CONCERT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100145643 | USER-CONTROLLED APPLICATION-BASED POWER MANAGEMENT - A user-controlled application-based power management function is provided for a battery-operated device. In general, for each of a number of applications of the battery-operated device, a power management function enables a user of the battery-operated device to provide a usage parameter for the application defining a desired amount of usage of the application for each of one or more tasks. For each task, the power management function determines an estimated amount of battery life that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task and determines whether the estimated amount of battery life is available. If the estimated amount of battery life is available, the power management function allocates an amount of battery life corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life to the application for the task. | 06-10-2010 |
20100124892 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET RADIO STATION PROGRAM DISCOVERY - An Internet radio station program discovery service is provided. In general, the discovery service subscribes to or downloads a number of Internet radio station programs. For each radio station program, the discovery service analyzes audio content of the radio station program to dynamically categorize the radio station program over time. The discovery service also enables users to discover radio station programs of interest based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs. The users may be enabled to search for radio station programs of interest based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs, navigate or browse the radio station programs based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs, or the like. | 05-20-2010 |
20100114979 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CORRELATING SIMILAR PLAYLISTS IN A MEDIA SHARING NETWORK - Methods and systems for aggregating playlists having similar content are provided. In general, a number of playlists are first obtained. Next, content of the playlists is analyzed to identify playlists that match to at least a defined threshold degree. Each group of two or more playlists having matching content is aggregated to provide a corresponding aggregate playlist. | 05-06-2010 |
20100094935 | COLLECTION DIGEST FOR A MEDIA SHARING SYSTEM - A system and method are disclosed for providing a collection digest summarizing a shared media collection for presentation to a user. In one embodiment, a user device of a user joins a media sharing system including the user device and one or more other users devices, each associated with a sharing user and hosting a shared media collection of the sharing user. The user device obtains a collection digest from at least one of the other user devices that summarizes the shared media collection hosted by the at least one of the other user devices and presents the collection digest to the user. The collection digest may be used to assist the user in determining whether to access the shared media collection. | 04-15-2010 |
20100094934 | SOURCE INDICATORS FOR ELEMENTS OF AN AGGREGATE MEDIA COLLECTION IN A MEDIA SHARING SYSTEM - A system and method are disclosed for providing source indicators for one or more elements of an aggregate media collection of a user in a media sharing system. In one embodiment, a local media collection of a user is aggregated with one or more shared media collections hosted by corresponding user devices of other users participating in the media sharing system to provide an aggregate media collection for the user. Via a Graphical User Interface (GUI), for each element of at least a subset of elements of the aggregate media collection, one or more source indicators are presented in association with the element to identify a source or sources of the element in the media sharing system. The elements of the aggregate media collection include at least a subset of media items in the aggregate media collection, playlists including media items from the aggregate media collection, or both. | 04-15-2010 |
20100094834 | BRIDGING IN A MEDIA SHARING SYSTEM - A system and method for providing a bridging process for a media sharing system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user device of a user joins a media sharing system including the user device of the user and one or more other user devices of a corresponding one or more other users. Via the media sharing system, the one or more other users have access to a shared media collection of the user of the user device, which includes one or more first media items stored locally at the user device and one or more second media items stored remotely at a secondary device of the user. Upon receiving a request for one of the second media items, the user device obtains the requested media item from the secondary device. The user device then provides the requested media item to the other user device automatically or upon subsequent request. | 04-15-2010 |
20100094833 | CACHING AND SYNCHING PROCESS FOR A MEDIA SHARING SYSTEM - A system and method for caching and/or synching shared media items in a media sharing system are provided. In one embodiment, a user device of a user joins a media sharing system including the user device and one or more other user devices connected via a network such that the user of the user device has access to one or more shared media collections hosted by the one or more other user devices. Shared media items from the one or more shared media collections are scored. The user device then obtains shared media items scored above a defined threshold from the one or more other user devices hosting the one or more corresponding shared media collections and stores those shared media items in local storage. In one embodiment, the local storage is temporary storage, such as a cache. | 04-15-2010 |
20100094820 | METHOD FOR AFFECTING THE SCORE AND PLACEMENT OF MEDIA ITEMS IN A LOCKED-TO-TOP PLAYLIST - Methods and systems are disclosed for affecting a score of a media item in a playlist of scored media items. In one embodiment, a playlist of scored media items that is sorted based on score is provided. An associated user is enabled to adjust the score of a media item in the playlist by moving the media item up or down in the playlist. In another embodiment, a playlist of scored media items is provided. The associated user is enabled to directly adjust the score of a media item in the playlist via a score adjustment control. In yet another embodiment, media items in a playlist are scored based on one or more user preferences of the associated user. The playlist may or may not be sorted based on score. Adjustments are made to the user preferences based on detected user events such as, for example, score adjustment events. | 04-15-2010 |
20100094627 | AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION OF TAGS FOR USER GENERATED CONTENT - A method and system for automatically identifying tags for a media item. An audio track associated with a media item is analyzed. References to individuals in the audio track are compared to known acquaintances of a user. Matches are identified as potential tags. Duplicate matches can be presented to the user for resolution. | 04-15-2010 |
