Method and apparatus for updating song playlists based on received user ratings

• US 8,825,668 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yadav, Rakesh, Khanna, Amit, Apte, Ajit
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Phuong Thao
• Application Number:
  US13/297,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 707/748, 707/804, 707/916, 707/999.007, 707/999.102, 707/E17.113, 707/E17.009
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/916 Audio

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and computer programs are presented for updating song playlists based on received rating inputs from user devices. One method includes receiving information associated with songs in an initial playlist from a host device by a server. The server generates a rating interface for the initial playlist, which is associated with an image code. The image code for the rating interface is sent to the host device so that the user devices can access the rating interface via the image code. After one or more user devices provides rating inputs to the songs in the initial playlist, the received one or more rating inputs are analyzed to produce an adjusted playlist. The method further includes transmitting the adjusted playlist to the host device to be executed.

Claims

1. A method for updating song playlists based on received user ratings, comprising:

receiving information associated with songs in an initial playlist from a host device;

generating a rating interface for the initial playlist, the initial playlist being associated with an image code, the image code being associated with an event is used to link to the rating interface for use at the event at which one or more of the songs are to be played;

sending the image code for the rating interface to the host device for physically posting at the event;

receiving one or more rating inputs from user devices, the user devices providing the one or more rating inputs after accessing the rating interface through the image code that was posted at the event;

analyzing the one or more rating inputs received from the user devices, the analyzing producing an adjusted playlist; and

transmitting the adjusted playlist to the host device, the host device providing for playing of the songs in the adjusted playlist, the method being executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the songs includes at least a song name.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial playlist identifies an order for the songs as defined at the host device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the adjusted playlist identifies a change to the order for the songs as defined at the host device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rating inputs include defining a new order for the songs in the initial playlist, as received from each of the user devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing of the received one or more rating inputs includes calculating a score for each of the songs in the initial playlist, the score for each of the songs being based on rating inputs received from two or more of the user devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the analyzing of the received one or more rating inputs further includes assigning a weight to particular ones of the user devices so that rating inputs from the particular user devices are given more or less significance as compared to other rating inputs from other ones of the user devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing of the received one or more rating inputs includes,

determining a song currently played by the host device,

determining a next song to play as identified in the adjusted playlist, and

skipping the next song to play if the song currently playing is same as the next song to play.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuing to receive the one or more rating inputs over time, the one or more rating inputs causing the analyzing to modify the adjusted playlist.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the rating interface to show the adjusted playlist.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the updating of the rating interface occurs periodically over time, or after a threshold of rating inputs is received.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the image code is a printable pattern.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the printable pattern is image recognizable and is configured to access a link to a website that displays the rating interface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rating inputs are received from the user devices located within a pre-determined range from the host device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the rating interface is defined by one or more user input fields.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the rating interface further includes social network rating information about rating inputs or comments made by users for the songs in the initial playlist, the users being social network friends of a user whose user device is accessing the rating interface.

17. An apparatus for updating song playlists based on received user ratings, comprising:

an information receiving module programmed to receive information associated with songs in an initial playlist from a host device;

an interface generating module programmed to generate a rating interface for the initial playlist, the initial playlist being associated with an image code, the image code being associated with an event is used to link to the rating interface for use at the event at which one or more of the songs are to be played;

an information transmitting module programmed to send the image code for the rating interface to the host device for physically posting at the event;

a user input receiving module programmed to receive one or more rating inputs from user devices, the user devices providing the one or more rating inputs after accessing the rating interface through the image code that was posted at the event;

an analyzing module programmed to analyze the one or more rating inputs received from the user devices to produce an adjusted playlist based on results of the analysis,

wherein the information transmitting module is further programmed to transmit the adjusted playlist to the host device, the host device providing for playing of the songs in the adjusted playlist; and

at least one processor configured to execute the information receiving module, the interface generating module, the information transmitting module, the user input receiving module, and the analyzing module.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the analyzing module further comprises a calculation module to be programmed to calculate a score for each of the songs in the initial playlist, the score for each of the songs being based on rating inputs received from two or more of the user devices.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user input receiving module is further programmed to continue receiving the one or more rating inputs over time, the one or more rating inputs causing the analyzing module to modify the adjusted playlist.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions for updating song playlists based on received user ratings, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions for receiving information associated with songs in an initial playlist from a host device;

program instructions for generating a rating interface for the initial playlist, the initial playlist being associated with an image code, the image code being associated with an event is used to link to the rating interface for use at the event at which one or more of the songs are to be played;

program instructions for returning the image code for the rating interface to the host device for physically posting at the event;

program instructions for receiving one or more rating inputs from user devices, the user devices providing the one or more rating inputs after accessing the rating interface through the image code that was posted at the event;

program instructions for analyzing the one or more rating inputs received from the user devices, the analyzing producing an adjusted playlist; and

program instructions for transmitting the adjusted playlist to the host device, the host device providing for playing of the songs in the adjusted playlist.