Entertainment system with sourceless selection of networked and non-networked media content
First Claim
1. A content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
- a network interface for accessing media content from one or more network sources remote from the system;
at least one non-network source of media content integrated with or electrically connected to the system;
a display for displaying at least one media content metadata;
a media content selector; and
means, responsive to the media content selector, for selecting media content to be played from among said network and non-network sources, the selected media content corresponding to successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations derived from successive positions of the media content selector, without the user activating a switch to change between non-network and network sources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A content selection interface for a media system including at least a first network interface for finding and accessing media content remote from said media system and at least one content source integral or electrically connected to said media system. The media system interface may have a single media content selector actuable by a user and means responsive to the media content selector for selecting plural media content items from among the network and local media content sources, the media content selector presenting to the user plural media content items represented as successive positions in a linearly arrayed sequence without the user having to manifest an explicit change between network and non-network sources from position to position.
221 Citations
82 Claims
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1. A content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
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a network interface for accessing media content from one or more network sources remote from the system; at least one non-network source of media content integrated with or electrically connected to the system; a display for displaying at least one media content metadata; a media content selector; and means, responsive to the media content selector, for selecting media content to be played from among said network and non-network sources, the selected media content corresponding to successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations derived from successive positions of the media content selector, without the user activating a switch to change between non-network and network sources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. A content selection interface for a media system, having apparatus for receiving and decoding signals in a plurality of formats from a corresponding plurality of content sources, at least one of the sources being a network source separate from said media system and at least one of the sources being a non-network source integral or electrically connected to said media system, the content selection interface providing only a single content selector for use in selecting a content source from among the at least one network source and the at least one non-network source, by presenting media content items available from both the at least one network and the at least one non-network sources as successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations corresponding to successive positions of the content selector, without the user explicitly changing between sources from among the network and non-network sources, the content selection interface including a encoder for tracking operation of the content selector and a processor generating signals in response to the encoder, the signals mapping manipulation of the content selector to a content source, a display connected and arranged to display media content metadata associated with content available from the at least one network source and at least one non-network source, and the content selection interface supplying displayed media content metadata to a processing unit which selects and processes the displayed media content metadata and causes the associated media content to be output.
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30. A content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
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a network interface for accessing media content from at least one network source separate from the selection and playback system; at least one non-network source of media content integrated with or electrically connected to the selection and playback system; a display for displaying at least one media content metadata; a user control providing an encoder control signal; an encoder having an input receiving the encoder control signal and having an output providing a location based on the encoder control signals; and a processor having an input receiving the location and an output that selects media content from among the at least one network source and the at least one non-network source according to the location, the locations accessed in a linearly arrayed sequence, without the user having to activate a control to change sources from among the at least one network source and the at least one non-network source. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
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a network interface for accessing media content from one or more network sources remote from the system; at least one non-network source of media content; a display for displaying at least one media content metadata; a media content selector; memory for storing instructions and media metadata and/or media content; and a processor for executing instructions that when executed at least in part cause selected media content to be played from among said network and non-network sources, the selected media content corresponding to successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations derived from successive positions of the media content selector, without the user activating a switch to change between non-network and network sources. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. In a vehicle, a content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
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a network interface for accessing media content from one or more network sources remote from the system; at least one non-network source of media content integrated with or electrically connected to the system; a display for displaying at least one media content metadata; a media content selector; and means, responsive to the media content selector, for selecting media content to be played from among said network and non-network sources, the selected media content corresponding to successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations derived from successive positions of the media content selector, without the user activating a switch to change between non-network and network sources. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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- 59. In a vehicle, a content selection interface for a media system, having apparatus for receiving and decoding signals in a plurality of formats from a corresponding plurality of content sources, at least one of the sources being a network source separate from said media system and at least one of the sources being a non-network source integral or electrically connected to said media system, the content selection interface providing only a single content selector for use in selecting a content source from among the at least one network source and the at least one non-network source, by presenting media content items available from both the at least one network and the at least one non-network sources as successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations corresponding to successive positions of the content selector, without the user explicitly changing between sources from among the network and non-network sources, the content selection interface including a encoder for tracking operation of the content selector and a processor generating signals in response to the encoder, the signals mapping manipulation of the content selector to a content source, a display connected and arranged to display media content metadata associated with content available from the at least one network source and at least one non-network source, and the content selection interface supplying displayed media content metadata to a processing unit which selects and processes the displayed media content metadata and causes the associated media content to be output.
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67. In a vehicle, a content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
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a network interface for accessing media content from at least one network source separate from the selection and playback system; at least one non-network source of media content integrated with or electrically connected to the selection and playback system; a display for displaying at least one media content metadata; a user control providing an encoder control signal; an encoder having an input receiving the encoder control signal and having an output providing a location based on the encoder control signals; and a processor having an input receiving the location and an output that selects media content from among the at least one network source and the at least one non-network source according to the location, the locations accessed in a linearly arrayed sequence, without the user having to activate a control to change sources from among the at least one network source and the at least one non-network source. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. In a vehicle, a content selection and playback system for media content, comprising:
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a network interface for accessing media content from one or more network sources remote from the system; at least one non-network source of media content; a display for displaying at least one media content metadata; a media content selector; memory for storing instructions and media metadata and/or media content; and a processor for executing instructions that when executed at least in part cause selected media content to be played from among said network and non-network sources, the selected media content corresponding to successive locations in a linearly arrayed sequence of locations derived from successive positions of the media content selector, without the user activating a switch to change between non-network and network sources. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification