`
`COMMISSIONER ron Pnams
`Unnzo sures PATENT AND THABEHARK Omc:
`vAsrunc'Io-._D.c. 2023:
`mm.mptagov
`
`c_oNF.RM,moN No_ 372,,
`
`ATTORNEY _
`DOCKET NO.
`017002022500
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`HIIIIIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH
`Bib Data Sheet
`'
`
`SERIAL NUMBER
`09/755,723
`
`FILING DATE
`
`01/05/2001
`Rug;
`
`'
`
`'
`
`I PPLICANTS
`Ron Goodman, Santa Cruz, CA;
`Howard N. Egan, Capitola, CA;
`
`‘K,
`
`.n
`
`IIOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllll
`
`N E
`
`aannnunnnnnnt-an-up N
`
`E
`
`F REQUIRED, FOREIGN FILING LICENSE
`RANTED "' O2/20/2001
`
`- DDRESS
`V 0350
`
`ITLE
`
`- utomatic hierarchical categorization of music by metadata'
`
`.
`
`FILING FEE FEES: Authority has been given in Paper
`RECEIVED No.
`to chargelcredil DEPOSIT ACCOUNT
`‘T’ for Iouowmg
`_
`
`1.17 Fees ( Processing Ext. of
`time )
`D 1.18 Fees ( Issue )
`
`II Fees
`
`D 1.16 Fees ( Filing)
`
`13 Credit
`
`'
`
`CL 000042
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3044
`
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK On-101:
`
`*BiBDATASHEET*
`Bib Data Sheet
`
`Page 1of 1
`
`UNITED s.‘rA’rm DE.PAn1M1-:N'r 01? COMMERCE
`Uuiusd S|..n¢n P-mun ma 'rn.aum.n om»
`Add.nscC(lMM]SSlON£R FOR l’A'|'I.'ZN'i‘3
`:20. But we ‘
`um..u‘...\'...'-i. 17m-use
`nu-yIo pr
`
`CONFIRMATION NO. 3728
`
`GROUP ART UNIT
`2'54
`
`D’°gg£:T”fig
`'
`017002022500
`
`TOTAL
`
`NDEPE-“DEN
`
`}.,
`
`FILING OR 371(0)
`01%‘;/:01
`RULE
`
`SERIAL NUMBER
`55.723
`09”
`~ PPLICANTS
`Ron Goodman, Santa Cmz, CA;
`Howard N. Egan, Capitola, CA;
`DAVID BRISTOW, BAINBRIDGE, WA;
`
`'
`
`' FOREIGN APPLICATIONS '"-M"-'-*'*""'
`
`F REQUIRED, FOREIGN FILING LICENSE GRANTED
`
`1 creign Priority claimed
`D yes’
`. no
`5 USC119(a—d)cundifions D yes ? no D Me, an“
`"
`'
`Ailowanc
`Examiners Sinature
`Initials
`
`
`
`FILING FEE ' FEES: Authority has beengiven in Paper
`RECEIVED No.
`to chargelcredit DEPOSIT ACCOUNT
`; _________ for following:
`.
`
`D 1017 Fees ( Processing Ext. of
`lime)
`D 1.18 Fees ( Issue)
`
`D 1.16 Fees ( Filing)
`
`
`
`CL 000043
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3045
`
`
`
`PATENT APPLICATION SERIAL NO.
`
`U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`FEE RECORD SHEET
`
`
`"
`’~
`‘T’-(?_iBf-\‘{.10f}000001 E01430
`
`09755723
`
`
`:1“?
`r’C::=_0E
`
`0':
`
`710.00 CH
`160.00 CH
`
`'
`
`,
`
`PTO-1556
`
`(5/87)
`'U.S. GPO: I999-455-0821191 A4
`
`CLO00044
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3046
`
`
`
`I
`3
`
`'
`
`Old
`
`'5'll0563i-
`
` ttlstilttIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
`
`
`
`
`
`2. E]
`3. 8
`
`
`
`23::
`"~i'
`
`
`iii
`
`5
`3
`
`
`
`'
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`I9’
`\
`l
`'
`P10/55/o5(11.oo)
`O i O Y O
`Please type a plus sign (+)lns'
`through 10I31I2002. OMB 0651-0032
`Approved
`U.S/Patent and Trademark L:..- :. US. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`.
`Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection or inlonnation unless it displays a valid OMB control number,
`. unnw
`
`PATENT APPLICATION
`' :I11
`
`TRANSMITTAL
`
`Autornatic Hierardtical Cateogrization of Music by Meladata. l__
`
`
`.0;
`2
`0r
`
`(Only (or new nonprovisional applications under 37 C.F.R. § 1.53(b))
`Express Mail Label No.
`EL769991701US
`
`AppL|cA'nON ELEMENTS
`Msistant Commissioner for Patents
`SS Box Patent Application
`See MPEP chapter 600 concerning design patent application contents.
