USOO7827259B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`US 7,827,259 B2
`(10) Patent N0.:
`Heller et al.
`
`(45) Date of Patent: Nov. 2, 2010
`
`(54) METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR
`CONFIGURABLE AUTOMATIC MEDIA
`SELECTION
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: David Heller, San Jose, CA (US);
`Jeffrey L. Robbin, Los Altos, CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 1339 days.
`
`(21) Appl.No.: 10/833,399
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. 27, 2004
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2005/0240661 A1
`
`Oct. 27, 2005
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G06F 15/173
`(2006.01)
`G06F 15/16
`(52) US. Cl.
`........................ 709/223; 709/203; 709/231
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................. 709/203,
`709/223, 217, 231
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
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`(Continued)
`
`Primary ExamineriHussein A Elchanti
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Techniques for repeatedly selecting and presenting media
`items at a media device are disclosed. In one embodiment,
`media items are automatically (or dynamically) selected from
`a media source (e.g., list of media items) and then presented
`at a media device. As a result, the selected media items can be
`continuously selected and presented in an automated manner.
`In one embodiment, the automatic selection of the media
`items can be performed in accordance with at least one crite-
`rion. The at least one criterion can be user-specified and/or
`rules-based. In one embodiment, a display screen can display
`information pertaining to recently presented media items,
`media item being presented, and upcoming media items to be
`presented.
`
`51 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
`
`1’ 250 (104)
`?
`OBTAIN FIRST USER CRITERION
`
`AND FIRST IMPORTANCE VALUE N 252
`
`
`
`OBTAIN SECOND USER CRITERION
`AND SECOND IMPORTANCE VALUE 254
`
`
`OBTAIN A FIRST LIST OF MEDIA
`ITEMS WITHIN THE SOURCE THAT
`N 256
`SATISFY THE FIRST USER
`CRITERION
`
`——I——
`OBTAIN A SECOND LIST OF MEDIA
`ITEMS WITHIN THE SOURCE THAT
`SATISFY THE SECOND USER
`”253
`CRITERION
`
`
`RANDOMLV SELECT ONE OF THE
`IN ACCORDANCE WITH RELATIVE
`FIRST LIST AND THE SECOND LIST N260
`IMPORTANCE
`
`v
`
`RANDOMLY SELECT A MEDIA ITEM ”\1252FROM THE SELECTED LIST
`
`
`
`
`0
`
`.
`
`.
`
`Apple Exhlblt 4233
`Apple V. SightSound Technologies
`CBM2013-00020
`
`Page 00001
`
`Apple Exhibit 4233
`Apple v. SightSound Technologies
`CBM2013-00020
`Page 00001
`
`

`

`US 7,827,259 B2
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`Page2
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`Sadie Master System, Product Brochure, Studio audio Digital Equip-
`ment Inc., 2 pgs., Jan. 1995.
`RCS Works%art Wall User’s Guide and Reference Manual, pp.
`1-83, Feb. 7, 1993.
`“Digital Audio Just Got Easier!”, CartWorks Digital Audio Systems,
`dbm Systems, Inc., Jun. 26, 1996.
`“CartWorks File Utilities User’s Manual”, dbm Systems, Inc., pp.
`1-8., Jul. 1998.
`
`“CartWorks MHD Music-on-Hard-Drive QuickSchedule User’s
`Manual”, dbm Systems, Inc., pp. 1-8, Feb. 8, 1998.
`“CartWorks MHD Music-on-Hard-Drive User’s Manual V6.8”, dbm
`Systems, Inc., pp. 1-11, Feb. 1998.
`“CartWorks On-Demand Editor User’s Manual”, dbm Systems, Inc.,
`pp. 1-7., Feb. 1998.
`“CartWorks Script Editor User’s Manual v3 .12”, dbm Systems, Inc.,
`pp. 1-26., Feb. 1998.
`“CartWorks Spot Set Editor User’s Manual”, dbm Systems, Inc., pp.
`1-11., Feb. 1998.
`“The DADpro Digital Audio Delivery System Operation Manual
`Version 1.0”, IBM Corp., pp. 1-424, Aug. 30, 1996.
`“Virtual RecorderiBasic Operations”, ASC Audio Video Corpora-
`tion, pp. 1-94, Sep. 9, 1996.
`“Broadcast Tools: SpotBase, Playlist & TapeBase”, ASC Audio
`Video Corporation, pp. 1-2., Mar. 1998.
`“VR 300 Advanced Broadcast Video Server”, ASC Audio Video
`Corporation, pp. 1-9., Mar. 1998.
`“VR300 Video Server User Manual, Version 1.0”, ASC Audio Video
`Corporation, pp. 1-40, Mar. 20, 1998.
`“Gravis WinDecks Version 1.12”, screen shots, Gravis Computer
`Technology Ltd., pp. 1-10., Jan. 1990.
`WinDecks, User Instructions, Gravis Computer Technology Ltd., pp.
`1-14., Jan. 1990.
`Iriver, “PMP140/120”, Sep. 13, 2004, 1-2 pgs.
`MG-25, Portable MPEG4 Player (MG-25), Jul. 29, 2004, 1-3 pgs.
`Windows XP Service Pack 2, Figures 1-2 and “How to obtain the
`latest Windows XP service pack,” Aug. 25, 2004.
`Half-lifeiWikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http;//enwikipedia.org/
`wiki/Halfe-life.
`Mabini. MemMaid Review. Pocket PC Dubai, Jul. 23, 2004[online],
`[retrieved on Mar. 26, 2008]. Retrieved from the Internew <URL:
`http://www.pocketpcdubai.com/DinarSoft/memmaidireview.
`htm1>.
`Torrone, Phillip, How-To: Getting Podcasts on a Portable Media
`Center (and other Windows Media Devices, Oct. 2004.
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`Compaq Computer Corp., Oct. 13, 2000, http;//research.compaq.
`com/SRC/pjb/.
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`Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for European Patent
`Application No. 057376667, dated Jun. 18, 2010.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Page 00004
`
`Page 00004
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 1 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`102
`
`DETERMINE A MEDIA ITEM FROM
`
`104
`
`THE SOURCE BASED ON AT LEAST
`
`ONE CRITERION
`
`106
`
`Page 00005
`
`Page 00005
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 2 0f 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`
`
`[ 200 (104)
`
`
`OBTAIN A LIST OF MEDIA ITEMS
`
`WITHIN THE SOURCE
`
`202
`
`ASSOCIATE WEIGHTING VALUES
`
`TO THE MEDIA ITEMS WITHIN
`
`THE LIST
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`RANDOMLY SELECT A MEDIA ITEM
`
`FROM THE LIST OF MEDIA ITEMS
`
`GIVING EFFECT TO THE
`
`WEIGHTING VALUES
`
`FIG. 2A
`
`204
`
`206
`
`Page 00006
`
`Page 00006
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 3 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`o
`
`250 (104)
`
`[
`
`OBTAIN FIRST USER CRITERION
`
`AND FIRST IMPORTANCE VALUE
`
`252
`
`OBTAIN SECOND USER CRITERION
`
`AND SECOND IMPORTANCE VALUE
`
`254
`
`OBTAIN A FIRST LIST OF MEDIA
`
`ITEMS WITHIN THE SOURCE THAT
`
`SATISFY THE FIRST USER
`
`CRITERION
`
`
`
`OBTAIN A SECOND LIST OF MEDIA
`
`ITEMS WITHIN THE SOURCE THAT
`
`SATISFY THE SECOND USER
`
`CRITERION
`
`RANDOMLY SELECT ONE OF THE
`
`FIRST LIST AND THE SECOND LIST
`
`IN ACCORDANCE WITH RELATIVE
`
`IMPORTANCE
`
`RANDOMLY SELECT A MEDIA ITEM
`
`FROM THE SELECTED LIST
`
`0
`
`FIG. 23
`
`256
`
`258
`
`260
`
`262
`
`Page 00007
`
`Page 00007
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 4 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`@ [3%
`
`302
`
`IDENTIFY A SOURCE FOR MEDIA ITEMS
`
`304
`
`IDENTIFY DISPLAY PREFERENCES
`
`
`
`
`DETERMINE A MEDIA ITEM FROM
`
`
`THE SOURCE BASED ON AT LEAST
`
`ONE CRITERION
`
`
`
`306
`
`308
`
`DISPLAY INFORMATION PERTAINING
`
`TO THE MEDIA ITEM IN ACCORDANCE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`WITH THE DISPLAY PREFERENCES
`
`310
`
`PLAY THE MEDIA ITEM
`
`312
`
`
`
`
`
`
`PLAYING
`
`
`COMPLETED
`
`?
`
`FIG. 3
`
`Page 00008
`
`Page 00008
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 5 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`® [
`
`402
`
`IDENTIFY A SOURCE FOR SONGS
`
`404
`USE
`
`SELECTION
`
`CRITERIA
`
`?
