurality of playlists, performing the following while the digital media player is offline;

selecting a first playlist from the plurality of playlists;

playing the digital media files specified in the first playlist; and

after playing the digital media files specified in the first playlist, selecting a second playlist from the plurality of playlists;

wherein the selecting and playing of multiple playlists are performed while the digital media player is off-line, thus providing a radio-like listening experience without requiring a connection to a network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each playlist is created by a curator.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second playlist is a next playlist after the first playlist in the plurality of playlists.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second playlist is selected in a random fashion from the plurality of playlists.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the second playlist is selected in a pseudo-random fashion from the plurality of playlists.

18. A method for playing digital media files with a digital media player, the method comprising:

in a digital media player comprising a connector configured to be removably connected with a memory device comprising a controller and a memory pre-loaded with a plurality of digital media files, a first plurality of playlists associated with a first channel, and a second plurality of playlists associated with a second channel, wherein the plurality of digital media files and the playlists are provided to the digital media player via the memory device without requiring a connection to a network, wherein each playlist specifies a predetermined play order of at least some of the plurality of digital media files, performing the following while the digital media player is offline;

receiving a user-selection of one of the first and second channels;

selecting a first playlist from the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel;

playing the digital media files specified in the first playlist; and

after playing the digital media files specified in the first playlist, selecting a second playlist from the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel;

wherein the selecting and playing of multiple playlists are performed while the digital media player is off-line, thus providing a radio-like listening experience without requiring a connection to a network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each playlist is created by a curator.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second playlist is a next playlist after the first playlist in the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the second playlist is selected in a random fashion from the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the second playlist is selected in a pseudo-random fashion from the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one playlist in the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel specifies at least one digital media file that is not specified by another playlist in the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein at least two playlists in the plurality of playlists associated with the selected channel specify the same digital media files but sequence those digital media files in a different predetermined play order.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the first channel and the second channel share at least one of the plurality of digital media files.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores at least one additional digital media file that is unique to the second channel and is not specified in any of the playlists associated with the first channel.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the user-selection of the one of the first and second channels is received by receiving a user-selection of a user input element of the digital media player.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the user input element comprises at least one of a next channel user input element and a previous channel user input element.

29. A memory device comprising:

a connector configured to be removably connected with a digital media player;

a memory pre-loaded with a plurality of digital media files and a plurality of playlists, wherein by being pre-loaded, a user is not required to write the plurality of digital media files and the plurality of playlists onto the memory device, wherein each playlist specifies a predetermined play order of at least some of the plurality of digital media files and is created by a curator, wherein the curator is an entity other than the user of the digital media player; and

a controller in communication with the connector and the memory, wherein the controller is configured to;

provide a first playlist from the plurality of playlists to the digital media player in response to a request from the digital media player; and

provide a second playlist from the plurality of playlists to the digital media player in response to a request from the digital media player after the digital media player plays the digital media files specified in the first playlist;

wherein the first and second playlists are provided while the digital media player is off-line, thus providing a radio-like listening experience without requiring a connection to a network.

30. The memory device of claim 29, wherein the memory comprises a hidden partition and a public partition, and wherein the plurality of digital media files and plurality of playlists are stored in the hidden partition.

31. The memory device of claim 29, wherein the memory device comprises a memory card.

32. The memory device of claim 29, wherein by being created by the curator, each playlist is commensurate with a particular brand message.

33. The memory device of claim 29, wherein after playing all of the digital media files of one playlist, the digital media player plays the digital media files of an additional playlist.

34. The memory device of claim 29, wherein the plurality of playlists include a first plurality of playlists associated with a first user-selectable channel and a second plurality of playlists associated with a second user-selectable channel.

35. A memory device comprising:

a connector configured to be removably connected with a digital media player;

a memory pre-loaded with a plurality of digital media files and a plurality of playlists, wherein by being pre-loaded, a user is not required to write the plurality of digital media files and the plurality of playlists onto the memory device, wherein each playlist specifies a predetermined play order of at least some of the plurality of digital media files, and wherein after playing all of the digital media files of one playlist, the digital media player plays the digital media files of an additional playlist; and

a controller in communication with the connector and the memory, wherein the controller is configured to;

provide a first playlist from the plurality of playlists to the digital media player in response to a request from the digital media player; and

provide a second playlist from the plurality of playlists to the digital media player in response to a request from the digital media player after the digital media player plays the digital media files specified in the first playlist;

wherein the first and second playlists are provided while the digital media player is off-line, thus providing a radio-like listening experience without requiring a connection to a network.

36. The memory device of claim 35, wherein the memory comprises a hidden partition and a public partition, and wherein the plurality of digital media files and plurality of playlists are stored in the hidden partition.

37. The memory device of claim 35, wherein the memory device comprises a memory card.

38. A memory device comprising:

a connector configured to be removably connected with a digital media player;

a memory pre-loaded with a plurality of digital media files, a first plurality of playlists associated with a first user-selectable channel, and a second plurality of playlists associated with a second user-selectable channel, wherein by being pre-loaded, a user is not required to write the plurality of digital media files and the plurality of playlists onto the memory device, wherein each playlist specifies a predetermined play order of at least some of the plurality of digital media files; and

a controller in communication with the connector and the memory, wherein the controller is configured to;

provide a first playlist from the plurality of playlists to the digital media player in response to a request from the digital media player, wherein the first playlist is associated with the first channel; and

provide a second playlist from the plurality of playlists to the digital media player in response to a request from the digital media player after the digital media player plays the digital media files specified in the first playlist, wherein the second playlist is associated with the first channel;

wherein the first and second playlists are provided while the digital media player is off-line, thus providing a radio-like listening experience without requiring a connection to a network.

39. The memory device of claim 38, wherein the memory comprises a hidden partition and a public partition, and wherein the plurality of digital media files and first and second plurality of playlists are stored in the hidden partition.

40. The memory device of claim 38, wherein the memory device comprises a memory card.