US00795844lB2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Heller et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`(54) MEDIA MANAGEMENT FOR GROUPS OF
`MEDIA ITEMS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: David Heller, San Jose, CA (US);
`Jeffrey L. Robbin, Los Altos, CA (US);
`Steven P. Jobs, Palo Alto, CA (US);
`Timothy Wasko, High River (CA); Jeff
`Miller, Mountain View, 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. l54(b) by 488 days.
`
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`EP
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`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`(21) Appl.No.: 11/097,591
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. 1, 2005
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2006/0156236 A1
`
`Jul. 13, 2006
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/642,334, filed on Jan.
`7, 2005.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G06N 3/00
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`..................................................... .. 715/201
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................ .. 715/513,
`715/517, 523, 530, 234, 243, 254, 255, 201
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`
`Primary Examiner — Kyle R Stork
`
`(57)
`
`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 ofa 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 ofmedia 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.
`
`28 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
`
`DISPLAY A GROUP OF MEDIA ITEMS
`
`
`
`
`704
`
`/700
`
`702
`
`
`..
`
`OBTAIN CAPACITY LIMIT
` FOR THE GROUP
`
`
`
`ir-()_'l'I-IIER_F’—RO—C-lE_SS-|IIé_E
`
` 708
`
`
`
`
`AUTOMATICALLY FILL THE GROUP
` 710
`TO THE CAPACITY LIMIT WITH
`ADDITIONAL MEDIA ITEMS
`
`
`
`
`RE-DISPLAY THE GROUP
`
`712
`
`
`
`Apple Exhibit 4447
`
`Apple v. SightSound Technologies
`CBM2013-00023
`
`Page 00001
`
`Apple Exhibit 4447
`Apple v. SightSound Technologies
`CBM2013-00023
`Page 00001
`
`

`

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`“CartWorks Spot Set Editor User’s Manual”, dbm Systems, Inc., pp.
`1-11, Apr. 3, 2009.
`“The DADpro Digital Audio Delivery System Operation Manual
`Version 10”, IBM Corp., pp. 1-424, Aug. 30, 1996.
`“Virtual Recorder—Basic Operations”, ASC Audio Video Corpora-
`tion, pp. 1-94, Sep. 9, 1996.
`“Broadcast Tools: SpotBase, Playlist & TapBase”, ASC Audio Video
`Corporation, pp. 1-2, Apr. 3, 2009.
`“VR 300 Advanced Broadcast Video Server”, ASC Audio Video
`Corporation, pp. 1-9, Apr. 3, 2009.
`“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, Apr. 3, 2009.
`WinDecks, User Instructions, Gravis Computer Technology Ltd., pp.
`1-14, Apr. 3, 2009.
`Iriver, “PMP140/120”, Sep. 13, 2004, 1-2 pgs.
`MG-25, Portable MPEG4 Player (MG-25), Jul. 29, 2004, 1-3 pgs.
`Half-life—Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http;//enwikipedia.org/
`wiki/Halfe-life, Feb. 22, 2009.
`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/memmaid_review.
`htrn1>.
`Personal Jukebox (PJB), “System Research Center and PAAD”,
`Compaq Computer Corp., Oct. 13, 2000, http;//research.compaq.
`com/SRC/pjb/.
`Etchison, “Accelerated Discrete Adjustment of the Parameters of a
`Process”, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 15, No. 5, Oct. 1,
`1972, 2 pgs.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Page 00004
`
`Page 00004
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 1 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`‘[100
` DISPLAY A MEDIA SOURCE INDICATOR FOR A
`
`
`
`MEDIA SOURCE THAT IS ASSOCIATED
`
`WITH A MEDIA DEVICE
`
` 102
`
`
`
`DISPLAY A REPRESENTATION OF MEDIA
`
`ITEMS THAT ARE WITHIN THE MEDIA
`
`104
`
`
`
`
`SOURCE
`
`106
`
`
`
`
`MANAGE THE MEDIA ITEMS WITHIN THE
`MEDIA SOURCE BY ADDING OR REMOVING
`
`
`
`
`MEDIA ITEMS TO OR FROM THE MEDIA
`
`
`
`SOURCE
`
`FIG. 1
`
`Page 00005
`
`Page 00005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 2 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`® /2°°
`
`DISPLAY MEDIA DEVICE PLAYLIST
`INDICATOR
`
`202
`
`204 ’\
`
`
`
`
`PLAYUST
`INDICATOR
`SELECTED
`
`
`
`
`
`206
`NO _____ __ ___j____
`I OTHER PROCESSING I
`
`DISPLAY A LISTOF AUDIO TRACKS
`THAT ARE WITHIN THE MEDIA
`DEVICE PLAYLIST
`
`208
`
`216