20100088726 | AUTOMATIC ONE-CLICK BOOKMARKS AND BOOKMARK HEADINGS FOR USER-GENERATED VIDEOS - A system and method are disclosed for processing a video item to automatically provide or recommend bookmarks and bookmark headings for the video item. In one embodiment, the video item is first logically segmented into a number of segments. For each segment of the video item, a bookmark linking to a start of the segment of the video item is generated. In addition, audio and/or video content of each segment of the video item is processed in order to generate one or more recommended headings, or titles, for the corresponding bookmark. Information identifying the recommended bookmarks and bookmark headings may then be returned to an owner of the video item. The owner may then provide user input accepting, modifying, or rejecting the bookmarks and bookmark headings. Based on the user input from the owner, the bookmarks and bookmark headings for the video item are finalized and stored. | 04-08-2010 |
20100082488 | PROVIDING A RADIO STATION AT A USER DEVICE USING PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED DRM LOCKED CONTENT - A system and method are disclosed for providing a radio station for playback at a user device using previously obtained Digital Rights Management (DRM) locked content for the radio station. In one embodiment, a radio station application and DRM locked content to be used by the radio station application are downloaded to a user device, which is preferably a mobile user device. The DRM locked content includes a number of DRM locked songs that may be used for the radio station. Thereafter, the radio station application obtains a playlist for the radio station, where the playlist for the radio station includes at least a subset of the DRM locked content provided to the user device for the radio station. Playback of the playlist for the radio station is then provided at the user device, and playback is reported to a remote service for royalty tracking. | 04-01-2010 |
20100082135 | ACTIVITY INDICATORS IN A MEDIA SHARING SYSTEM - A system and method are provided for generating and displaying one or more indicators indicative of a level of activity within a media sharing system. In one embodiment, with respect to a user participating in the media sharing system, an indicator representative of an activity level of a media collection shared by the user in the media sharing system may be generated and presented to the user. In addition or alternatively, indicators representative of activity levels of media collections shared by other users participating in the media sharing system may be generated and presented to the user. Still further, in addition or alternatively, indicators representative of activity levels with respect to playlists in the media sharing system may be generated and presented to the user. | 04-01-2010 |
20100069144 | LOCAL ENVIRONMENT BASED WAGERING - A system and method are disclosed for providing location-based wagering. In one embodiment, wagerable data associated with a location of a first user is identified. The wagerable data may be any type of data on which a wager may be based. Then, a wager recommendation is generated based on the wagerable data and returned to the first user. The first user defines a wager, and the wager is published to one or more second users located in proximity to the first user. Each of the one or more second users is enabled to accept the wager if desired. In addition, one or more winners and one or more losers of the wager may be identified and payout may then be effected. | 03-18-2010 |
20100050202 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONSTRUCTING AND PRESENTING A CONSUMPTION PROFILE FOR A MEDIA ITEM - A method and system for constructing and presenting a consumption profile, a rating profile, or both a consumption profile and a rating profile for a media item are provided. In general, consumption of a media item by a number of first users is tracked. Thereafter, before and/or during playback of the media item by a second user, a consumption profile for the media item is constructed and presented to the second user. In addition to or as an alternative to tracking consumption of the media item by the first users, ratings for the media item may be obtained from all or a subset of the first users. Thereafter, before and/or during playback of the media item by the second user, a rating profile for the media item is constructed and presented to the second user. | 02-25-2010 |
20090259647 | FUZZY KEYWORD SEARCHING - A fuzzy, or ambiguous, keyword searching process and systems for implementing the fuzzy keyword searching process are provided. In general, one or more keyword search terms are first identified for a search. Next, a user is enabled to adjust a logical fuzziness, or logical ambiguity, for each of the one or more keyword search terms. As used herein, logical fuzziness of a keyword search term refers to the extent to which associated keywords are considered for the search. In one embodiment, the user may also be enabled to view and adjust keyword associations for each of the keyword search terms. A search is then performed based on the one or more keyword search terms and the logical fuzziness of the one or more keyword search terms, and results of the search are presented to the user. | 10-15-2009 |
20090259621 | PROVIDING EXPECTED DESIRABILITY INFORMATION PRIOR TO SENDING A RECOMMENDATION - Systems and methods are described for providing information to a recommending user reflecting an expected, or predicted, desirability of a recommendation of a media item for a potential recommendation recipient or a group of potential recommendation recipients. In one embodiment, the recommending user selects a media item to potentially recommend to other users. For each potential recommendation recipient or group of potential recommendation recipients, an expected desirability value reflecting an expected desirability of the media item is determined. The expected desirability values are then presented to the recommending user. Based on the expected desirability values, the recommending user then selects one or more of the potential recommendation recipients or groups of potential recommendation recipients to which to send a recommendation for the media item. | 10-15-2009 |
20090240732 | ACTIVE PLAYLIST HAVING DYNAMIC MEDIA ITEM GROUPS - Systems and methods are provided for creation and management of an active playlist having dynamic media item groups. In general, a number of media items to be used for the active playlist are first identified and classified into one or more media item groups based on a primary criterion and, optionally, one or more secondary criteria to provide an underlying pool of media items for the active playlist. The active playlist is then populated with media items from the underlying pool of media items. More specifically, the active playlist is divided into media item groups corresponding to those in the underlying pool of media items. Each media item group in the active playlist is populated with a predefined number of the media items in the corresponding media item group in the underlying pool of media items. Thereafter, the media items in the media item groups of the active playlist are dynamically updated based on user interactions. | 09-24-2009 |