`
`410
`
`DETERMINE NEXT
`
`
`
`
`406
`
`DETERMINE NEXT SONG
`
`TO BE PLAYED BASED
`ON SELECTION CRITERIA
`
`SONG TO BE PLAYED
`DETERMINE A SERIES
`
`
`OF UPCOMING SONGS
`
`
`START PLAYING THE NEXT SONG
`414 e
`
`DETERMINE A SERIES
`OF UPCOMING SONGS
`TO BE PLAYED
`
`412
`
`TO BE PLAYED BASED
`ON SELECTION CRITERIA
`
`DISPLAY INFORMATION ON THE NEXT SONG BEING
`CURRENTLY PLAYED
`
`415
`
`DISPLAY INFORMATION ON THE SERIES OF
`UPCOMING SONGS
`
`418
`
`420 f\,
`
`DONE
`
`PLAYING
`7
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`a
`
`FIG. 4A
`
`Page 00009
`
`Page 00009
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 6 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`DISMAY THE NEXT SONG AS
`BEING RECENTLY PLAYED
`
`422
`
`SELECT NEXT SONG IN THE SERIES
`
`OF UPCOMING SONGS TO BE PLAYED
`
`TO BE THE NEXT SONG
`
`426
`
`424
`
`
` USE
`
`SELECTION
`CRITERIA
`
`?
`
`DETERMINE ADDITIONAL
`
`
`UPCOMING SONG TO BE
`
`428
`
`PLAYED BASED ON
`
`
`SELECTION CRITIERIA
`
`
`DETERMINE ADDITIONAL
`
`
`
`UPCOMING SONG TO
`BE PLAYED
`
`
`
`430
`
`432
`
`REMOVE THE NEXT SONG FROM THE
`SERIES OF UPCOMING SONGS
`
`434
`
`ADD THE ADDITIONAL UPCOMING
`
`UPCOMING SONGS
`
`SONG TO THE SERIES OF
`
`FIG. 48
`
`Page 00010
`
`Page 00010
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`NOV. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 7 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`oom
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`
`Page 00011
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`NOV. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 8 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`Now
`
`
`
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`Page 00012
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`NOV. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 9 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
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`
`Page 00013
`
`
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 10 0f 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`802
`
`HOST COMPUTER
`
`800
`
`/
`
`COMM.
`MODULE
`
`MANAGEMENT
`
`MODULE
`
`PLAY
`MODULE
`
`MEDIA
`
`DATABASE
`
`810
`
`
`
`COMM.
`MODULE
`
`PLAY
`MODULE
`
`824
`
`MEDIA
`
`DATABASE
`
`MEDIA
`STORE
`
`MEDIA PLAYER
`
`FIG. 8
`
`Page 00014
`
`Page 00014
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 2, 2010
`
`Sheet 11 of 11
`
`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`901
`
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`ADAPTER
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`961
`
`SOUND
`CARD
`
`DBPLAY
`
`KEYBOARD
`
`MOUSE
`
`SPEAKERS
`
`NERNORK
`INTERFACE
`
`FIC3. 9E3
`
`Page 00015
`
`Page 00015
`
`

`

`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`1
`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR
`CONFIGURABLE AUTOMATIC MEDIA
`SELECTION
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`
`This application is related to commonly owned US. patent
`application Ser. No. 10/198,639, filed Jul. 16, 2002, and
`entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UPDATING
`
`PLAYLISTS,” which is hereby incorporated by reference
`herein.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to media systems and, more
`particularly, to media systems that support digital media.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`Media systems have permitted users to create playlists of
`audio tracks (i.e., songs) that are to be played. Typically, the
`media systems store a large library ofaudio tracks. Hence, the
`ability for a user to create their own playlists assists the user
`in playing those of the audio tracks from the library they
`prefer. Conventionally, playlists have been created either by a
`drag-and-drop operation or by user-specified rules. Once cre-
`ated, the audio tracks in the playlist can be successively
`played. After all the audio tracks in the playlist have been
`played, the playing of the playlist can be repeated. However,
`when requested or before repeating, the order in which the
`audio tracks are played can be altered, such as by a shuffle
`operation which randomly reorders the audio tracks within
`the playlist.