`Washington. DC 20231
`I. E
`Fee Transmittal Form (e.g., PTOISBI17)
`‘
`7. D CD~ROM or CELR in duplicate, large table or
`(Submit an original and a duplicate Ior lee processing)
`Computer Program (Appendix)
`Applicant claims small entity status.
`8. Nucleotide andlor Amino Acid Sequence Submission
`See 37 CFR 1.27.
`(if applicable, all necessary)
`Specification
`|TotaI Pages E ]
`a. D Computer Readable Fonn (CRF)
`
`
`lnrelerred arr?-naementset forth below)
`b. Specification Sequence Listing on:
`
`
`- Descriptive title of the Invention
`3. D cD.R0M 0, cD_R (2 copies); or
`
`
`
`
`- Cross References to Related Applications
`EL D paper
`- Statement Regarding Fed sponsored R 5 D
`
`— Relerence to sequence listing. a table.
`
`or a computer program listing appendix
`
`- Background of the Invention
`- Brief Summary 01 the Invention
`.
`Assignment Papers (cover sheet & document(s))
`- Brief Description of the Drawings ( if filed)
`to. E]
`37 C.F.R. §3.73(b) Statement
`1:] Power or
`{when there is an assignee)
`Attorney
`:g:?:,(le3 Descfiphn
`11. D English Translation Document (if applicable)
`' Absmci °”h° D'sd°5"'°
`12. D Information Disclosure
`CI Copies of I08
`[Total Sheets 1
`4. E Drawingts) (35 u.s.c. 113)
`
`
`
`
`5"""°’“e"‘ "°3)’PT°"‘“9
`°"3“°“‘
`[Total Pages 1:] 1
`5. oath or Declaration
`.
`
`
`
`13‘ D P'e"mi"a'y Dmendmem
`a. ‘El Newly executed (original or copy)
`
`
`
`14- E ’(‘§’:$::::'°;:i;:;T'g;';‘;’E5 5°3)
`b. [j Copy from a prior application (37 CFR 1.63 (an
`
`
`15. D Cenmed Cap: 0' Pdofity Dowmemm
`(for e continuation/divisional with Box 18 completed)
`
`
`{,1fo,-ejgn P,-,'o,1'fy,'5 c/aimed)
`i. D DELETIQN OF |NVENTORlS)
`
`
`namai in the prior application. see 37 CFR
`16. C] Request and Certification under 35 u.s.c. 122(b)(2)(B)(i).
`5‘9"°*‘ 5'3‘e"‘“"‘ 3“a°"ed “e'°"'"9 ‘""°'“°'I‘>
`Applicant must attach fonn PTOISBl35 or its equivalent.
`1.e3(d)(2) and ‘l.33(b).
`
`
`17. X Other: Unsigned Declaration/Power of Attomey_ Fee
`
`6. El Application Data Sheet. See 37 CFR1.76
`Transmittal Sheet
`
` and in a preliminary amendment,
`18. It a CONTINUING APPUCATION, check appropriate box. and supply the requisite information below
`
`or in an Application Data Sheet under 37 CFR 1. 76:
`ol prior application No: jl .:_
`Cl Continuation
`El Divisional
`El Continuation-in-part (CIP)
`Group / Art Unit:
`Prior application information:
`Examiner __
`For CONTINUATION or DIVISIONAL APPS only: The entire disclosure of the prior application. from which an oath or declaration is supplied
`under Box 5b, is considered a part 0! the disclosure oi the accompanying continuation or divisional application and is hereby Incorporated by
`reference. The Incorporation can ony be relied upon when a portion has been inadvertently omitted from the submitted application pars.
`
`19. CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS 7
`
`01/U5/0
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`'; box f}
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`8 Customer Number or Bar Code Label
`
`20350
`[Insert Customer No. or Attach bar code label here)
`i
`Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
`
`
`or E Correspondence address below
`
`Address
`
`Two Embarcadero enter
`
`Eighth Floor
`
`
`
`
`_
`
`.
`
`zw we
`
`<415>5w°2°°
`Registration No. (Attomey/Agent)
`
`941 1 1-W
`<m>5"»°3°°
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`M
`e will vary-depending upon the needs of the individual case. Any
`.
`sh . -- e sent to the Chief lntormalion Officer, US. Patent and Trademark
`comments on the amount ol time you are required to complete this to
`OKIG9. WaSi‘\ing10n. DC 20231, DO NOT SEND FEES OR COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND TO: Assistant Commissioner tor
`Patents, Box Patent Application. Washington. DC 20231.
`
`CL 000045
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3047
`
`
`
`PTOISBIt7(11-O0)
`A0.
`.a use through tur31r2oo2.ouil3 osst-ooez
`U.S. Patent and Traduenark Oflite: US. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`Under the Paperwork Reduction Act 011995. no persons are required to respond to a collection or lnlorrnalion unless it displays a valid OMB oontrd number.
`
`~
`
`RON coon-ww
`
`
`
`FEE TRANSMITTAL
`for FY 2001
`
`Prtarn fees are sublet! to .-innual revision.