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DISPLAY AN UPDATED LIST OF
`AUDIO TRACKS THAT ARE WITHIN
`THE MEDIA DEVICE PLAYLIST
`
`USER
`
`INTERACTION
`TO ADD OR
`
`222
`MEDIA
`
`DEVICE
`CONNECTED DEFER UPDATE OF
`AUDIO TRACKS STORED
`ON THE MEDIA DEVICE
`
`
`
`
`
`UPDATE AUDIO TRACKS STORED
`ON THE MEDIA DEVICE
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Page 00000
`
`Page 00006
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 3 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`/ 300
`
`OBTAIN THE AUDIO TRACKS
`
`THAT ARE WITHIN THE MEDIA
`
`302
`
`DEVICE PLAYLIST
`
`DETERMINE WHICH OF THE
`
`AUDIO TRACKS ARE PRESENT
`
`304
`
`ON THE MEDIA DEVICE
`
`DISPLAY THE AUDIO TRACKS
`IN A LIST
`
`305
`
`DISPLAY AN INDICATOR FOR
`
`EACH OF THE AUDIO TRACKS
`TO INDICATE ITS PRESENCE
`
`303
`
`ON THE MEDIA DEVICE
`
`FIG. 3
`
`Page 00007
`
`Page 00007
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 4 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`‘//400
`
`
`
`UPDATE THE MEDIA
`
`
`
`DEVICE PLAYLIST BY
`
`DELETING THE
`
`
`
`AUDIO TRACK(S)
`
`DETERMINE A CAPACITY LIMIT FOR
`
`THE MEDIA DEVICE PLAYLIST
`
`
`WOULD
`CAPACITY
`
`UMWBE
`
`EXCEEDED
`
`IF THE AUDIO
`
`
`
`
`
`TRACK(S) ARE
`ADDED
`
`INFORM USER THAT
`
`INSUFFICIENT
`
`
`
`?
`SPACE PREVENTED
`
`ADDING OF THE
`
`UPDATE THE MEDIA DEVICE
`
`PLAYLIST BY ADDING
`
`THE AUDIO TRACK(S)
`
`AUDIO TRACK(S)
`
`414
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Page 00003
`
`Page 00008
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 5 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`oom
`
`.
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
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`
`mm.
`
`$30exuamuuuaa2%M.are0arewraa
`
`23:00$£3£53»2:.W-”~
`
`
`
`W:ucam.,.av33:m:_v__£.M24Wave:av33«Baum2:.Mmfim
`
`Weoé3...32SE.24$2050..~a
`.33.53:2.5.au.._azQmum
`
`M $ Efiér 15% E§:§"§7§
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`C)
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`
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`
`«E2%3.2._Eos<
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`as«.3figNE
`
`finSm:30
`9.0S...u$._%$
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`
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`woundxéceuam
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`
`
`uima358$
`
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`
`u_m:2you
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`a§aEo...,a2.53..S>wno22.5u_m§2:.m6mmuomeM
`
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`...e_.ym._.«E85mM.2“:£62:Ea:w.
`
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`
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`
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`
`22m252@>.
`
`mom
`
`Page 00009
`
`Page 00009
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 6 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`
`
`@ A
`
`udio
`
`Importing
`smirning
`Sharing
`Store Ad;/rkked
`....««~«............1w1 .W(.~«.«.«««««w«m«w..««..w..»m_-m«mWmm«m«...~\.Mm.«x.u
`
`iPod
`
`E Open Ffunes when this iPod ‘is attached
`
`@ Keep this iPod in the source list
`
`Onty update checked songs
`
`Convert higher bit rate sangs :9 3.28 kbps MC for this EPod
`m».usa.....»s.._.y»a..u.a;:.a;»u..sm»»ma«m;;y.1.z;—
`
`504
`
`f€§:ab§e ~z:!¥s§( use
`
`Choose haw much space wifi be aresewed for songs versus data.
`
`606\( 2? Songs
`
`I
`
`|
`
`1
`
`i
`
`151 MB Data
`
`
`
`More Songs
`
`610
`
`608
`
`More Data
`
`
`
`FIG. 6
`
`Page 00010
`
`Page 00010
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 7 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`DISPLAY A GROUP OF MEDIA ITEMS
`
`702
`
`704
`
`706
`
`NO r ----- -- T--2----I
`; OTHER PROCESSING I
`_____________ --
`
`YES
`
`OBTAIN CAPACITY LIMIT
`FOR THE GROUP
`
`708
`
`AUTOMATICALLY FILL THE GROUP
`
`
`
`TO THE CAPACITY LIMIT WITH
`
`710
`
`ADDITIONAL MEDIA ITEMS
`
`RE-DISPLAY THE GROUP
`
`712
`
`FIG. 7
`
`Page 00011
`
`Page 00011
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 8 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`@ /800
`
`DISPLAY PLAYLIST HAVING INITIAL AUDIO TRACKS
`
`802
`
`804”\«
`
`806
`
`_____ __
`NO F
`IOTHERPROCESSNG
`
`I
`
`YES
`
`
`REPLACE
`
`INFHAL
`AUDK)
`
`TRACKS
`
`?