`Unfortunately, there is no ability to use selection criteria
`when choosing a next audio track to be played from a source
`of a plurality of audio tracks. In the case ofplaylists, the audio
`tracks within a playlist are known in advance and played in
`accordance with their order. Thus,
`there is a need for
`improved techniques to play audio tracks in a more random-
`ized fashion while considering selection criteria.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention pertains to techniques for repeatedly select-
`ing and presenting media items at a media device. In one
`embodiment, media items are automatically (or dynamically)
`selected from a media source (e.g., list of media items) and
`then presented at a media device. As a result, the selected
`media items can be continuously selected and presented in an
`automated manner. In one embodiment, the automatic selec-
`tion of the media items can be performed in accordance with
`at least one criterion. The at least one criterion can be user-
`
`the
`specified and/or rules-based. In one implementation,
`selection ofthe media items from the media source is random,
`but the at least one criterion can alter the probability that
`media items satisfying the at least one criterion are selected.
`Further, a display screen can display information pertaining
`to recently presented media items, media items being pre-
`sented, and upcoming media items to be presented.
`The invention can be implemented in numerous ways,
`including as a method, system, device, apparatus, graphical
`user interface, and computer readable medium. Several
`embodiments of the invention are discussed below.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`As a method for playing media items on a media player,
`one embodiment of the invention includes the acts of: iden-
`
`65
`
`2
`
`from the source; determining the media items to be played
`from the source based on the at least one criterion; and play-
`ing the determined media items on the media player.
`As an automatic media presentation method for presenting
`media items on a media device, one embodiment ofthe inven-
`tion includes at least the acts of: identifying a source for
`media items available to be played; determining a media item
`from the source based on at least one criterion; presenting the
`determined media item on the media device; and repeating the
`determining and presenting so as to automatically and con-
`tinuously present media items on the media device.
`As a graphical user interface for a media player, one
`embodiment of the invention includes at least a media source
`
`indication that visibly indicates a media source, and a list of
`information. The list of information within the graphical user
`interface pertains to at least a media item being played by the
`media player, a plurality of recently played media items, and
`a plurality of upcoming media items to be played.
`As a computer readable medium including at least com-
`puter program code for presenting media items on a media
`device, one embodiment of the invention includes at least:
`computer program code for identifying a source for media
`items available to be played; computer program code for
`determining a media item from the source based on at least
`one criterion; computer program code for presenting the
`determined media item on the media device; and computer
`program code for repeating the computer program code for
`determining and the computer program code for presenting so
`as to automatically and continuously present media items on
`the media device.
`
`As a method of automatically selecting media items from a
`source library for presentation using a media player, one
`embodiment of the invention includes the acts of: receiving a
`user selection of at least one criterion to be used in selecting
`media items from the library; determining a media item for
`presentation using the at least one criterion; and presenting
`the determined media item using the media player.
`As a method of configuring criteria for selecting media
`items to be presented using a media player, one embodiment
`ofthe invention includes the acts of: receiving a user selection
`of at least one criterion to be used for selecting media items
`from a source library; receiving a user selection of a range of
`values for said at least one criterion; determining a media item
`for presentation using the at least one criterion and the range
`ofvalues; and presenting the determined media item using the
`media player.
`As a method of configuring criteria for selecting media
`items to be presented using a media player, one embodiment
`of the invention includes the acts of: receiving at least one
`user-configured rule to be used for selecting media items from
`a source of media items; determining a media item for pre-
`sentation using the at least one user-configured rule; and
`presenting the determined media item using the media player.
`As a computer readable medium including at least com-
`puter program code for selecting media items to be presented
`on a media device, one embodiment of the invention includes
`at least: computer program code for providing a random play
`mode for the media device; computer program code for con-
`figuring the random play mode to influence selection of par-
`ticular media items to be presented by the media device; and
`computer program code for operating the media device is the
`configured random play mode wherein the media items to be
`played on the media device are randomly chosen in accor-
`dance with a configuration of the configured random play
`mode.
`
`tifying a source for media items available to be played; iden-
`tifying at least one criterion foruse in selection ofmedia items
`
`Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become
`apparent from the following detailed description taken in
`
`Page 00016
`
`Page 00016
`
`

`

`US 7,827,259 B2
`
`3
`conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illus-
`trate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The invention will be readily understood by the following
`detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying
`drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like
`structural elements, and in which:
`FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of an automatic media presenta-
`tion process according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 2A is a flow diagram ofa media determination process
`according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 2B is a flow diagram of a media determination process
`according to another embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an automatic media presenta-
`tion process according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIGS. 4A and 4B are flow diagrams of an automatic media
`presentation process according to another embodiment of the
`invention.
`
`FIGS. 5 and 6 are screen shots of exemplary graphical user
`int