`
`TOTAL AMOUNT OF PAYMENT
`METHOD OF PAYMENT (check one)
`
`Group An Unit
`Attorney Dodtet No.
`
`Pam
`
`
`
`
`
`Com m
`205
`65
`227
`25
`
`130
`2.520
`920'
`
`139
`147
`112
`
`130
`2.520
`920'
`
`
`
`139
`147
`112
`
`
`
`Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
`
`
`
`Deposit
`Account
`Name
`
`17002022500
`FEE CALCULATION continued
`«
`
`
`
`1.
`Snot!
`Large
`indicated tees and credit any over payments to:
`3. ADDITIONAL FEES
`The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge
`E
`enmy
`enuty
`
`FM
`Fee
`Foo
`.
`Fee
`Fee
`
`
`Fee Description
`22:33:‘
`20-1430
`co“ m
`Surcharge ~ late tiling too or oath
`Numbe,
`105
`I30
`Surcharge - late provisional tiling fee
`127
`50
`or cover sheeL
`
`
`
`
`Non-Engish specification
`
`
`For filing a request lor reuanination
`
`Requesting publication at SIR prior to
`
`
`8 Charge Any Additional Fee Required
`
`Examiner action
`Under 37 CFR 1.16 and 1,17
`Examiner action
`D Applicant daims small entity status.
`"3
`‘-""°'
`‘ '3
`‘-"“°' R°W95“"9 DUw¢3‘5°''' 5'7 5'R 3""
`See 37 CFR 1.27
`
`115
`110
`215
`55
`Extensiontorrepiy within first nnnth
`Payment Enclosed:
`I
`
`
`
`
`
` 195216no116 Extension lor reply within second
`
`
`D Credit card
`CI Money
`D Other
`E] Check
`month
`
`
`
`0"!"
`in
`590
`217
`us
`Extension tor reply within imm rmmh
`FEE CALCULATION
`113
`1.390
`215
`ass
`Extension for reply within rounn
`-
`"'°“"‘
`N5
`Extension tor reply within filth month
`155
`Notice of Appeal
`155
`Filing a bnel Ill support of an appeal
`135
`Request for oral hearing
`1,510
`Petition to institute a Public use
`proceeding
`Petition to revive - unavoidable
`55
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`F" pg;
`710
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`I28
`"9
`I20
`121
`138
`140
`
`L590
`3‘°
`310
`Z70
`1.510
`110
`
`228
`219
`220
`221
`138
`240
`
`BASIC FILING FEE
`1.
`Enmy sma"
`Enmy
`Lame
`Fee
`Fee
`Fee
`Fee
`(3)
`cm.
`(5)
`cm,
`71 o
`201
`355
`101
`:20
`zoe
`160
`we
`490
`207
`245
`107
`
`108
`710
`208
`355
`Petition to revive - unintemional
`E20
`241
`1.240
`141
`,1‘
`15°
`2“
`75
`Utility issue lee (or reissue)
`62D
`242
`1.240
`142
`
`SUBTOTAL (1)
`143
`440
`243
`220
`Design issue rec
`
`2. EXTRA CLAIM FEES
`144
`we
`:44
`300
`Plant bsue lee
`122
`t3o_
`I22
`130
`Petitlonslo|heCommlssloner
`
`Fee from
`Fe
`.
`.
`'23
`haw
`Paid
`Petitions rotated in provisional
`calm:
`W 3- =Exi:J—i:i
`“”“‘°”°"’
`«
`
`'-
`126
`§:inl:tmt.ssron of Information Disclosure
`independent
`.
`_
`ii-rs
`..
`=
`X
`=
`Recording each patent assignment
`
`'
`'
`set
`per property (times number at
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`°°"°°“‘
`Lame
`Foe
`Code
`103
`102
`104
`‘09
`‘I10
`
`Entity Small
`Fee
`Fee
`(5)
`Code
`I8
`203
`B0
`202
`270
`20!
`80
`209
`18
`210
`
`Entity
`Fee
`(5)
`
`9
`40
`1'35
`40
`9
`
`Fee Description
`claims in excess at 20
`lrflependenl claims in excess of 3
`Multiple dependent claim. it not paid
`" Reissue independent daims over
`original patent
`" Reissue claims in excess at 20 and ‘
`over original patent
`
`'
`
`“or nurrber previously paid. it greats‘. For Reissues. see above
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`so
`
`130
`40
`
`'23
`
`‘Z6
`S31
`
`so
`
`‘M
`40
`
`us
`149
`
`no
`710
`
`245
`249
`
`355
`355
`
`Filing a subrnlssion after final rejection
`(37 CFR§ t.129(a))
`For each additions invemion to be
`examined (37 Ci-‘R§ t.l29(b))
`Request la Continued Exarrirlalicrl
`(RC5)
`Request ft)’ expedited examination 01 3
`design application
`Other tee (specity)
`
`‘Reduced by Basic Filing Fee Paid
`SUBTOTAL (3)
`
`
`179
`169
`
`710
`K)0
`
`279
`169
`
`355
`900
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`1,14
`
` 7
`
`444
`
`Dam
`
`.
