Method and system for sharing playlists

• US 9,715,500 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gautier, Patrice, Cue, Eddy, Kondrk, Robert, Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US10/833,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,837 Days
• Field of Search: 7071041, 707100, 707 2, 707 10, 707 3, 709217, 709204-206, 705 28, 705 51, 705 26, 705 35, 725 61, 34082525, 84609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Methods and systems for publishing a playlist are disclosed. A user generates or selects a playlist, which is then provided (e.g., uploaded) for publishing. A playlist identifying at least one of one or more tracks and one or more albums is received. The playlist may then be published such that the playlist is viewable by one or more individuals. A user may then purchase one or more tracks/albums identified in the playlist via an online store.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at an online media store, from a first client computing device, a first playlist created and stored by a user at the first client computing device, the first playlist identifying media items selected for the first playlist by the user at the first client computing device, the first playlist being received via a network;

receiving, from the first client computing device, a first request to publish the first playlist at the online media store;

in response to the first request to publish the first playlist at the online media store;

matching the media items identified in the first playlist against content items available at the online media store;

determining that at least one of the media items does not match any of the content items available at the online media store;

filtering the at least one of the media items from the first playlist to yield a second playlist comprising the first playlist without the at least one of the media items;

publishing the second playlist at the online media store for access by users from other client computing devices; and

receiving, by the online media store, from a second client computing device, a second request to purchase or download one or more media items identified in the second playlist.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the first request to publish the first playlist includes receiving permissions associated with the first playlist from the user, wherein the permissions associated with the first playlist identify one or more users or groups that can access the first playlist, and wherein publishing the second playlist comprises:

presenting the second playlist to at least one of the one or more users or groups identified by the permissions associated with the first playlist.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to contact an individual from whom the first playlist was received; and

sending an email to the individual, wherein an identity and email address of the individual are not provided in response to the request.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

after publishing the second playlist, identifying a media item from the second playlist that has become unavailable from the online media store since the second playlist was published;

removing the media item from the second playlist; and

after removing the media item from the second playlist, publishing a third playlist comprising the second playlist without the media item.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering a media item from the first playlist based on a respective characteristic of the media item, the respective characteristic being separate from an availability status of the media item at the online media store; and

publishing the second playlist without the media item.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

unpublishing the second playlist by selecting an unpublish option at the online media store, the unpublish option being associated with the second playlist.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein publishing the second playlist comprises:

generating a uniform resource locator (URL) based on a location of the second playlist, the URL providing access to the second playlist;

providing the URL to one or more computing devices to allow one or more respective individuals to access the second playlist via the URL.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the first playlist and the first request to publish are both in response to a user selection of an option to publish the first playlist, the option to publish, when selected, causing the first client computing device to transmit both the first playlist and the first request to publish the first playlist to the online media store.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first playlist and the first request to publish the first playlist are both received from a media application operating at the first client computing device during a same application session at the first client computing device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein publishing the second playlist further comprises, for each media item associated with the second playlist, presenting a respective indication in the second playlist of a number of individuals who have accessed or purchased the media item from the online media store.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each media item associated with the second playlist includes a purchase price.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

flagging an entry in the second playlist indicating at least one media item associated with the second playlist was purchased by an individual viewing the second playlist from the online media store.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising restricting user access to the second playlist by creating a publishing group defining a selected set of users who may access the second playlist, wherein the publishing group restricts access to the second playlist to those users from the selected set of users defined in the publishing group.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising adding a selected user to the publishing group to enable access to the second playlist by the selected user.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second request is to purchase, from the online store, all media items associated with the second playlist, the method further comprising:

processing the second request to purchase all of the media items associated with the second playlist; and

providing all of the media items to the second client computing device associated with the second request.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

processing the second request to purchase or download the one or more media items;

providing the one or more media items to the second client computing device associated with the second request; and

presenting an indication in the second playlist that the one or more media items were purchased.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first playlist and the second request are received together.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second request is to purchase all media items associated with the second playlist, the method further comprising:

processing the second request to purchase all of the media items in the second playlist at a group cost that is different than a combined cost of each individual media item in the second playlist; and