20090164600 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLACE-SHIFTING MEDIA ITEMS - A system and method are provided for place-shifting media items. In general, a media zone broker operates to enable place-shifting of media items shared with the media zone by associated users among user devices of the associated users in such a manner that each media item is played by at most a number (N) of the user devices at any one time. The number (N) is a function of collective rights to the media item of one or more of the users sharing the media item in the media zone. In one embodiment, the number (N) is the number of users sharing the media item in the media zone or a function of the number of users sharing the media item in the media zone. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164574 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING TRANSIENT FRIENDS - A system and method for identifying transient friends for a social network of a user are provided. A transient friend processing function obtains locations of a number of users or locations otherwise associated with the number of users. In order to identify transient friends for a first user, the transient friend processing function identifies other users associated with locations within a proximate area of the first user. For each of the identified users, the transient friend processing function compares a user profile of the first user to a user profile of the identified user to determine whether to add the identified user as a transient friend of the first user. If the transient friend processing function determines that the identified friend is to be added as a transient friend of the first user, the identified friend is then added as a transient friend of the first user. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164516 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS IN A DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENT BASED ON TAGGING PLAY HISTORY INFORMATION WITH LOCATION INFORMATION - A computer-implemented method and system are provided for generating media recommendations in a media recommendation network. Aspects of the method and system include receiving by a server a plurality of play histories of media items from a plurality of users of devices, wherein at least a portion of the media items are tagged with corresponding time and location data indicating a time and location of play; receiving by the server a media recommendation request from a requester, including receiving seed information indicating a current location of the requester; using at least one of user preferences of the requester and the seed information to identify correlated users from which to search corresponding play histories from among the plurality of play histories; comparing the seed information to the corresponding play histories and generating a list of related media items contained therein; and returning the list of related media items to the requester. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164514 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POPULATING A CONTENT REPOSITORY FOR AN INTERNET RADIO SERVICE BASED ON A RECOMMENDATION NETWORK - A computer-implemented method and system are provided for populating the content repository of the media service based on real-time media recommendation network comprising a plurality of peer devices. Aspects of the method and system include receiving by a server a recommendation from one of the plurality of peer devices for a media item that is intended for a recipient; determining if the media item is present in the content repository; in response to determining that the media item is not present in the content repository, requesting that the peer device upload the media item; and in response to the media item being uploaded, storing the media item in the content repository. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164459 | CONTIGUOUS LOCATION-BASED USER NETWORKS - A system and method are provided for creating location-based user networks. In general, a proximity group including a number of users is identified. Each user in the proximity group is within a proximate area of at least one other user in the proximity group and has an area of interest. The areas of interest of the users in the proximity group are aggregated to provide an aggregate area of interest for the proximity group. Other users within the aggregate area of interest are identified as neighbors of each of the users in the proximity group. Once the neighbors are identified, each of the users in the proximity group may use the neighbors as members, or potential members, for a user network. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164448 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING DYNAMICALLY FILTERED CONTENT RESULTS, INCLUDING FOR AUDIO AND/OR VIDEO CHANNELS - A system and method for allowing a user to more effectively generate focused content results, including audio and/or video content. Content is dynamically filtered to generate content results in response to initial filtering settings or characteristics. The content results are provided to a user. Once the user finds and selects a content result of interest, additional filtering characteristics associated with the selected result are provided to the user as a suggestion for additional filtering. In this manner, the user is made aware of additional filtering settings or characteristics that can be used to focus the search results. Subsequent filter settings and filtering operations can be based on characteristics of previous relevant results in an iterative and dynamic manner. Focused results are more likely produced, because additional filtering settings are provided and adjusted according to characteristics of results deemed relevant by the user. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164429 | TUNERSPHERE - Methods and systems are provided for identifying one or more media items played within a geographic area selected by a user. In one embodiment, a media service tracks play histories for a number of users registered with the media service, where each play history identifies media items played by the corresponding user as well as the locations at which at least a subset of the media items were played by the corresponding user. The media service enables a requesting user to select or otherwise define one or more geographic areas of interest. Then, based on the play histories, the media service identifies one or more media items played within the one or more geographic areas of interest. The media service then provides data reflecting the one or more media items played within the one or more geographic areas of interest to a device of the requesting user. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164199 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SIMULATING RECOMMENDATIONS IN A SOCIAL NETWORK FOR AN OFFLINE USER - A method and system are provided for simulating recommendations for unavailable users in a social media recommendation network. In general, the social media recommendation network is formed such that each user in the social media recommendation network sends and receives recommendations from their friends. When one of the users in the social media recommendation network is unavailable, a recommendation simulator operates to simulate recommendations from the unavailable user. When the user once again becomes available, the recommendation simulator ceases simulation of recommendations from the user. | 06-25-2009 |