`
`“Sm
`
`-
`
`CL 000046
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3048
`
`
`
`Name (Print/Type)
`
`Signalum
`
`
`Fn Descrlpllon
`Utility filing tee
`Design filing fee
`Plant filing fee
`Reissue filing lee _
`F mend fimg kg
`
` _
`
`:.
`
`7
`‘;
`
`_
`
`I
`
`Ii"'lr -i...»
`“an;
`:3
`fi
`'
`1
`3
`1
`g
`if
`
`3
`
`t
`:5
`i=i-.
`
`.
`3
`
`3
`
`
`
`
`
`
`‘.'_-Q‘!-J.-_-+_~.{~,_g-‘g~:::?»_-,<»<_-y~,~a-:.::.{,..,__..,,,;,;,.;;‘Mv.
`
`-S.
`.2-
`
`\
`
`PATENT APPLICATION
`
`Attorney Docket No.: 17002-O2250OUS
`Client Reference No.: CT-1139
`
`
`
`*2‘
`
`AUTOMATIC HIERARCHICAL CATEGORIZATION OF MUSIC BY
`METADATA
`
`Inventor:
`
`RON GOODMAN, a citizen of the United States,
`
`226 Jeter Street
`Santa Cruz, CA 95060
`
`.
`
`HOWARD N. EGAN, a citizen ofthc United States,
`219 Elinor Street
`_
`Capitola, CA 95010
`
`SE
`
`Assignee:
`
`CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY LTD.
`31 lntemational Business Park
`Creative Resource
`Singapore 609921
`Republic of Singapore
`
`Entity:
`
`Large
`
`5
`
`_
`»
`3»
`
`TOWNSEND and TOWNSEND and CREW LLP
`TWO Embarcadero Center, 8"‘ Floor
`San Francisco, California 94111-3834
`Tel: 4I5—576—O200
`
`.
`
`CL 000047
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3049
`
`
`
`PATENT
`lie
`Attorney Docket No.: 17002-022500US
`Client Reference No.: CT—1l39
`
`AUTOMATIC HIERARCHICAL CATEGORIZATION OF MUSIC BY
`METADATA
`
`'
`
`ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
`
`A method, performed by software executing on the processor of a portable
`
`5
`
`music playback device, that automatically files tracks according to hierarchical structure of
`
`categories to organize tracks in a logical order. A user interface is utilized to change the
`
`hierarchy, View track names, and select tracks for playback or other operations.
`
`SF H74925 V2
`
`5
`
`
`
`CL 000048
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3050
`
`
`
`O
`
`V
`
`(L
`
`,
`
`PATENT
`Attorney Docket No.2 170 -022500US
`
`Client Reference
`
`o.:4 CT-l I39
`
`AUTOMATIC HIERARCHICAL CATEGORIZATION OF USIC BY
`METADATA
`
`CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICA ' ONS
`u_.;:-.:--~-; c ppicai
`-u
`,
`,
`'-.
`
`gm
`
`'-_.
`
`..
`
`La!
`-
`' .-';-:-;.-. '. ::
`
`33
`
`5 iiii ;an ppication o.
`
`1cew1 a
`
`,’
`
`-
`
`r
`
`——
`imie I.‘
`
`.
`
`r -
`
`'. ,
`
`,ent ed“Au1o...:.~A
`
`Devic .-': -
`
`;. :
`
`:.;::
`
`‘ H-4’ 2-
`
`I
`
`9:.
`
`: *:
`
`=5 - -‘H:
`
`fil
`
`,
`
`,
`
`'
`
`so w 1c
`
`'
`
`yhereinb reference
`
`10
`
`i
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Today, portable consumer electronic devices are more powerful than ever.
`
`For example, small, portable music playback devices can store hundreds, even thousands, of
`
`compressed songs and can play back the songs at high quality. With the capacity for so many
`songs, a playback device can store many songs from different albums, artists, styles of music,
`etc.
`
`Music jukeboxes implemented in software executed by a digital computer and
`portable MP3 and CD players both provide facilities for fonning playlists. For example, the
`. OOZTC player, distributed by the assignee of the present application, runs on a host PC and
`has a playlist feature that allows selection of tracks from the PC’s hard disk to be included in
`
`the playlist.
`
`As storage capacity increases and songs are compressed to shorter file lengths
`the number of songs that can be stored increases rapidly. Major problems facing the
`Consumer are organizing and accessing the tracks.
`I
`
`Typically, portable-devices have a user interface including a small screen and
`buttons.’ Using such a compactuser interface to navigate and select among hundreds of songs
`is inefficient and often frustrating. The display screen can only show a few song titles at one
`time, and the limited controls make it difficult for a user to arbitrarily select, or move among,
`the songs.
