Programming interface for use by media bundles to provide media presentations

• US 9,092,436 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Grant, Scott, Miller, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Chokshi, Pinkal R
• Application Number:
  US12/555,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 725/38, 725/40, 725/51, 725/109, 725/134, 725/142, 725/115, 715/716, 715/854, 715/810, 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34

Abstract

A programming interface for a media management application is described herein. The programming interface allows a media bundle to induce a media presentation at the media management application. More particularly, a media bundle can be provided at a client device, and the media bundle can include program instructions that at least in part use the programming interface to cause the media presentation to be provided at the client device. The media presentation can make use of digital media assets that are stored at a media library on the client device, that are stored within the media bundle, or that are remotely accessible to the client device. The media presentation can provide a multimedia experience for the user of the client device.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

a processor for operating at least a media management program;

a data storage device for storing at least a media library having a first plurality of digital media content and at least one digital media bundle retrieved from an online media distribution site, the media library being for use by the media management program, the digital media bundle including a plurality of bundle components, at least one of the bundle components including bundle program code and a second plurality of digital media content; and

a programming interface configured to facilitate access to programming methods and programming objects associated with the media management program,

wherein the processor is configured to;

execute the bundle program code and in doing so produce a media presentation at the computing system;

determine if the media presentation is to include the first plurality of digital media content retrieved from the media library stored in the data storage device through use of the programming interface;

determine if the media presentation is to include the second plurality of digital media content retrieved from the digital media bundle stored in the data storage device;

determine if equivalent digital media content can be retrieved from the media library when digital media content specified by the digital media bundle is not stored in the data storage device; and

execute playback commands based on playback status information provided by a plurality of programming objects provided by the media management program, wherein the plurality of programming objects comprises at least one of a media management object for external control of playback, a track object for retrieving properties and methods of digital media content, a playlist object, and a temporary playlist object.

2. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital media bundle is a portable digital media bundle that has been provided separate and apart from the media management program.

3. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the media presentation further uses media content or media data retrieved from a remote data repository through use of the programming interface.

4. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the media presentation further uses media data retrieved from the media library through use of the programming interface.

5. A computing system as recited in claim 4, wherein the media bundle invokes at least a first programming method of the programming methods of the programming interface to locate and retrieve particular media content stored in the media library.

6. A computing system as recited in claim 5, wherein the bundle program code identifies the particular media content by a vendor identifier and wherein the digital media bundle includes conversion data to convert the vendor identifier to a distributor identifier before the particular media content is retrieved from the media library.

7. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein, although the application interface can access the media library, the access to the application interface is read only.

8. A computing system as recited in claim 1,

wherein notifications are provided by the media management program of state changes, and

wherein the bundle program code receives the notifications.

9. A method for providing a media presentation at a computing device, the method comprising:

identifying a media bundle to be presented which is retrieved from an online media distribution site, the media bundle including media bundle program code and media content stored at the computing device;

determining whether to retrieve the media content from a media library or to retrieve the media content from the media bundle;

providing a media management application on the computing device that is associated with the media library to provide media-based operations;

providing a programming interface for the media management application, wherein the media bundle program code uses the programming interface to access the media library via the media management application; and

performing the media bundle program code to;

access a media library at the computing device to retrieve media content if it is determined to retrieve media content from the media library;

access the media bundle if it is determined to retrieve media content from the media bundle;

access equivalent digital media content from the media library if media content cannot be retrieved from the media library or the media bundle;

provide a media presentation at the computing device using at least the retrieved media content; and

execute playback commands based on playback status information provided by a plurality of programming objects provided by the media management program, wherein the plurality of programming objects comprises at least one of a media management object for external control of playback, a track object for retrieving properties and methods of digital media content, a playlist object, and a temporary playlist object.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

providing a media management application on the computing device that is associated with the media library to provide media-based operations, and

wherein the media bundle is a portable media bundle that has been provided to the computing device separate and apart from the media management application.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

providing a media management application on the computing device that is associated with the media library to provide media-based operations, and

wherein the performing the media bundle program code operates in conjunction with the media management application to provide the media presentation at the computing device using at least the retrieved media content.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the media bundle program code invokes at least a programming method of the programming methods of the programming interface to locate and retrieve particular media content stored in the media library.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein if the media bundle program code identifies a particular media content by a vendor identifier, and wherein the digital media bundle includes conversion data to convert the vendor identifier to a distributor identifier before the particular media content is retrieved from the media library.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the media bundle program can monitor media bundle status or playback status associated with the media management application.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the media management object facilitates access to methods and additional objects.

16. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the media management object has a plurality of properties and a plurality of methods,

wherein the properties of the media management object are chosen from the group including:

accepted language, current chapter, current player state, current playing track, current time, muted, platform, version, and volume, and

wherein the methods of the media management object are chosen from the group including;

back track, close booklet, create temporary playlist, fast forward, find playlist by name, find playlist by vendor identifier, find playlist by distributor identifier, find tracks by vendor identifier, find tracks by distributor identifier, find tracks by text fields, go to library, next chapter, next track, pause, play media content not within media library, previous chapter, previous track, resume, rewind, set mute, set volume, and stop.

17. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the track object has a plurality of properties and a plurality of methods,

wherein the properties of the track object are chosen from the group including:

album, album artist, album rating, album rating kind, artist, artwork URL, bit rate, bookmark, bits per minute, category, chapters, comment, compilation, composer, date added, disc count, disc number, duration, episode identifier, episode number, equalizer preset, excluded from shuffle, genre, grouping, enabled, gapless, unplayed, valid, identifier, last played date, long description, lyrics, modification date, name, played count, rating, rating kind, release date, remember bookmark, sample rate, season number, short description, show, size, skipped count, skipped date, sort album, sort album artist, sort artist, sort composer, sort name, sort show, start time offset, stop time offset, store identifier, track count, track number, video kind, volume adjustment, vendor identifier, and year, and

wherein the methods of the track object are chosen from the group including;

play and reveal.

18. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the track object has at least a play method for causing a track associated with the track object to be played.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the play method can start or end at a particular chapter of the track to be played.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the play method can start or end at a particular time offset of the track to be played.

21. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the playlist object has a plurality of properties and a plurality of methods,

wherein the properties of the playlist object are chosen from the group including:

duration, set to shuffle, shared, smart, valid, visible, name, parent, identifier, repeat mode, size, and special kind, and

wherein the methods of the playlist object are chosen from the group including;

play and reveal.

22. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the playlist object has at least a play method for causing a playlist associated with the playlist object to be played.

23. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the temporary playlist object has a plurality of properties and a plurality of methods,

wherein the properties of the playlist object are chosen from the group including:

duration, set to shuffle, shared, smart, tracks, valid, visible, name, parent, identifier, repeat mode, size, and special kind, and

wherein the methods of the playlist object are chosen from the group including;

add tracks, remove tracks, clear, add URL, play and reveal.

24. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the temporary playlist is not resident in the media library,

wherein the temporary playlist object has at least a play method for causing a temporary playlist associated with the temporary playlist object to be played, and

wherein the temporary playlist object has at least a remove track method to remove a track from the temporary playlist, and an add track method to add a track to the temporary playlist.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code stored thereon for providing a media presentation at a computing device, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for identifying a media bundle to be presented which is retrieved from an online media distribution site, the media bundle including media bundle program code and media content;

computer program code for a media management application supporting media-based operations with respect to the media library, wherein the media bundle is a portable electronic container that has been provided to the computing device separate and apart from the media management application; and

computer program code for performing the media bundle program code to;

access the media library at the computing device to retrieve media content if it is determined to retrieve media content from the media library;

access the media bundle stored at the computing device if it is determined to retrieve media content from the media bundle;

access equivalent digital media content from the media library if media content cannot be retrieved from the media library or the media bundle; and

provide a media presentation at the computing device using at least the retrieved media content; and

execute playback commands based on playback status information provided by a plurality of programming objects provided by the media management program, wherein the plurality of programming objects comprises at least one of a media management object for external control of playback, a track object for retrieving properties and methods of digital media content, a playlist object, and a temporary playlist object.