20090158146 | RESIZING TAG REPRESENTATIONS OR TAG GROUP REPRESENTATIONS TO CONTROL RELATIVE IMPORTANCE - A method and system are provided for enabling a user to control or adjust importance levels assigned to tags by manipulating corresponding tag representations or a tag group representation displayed to the user. In one embodiment, tag representations for a number of tags are displayed to a user. The tags are generally any criterion used to describe or classify digital content. In one embodiment, the user is enabled to resize, or otherwise manipulate, the tag representations to thereby adjust the importance level of the corresponding tags. In another embodiment, tags are classified into at least one tag group. A tag group representation corresponding to the tag group is displayed to the user. The user is then enabled to resize, or otherwise manipulate, the tag group representation to thereby adjust an importance level of each of the tags in the tag group. | 06-18-2009 |
20090157795 | IDENTIFYING HIGHLY VALUED RECOMMENDATIONS OF USERS IN A MEDIA RECOMMENDATION NETWORK - A system and method are provided for discovering new friends using recommendation paths in a media recommendation network. In general, media items are recommended among users in a media recommendation network. Use of media items by the users is monitored. If the use of a media item by a user exceeds a threshold, a determination is made as to whether the media item was recommended to the user. If so, that recommendation is identified as a highly valued recommendation for that user. Thereafter, when the user desires to identify new friends from which to receive recommendations and to which to send recommendations, a recommendation path for the highly valued recommendation is identified. Users in the recommendation path that are not already friends of the user are identified as potential new friends for the user. | 06-18-2009 |
20090156160 | LOW-THREAT RESPONSE SERVICE FOR MOBILE DEVICE USERS - A friends-based low-threat response service for subscribers in one or more mobile communications networks is provided. In general, in a low-threat situation, a subscriber initiates a request to the low-threat response service via the subscriber's mobile device. The low-threat response service identifies a friend of the subscriber or a friend-of-a-friend of the subscriber that is geographically proximate to the subscriber as a responder. The low-threat response service then establishes communication between the subscriber and the responder or notifies the subscriber that the responder is coming to provide assistance. The low-threat response service may also effect presentation of information at a mobile device of the responder directing the responder to the subscriber, information at the mobile device of the subscriber directing the subscriber to the responder, or both. | 06-18-2009 |
20090138505 | INTELLIGENT DEFAULT WEIGHTING PROCESS FOR CRITERIA UTILIZED TO SCORE MEDIA CONTENT ITEMS - A system and method are provided for intelligently, or programmatically, assigning weights for one or more criterion utilized to score media content items based on an analysis of a group of media content items. In general, scoring criteria to be used to score media content items for a user are defined. A group of media content items associated with the user is then analyzed with respect to the criteria to provide results such as a number or percentage of media content items from the group of media content items that satisfy each of the scoring criteria. Based on the results of the analysis, a weight is assigned to each of the scoring criteria. Thereafter, media content items are scored for the user as a function of the weights assigned to the scoring criteria. | 05-28-2009 |
20090138457 | GROUPING AND WEIGHTING MEDIA CATEGORIES WITH TIME PERIODS - A method and system for scoring media items are provided. In general, a number of media categories are defined. Each of the media categories is defined by at least one criterion such as at least one genre, at least one artist, or the like, or any combination thereof. For each of the media categories, weights are assigned to a number of time periods. Thus, a weight assigned to a particular time period, such as a decade, may vary between media categories. In one embodiment, the criteria defining the media categories and the weights assigned to the time periods within each of the media categories are user-defined. Media items are then matched to the media categories and scored as a function of the weights assigned to the time periods for the matching media categories. | 05-28-2009 |
20090125588 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FILTERING RECOMMENDERS IN A MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM - A system and method of allowing a recipient to control and customize filtering of recommenders in a media item recommendation system. Filtering recommenders allows the recipient to control from which recommenders media item recommendations can be received. Recommenders may be filtered using a tag associated by the recipient with the recommender. The tag may be any attribute. If the recommender is tagged with the attribute matching a current selection criterion established by the recipient, media item recommendations from the recommender may be sent to the recipient. If the recommender is not tagged with the attribute matching the current selection criterion, the recommender is filtered out and the media item recommendation from the recommender may not be sent to the recipient. The recipient may define the current selection criterion by setting a presentation channel. | 05-14-2009 |
20090119294 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HYPING MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS IN A MEDIA RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM - Systems and methods for allowing media recommendations to be hyped in a media recommendation system. Recommenders desiring to emphasize a particular media recommendations sent to recipients can “hype” the media recommendation. Hyping is a request for the media recommendation to be used or played sooner by the recipient that it otherwise would if the media recommendation were not hyped. Typically, hyping a media recommendation increases its priority or order of placement in a recipient's media queue, which controls the order of usage or play. The higher the placement, the sooner the media recommendation may be used or played by the recipient. A hype score may be calculated for a hyped media's recommendation to control the order of placement of hyped media recommendations in the recipient's media queue. The hype score may be a function of a hype value and a natural score as if the media recommendation were not hyped. | 05-07-2009 |
20090094248 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PRIORITIZING THE DOWNLOADING OF MEDIA ITEMS IN A MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATION NETWORK - A system and method of prioritizing the downloading of media items to different user devices in a media item recommendation system is disclosed. A media server prioritizes the downloading of a recommended media item according to when each user device needs to receive the recommended media item to satisfy a timing constraint. For example, the timing constraint may be the time before the media item is to be played in a playlist according to a media item recommendation scoring system. User devices having a more immediate timing need for receiving a media item download can be prioritized over user devices having a less immediate need for receiving a media item download. In this manner, the media server is more likely to provide timely media item downloads to all the different user devices. | 04-09-2009 |