`
`The creation of playlists is one technique to organize the playing of songs. A
`
`561 ofsongs can be included in a playlist which is given a name and stored. When the playlist
`is accessed, the set of songs can be played utilizing various formats such as sequential play or
`shuffle.
`
`-
`
`CL 000049
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3051
`
`
`
`J.s
`
`z‘
`
`p1
`
`3;
`it
`
`h
`\
`
`....3?':*¥‘€“tH.='§!»7t‘:fiI-»:-:-I-;,z,r..;.'...-,-_..
`
`
`
`However, the creation of playlists itself becomes problematic as the number of
`
`songs increases, since the user often arbitrarily selects songs from a large number of tracks to
`
`form a playlist. This selection mechanism: can be fairly tedious; does not necessarily
`
`produce playlists that are of interest to the user over the course of time; may not remain
`
`5
`
`up—to-date if new songs are added that logically fit into a previously created playlist (e.g.
`“Favorites by Band X” might become out of date if a new favorite by Band X is added after
`
`the playlist was created); and leads to “lost” songs that are not members of any playlist.
`
`Accordingly, improved techniques for organizing and grouping tracks useful
`
`10
`
`-33:
`
`
`
`in a portable music player are needed.
`
`~
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`According to one aspect of the present invention, a technique is provided for
`
`organizing tracks on a portablemusic player by automatically filing tracks in a hierarchical
`order based on attributes of the tracks.
`
`According to another aspect of the invention, metadata is associated with each
`
`track that is used to automatically define the track’s appropriate place in the hierarchy.
`
`According to another aspect of the invention, the hierarchy is displayed on the
`
`portable music player so that a user can traverse the organizational hierarchy to find
`
`individual tracks or find playlists composed of logical groups of tracks.
`
`According to another aspect of the invention, the hierarchy is derived by using
`
`metadata associated with the audio content that was obtained through any source of metadata
`
`(e.g. CDDB metadata, id3v2 metadata, other obtainable metadata) and subsequently stored
`
`with or alongside the file that stores the track.
`
`25
`
`According to another aspect of the invention, a file is fonnatted so that an
`unaltered track is stored as file data and information about the track is stored in file attribute
`
`files.
`
`Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in view of the
`
`following detailed description and appended drawings.
`
`30
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Fig.
`
`I is a schematic diagram ofa tree structure for hierarchical filing of
`
`tracks;
`
`‘
`
`3
`
`CL 000050
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3052
`
`
`
`Fig. 2 is a definition file that specifies the hierarchy depicted in Fig. 1;
`
`Fig. 3 is a user’s view of the hierarchy;
`
`Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a user interface displaying the hierarchical
`
`category structure;
`
`Fig. 5 is a diagram ofa file format for storing filed data and file attributes;
`
`Fig. 6 is a flow chart depicting steps for filing tracks according to the
`
`hierarchical tree structure;
`Fig. 7 depicts a tree resulting from searching the tracks; and
`Fig. 8 depicts a format for a user interface.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in the context
`
`of a portable personal player that plays audio files stored in memory. The files may be in
`
`MP3, wav. or other digital formats.
`
`In the presently described embodiment, users are able to see the tracks on their
`
`player in some organized fashion other than as a single list of tracks. As will be described in
`
`more detail below, in one embodiment tracks are sorted utilizing a tree structure having
`
`branches labeled according to types of metadata associated with the tracks
`
`For example, a track recorded as “Golden Slumbers" by the Beatles that
`
`appears on their album “Hey Jude” might appear as a track under the album “Abbey Road” as
`
`Well as a track under the list of tracks by the Beatles.
`
`It might appear as a track under the
`
`genre “Pop Rock” as well as “Songs from the 60’s.” Furthermore, the organization can have
`
`more complex hierarchies. For example, the category of “Pop Rock” might contain
`
`’
`
`3‘
`
`1
`
`5
`
`10
`
`
`
`25
`
`subcategories “British Musicians,” “American Musicians” and “Other Musicians”. In all
`
`cases, the track is automatically filed into all appropriate locations without requiring user
`interaction.
`
`ln the currently defined embodiment, a tree structure is defined by a file
`
`having the following structure.
`
`30
`
`The first line ofa TreeDef.inf file contains a version number:
`V1.0
`
`Each subsequent line (at least in V1.0) contains lines ofthe following format:
`
`CATEGORY_NAM E|TRACK_TYPE__MASK| CATEGORY__S TRUCTURE
`
`3
`
`CL 000051
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3053
`
`
`
`5
`
`""''"‘?“"‘.€"“"'i"‘:’«‘§’fi""?1‘v1-Lr'1"fi'9‘-'!l~h-O-?q
`
`
`
`
`
`"‘»4‘*'-‘"*1:.1-‘.:\“"3.*v"t-'1'-.<w_:»‘c:~:«'«--.-.«~.---.t-.......-;.a..-.=_,.
