Media playlist construction for virtual environments

• US 8,838,640 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Chen, Jim Chun-Ta, Garbow, Zachary Adam, Young, Gregory Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, TUANKHANH D
• Application Number:
  US13/021,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20110131239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 707/784, 707705-781, 715/733, 702/182, 463/1
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/636 by using biological or physiological data
• 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: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for generating song playlists for use in an immersive virtual environment. Generally, playlists may be generated based on stored music preference data. The music preference data may be generated by storing user interactions with specific songs. The user interactions may be associated with characteristics of the user'"'"'s situational context within the virtual world. The music preference data may be indexed by song name, and/or by musical properties. Subsequently, the music preference data may be used to generate a playlist adapted to the user'"'"'s current situation within the virtual world.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of creating a user-specific playlist based on feedback received during playing of a song in a virtual environment, the method being implemented by a computer that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computer, an instance of feedback about a song, from a user, during playing of the song in a virtual environment;

determining, by the computer, a first situational context that corresponds to a first situation of an avatar of the user in the virtual environment at a time of receipt of the instance of feedback;

populating, by the computer, a data structure with an entry for the instance of feedback, wherein the entry comprises, for the instance of feedback;

(i) information identifying the song, and (ii) information corresponding to the first situational context, wherein the information corresponding to the first situational context comprises one or more indications of the mood of the user;

determining, by the computer, a second situational context that corresponds to a second situation of the avatar of the user in the virtual environment; and

generating, by the computer, a playlist specific to the user in the virtual environment based on the instance of feedback responsive to a determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indications of the mood of the user comprise at least one of:

(i) one or more words included in a communication of the avatar of the user, (ii) one or more physical characteristics of the avatar of the user, (iii) one or more actions of the avatar of the user, or (iv) one or more software commands executed by the user to indicate mood of the avatar of the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the instance of feedback comprises at least one of a command to repeat the song, or a command to increase volume of the song.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the instance of feedback comprises at least one of a command to skip the song, or a command to decrease volume of the song.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the instance of feedback comprises a rating of the song.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating a playlist specific to the user in the virtual environment is further based on stored musical preferences of the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the musical preferences include a history of songs played during past interactions of the avatar of the user with the virtual world.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the musical preferences include one or more specified musical properties.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the specified musical properties include at least one of song genres, song rhythms, song tempos, lyrics, or instruments.

10. A computer program product to create a user-specific playlist based on feedback received during playing of a song in a virtual environment, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage device having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising;

computer-readable program code for causing a processor to determine a first situational context that corresponds to an avatar of a user at a time of receipt, from the user, of an instance of feedback about a song during playing of the song in a virtual environment;

computer-readable program code for causing a processor to populate a data structure with an entry for the instance of feedback, wherein the entry comprises, for the instance of feedback;

(i) information identifying the song, and (ii) information corresponding to the first situational context, wherein the information corresponding to the first situational context comprises one or more indications of the mood of the user; and

computer-readable program code for causing a processor to determine a second situational context that corresponds to a second situation of the avatar of the user in the virtual environment; and

computer-readable program code for causing a processor to generate a playlist specific to the user in the virtual environment based on the instance of feedback responsive to a determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the one or more indications of the mood of the user comprise at least one of:

(i) one or more words included in a communication of the avatar of the user, (ii) one or more physical characteristics of the avatar of the user, (iii) one or more actions of the avatar of the user, or (iv) one or more software commands executed by the user to indicate mood of the avatar of the user.

12. A system for creating a user-specific playlist based on feedback received during playing of a song in a virtual environment, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

a memory containing a program which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, is configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving an instance of feedback about a song, from a user, during playing of the song in a virtual environment;

determining a first situational context that corresponds to a first situation of an avatar of the user in the virtual environment at a time of receipt of the instance of feedback;

populating a data structure with an entry for the instance of feedback, wherein the entry comprises, for the instance;

(i) information identifying the song, and (ii) information corresponding to the first situational context, wherein the information corresponding to the first situational context comprises one or more indications of the mood of the user; and

determining a second situational context that corresponds to a second situation of the avatar of the user in the virtual environment; and

generating a playlist specific to the user in the virtual environment based on the instance of feedback responsive to a determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more indications of the mood of the user comprise at least one of:

(i) one or more words included in a communication of the avatar of the user, (ii) one or more physical characteristics of the avatar of the user, (iii) one or more actions of the avatar of the user, or (iv) one or more software commands executed by the user to indicate mood of the avatar of the user.