Powerfully simple digital media player and methods for use therewith

• US 20090171715A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Schreiber, Daniel, Conley, Kevin M., Shmuel, Avraham, Kedem, Noam
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• 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: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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 powerfully simple digital media player and methods for use therewith are disclosed. In one embodiment, a digital media player with a simplified user interface is disclosed that, like an FM radio, allows a user to easily select a category of digital media for playback. In another embodiment, to make the experience more FM-radio-like for a user, instead of charging the user for the digital audio files, digital media files can be distributed for free (or at a reduced charge) by playing advertisements before, during, or after the playback of a digital audio file. In yet another embodiment, an exemplary network infrastructure is provided. In another embodiment, a generic streaming content file interface is presented. Other embodiments are disclosed, and any of these embodiments can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for playing a digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of user input elements of a digital media player, wherein the digital media player comprises a memory operative to store digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories, wherein all digital media files stored in the memory that are playable by the digital media player are grouped in one of the plurality of categories; and

in response to receiving the user selection;

selecting a category from the plurality of categories; and

playing a digital media file from the selected category.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the memory is free of a general digital media file library outside of the plurality of categories.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of user input elements comprises a next category user input element and a previous category user input element.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of user input elements are dedicated to the plurality of categories.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory in a memory card that is removably connectable with the digital media player.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory embedded in the digital media player.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein no further user action is needed to play the digital media file after user selection of the one of the plurality of user input elements.

33. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

in response to receiving a user selection of an additional user input element, providing an indication of a request for later acquisition of a particular digital media file.

34. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

in response to receiving a user selection of an additional user input element, providing an indication of a request for information about a particular digital media file.

35. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

in response to receiving a user selection of an additional user input element, entering a standby mode; and

in response to receiving a user selection of one the plurality of user interface elements, exiting the standby mode.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein a digital media file is grouped into one of the plurality of categories before the digital media file is provided to the digital media player.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein a playlist specifies a play order of digital media files in each of the plurality of categories.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein information associating the digital media file with the one of the plurality of categories is stored in a file separate from the digital media file.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of categories is associated with a respective subdirectory, and wherein a digital media file is grouped into a category by storing the digital media file in a subdirectory associated with that category.

40. A method for playing a digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of user input elements of a digital media player, wherein the plurality of user input elements are configured to correspond to a plurality of categories of digital media files stored in a memory of the digital media player; and

in response to receiving the user selection, playing a digital media file from a category corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of user input elements.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the memory is free of a general digital media file library outside of the plurality of categories.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory in a memory card that is removably connectable with the digital media player.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein no further user action is needed to play the digital media file after user selection of the one of the plurality of user input elements.

44. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

in response to receiving a user selection of an additional user input element, providing an indication of a request for later acquisition of a particular digital media file.

45. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

in response to receiving a user selection of an additional user input element, providing an indication of a request for information about a particular digital media file.

46. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

in response to receiving a user selection of an additional user input element, entering a standby mode; and

in response to receiving a user selection of one the plurality of user interface elements, exiting the standby mode.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein a digital media file is grouped into one of the plurality of categories before the digital media file is provided to the digital media player.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein a playlist specifies a play order of digital media files in each of the plurality of categories.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein information associating the digital media file with the one of the plurality of categories is stored in a file separate from the digital media file.

50. The method of claim 40, wherein each of the plurality of categories is associated with a respective subdirectory, and wherein a digital media file is grouped into a category by storing the digital media file in a subdirectory associated with that category.

51-75. -75. (canceled)

76. A method for playing an advertisement-supported digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:

with a digital media player comprising a memory operative to store a plurality of digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories and a plurality of advertisements, wherein each category is associated with rules for playing advertisements during playback of digital media files, and wherein the rules for each category are specified by a curator of that category, receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

playing at least one advertisement during playback of digital media files in a selected category according to the rules associated with the selected category.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein the plurality of advertisements comprise respective metadata, and wherein metadata is used in conjunction with the rules to determine which advertisements to play during playback of digital media files.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of the following:

a revenue content flag, a public service content flag, a revenue parameter, a public service announcement parameter, a station identification flag, a station identification parameter, and a device transport control restriction.