`
`
`CATEGORY_NA1\/IE5 are the top-level names of the branch under which
`
`tracks are sorted. They include things like “Album,” “Artist,” “Voice Tracks," “All Tracks,”
`etc.
`
`TRACK_'I‘YPE_MASKs tell which types of tracks are to be filed under this
`
`particular branch. The actual value is a hexadecimal numerical value (in ‘Ox’ format, e.g.
`
`0x01) generated by ORing the following flags together as appropriate:
`
`
`enum tTrackType
`
`{ ,
`
`kTTNothing=0x00,
`
`k'I'I‘Song=0x0 1,
`
`k'ITVoice=0x02,
`
`kTTBook=0x04,
`
`k'I'I‘Macro=0x08,'
`
`k'I'I‘P1aylist=0x 1 0
`
`};
`
`So, for example, the ‘‘Album’‘ branch has a TRACK__TYPE_MASK of
`
`k'I'I‘Song, because only songs are filed under that branch, but the “All Tracks” branch has a
`
`TRACK_TYPE_MASK of (kTTSong | kTTVoice | kTTBook).
`
`Other elements might be added to tTrackType (e. g. kTTVideo) as appropriate.
`
`CATEGORY_STRUCTUREs tell how to file the songs based on their
`
`metadata information. The CATEGORY_S'l'RUCTURE is a string of characters that tell,
`
`fiom left to right, the order of hierarchy. The characters come from the following enum
`constants:
`
`25
`
`enum tFileTag
`
`{
`
`kFTNone='@',
`
`kFTTrackType=‘T‘,
`kFTTitle='N',
`
`kFTAudioFi1e='F',
`
`kFTAnist=‘M‘,
`
`kFTAlbum='L',
`
`30
`
`:.'».'u».
`
`4
`
`‘
`
`CL 000052
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3054
`
`
`
`kFTGenre='G',
`
`kFTSource=’S',
`
`kFTYear=’Y’,
`
`kFTA1tistCountry=’C’
`
`5
`
`};
`
`
`Thus, a CATEGORY__STRUCTURE of LN tells to create a subcategory that
`
`is a list of Albums, each of which contains a list of Tracks.
`
`In total, a line like:
`
`10
`
`Album|Ox0l|LN
`
`Says to create a branch called “Album” which contains tracks of type-
`
`kTTSong organized first by album name, and then by track name. '
`
`5"
`
`The following is an example ofa tree definition file similar (though not
`
`identical) to the hierarchy presented in the Nomad Jukebox product (the ‘B’ before each
`
`:
`
`15
`
`Fi1eTag was used to identify that these are basic tags so that we wouldn’t run out of letters in
`
` represents a level in the hierarchy):
`
`
`the alphabet as we included more complex metadata ~ thus each group of two letters
`
`V1.0
`
`A1bum|0x01IBLBN
`
`Artist|0x0l |BMBN
`
`
`
`
`
`.,'.;..—.;_:.-‘..o.«..s::-.,..".-.3...-'.....-.—',.....-.¢-‘.....—.-...._....'.:..n,a_-,._.___,,_
`
`Genre|0x01|BGBN
`
`Voice Tracks|0x02|BSBGBN
`
`Playlists|Ox10|BN
`Macros[0x08|BN
`All Tracks|0xO7|BN
`
`25
`
`Fig. 1 depicts a hypothetical organization hierarchy. The tree shows how
`
`tracks might be listed (as leaves in the tree) afier having been organized. Example values for
`
`30
`
`nodes in the tree are shown as well. The same track may appear more than once as a leaf in
`the tree, as described above, ifit fits into multiple categories (e.g. a song that appears on the
`
`Abbey Road branch would also appear in the Beatles branch).
`
`tn the example shown, the
`
`first branch contains tracks organized by album. As shown in the example, this music
`
`collection contains three tracks from “Abbey Road” and three tracks from “Hits from the
`
`'
`
`5
`
`CL ooooss
`
`i
`
`1
`
`,.;,.,.,....
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3055
`
`
`
`60’s”. The second branch contains tracks organized by artist, and sub organized by where the
`
`artist is from. Thus, a user browsing would first select the “Artists” branch and then choose
`
`between “British Artists" and “American Artists”. Finally, they would select the particular
`artist.
`In the third branch, all tracks are shown.
`
`5
`
`The tree definition file that would specify the hierarchy shown in Figure 1 is
`shown in Figure 2.
`
`The first line identifies the version ofthe tree definition file.
`
`The second line defines the “Albums” branch. The first part of the line,
`
`“Albums” defines the name of the branch. The second part, “0x01,” defines that all musical
`
`- 10
`
`tracks should be categorized on this branch. The third part, “BLBN,” defines that the branch
`
`
`
`‘
`
`2_5
`
`30
`
`lists first the names of all albums (BL) andthen tracks on those albums (BN).