`
`YES
`
`DELETE THE INITIAL AUDIO TRACKS
`FROM THE PLAYLIST
`
`OBTAIN SOURCE SELECTION
`
`812
`
`OBTAIN SELECTION CRITERIA PREFRENCE(S)
`
`314
`
`OBTAIN CAPACITY LIMIT FOR THE PLAYLIST
`
`315
`
`DETERMINE AMOUNT OF FREE CAPACITY
`FOR THE PLAYL|ST
`
`318
`
`
`
`DETERMINE ADDITIONAL AUDIO TRACKS
`TO FILL THE FREE CAPACITY OF THE
`PLAYLIST BASED ON THE SOURCE
`SELECTION AND THE SELECTON
`
`
`
`CRITERIA PREFERENCE(S)
`
`
`
`820
`
`G
`
`FIG. 8A
`
`Page 00012
`
`Page 00012
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 9 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`
`
`ADD THE ADDITIONAL AUDIO TRACKS
`
`TO THE PLAYLIST
`
`822
`
`
`
`
`
`RE-DISPLAY THE PLAYLIST
`
`
`
`824
`
`FIG. 8B
`
`Page 00013
`
`Page 00013
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 10 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`902
`
`HOST COMPUTER
`
`COMM.
`MODULE
`
`MANAGEMENT
`
`MODULE
`
`PLAY
`MODULE
`
`MEDIA
`
`DATABASE
`
`91
`
`0
`
`900
`
`/
`
`\
`
`x\
`
`904
`
`|
`
`COMM.
`MODULE
`
`PLAY
`MODULE
`
`924
`
`MEDIA
`
`DATABASE
`
`MEDIA
`
`STORE
`
`MEDIA PLAYER
`
`FIG. 9
`
`Page 00014
`
`Page 00014
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2011
`
`Sheet 11 of 11
`
`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`1014
`
`1000
`
`I[/
`
`1919
`
`DISPLAY
`
`1018
`
`NETWORK / BUS
`
`INTERFACE
`
`1016
`
`
`
`1002
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`USERINPUTO DEVICE
`
`1008
`
`CODEC
`
`1012
`
`1004
`
`FmE
`
`SYSTEM
`
`(STORAGE DISK)
`
`lflflfi
`
`CACHE
`
`1022
`
`1020
`
`F1C3.‘10
`
`Page 00015
`
`Page 00015
`
`

`

`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`1
`MEDIA MANAGEMENT FOR GROUPS OF
`MEDIA ITEMS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Appli-
`cation No. 60/642,334,
`filed Jan. 7, 2005, and entitled
`“MEDIA MANAGEMENT FOR GROUPS OF MEDIA
`
`ITEMS,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
`This application is related to: (i) U.S. application Ser. No.
`11/097,034, filed concurrently, and entitled “PERSISTENT
`GROUP OF MEDIA ITEMS FOR A MEDIA DEVICE,”
`which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; (ii) U.S.
`application Ser. No. 10/973,925, filed Oct. 25, 2004, and
`entitled “MULTIPLE MEDIA TYPE SYNCHRONIZA-
`TION BETWEEN HOST COMPUTER AND MEDIA
`
`DEVICE,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference;
`(iii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/833,879, filed Apr.
`27, 2004, and entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR
`SHARING PLAYLISTS,” which is hereby incorporated by
`reference herein; (iv) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/833,
`399, filed Apr. 27, 2004, and entitled “METHOD AND SYS-
`TEM FOR CONFIGURABLE AUTOMATIC MEDIA
`
`SELECTION,” which is hereby incorporated by reference
`herein; (V) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/277,418, filed
`Oct. 21, 2002, and entitled “INTELLIGENT INTERAC-
`TION BETWEEN MEDIA PLAYER AND HOST COM-
`
`PUTER,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference;
`(vi) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/198,639, filed Jul. 16,
`2002, and entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UPDAT-
`ING PLAYLISTS,” which is hereby incorporated by refer-
`ence herein; and (vii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/ l 18,
`069,
`filed Apr. 5, 2002, and entitled “INTELLIGENT
`SYNCHRONIZATION OF MEDIA PLAYER WITH HOST
`
`COMPUTER,” which is hereby incorporated herein by ref-
`erence.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to media devices and, more
`particularly, to management of media on media devices.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`A media player stores media assets, such as audio tracks or
`photos, that can be played or displayed on the media player.
`One example of a media player is the iPod® media player,
`which is available from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino,
`Calif. Often, a media player acquires its media assets from a
`host computer that serves to enable a user to manage media
`assets. As an example, the host computer can execute a media
`management application to manage media assets. One
`example of a media management application is iTunes®,
`version 4.2, produced by Apple Computer, Inc.