79. The method of claim 76, wherein at least one digital content file is associated with at least one of the following metadata:

a content purchase parameter, leader audio data, and factoid data.

80. The method of claim 76, wherein the memory is further operative to store:

a content database that stores the plurality of digital media files and the plurality of advertisements; and

a playlist that specifies a playback order of digital media files in a category.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the playlist comprises a parameter that specifies at least one advertisement to play during playback of digital media files in that category.

82. The method of claim 80, wherein the playlist comprises a parameter that specifies at least one metadata requirement of an advertisement to be played during playback of digital media files in that category.

83. The method of claim 80, wherein the playlist comprises a parameter that specifies at least one requirement for an advertisement to be played during playback of digital media files in that category.

84. The method of claim 76 further comprising:

tracking usage of an advertisement.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein usage of the advertisement is tracked in metadata associated with the advertisement.

86. The method of claim 84 further comprising:

communicating usage tracking information to an entity external to the digital media player.

87. The method of claim 76, wherein at least one of the plurality of advertisements comprises revenue content.

88. The method of claim 76, wherein at least one of the plurality of advertisements comprises a public service announcement.

89. The method of claim 76, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory in a memory card that is removably connectable with the digital media player.

90. The method of claim 76, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory embedded in the digital media player.

91. The method of claim 76, wherein the digital media player further comprises a next category user input element and a previous category user input element.

92. The method of claim 76, wherein the digital media player further comprises a plurality of user input elements dedicated to the plurality of categories.

93. A method for playing an advertisement-supported digital media file with a digital media player, the method comprising:

with a digital media player comprising a memory operative to store a plurality of digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories, a plurality of advertisements, and a plurality of playlists for the respective plurality of categories, wherein a playlist for a given category is specified by a curator of that category and specifies a playback order of advertisements and digital media files in that category, receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

playing advertisements and digital media files from the selected category according to the playlist associated with the selected category.

94. The method of claim 93 further comprising:

tracking usage of an advertisement.

95. The method of claim 93, wherein at least one of the plurality of advertisements comprises revenue content.

96. The method of claim 93, wherein at least one of the plurality of advertisements comprises a public service announcement.

97. The method of claim 93, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory in a memory card that is removably connectable with the digital media player.

98. The method of claim 93, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory embedded in the digital media player.

99. The method of claim 93, wherein the digital media player further comprises a next category user input element and a previous category user input element.

100. The method of claim 93, wherein the digital media player further comprises a plurality of user input elements dedicated to the plurality of categories.

101-125. -125. (canceled)

126. A method for providing a category of digital media files to a digital media player, the method comprising:

with a server, establishing communication with a digital media player, wherein the server stores a plurality of digital media files grouped into a category, a plurality of advertisements associated with the category, and a rule, specified by a curator of the category, for playing advertisements during playback of digital media files in the category; and

providing the plurality of digital media files, the plurality of advertisements, and the rule to the digital media player.

127. The method of claim 126 further comprising presenting, to the digital media player, an offer to upgrade to an advertisement-free service level.

128. The method of claim 126, wherein at least one digital media file is encrypted, and wherein the method further comprises providing a decryption key from a licensing server to the digital media player.

129. The method of claim 126 further comprising receiving usage information from the digital media player and using the usage information to select a digital media file to send to the digital media player.

130. The method of claim 126 further comprising in response to a digital media file purchase request received from the digital media player, communicating with an ecommerce server to perform a financial transaction to pay for the purchase and a licensing server to provide rights to the digital media file.