`
`'
`
`The third line defines the “Artists” branch. The first part of the line “Artists"
`
`defines the name of the branch. The second part, “Ox0l ,” defines that all musical tracks
`
`should be categorized on this branch. The third part, “BCBMBN," defines that the branch
`
`lists first the names of all countries where artists in this collection come from (BC) and under
`
`those items, the artists’ names (BM), and then tracks by those artists (BN).
`
`Fig. 3 shows what a user’s View of this hierarchy might be if he/she were
`
`shown a fully expanded view of the 6—song tree. Notice that each song appears three times,
`once in each branch.
`
`In consumer products the tree define tile is not edited directly but through a
`
`user interface, one example of which is depicted in Fig. 4. An example of a user interface for
`
`viewing songs by category and editing the tree structure is depicted in Fig. 4.
`
`An embodiment of the invention is utilized in the Nomad® Jukebox,
`
`manufactured by the assignee of the present invention, and described more fully in the
`copending application, filed on the same date as the present application, entitled “System for
`Selecting and Playing Songs in a Playback Device with a Limited User Interface," (Attny.
`Docket No. 17002-020800).
`
`In a preferred embodiment, metadata is associated with each track and
`
`In the preferred embodiment,
`includes such information as title, genre, artist name, type, etc.
`Software stored in a portable player and executed by the onboard processor automatically
`files each track in the correct category utilizing the associated metadata and the tree define
`
`file. The program code can be stored in any computer readable medium including magnetic
`
`storage, CD ROM, optical media, or digital data encoded on an electromagnetic signal.
`
`6
`
`CL oooo54
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3056
`
`
`
`Thus, the user is automatically provided with a powerful and flexible tool for
`
`_
`organizing and categorizing the tracks stored on the portable player.
`If the tracks are formatted in MP3 format the metadata.can be stored in ID3
`
`tags included in the MP3 file. In one embodiment of the invention, the tracks are stored in
`
`5
`
`alternate file format including file data and file attributes. The file data is the music track
`
`itself and the file attributes part of the file includes fields of arbitrary size which are used to
`
`store metadata characterizing the track stored as the file data. Again this metadata includes
`
`information about the track such as title, genre, artist name, type, etc.
`There are several advantages to using the alternate file format. Metadata of
`
`10
`
`types not easily included in an [D3 tag can be utilized. Further, the original track format is
`
`not changed, so that error correction data such as checksums are valid. Finally, any file
`
`format can be used (c. g. WAV, WMA, etc.) because the metadata is stored separately, and
`
`thus audio formats that have limited support for metadata can still be stored on the portable
`player in native format without transcoding. The formatted files are formed by software
`stored in the portable music player and executed by an on-board processor.
`The metadata for each track is utilized to file each track, using the categories
`defined in the hierarchical structure as described above, without any input from the user.
`
`'Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the alternative file format including file data
`
`in the form of an MP3 track, and metadata fields for holding data indicating the name of the
`album the track is from, the name of the song, the genre of the song, and the type of track.
`A particular embodiment of a file format will now be described. All tracks are
`
`created with some set of attributes as shown below:
`
`15
`
`'?:_,-3
`
`
`
`+——f’Z"-'
`
`Definition of Tracklnfo Data Field
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Attr 1 tc
`42
`N
`
`Attr 1 name len
`
`
`
`
`Attrl data len
`
`
`
`Length of attribute data
`
`Attribute name strin
`
`7
`
`-
`
`.
`
`‘CL oooo55
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3057
`
`
`
`
`
` _
`-_
`Attrl data rm -_
`
`
`
`Attr 1 Data
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DWORD
`
`ASCIIstIin 0
`
`Ascu J
`
`Ascn
`mamas
`Inb es
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Reuired Attributes
`
`
`values
`Ascm.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TRACKNUM
`l—n track within album
`
`
`These attributes can be subsequently changeable via a host application,
`running on a personal computer connected to the portable music player.
`
`5
`
`Fig. 6 shows a flow chart of an embodiment the process used to build the
`
`hierarchical database of tracks. It starts by iterating through each track, and, for each track,
`
`iterating through each branch to find if the track belongs on the branch, and, if so, where.
`
`In
`
`this case, the term track could refer to any content, e.g. a music track, a spoken word track, or
`even a video track.
`
`_
`
`3
`
`CL 000056
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3058
`
`
`
`Also, the hierarchical catalog of tracks can be used to form playlists in a
`
`structured manner. For example, if a user wants to hear Jazz and Blues the entire sub-
`categories can be selected to form one playlist.
`An alternative hierarchical catalog generation technique will now be
`
`5
`
`described. In this altemalive embodiment, at system startup and as tracks are added or
`
`changed, the hierarchy is generated as an in-memory tree structure. Each track is added to
`the tree using the categories ALBUM, ARTIST and GENRE.
`The following example shows the algorithm for adding a track. For clarity,
`_-_.____§
`only the attributes used by the tree are shown.