20090089288 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FILTERING CONTENT ON A MOBILE DEVICE BASED ON CONTEXTUAL TAGGING - A system and method of contextually filtering content presented to a user on a mobile device based on contextual tagging. The user controls how content will be filtered by the mobile device by creating contextual tags and associating or tagging content with the contextual tags. The contextual tag includes a contextual behavior that is either satisfied or not based on the current context of the mobile device. During operation, content accessible to the mobile device is searched to determine which contextual tags are met based on the current context of the mobile device. Content tagged with contextual tags whose behavior is currently met based on the current context of the mobile device are filtered and presented to the user. This allows the automatic presentation of a more manageable subgroup of content to the user on the mobile device based on the current context of the mobile device. | 04-02-2009 |
20090083362 | MAINTAINING A MINIMUM LEVEL OF REAL TIME MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF ONLINE FRIENDS - The present invention provides a peer-to-peer (P2P) network for providing real time media recommendations. The P2P network includes a central server interconnecting a number of peer devices. In operation, a proxy function of the central server receives media recommendations from one or more peer devices that are active and online as media presentations identified by the media recommendations are played by the peer devices. The one or more peer devices are included in a group of peer devices associated with a first peer device. The proxy function provides the media recommendations to the first peer device. An augmentation function of the central server monitors a recommendation level of the first peer device. If the recommendation level falls below a minimum recommendation level, the augmentation function augments the media recommendations provided to the first peer device to increase the recommendation level to or above the minimum recommendation level. | 03-26-2009 |
20090083117 | MATCHING PARTICIPANTS IN A P2P RECOMMENDATION NETWORK LOOSELY COUPLED TO A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE - A system and method are provided for matching participants in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) recommendation network that is loosely coupled to a subscription music service. In general, the system includes a central server and a number of peer devices. For each of the peer devices, an associated user is either a subscriber to the subscription music service or a non-subscriber. When a user of a peer device desires to identify new friends with which to exchange recommendations in the P2P recommendation network, a friend recommendation function of the central server identifies new friends for the user of the peer device based on the user's status as either a subscriber or a non-subscriber to the subscription music service. | 03-26-2009 |
20090083116 | HEAVY INFLUENCER MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS - A system and method for providing media recommendations, such as music recommendations, based on information identifying media recently played by a select group of heavy influencers for a subscription fee are provided. The group of heavy influencers may be a group of one or more celebrities or other persons whose media selections may heavily influence media selections of the users of the system. | 03-26-2009 |
20090077499 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSIGNING USER PREFERENCE SETTINGS FOR A CATEGORY, AND IN PARTICULAR A MEDIA CATEGORY - A system and method for assigning user preference settings for fields in a category using selected settings for only a subset of the media category fields is disclosed. A subset of fields for a media category is defined. A base setting for each field in the subset of the category fields is established. The base setting may be a weight or preference value. The base setting may be established by the user selecting a base setting or may be a default base setting. Once a user selects the settings for the subset of category fields, a set weight for the fields in the category not in the subset is determined using the base setting. That is possible because the fields in the subset of category fields are chosen from fields that contain aspects and attributes of the other fields. | 03-19-2009 |
20090077220 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING MUSIC CONTENT IN A P2P REAL TIME RECOMMENDATION NETWORK - A peer-to-peer (P2P) network for providing real time media recommendations is provided. The media recommendations may be song recommendations or video recommendations. Each time a media presentation is played by a peer device, the peer device provides a recommendation identifying the media presentation to other peer devices in the P2P network. A peer device having received recommendations from the other peer devices in the P2P network then programmatically, or automatically, selects a next media presentation to play from the media presentations recently played by the other peer devices and one or more locally stored media presentations. If the selected media presentation is not stored locally by the peer device, the peer device may obtain the selected media presentation from a subscription based service enabling streaming or download of the selected media presentation, an e-commerce service enabling purchase and download of the selected media presentation, or another peer device. | 03-19-2009 |
20090077160 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MEDIA CONTENT SELECTIONS - A system and method using events to traverse a content selection path for the purpose of providing media content selections are provided. In general, events are defined based on one or more stimulus such as, but not limited to, a chronological-based stimulus, a location-based stimulus, a user-based stimulus, a third-party stimulus, or a weather-based stimulus. Each of the events is used to trigger one or more associated content selection paths. A content selection path generally defines a set of media content and a manner of stepping through the defined set of media content. In operation, when an event is detected, the associated content selection path is triggered to step to the next step in the content selection path, thereby identifying the media content selections. Then, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the media content selections are obtained from a remote subscription-based service. | 03-19-2009 |
20090077084 | System and method for archiving a media collection - A system and method for archiving a user's media collection are provided. In general, a central archiving system stores high-quality versions of a number of known media files and a number of known encoding algorithms. First, each media file in the user's media collection and an encoding algorithm used to encode each media file are classified as either known or unknown to the archiving server. For each known media file encoded with a known encoding algorithm, the archive includes information identifying the media file, information identifying the encoding algorithm for the media file, and optionally the one or more quality parameters such as bit rate, sampling frequency, and the like for the media file. For each unknown media file and/or media file encoded with an unknown CODEC or encoding algorithm, the archive includes the media file, which is uploaded and stored at the archiving system. | 03-19-2009 |