providing all of the media items to the second client computing device associated with the second request.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second request is to purchase all media items associated with the second playlist, the method further comprising:

processing the second request to purchase all of the media items in the second playlist at a group cost that is different than a combined cost of each individual media item in the second playlist;

providing all of the media items to the second client computing device associated with the second request; and

flagging all of the media items in the second playlist as having been purchased from the online media store.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein publishing the second playlist includes receiving an instruction to publish the second playlist at the online media store, the instruction being received from a client media application at the first client computing device in response to a user selection of a publish playlist option from the client media application at the first client computing device, wherein the user selection of the publish playlist option triggers the first request to publish the first playlist.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

unpublishing the second playlist;

republishing the second playlist to yield a republished playlist; and

generating an address for accessing the republished playlist.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a modification of the second playlist; and

republishing the second playlist with the modification at the online media store.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the modification comprises a change to a number of items in the second playlist.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein publishing the second playlist includes generating a uniform resource locator (URL) for providing access to the second playlist, and republishing the second playlist with the modification includes providing the second playlist with the modification at the URL.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the URL provides access to the online media store, and wherein contents of the second playlist can be purchased from the online media store through the URL.

26. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

sending an email to one or more individuals indicating that the second playlist has been modified, wherein the email identifies a URL via which the modified playlist can be accessed by the one or more individuals.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media items comprise one or more tracks or albums, wherein each of the tracks or albums is identified by at least one of a name, artist, and album.

28. The method as recited in claim 1, the media items comprise one or more tracks or albums, wherein each of the tracks or albums has a personal rating associated therewith.

29. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second playlist has a status indicating that the second playlist is public or private, wherein when the status indicates that the second playlist is public the second playlist is accessible by a plurality of individuals and when the status indicates that the second playlist is private the second playlist is accessible only by an individual responsible for uploading the first playlist, wherein the second playlist has a status of private prior to publishing the second playlist and has a status of public after publishing the second playlist.

30. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

specifying at least one of a description and title of the second playlist.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising:

filtering at least one of an address or a phone number from the description.

32. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media items associated with the first playlist are selected via a media client application at the first client computing device, from a local media library stored at the first client computing device.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising:

offering a discount from a total price of a purchase associated with the second request when the second request is a custom request to purchase a specified percentage of media items in the second playlist.

34. At least one computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

present, via a graphical user interface at a client computing device, a plurality of media items stored on a media library at the client computing device;

generate, via the graphical user interface, a first playlist of media items selected from the plurality of media items stored on the media library at the client computing device;

present, via the graphical user interface, the first playlist and an option for publishing the first playlist;

in response to a user selection of the option for publishing the first playlist, send, to one or more servers, from the graphical user interface, the first playlist and a request to publish the first playlist at the one or more servers;

present, via the graphical user interface, a second playlist published at the one or more servers in response to the request, the second playlist comprising the media items in the first playlist and excluding at least one of the media items in the first playlist, the at least one of the media items in the first playlist being filtered from the second playlist based on a determination that the at least one of the media items does not match any content items available at the one or more servers; and

present an indication of a purchase price determined by the one or more servers for one or more media items in the second playlist.

35. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein each media item in the second playlist is presented with an indication of a respective purchase price determined by the one or more servers for the media item.

36. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 34, storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to flag one or more entries in the second playlist indicating one or more tracks or albums that have been purchased by an individual viewing the second playlist from the one or more servers.

37. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the first playlist has a first status of private prior to the second playlist being published and the second playlist is associated with a second status of public after the second playlist is published.

38. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a media playback application running at the client computing device, wherein the media playback application enables a user to add media items to the first playlist, remove media items from the first playlist, play media items in the first playlist, name the first playlist, and publish the first playlist on the one or more servers.

39. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 34, storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

modify the second playlist after publishing the second playlist; and

republishing the second playlist.

40. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the graphical user interface is associated with a media application at the client computing device, wherein the first playlist is automatically generated by the media application at the client computing device based on one or more criteria comprising at least one of a genre or an artist, the at least one computer readable medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

after publishing the second playlist, receive a request to grant access to the second playlist to a specific user that currently does not have permissions to access the second playlist;

in response to the request, modify permissions associated with the second playlist to add permissions granting the specific user access to the second playlist via the one or more servers; and

generate a notification indicating that the specific user has been granted access to the second playlist.

41. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive, from a first client computing device, a first custom playlist generated by the first client computing device and comprising media items selected at the first client computing device, wherein the first custom playlist is received via a network;

receive a request to publish the first custom playlist at the system, the request being received from the first client computing device;

in response to the request to publish the first custom playlist at the system;

match the media items in the first custom playlist against contents of the system;

determine that at least one media item from the media items in the first custom playlist is not available at the system; and

filter the at least one media item from the first custom playlist to yield a second custom playlist comprising the media items in the first custom playlist without the at least one media item that is not available at the system; and

publish the second playlist such that the second playlist is viewable at the system by one or more client computing devices; and

present an indication of a purchase price determined by the system for one or more media items in the second playlist.

42. The system of claim 41, the at least one computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

remove an item from the second playlist when the item is no longer available for purchase or download from the system to yield a modified playlist, the item comprising at least one of a track or an album; and

publishing the modified playlist.

43. The system of claim 41, the at least one computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to flag one or more entries in the second playlist indicating one or more tracks or albums that have been purchased by an individual viewing the second playlist from the system.

44. The system of claim 41, the at least one computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to receive a second request to purchase at least one of a track or an album in the second playlist from the system.

45. An online media store comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive, from a first client computing device, a first playlist created and stored by a user at the first client computing device, the first playlist identifying media items selected for the first playlist by the user at the first client computing device, the first playlist being received via a network;

receive, from the first client computing device, a first request to publish the first playlist at the online media store;

in response to the first request to publish the first playlist at the online media store;

filter the first playlist by removing one or more of the media items from the first playlist that are not available for download or purchase from the online media store, to yield a second playlist comprising the first playlist without the one or more of the media items from the first playlist that are not available for download or purchase from the online media store; and

publish the second playlist at the online store to provide access to the second playlist by one or more users from other client computing devices via the online media store, the one or more users being identified in a permissions group which grants the one or more users in the permissions group access to the second playlist published at the online media store;

receive, from at least one second client computing device from the other client computing devices, a second request to purchase or download at least one media item from the second playlist; and

present on the second playlist published a visual indication that the at least one media item has been purchased or downloaded from the online media store.

46. An online media store as recited in claim 45, wherein the filtering comprises:

matching contents of the first playlist against contents at the online media store;

determining that the one or more of the media items from the first playlist are not available at the online media store, to yield a determination that the one or more of the media items are not available; and

based on the determination that the one or more of the media items are not available, filtering the one or more of the media items from the first playlist to yield the second playlist.

47. The online media store as recited in claim 45, the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive, by the online media store, a third request to purchase all media items in the second playlist.

48. The online media store as recited in claim 47, the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine one or more media items associated with the third request are not in a same album, to yield a purchase determination; and

based on the purchase determination and the third request, process a respective purchase of each media item from the media items in the second playlist individually.

49. The online media store as recited in claim 47, the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine that all of the media items associated with the third request are in a same album, to yield a purchase determination; and

based on the purchase determination and the third request, offer a purchase of the same album.

50. The online media store as recited in claim 47, the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine whether a majority of the media items associated with the third request are in a same album.

51. The online media store as recited in claim 50, wherein when it is determined that the majority of the media items are in the same album, offering a purchase of the same album.

52. The online media store as recited in claim 51, wherein the purchase of the same album is offered at an album price that is different than a combined cost of all individual items in the same album.

53. The online media store as recited in claim 52, wherein the purchase of the same album is offered at the album price when a total price of all individual items in the same album is greater than the album price.

54. The online media store as recited in claim 47, the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

offer a discount from a total price of the purchase when the purchase is for all of the media items in the second playlist.

55. The online media store of claim 45, the at least one computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to receive a third request to purchase at least one of a track or an album in the second playlist from the online media store.

56. The online media store of claim 45, the at least one computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to send an email to one or more users indicating that the second playlist has been modified to yield a modified playlist, wherein the email identifies a URL via which the modified playlist can be accessed.