Media management for groups of media items

• US 7,958,441 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wasko, Timothy, Miller, Jeff, Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David, Jobs, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stork; Kyle R
• Application Number:
  US11/097,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/517, 715/523, 715/530, 715/234, 715/243, 715/254, 715/255, 715/201
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• 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

Improved techniques to utilize and manage a group of media items (or media assets) on a computing device are disclosed. The group of media items can be utilized and managed at a host computer for the host computer as well as a media device (e.g., media player) that can couple to the host computer. One popular example of a group of media items is know as a playlist, which can pertain to a group of audio tracks. One aspect pertains to a graphical user interface that enables a user to trade-off storage capacity of a media device between media asset storage and data storage. Another aspect pertains to a graphical user interface that assists a user with selecting media items to fill a group of media items. Still another aspect pertains to providing a persistent media device playlist at a host computer. Yet still another aspect pertains to imposing capacity limits to a playlist, such as a media device playlist.

Claims

1. A method of providing audio tracks for a playlist for use on a host computer and a media device, the media device having a storage capacity, said method comprising:

displaying a listing of audio tracks that are within the playlist on a display screen of the host computer, all of the audio tracks being stored locally on the host computer and at least a portion of the audio tracks being stored on the media device;

determining a current capacity for the playlist;

setting a capacity limit for the playlist, the capacity limit being set to a user-specified amount that is less than the storage capacity of the media device;

receiving a user selection to initiate automatic filling of the playlist with additional audio tracks;

comparing the current capacity for the playlist to the capacity limit for the playlist to determine available capacity for the playlist; and

thereafter automatically filling the playlist with additional audio tracks to the capacity limit in response to the user selection to automatically fill the playlist if the current capacity is less than the capacity limit.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said filling selects the additional audio tracks from an audio source available to the host computer.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said filling selects the additional audio tracks from an audio source available to the host computer in a random manner.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said filling selects the additional audio tracks from an audio source available to the host computer based on a user rating.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said filling comprises:

(d1) initially removing one or more existing audio tracks from the playlist; and

(d2) filling the playlist with audio tracks to the capacity limit.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said filling selects the additional audio tracks from an audio source available to the host computer.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said filling selects the additional audio tracks from an audio source available to the host computer in a random manner.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said filling selects the additional audio tracks from an audio source available to the host computer based on a user rating.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the playlist is a dedicated media device playlist for the media device.

10. A graphical user interface for providing audio tracks for a playlist for use by a host computer and a media device, the host computer including at least a processor and a display device, said graphical user interface comprising:

a list of audio tracks that are within the playlist, said list being displayed on the display device of the host computer;

a fill criteria control that is user-selectable and used to specify at least one user-selected fill criteria; and

a selectable user interface control displayed on the display device of the host computer, said selectable user interface control, upon selection, initiates an automated filling of the playlist with selected ones of the audio tracks being chosen in accordance with the at least one user-selected fill criteria,

wherein the playlist has a capacity limit, and

wherein the capacity limit is set to a user-specified amount that is less than the storage capacity of the media device, and

wherein the automated filling of the playlist is to the capacity limit.

11. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said selectable user interface control is a button.

12. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises:

an audio track source selector that determines a media source from which audio tracks are available to be used in filling of the playlist.

13. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 12, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises:

an audio track replacement selector that determines whether pre-existing audio tracks within the playlist are to be removed before filling of the playlist.

14. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises:

an audio track replacement selector that determines whether one or more pre-existing audio tracks within the playlist are to be removed before filling of the playlist.

15. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more pre-existing audio tracks being removed are those that have been played by the media device.

16. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said fill criteria control comprises:

a random selection selector that determines whether audio tracks used to fill the playlist are to be randomly chosen.

17. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said fill criteria control comprises:

a rating selection selector that determines whether audio tracks used to fill the playlist are to be chosen based on ratings.

18. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises:

an available capacity indication that indicates an available capacity of the playlist.

19. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 10, wherein the media device has a storage capacity, and

wherein said graphical user interface comprises:

a user selection control that enables a user of the host computer to reserve a portion of the storage capacity of the media device for storage of non-media item data.

20. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 19, wherein a remaining portion of the storage capacity of the media device is for storage of media item data.

21. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 19, wherein said user selection control comprises:

a slider that enables the user of the host computer to control whether or not to reserve a portion of the storage capacity for storage of non-media item data.

22. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 19, wherein the non-media item data is associated with a disk mode usage of the media device.

23. A graphical user interface for providing media items for a playlist for use by a host computer and a media device, the host computer including at least a processor and a display device, and the media device having a storage capacity, said graphical user interface comprising:

a list of media items that are within the playlist, said list being displayed on the display device of the host computer;

a fill criteria control that is user-selectable and used to specify at least one user-selected fill criteria;

a selectable user interface control displayed on the display device of the host computer, said selectable user interface control, upon selection, initiates an automated filling of the playlist with selected one of the media items being chosen in accordance with the at least one user-selected fill criteria; and

a user selection control that enables a user of the host computer to reserve a portion of the storage capacity of the media device for storage of non-media item data, and

wherein the automated filling of the playlist is to a non-reserved portion of the storage capacity limit.

24. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 23, wherein a remaining portion of the storage capacity of the media device is for storage of media item data.

25. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 23, wherein said user selection control comprises:

a slider that enables the user of the host computer to control whether or not to reserve a portion of the storage capacity for storage of non-media item data.

26. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 23, wherein the non-media item data is associated with a disk mode usage of the media device.

27. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 23, wherein the playlist has a capacity limit, and

wherein the capacity limit is set to a user-specified amount that is less than the storage capacity of the media device.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least computer program code for providing media items for a media item grouping for use on a host computer and a media device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for displaying a listing of media items that are within the media item grouping on a display screen of the host computer, all of the media items being stored locally on the host computer and at least a portion of the media items being stored on the media device;

computer program code for determining a capacity limit for the media item grouping and a storage capacity for the media device;

computer program code for setting a capacity limit for the media item grouping, the capacity limit being set to an amount that is less than the storage capacity of the media device;

computer program code for comparing the current capacity for the playlist to the capacity limit for the playlist to determine available capacity for the playlist;

computer program code for receiving a user selection to initiate automatic filling of the media item grouping with additional media items; and

computer program code for automatically filling the media item grouping with additional media items to the capacity limit in response to the user selection to automatically fill the media item grouping if the current capacity is less than the capacity limit.