20090077052 | Historical media recommendation service - A media recommendation system for recommending media content that is historically related to seed media content is provided. The recommended media content may be songs, television programs, movies, or a combination thereof, and the seed media content may be a song, television program, or movie. | 03-19-2009 |
20090076881 | System and method for refining media recommendations - An archiving system is provided for archiving a user's media collection and refining recommendations made to the user by an e-commerce service, such as an e-commerce website, based on the archive of the user's media collection. In general, a central archiving system interacts with a user system to archive a user's media collection. Thereafter, while the user is interacting with the e-commerce service, a list of recommended media for the user is generated and provided to the archiving system. The archiving system refines the list based on the archive of the user's media collection. Optionally, the list of recommended media may be further refined based on a user profile and play history of the user. The refined list of recommended media is returned to the e-commerce service and presented to the user. | 03-19-2009 |
20090070185 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOMMENDING A DIGITAL MEDIA SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE - A system and method for recommending a subscription media service for a user are provided. In general, a user profile for the user is generated. The user profile may include information such as, but not limited to, information identifying media items in the user's media collection, biographical information describing the user, demographic information describing the user, media recommendations received by the user, or any combination thereof. Based on the user profile and service profiles of a number of subscription media services, a service recommendation function generates a service recommendation for the user. | 03-12-2009 |
20090070184 | EMBEDDED MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS - A system and method for embedding recommendations on a portable media player are provided. In general, recommendations for media presentations stored or to be stored on the portable media player are generated by a recommendation engine hosted by an external system such as, for example, a user's personal computer or a network server. In one embodiment, the media presentations are songs, and the recommendations include a number of recommended songs for each song stored or to be stored on the portable media player. The recommendations may be limited to the media presentations stored on the portable media player or otherwise accessible to the portable media player. After the recommendations are generated, the recommendations are stored, or embedded, on the portable media player. Thereafter, the portable media player may use the recommendations to facilitate playback of media content on the portable media player. | 03-12-2009 |
20090055759 | GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE SYSTEM FOR ALLOWING MANAGEMENT OF A MEDIA ITEM PLAYLIST BASED ON A PREFERENCE SCORING SYSTEM - Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for a peer device on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network are disclosed. A client application executing on the peer device provides and enables the GUIs. One of the GUIs may display a media item playlist. The user manages the media items displayed on the media item playlist by utilizing sorting criteria. The media item playlist displays a list of the users subscribing to the P2P network, the title of and information concerning media items recommended by the users and media items stored locally on the peer device, and a score for each media item on the media item playlist. The score may be determined by applying to the media items preferences defined by information provided by the user of the peer device, a profile developed from the defined preferences, and other information provided by the user. The user of the peer device provides the information to the peer device using other GUIs provided and enabled by the client application. | 02-26-2009 |
20090055510 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING MEDIA CONTENT FOR A PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER - A system and method are provided for enabling a portable media player to obtain media content from secondary systems, such as other portable media players, via local wireless communication. In general, the portable media player stores proxy information identifying the media content of a number of media files in the user's media collection rather than the media files themselves. When a secondary system is within a local wireless coverage area of the portable media player, the proxy information for the media files, or a subset thereof, is provided to the secondary system. In response, the secondary system identifies media files stored by the secondary system having media content matching the media content identified by the proxy information. The secondary system then provides a notification of the identified media files to the portable media player, which may then obtain the identified media files from the secondary system. | 02-26-2009 |
20090055467 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREASING DATA AVAILABILITY ON A MOBILE DEVICE BASED ON OPERATING MODE - A data management system and method for a mobile device to provide complete perception and access to a data collection, such a user's data collection for example, without requiring either persistent storage of the user's complete data collection locally on the mobile device, or network access requests for each user data request from the mobile device. The data management system and method employs a data probability function to predict the probability of the mobile device accessing specific types of user data based on the operating mode of the mobile device. The data management system and method executes as a background process to provide and store locally on the mobile device, the data most probable to be accessed by the user. The data most likely to be accessed via the mobile device is available locally, thereby minimizing latency issues that occur when data requests cannot be fulfilled using data stored locally in the mobile device and network requests are performed. | 02-26-2009 |
20090055396 | SCORING AND REPLAYING MEDIA ITEMS - A computer-implemented method and system are provided for replaying media items. Aspects of the method and system include in response to one of the media items being played, calculating a respective replay score for the media item that affects replay of the corresponding media item; and using the replay score to sort the media items for playing. | 02-26-2009 |
