Graphical User Interfaces for Displaying Media Items

• US 20120311500A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran A., Alsina, Thomas Matthieu, Newman, Lucas
• Granted Patent: US 9,478,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• 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

Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) for a digital media player application are disclosed. In one aspect, a GUI is generated that presents a “histogram view” of digital media items of a digital media source. The histogram view associates visual representations of the digital media items with a media attribute, such as associating songs with a recording artist who recorded the songs. In another aspect, a GUI is generated that presents a “stack view” including stacks of visual representations of digital media items that are associated with a media attribute, such as a playlist or artist. The stacks of visual representations can be scrubbed by a user (e.g., using a touch gesture) to select digital media items in the stack for playback.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first input requesting a view of digital media items stored in a digital media source; and

generating the requested view, the view including a number of visually delineated regions, each delineated region associated with a media attribute, each region including a visual representation for a media item associated with the media attribute that is available from the digital media source,

where the method is performed by one or more hardware processors.

2. The method of claim 1, where the media attribute is artist or composer, and each visually delineated region is a separate row in a list of artist or composer names.

3. The method of claim 2, where the artist or composer names are displayed in the list in alphabetical order.

4. The method of claim 1, where the visual representation is an icon.

5. The method of claim 1, where the icon depicts artwork associated with the media item or the media attribute.

6. The method of claim 2, where the digital media source is located at least partially on a network.

7. The method of claim 1, where the requested view is an artist view or composer view.

8. The method of claim 1, where the visual representation is user-selectable.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second input selecting a visual representation; and

responsive to the second input, playing back the digital media item represented by the selected visual representation in a digital media player.

10. A method comprising:

receiving first input requesting a view of digital media items available from a digital media source;

generating the requested view, the view including a number of stacks of visual representations of the digital media items; and

receiving second input directed to a stack, the second input causing a first visual representation at the top of the stack to be replaced with a second visual representation in the stack according to a stack order,

where the method is performed by one or more hardware processors.

11. The method of claim 10, where the second input is a movement of a cursor in the view.

12. The method of claim 10, where the second input is a touch gesture in the view made by a user'"'"'s finger or stylus.

13. The method of claim 10, where the view is a playlist view and at least one stack represents a playlist of digital media items or the view is an artist or composer view and at least one stack represents digital media items associated with an artist or composer.

14. The method of claim 10, where the visual representations are icons.

15. The method of claim 14, where the icons depict artwork associated with the digital media items or the media attribute.

16. The method of claim 10, where the digital media source is located at least partially on a network.

17. The method of claim 10, where at least one of the visual representations is user-selectable.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving third input selecting a visual representation at the top of a stack; and

responsive to the third input, playing back the digital media item represented by the selected visual representation in a digital media player.

19. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving first input requesting a view of digital media items available from a digital media source; and

generating the requested view, the view including a number of visually delineated regions, each delineated region associated with a media attribute, each region including a visual representation for a digital media item associated with the media attribute that is available from the digital media source.

20. The system of claim 19, where the media attribute is artist or composer, and each visually delineated region is a separate row in a list of artist or composer names.

21. The system of claim 20, where the artist or composer names are displayed in the list in alphabetical order.

22. The system of claim 19, where the visual representation is an icon.

23. The system of claim 22, where the icon depicts artwork associated with the media item or the media attribute.

24. The system of claim 19, where the digital media source is located at least partially on a network.

25. The system of claim 19, where the requested view is an artist view or composer view.

26. The system of claim 19, where the visual representation is user-selectable.

27. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving second input selecting a visual representation; and

responsive to the second input, playing back the digital media item represented by the selected visual representation in a digital media player.

28. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving first input requesting a view of digital media items available from a digital media library;

generating the requested view, the view including a number of stacks of visual representations of the digital media items; and

receiving second input directed to a stack, the second input causing a first visual representation at the top of the stack to be replaced with a second visual representation in the stack according to a stack order.

29. The system of claim 28, where the second input is a movement of a cursor in the view by a user using a pointing device.

30. The system of claim 28, where the second input is a touch gesture in the view made by a user'"'"'s finger or stylus.

31. The system of claim 28, where the view is a playlist view and at least one stack represents a playlist of digital media items or the view is an artist or composer view and at least one stack represents digital media items associated with an artist or composer.

32. The system of claim 28, where the visual representations are icons.

33. The system of claim 32, where the icons depict artwork associated with the media item or a media attribute.

34. The system of claim 28, where the digital media source is located at least partially on a network.

35. The system of claim 28, where at least one of the visual representations is user-selectable.

36. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving third input selecting a visual representation at the top of a stack; and

responsive to the third input, playing back the digital media item represented by the selected visual representation in a digital media player.