Media content for a mobile media device

• US 9,177,604 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lauby, William J., Shum, Albert Y. S., Andrews, Anton O. A., Harris, Jonathan R., Fong, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prez-Gutirrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US12/125,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 455/43.04, 455/412.1, 455/556.1, 455/412, 455/418, 705/26, 705/27, 705/51, 707/769, 707/803, 707/913, 707/916, 707/954, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded

Abstract

Various embodiments enable a user of a mobile media device to select one or more channels to load onto the device. Each channel comprises a collection of media content files, such as video content, audio content, and so on. Each collection of media content files can be associated with a particular genre (or genres) of media content. A channel can be managed such that its collection of media content can be rearranged, augmented, and/or otherwise edited to produce a refreshed version of the channel. A user'"'"'s interaction with content within a channel can be monitored to produce behavior data about the user. The behavior data can be used to customize the playback of a particular channel to reflect user preferences. The behavior data can also be used to produce channels that are custom tuned for the user and can be used to produce a customized version of a mobile media device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first user'"'"'s mobile device, an interaction performed through a second user'"'"'s mobile device, the first user'"'"'s mobile device and the second user'"'"'s mobile device associated through a social network, the interaction made with a first media content file in a first portion of a channel, the channel comprising a media content feed of media content files from a channel source, the channel source external to the first user'"'"'s mobile device and the second user'"'"'s mobile device, the interaction comprising a navigation behavior performed relative to the first media content file or a characterization of the first media content file;

encountering, during consumption of the channel on the first user'"'"'s mobile device, a second media content file having a similarity to the first media content file upon which the interaction was performed through the second user'"'"'s mobile device;

modifying, during the consumption of the channel on the first user'"'"'s mobile device, a second portion of the channel by automatically skipping the second media content file based at least in part on the interaction performed through the second user'"'"'s mobile device and with the first media content file in the first portion of the channel when the navigation behavior performed relative to the first media content file or the characterization of the first media content file indicates that the second user dislikes the first media content file; and

continuing the consumption of the channel on the first user'"'"'s mobile device by playing a third media content file subsequent to the second media content file of the media content feed of media content files.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interaction performed by the second user is received from the social network and during consumption of the channel on the first user'"'"'s mobile device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first media content file is a song and the similarity of the second media content file to the first media content file is a same artist.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the interaction performed by the second user skips or fast-forwards a song in the first portion and modifying the second portion includes deleting the song, a different song from a same artist as the song, or a similar song to the song.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

repeating, reversing, or pausing a song in a third portion of the channel during consumption of the channel on the first user'"'"'s mobile device; and

modifying a fourth portion of the channel during consumption of the channel on the first user'"'"'s mobile device to add the song, a different song from a same artist as the song, or a similar song to the song.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein modifying the second portion modifies which media content files of the media content feed are played during the consumption of the second portion but not which media content files comprise the media content feed.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, prior to the consumption of the channel, receiving a link to the channel from the second user.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the characterization of the first media content file comprises a qualitative assessment of the first media content file.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the qualitative assessment is received through selection of a control other than a navigation control.

10. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first user'"'"'s mobile device includes a first wireless interface, the second user'"'"'s mobile device includes a second wireless interface, and the channel source is a remote resource configured to connect to the first user'"'"'s mobile device via the first wireless interface and second user'"'"'s mobile device via the second wireless interface.

11. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media coupled to the one or more processors;

computer-executable instructions stored on the computer-readable storage media that, when executed by the one or more processors, implement a method comprising;

receiving at the mobile device, which is associated with a first user, an interaction performed through a second user'"'"'s mobile device, the mobile device and the second user'"'"'s mobile device associated through a social network via the first user and the second user, the interaction made with a first media content file in a first portion of a channel during consumption of the channel on the second user'"'"'s mobile device, the channel comprising a media content feed of media content files from a channel source, the channel source external to the mobile device associated with the first user and the second user'"'"'s mobile device, the interaction comprising a navigation behavior performed relative to the first media content file or a characterization of the first media content file;

encountering, during consumption of the channel on the mobile device, a second media content file having a similarity to the first media content file upon which the interaction was performed through the second user'"'"'s mobile device;

modifying, during the consumption of the channel on the mobile device, a second portion of the channel by automatically skipping the second media content file based at least in part on the interaction performed through the second user'"'"'s mobile device and with the first media content file in the first portion of the channel when the navigation behavior performed relative to the first media content file or the characterization of the first media content file indicates that the second user dislikes the first media content file; and

continuing the consumption of the channel on the mobile device by playing a third media content file subsequent to the second media content file of the media content feed of media content files.

12. A mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the interaction performed by the second user is received from the social network and during consumption of the channel on the mobile device.

13. A mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the first media content file is a song and the similarity to the second media content file is a same artist.

14. A mobile device as recited in claim 13, wherein the second user'"'"'s interaction skips or fast-forwards a song in the first portion and modifying the second portion includes deleting the song, a different song from a same artist as the song, or a similar song to the song.

15. A mobile device as recited in claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the one or more processors implement the method to further comprise:

repeating, reversing, or pausing a song in a third portion of the channel during consumption of the channel on the mobile device; and

modifying a fourth portion of the channel during consumption of the channel on the mobile device to add the song, a different song from a same artist as the song, or a similar song to the song.

16. A mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein modifying the second portion modifies which media content files of the media content feed are played during the consumption of the second portion but not which media content files comprise the media content feed.

17. A mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein modifying the second portion is performed using the external channel.

18. A mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the characterization of the first media content file comprises a qualitative assessment of the first media content file.

19. A mobile device as recited in claim 18, wherein the qualitative assessment is received through selection of a control other than a navigation control.

20. A mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the mobile device further comprises a wireless interface and the channel source is a remote resource configured to connect to the mobile device via the wireless interface.