20090049045 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SORTING MEDIA ITEMS IN A PLAYLIST ON A MEDIA DEVICE - A computer-implemented method and system are provided for sorting media items in a playlist on a media device that are ranked by score. One embodiment includes providing each of the media items with a respective profile score that is based on user preferences and a respective replay score that affects replay of the corresponding media item; and automatically sorting the media items by the replay scores. Another embodiment includes sorting the media items by a sort criteria indicated by a user; sorting the media items by at least one score associated with each of the media items; displaying the playlist; and playing the media items in the playlist according to sort order and automatically skipping media items that have already been played. Yet a further embodiment includes changing a user preference associated with a sort criteria selected by the user, wherein each of the media items includes a profile score that is calculated based on user preferences, and a replay score that affects replay of the corresponding media item; recalculating the profile score and the replay score of each of the media items; sorting the media items by the replay scores; and sorting the media items by the sort criteria indicated by a user. | 02-19-2009 |
20090049030 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING THE MULTIPLE LISTING OF A MEDIA ITEM IN A PLAYLIST - A system and method for reducing the multiple listing of a media item in a playlist are disclosed. When a media item recommendation is received from a recommender, a playlist may be reviewed to determine whether there is a current listing of the media item in the playlist. If there is a current listing, a resultant listing may be provided. If the current listing is based on a recommendation from the recommender, the media item recommendation may be disregarded. In such case, the resultant listing comprises the current listing. Alternatively, the resultant listing may be provided such that the information in the received media item replaces the information in the current listing in the playlist to avoid multiple listings. Or, the resultant listing may comprise information contained in the media item recommendation merged with information in the current listing. In such case, information regarding both the received media item and the currently listing may be preserved while avoiding multiple listings of the media item in the playlist. Further, providing the resultant listing may comprise removing all information in the current listing if the media item is removed from the playlist. In this manner, the cluttering of the playlist with multiple listings of the media item and redundant information associated with the media item may be avoided. | 02-19-2009 |
20090048992 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING THE REPETITIVE RECEPTION OF A MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATION - A system and method for reducing the repetitive reception of a media item recommendation in a media item recommendation system are disclosed. A media item recommendation is received from a recommender. The media item recommendation is designated to be sent to an intended recipient. Before the media item recommendation is sent to the intended recipient, a record of activity of the media item is reviewed and a determination is made as to whether to send the media item recommendation to the intended recipient based on the record of activity. In this manner, it can be determined if the media item recommendation is unduly repetitive and, if so, not sent to the intended recipient. This reduces the continuous feed-back loop of the same media item recommendation. | 02-19-2009 |
20090046101 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VISUALLY INDICATING A REPLAY STATUS OF MEDIA ITEMS ON A MEDIA DEVICE - A computer-implemented method and system are provided for visually indicating a replay status of media items on a media device. Aspects of the method and system include displaying in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the media device a representation of a first media item; displaying a profile score of the first media item that is based on user preferences; and displaying a replay score for the first media item that affects replay of the first media item. | 02-19-2009 |
20080319833 | P2P REAL TIME MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS - Systems and methods are described for providing peer-to-peer (P2P) media recommendations. In one embodiment, a central streaming media service operates to stream media presentations to user devices of users. For each user desiring to send and receive recommendations, each time a media presentation is streamed to and played by a user device of the user, the central media service provides a recommendation identifying the media presentation to one or more other users associated with the user. Similarly, the central media service provides media recommendations to the user from one or more other users. Once streaming and playback of the media presentation is complete or substantially complete, the central streaming media service automatically selects a next media presentation for the user from a group of media presentations including those identified by the recommendations provided to the user and begins streaming the next media presentation to the user device of the user. | 12-25-2008 |
20080307316 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSIGNING USER PREFERENCE SETTINGS TO FIELDS IN A CATEGORY, PARTICULARLY A MEDIA CATEGORY - A system and method for assigning a user preference setting for fields in a category, particularly a media category, using groups is disclosed. A category typically contains a plurality of fields. Instead of the user having to individually weight each field in the category to assign their preferences, the present invention establishes a plurality of groups and determines a group preference setting for the groups. The user then may assign the field to the particular group. The field will assume the group preference setting of the group to which the field is assigned. In this manner, the user can initially determine and/or change the preference setting of the field in a group by changing the group preference setting as desired and/or by assigning the field to a different group. | 12-11-2008 |
20080301241 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF GENERATING A MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATION MESSAGE WITH RECOMMENDER PRESENCE INFORMATION - A system and method of generating a media item recommendation message used to provide a recommendation for a media item by a recommender to a recipient on a media item recommendation system is disclosed. The media item recommendation is generated by including a media item identifier of a media item in a media item recommendation message, presence information of a recommender of the media item, and, optionally, a media item annotation in association with the media item identifier in the media item recommendation message. The media item recommendation message is transmitted to the recipient. | 12-04-2008 |