`
`
`
`
`
`TITLE
`
`l 0
`
`
`
`“Free Fallin ”
`
`“Full Moon Fever”
`
`
`
`
`1
`
`The following function is executed to build the in-memory memory tree.
`
`‘Build Tree ()
`
`15
`
`For each track,
`
`Add Track To Category(Album, Track)
`
`Add Track To Category(Artist, Track)
`
`Add Track To Category(Genre,Track)
`End ofBuild Tree
`
`
`_20
`
`Fig. 7 depicts a tree which could result from implementing Build Tree()
`
`function. Note that “Stardust” does not have any entries for Album or Artist. The host
`
`Software running on a computer connected to the portable music player could be utilized to
`
`add missing attributes to the “Stardust” track and, optionally, edit the title attribute. The
`
`25
`
`Build Tree() function would then reinsert this track in the correct location in the tree.
`
`Fig. 8 is an embodiment ofa user interface according to another embodiment
`
`of the invention. In this example the root node is labeled “My Configuration” and the
`
`Playlist category has been selected and the Playlist subcategory “Meddle” has been selected.
`
`9
`
`CL 000057
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3059
`
`
`
`L.~\“,;-.<,\_.,_,U_
`
`Z
`
`
`
`
`
`Note that the types of Metadata, in this example, Track Name, Artist, Album, Tempo and
`
`Dance, are listed across the top of the screen, and the attribute values for each track are listed
`
`in a row across the screen. Various control buttons are displayed to the right of configuration
`
`window that facilitate quickly invoking selected processing on a selected track.
`
`5
`
`The invention has now been described with reference to the preferred
`
`embodiments. Alternatives and substitutions will now be apparent to persons of skill in the
`art.
`
`
`
`,0
`
`_
`
`CL 000058
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3060
`
`
`
`WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
`
`Wag
`
`
`1.
`
`A method, performed by a processor in a portable digital music player,
`
`*OOO\lO\U\-bl.»-)I\)
`
`audio tracks stored on a computer readable media, with each audio track having
`
`metadata
`
`sociated therewith including category value data for naming attributes of the track
`
`and type da a indicating the type of track, said method comprising the acts of:
`
`reading a definition file that defines an ordered hierarchical tree structure, with
`
`the file includi
`type information
`
`category names for naming the branch under which tracks are sorted, track
`
`ecifying which type of tracks are to be sorted under the branch, and
`
`structure informatio defining how to file tracks based on associated metadata;
`
`for eac
`
`track, iteratively determining, base on metadata describing the track,
`
`10
`
`if thearack belongs in
`
`e branch, and, for each branch in which the track belongs, traversing
`
`the branch to determine t
`
`appropriate location to file the track.
`
`
`
`
`2.
`
`The met 0d of claim 1, where said act of searching further comprises
`
`the acts of:
`
`
`
`utilizing track type
`particular branch.
`
`formation to file only tracks of a specified type under a
`
`3.
`
`The method of clai
`
`1 further comprising the acts of:
`
`for each branch, utilizing cate ory structure information to tile tracks in a
`
`specified attribute order.
`
`V 4.
`
`The method of claim 1, where
`
`8
`
`id ponable digital music player
`
`
`
`includes a display screen and a user interface for intera ing with the display, further
`Comprising the acts of:
`
`order;
`
`displaying the categories and subcategories
`
`the display in a hierarchical
`
`
`
`displaying all names of tracks associated with a ategory or sub-category
`
`when a user utilizes the interface to select a category or sub-cate
`
`ry;
`
`
`
`‘
`
`11
`
`.
`
`CL 000059
`
`SONY Exhibit 1004 - Page 3061
`
`7-
`
`3
`
`1
`
`\lO\VJIAUJI~J
`
`"fi!‘s‘*':’
`
`
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`,_
`
`
`
`utilizing the pointer to access and play a track when a user selects a track
`
`name through the user interface. and
`
`
`ilizing the pointer to access and play a collection of tracks within a category
`
`or subcategory w n a user selects a category or subcategory through the user interface.
`
`A method, implemented by a processor in a portable digital music
`
`player, for associ ting metadata with audio tracks comprising the acts of:
`
`ope ' g a formatted file for each track comprising a file data portion and a file
`attributes portion, wit
`e file attributes portion including a plurality of fields corresponding
`es;
`to category types and
`I
`
`storing an
`
`and
`
`odified audio track in the file data portion of the formatted file;
`
`
`
`
`
`storing category t
`
`corresponding fields.
`
`
`e and file type information about the unmodified track in
`
`
`A method, performed by a processor in a portable digital music player,
`6.
`for filing au '0 tracks, stored on a computer readable media, under categories in an in-
`
`2
`
`3 memory tree st
`
`cture, with each audio track having metadata associated therewith including
`
`\OOO\lO\KJ\J>bJl\)
` -305
`
`55.
`.;,a
`
`£3I
`
`I 3!
`
`.5
`§
`
`4
`
`5
`6
`
`7
`8
`
`1
`
`2
`3
`
`category name d