131. The method of claim 126, wherein the server communicates with the digital media player via a host device.

132. The method of claim 126, wherein the server establishes communication with the digital media player only after a secure session is established through an authentication process.

133. The method of claim 126, wherein the server communicates with the digital media player via a wireless transceiver in the digital media player.

134. The method of claim 126, wherein the plurality of digital media files, the plurality of advertisements, and the rule is provided to the digital media player via a distribution network.

135. The method of claim 126 further comprising receiving metadata from the digital media player that indicates a playcount of a digital media file and using the playcount to determine if the digital media file should be refreshed.

136. The method of claim 126 further comprising communicating with an additional server to provide an additional advertisement to the digital media player.

137. A method for receiving a category of digital media files from a server, the method comprising:

with a digital media player, establishing communication with a server storing a plurality of digital media files grouped into a category, a plurality of advertisements associated with the category, and a rule, specified by a curator of the category, for playing advertisements during playback of digital media files in the category; and

receiving the plurality of digital media files, the plurality of advertisements, and the rule from the server.

138. The method of claim 137 further comprising receiving an offer to upgrade to an advertisement-free service level.

139. The method of claim 137, wherein at least one digital media file is encrypted, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a decryption key from a licensing server.

140. The method of claim 137 further comprising sending usage information of a digital media file to the server.

141. The method of claim 137 further comprising sending a digital media file purchase request to the server.

142. The method of claim 137, wherein the digital media player communicates with the server via a host device.

143. The method of claim 137, wherein the digital media player establishes communication with the server only after a secure session is established through an authentication process.

144. The method of claim 137, wherein the digital media player communicates with the server via a wireless transceiver in the digital media player.

145. The method of claim 137, wherein the plurality of digital media files, the plurality of advertisements, and the rule is received via a distribution network.

146. The method of claim 137 further comprising sending, to the server, metadata that indicates a playcount of a digital media file.

147. The method of claim 137 further comprising communicating with an additional server to receive an additional advertisement.

148. The method of claim 137, wherein the memory comprises a solid-state memory in a memory card that is removably connectable with the digital media player.

149. The method of claim 137, wherein the digital media player further comprises a next category user input element and a previous category user input element.

150. The method of claim 137, wherein the digital media player further comprises a plurality of user input elements dedicated to the plurality of categories.

151-162. -162. (canceled)

163. A method for providing digital media files from a memory device to a host device, the method comprising:

with a memory device comprising a memory storing a plurality of digital media files grouped into a plurality of categories;

establishing communication with a host device; and

presenting, to the host device, a generic file representative of a category of digital media files stored in the memory.

164. The method of claim 163 further comprising:

in response to a command from the host device to read the generic file, sending the host device a digital media file from the category represented by the generic file.

165. The method of claim 164, wherein the digital media file is sent to the host device in such a way that the host device interprets the digital media file as part of an encoded digital media file that can be played back using a playback application.

166. The method of claim 163, wherein the plurality of digital media files are stored in at least one hidden partition in the memory.

167. The method of claim 163, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of hidden partitions corresponding to the plurality of categories.

168. The method of claim 163, wherein the memory comprises a single hidden partition for the plurality of categories, and wherein the memory further stores a database that indicates which of the plurality of digital media files belongs to which ones of the plurality of categories.

169. The method of claim 163, wherein the memory comprises a single hidden partition for the plurality of categories, and wherein the memory further stores a playlist that indicates which of the plurality of digital media files belongs to which ones of the plurality of categories.

170. The method of claim 163, wherein the memory comprises a partition for storing files from the host device.

171. The method of claim 163, wherein the generic file comprises a file size equal to a combined file size of the plurality of digital media files in the category.

172. The method of claim 163, wherein the generic file comprises an ID3 tag.

173. The method of claim 163, wherein the generic file comprises a marker between each of the plurality of digital media files in the category.

174. The method of claim 163, wherein the plurality of digital media files are encrypted.

175. The method of claim 163, wherein the memory comprises NAND flash memory.