20080301240 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROPAGATING A MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATION MESSAGE COMPRISING RECOMMENDER PRESENCE INFORMATION - A system and method for propagating media item recommendation messages on a media item recommendation system is disclosed. A first media item recommendation message comprising a media item identifier and presence information of a recommender is received from the recommender. The first media item recommendation message is sent to a first recipient. A second media item recommendation message comprising the presence information of the recommender adapted by the first recipient is received from the first recipient. The second media item recommendation message is then sent or forwarded to a second recipient. The first recipient may adapt the presence information by including the presence information of the recommender unmodified, by including the presence information of the recommender modified by the first recipient, and/or by including the presence information of the first recipient with or without the presence information of the recommender. | 12-04-2008 |
20080301187 | ENHANCED MEDIA ITEM PLAYLIST COMPRISING PRESENCE INFORMATION - An enhanced media item playlist on which a media item identifier for a media item and presence information of a recommender of the media item, and, optionally, a media item annotation from a media item recommendation message, may be stored is disclosed. The playlist may be any accessible and/or manageable format, for example a database, for storing or containing the media item identifier, the presence information, the media item annotation, and/or the media item. The presence information and, if present, the media item annotation are stored on the playlist in a manner associated with the media item identifier. In this manner, the recipient of the media item recommendation message may store, manage, and access the presence information and, if present, the media item annotation, and not only render and/or transfer the media item recommended, but also the presence information and the media item annotation. | 12-04-2008 |
20080301186 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A RECEIVED MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATION MESSAGE COMPRISING RECOMMENDER PRESENCE INFORMATION - A system and method for processing a received media item recommendation message is disclosed. A recipient receives the media item recommendation message which includes a media item identifier of a media item and presence information of a recommender of the media item in association with the media item identifier. The presence information may be in the form of metadata. The recipient may render the presence information and/or store or download the presence information to a media item playlist, to another device, or to a storage medium for subsequent rendering. The media item recommendation message also may include a media item annotation. The media item annotation may also be in the form of metadata and may be rendered and/or stored or downloaded to a media item playlist, to another device, or to a storage medium for subsequent rendering. | 12-04-2008 |
20080250312 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND GRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATING PROGRAMMATICALLY-GENERATED MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO A USER'S SOCIALLY RECOMMENDED MEDIA ITEMS - A system and method for automatically, programmatically generating media item recommendations on a graphical user interface (GUI) based on a friend media item recommendation selected by a user. In the preferred embodiment, a selected media item recommendation is displayed in the GUI. Received friend media item recommendations are displayed in a list in relevance order adjacent to the selected media item. A programmatically-generated media item recommendation list is automatically generated based on relevance to the selected media item and displayed in another adjacent area to the selected media item recommendation. In this manner, a user can easily play the selected media item recommendation, and then browse the friend media item recommendations and the automatically updated programmatically-generated media item recommendations, which are both provided in their own respective adjacent areas, in order of closest relationship to the selected media item recommendation, at anytime. | 10-09-2008 |
20080250067 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY IDENTIFYING MEDIA ITEMS FOR PLAY BASED ON A RECOMMENDER PLAYLIST - A system and method for controlling media item recommendations received by a user based on the rendering of a user's pre-established recommender playlist. The recommender playlist is a list of identifiers that identify recommenders in the user's social network and a filter rule(s) associated with each recommender included in the recommender playlist. The filter rule(s) may be a rule associated with recommender's media items of the recommender. The user is able to control which media items from the recommender's media items of the recommender will be actually received by selecting the desired filter rule(s) for each of the recommenders in the user's recommender playlist. After the user establishes the recommender playlist and the user desires to actually receive recommendations from a recommender, the user renders the recommender playlist to receive a playlist consisting of the recommender's media items as filtered using filter rule(s) established by the user in the recommender playlist. | 10-09-2008 |
20080243733 | RATING MEDIA ITEM RECOMMENDATIONS USING RECOMMENDATION PATHS AND/OR MEDIA ITEM USAGE - A media item recommendation rating system and method. A recommendation rating for media items is established and dynamically updated in response to media items being recommended to other users. A recommendation server or other device receives a report of a media item recommendation and updates a recommendation rating in response. The recommendation rating may also be updated based on how often a recommended media item is used or played. Thus, a media item's recommendation rating is affected by events relating to its recommendation, as opposed simple play-based ratings that are updated on any play action regardless of whether related to a recommendation or not. Simple play-based ratings do not distinguish between ordinary usages or plays and those resulting from recommendations. Recommendation of a media item to another user may be a better indicator of the user's likeability or popularity of a given media item, since a recommendation is an endorsement by another. | 10-02-2008 |
20080201446 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT A USER'S MEDIA COLLECTIONS FROM MULTIPLE LOGIN POINTS - A system and method for collecting information about a user's media collections at a central location from multiple login points and/or multiple devices owned by the user. The user establishes a user account at a central server. A client application may be downloaded to the user's device for establishing a connection to the central server. Subsequently, each time the user logs in to the central server, the central server receives a unique machine identifier (MID) for the connected and currently in-use user device. The central server receives information about the user's media collection from the user device and stores that media collection by its MID under the user's individual account. In this manner, the central server obtains and stores information about all the user's media collections owned by user devices connected and in-use and previously connected to the central server rather than only having knowledge of the media collection stored on the currently in-use user device. | 08-21-2008 |