Method and system for generating a play tree for selecting and playing media content

• US 20080091721A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: HARBOE, Gunnar F., Metcalf, Crysta J., Bentley, Frank R., Thakkar, Vivek V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A system, method and computer readable medium that generates a play tree for selecting and playing media content is disclosed. The method may include generating a list of media files and displaying the list to the user; receiving the user'"'"'s selection from the list and playing the selection to the user, storing the user'"'"'s selection in a media content database, and generating a tree of media files based on the user'"'"'s previous selections and displaying the tree to the user; wherein if the user makes a selection, receiving the user'"'"'s selection from the tree and playing the selection to the user.

Claims

1. A method for generating a play tree for selecting and playing media content, comprising:

playing a first media file from a collection of media files to a user;

generating a graph structure of media files, the first media file being a node in the graph structure;

displaying at least a portion of the graph structure to the user;

receiving the user'"'"'s selection of a second media file, the second media file being related to the first media file; and

playing the second media file to the user;

wherein the method is recursive.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a list of media files;

displaying the list of media files to the user;

receiving the user'"'"'s selection from the displayed list; and

playing the received selection to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media file is related to the second media by being at least one of a user'"'"'s favorite media, listed in the user'"'"'s profile, recently played media, varying media type, varying media styles, varying media subject matter, similar media subject matter, similar media types, and similar media styles.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving media files from at least one of a local media content source and a remote media content source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the media files is selected automatically from the graph structure based on one of sensor data and a preference profile of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media files are one of music, video, narration, audio, and television programming.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph structure is generated using at least one of a user'"'"'s favorite media, recently played media, varying media types, varying media styles, varying media subject matter, similar media subject matter, similar media types, and similar media styles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph structure is a tree structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the media files are played on a media player device, the media player device being one of a cellular telephone, mobile telephone, wireless communication device, MP3 player, personal computer, personal digital assistant, iPod, satellite radio receiver, AM/FM radio receiver, cable television receiver, digital video recorder, and satellite television receiver.

10. An electronic device that generates a play tree for selecting and playing media content, comprising:

a media content database that contains a collection of media content;

a media player device that plays a first media file from the collection of media files to a user;

a play tree generator module that generates a graph structure of media files, the first media file being a node in the graph structure, displays at least a portion of the graph structure to the user, receives the user'"'"'s selection of a second media file, the second media file being related to the first media file, wherein the media player device plays the second media file to the user.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the play tree generator module generates a list of media files, displays the list to the user, receives the user'"'"'s selection from the list;

and plays the selection to the user.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first media file is related to the second media by being at least one of a user'"'"'s favorite media, listed in the user'"'"'s profile, recently played media, varying media type, varying media styles, varying media subject matter, similar media subject matter, similar media types, and similar media styles.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the play tree generator module retrieves media files from at least one of a local media content source and a remote media content source.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the play tree generator module automatically selects a media file from the graph structure based on one of sensor data and a preference profile of the user.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the media files are one of music, video, narration, audio, and television programming.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the play tree generator module generates the graph structure using at least one of a user'"'"'s favorite media, recently played media, varying media types, varying media styles, varying media subject matter, similar media subject matter, similar media types, and similar media styles.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the graph structure is a tree structure.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device is one of a cellular telephone, mobile telephone, wireless communication device, MP3 player, personal computer, personal digital assistant, iPod, satellite radio receiver, AM/FM radio receiver, cable television receiver, digital video recorder, and satellite television receiver.

19. A media player device that plays a first media file from the collection of media files to a user, comprising

a media content database that contains a collection of media content;

and

a play tree generator module that generates a graph structure of media files, the first media file being a node in the graph structure, displays at least a portion of the graph structure to the user, receives the user'"'"'s selection of a second media file, the second media file being related to the first media file, wherein the media player device plays the second media file to the user.

20. The media player device of claim 19, wherein the media player device is at least a component of a cellular telephone, mobile telephone, wireless communication device, MP3 player, personal computer, personal digital assistant, iPod, satellite radio receiver, AM/FM radio receiver, cable television receiver, digital video recorder, and satellite television receiver.