Method and system for managing music files

• US 8,136,030 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maya-Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Audet, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Tionna
• Application Number:
  US12/034,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 715/277
• US Class Current: 715/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A computer system, including a display and a user-interface, for manipulating a plurality of music albums and songs with a method for organizing a plurality of music albums and songs, the method comprising displaying on the display a music album axis illustrating a plurality of juxtaposed user-selectable music albums, selecting a music album from the displayed music album axis, retrieving songs associated with the selected music album and displaying the retrieved songs along a song axis, the song axis being adapted to intersect the music album axis. A user graphical interface providing same and a system thereof are also provided.

Claims

1. At a computer system, including a display and a user-interface, for manipulating a plurality of music album elements and song elements, a method of organizing a plurality of music album elements and song elements, the method comprising:

displaying on the display a music album element axis adapted to illustrate a plurality of music album elements;

selecting a music album element from the displayed music album element axis;

retrieving song elements associated with the selected music album element; and

displaying the retrieved song elements along a song element axis, the song element axis being adapted to be displayed in a direction adapted to intersect the music album element axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed song element axis is adapted to be disposed substantially orthogonally in respect with the music album information element axis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed song element axis is adapted to intersect the music album axis substantially at the selected music album element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the music album information elements are adapted to be represented by their respective music album art image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the music album axis is adapted to be scrolled.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each song element is adapted to have a music album element associated therewith.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the music album elements axis and at least a portion of the song element axis are substantially coplanar.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected music album element and the song element axis are substantially coplanar.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the music album information element axis and the song element axis are graphically associated.

10. A device, comprising a processor configured to present a graphical user interface for organizing a plurality of music album elements and song elements, the graphical user interface being adapted to:

provide a first display area adapted to display a music album element axis adapted to display a plurality of music album elements;

display a plurality of music album elements on the music album element axis when the music album element axis is displayed; and

provide a second display area adapted to display retrieved song elements along a song element axis, the song element axis being adapted to be displayed in a direction adapted to intersect the music album element axis.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the displayed song elements axis is adapted to be substantially orthogonally disposed in respect with the music album element axis.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein a selection of a music album element is adapted to retrieve song elements associated with the selected music album element.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the selected music album element and the song element axis are coplanar.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the music album elements are adapted to be represented by their respective music album art image.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein a music album axis is adapted to be scrolled.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein each song element is adapted to have a music album associated therewith.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the music album element axis are rectilinear.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the music album elements axis and the song element axis are adapted to be graphically associated.

19. A system for organizing music files in a computer system having a display and being capable of manipulating a plurality of music album elements and song elements, the system comprising:

(A) a display;

(B) a plurality of music album elements, at least one music album element having song elements associated therewith;

(C) at least one storage device adapted to store the plurality of music album elements and song elements;

(D) a user interface adapted to receive inputs from a user;

(E) a processing unit which is adapted to;

(i) generate a music album element axis comprising a group of music album elements and being selected from the plurality of music album elements stored in the at least one storage device;

(ii) cause a display of the music album element axis by the display;

(iii) generate a song element axis based on a selection of a music album element, the song element axis being adapted to display a plurality of song elements selected from the plurality of song elements stored in the storage; and

(iv) cause a display of the song element axis in a direction adapted to intersect the music album element axis.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the selection of the music album element from the music album information element axis is adapted to retrieve song elements associated with the selected music album information element.