`Media assets can be moved between the host computer and
`the media player through use of a manual drag and drop
`operation, or through an automatic synchronization once a
`bus connection over a peripheral cable connects the media
`player to the host computer. Additional details on automatic
`synchronization are provided in U.S. Patent Publication No.:
`2003/0167318 Al, which is hereby incorporated herein by
`reference.
`
`In managing media assets, a user can create playlists for
`audio tracks. These playlists can be created at the host com-
`puter. Media assets within the playlists can then be copied to
`the media player. Often, the amount ofmedia assets at the host
`computer exceeds the storage capacity ofthe media player. In
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`
`such case, the user ofthe host computer can select a subset of
`the media assets at the host computer to be copied to the
`media player. For example, a user might select certain play-
`lists to be copied to the media player when synchronized.
`Conventionally, a media player is considered a media
`source for a media management application so long as the
`media player is connected to the host computer. That is, once
`the media management application detects the media player,
`a visual representation of the media player can be displayed.
`However, once the media player is disconnected, the visual
`representation of the media player is removed. Hence, media
`assets, namely, playlists of media assets, on the media player
`can be managed at the host computer only while the media
`player is connected to its host computer. In particular, if the
`media player is not connected to the host computer, then the
`media player is not a media source and, therefore, its media
`assets carmot be managed at the host computer. This can be a
`disadvantage for users that want to manage the media assets
`provided on the media player from the host computer.
`Thus, there is a need for improved techniques to facilitate
`management and usage of media assets for media devices.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Broadly speaking, the invention pertains to improved tech-
`niques to utilize and manage a group ofmedia items (or media
`assets) on a computing device. 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 ofmedia items is known as a playlist, which can pertain
`to a group of audio tracks.
`One another aspect of the invention pertains to a graphical
`user interface that enables a user to trade-off storage capacity
`ofa media device between media asset storage and non-media
`asset storage. Another aspect of the invention pertains to a
`graphical user interface that assists a user with selecting
`media items to fill a group ofmedia items. Still another aspect
`of the invention pertains to providing a persistent media
`device playlist at a host computer. The persistent media
`device playlist represents a playlist dedicated to a media
`device that can couple to the host computer. Another aspect of
`the inventionpertains to imposing capacity limits to a playlist,
`such as a media device playlist.
`The invention can be implemented in numerous ways,
`including as a method, system, device, apparatus (including
`graphical user interface), or computer readable medium. Sev-
`eral embodiments of the invention are discussed below.
`
`As a method ofproviding audio tracks for a playlist for use
`on a host computer and a media device, still another embodi-
`ment of the invention includes at least the acts of: 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; obtaining
`a capacity limit for the playlist; receiving a user selection to
`fill the playlist with additional audio tracks; and filling the
`playlist with additional audio tracks to the capacity limit after
`the user selection is received.
`
`As a graphical user interface for providing audio tracks for
`a playlist for use by a host computer and a media device, one
`embodiment of the invention includes at least: a list of audio
`
`tracks that are within the playlist, the list being displayed on
`a display device of the host computer; and a selectable user
`interface control displayed on the display device of the host
`computer, the selectable user interface control, upon selec-
`tion, initiates a filling of the playlist with audio tracks.
`
`Page 00016
`
`Page 00016
`
`

`

`US 7,958,441 B2
`
`3
`As a graphical user interface provided on a host computer
`for reserving storage capacity of a media device, one embodi-
`ment ofthe invention includes at least: a user selection control
`
`that enables a user ofthe host computer to reserve a portion of
`the storage capacity of the media device for storage of non-
`audio track data.
`
`5
`
`As a computer readable medium including at least com-
`puter program code for providing media items for a media
`item grouping for use on a host computer and a media device,
`one embodiment of the invention includes at least: computer
`program code for displaying a listing of media items that are
`within the media item grouping on a display screen ofthe 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
`obtaining a capacity limit for the media item grouping; com-
`puter program code for receiving a user selection to fill the
`media item grouping with additional media items; and com-
`puter program code for filling the media item grouping with
`additional media items to the capacity limit after the user
`selection is received.
`
`Other aspects and advantages ofthe invention will become
`apparent from the following detailed description taken in
`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 a host-based media source
`management process according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`
`FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a playlist management process
`according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a status indication process
`according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an update process according to
`one embodiment of the invention.
`
`FIG. 5 is a screen shot of a media management application
`window according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 6 is a screen shot of a preference window for a media
`management application according to one embodiment ofthe
`invention.
`
`FIG. 7 if a flow diagram of a group fill process according to
`one embodiment of the invention.
`
`FIGS. 8A and 8B are flow diagrams ofa playlist fill process
`according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a media management system
`according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 10 is