System and method for playlist management and distribution

Abstract

A system and method for storing a playlist of media files that is accessible from various locations in a network. In one aspect, the playlist is accessible from multiple users of the network. A method is also described for arranging the media files of a playlist. In one aspect, the method for arranging the media files is based in part on implicit and / or explicit user behavior.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 657,222, filed Feb. 28, 2005, entitled A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING MEDIA OVER A NETWORK, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 678,718, filed May 5, 2005, entitled A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING MEDIA OVER A NETWORK, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to a system and method for storing a playlist of media files that is accessible from various locations in a network. [0004] 2. Background of the Invention [0005] The expansion of the Internet and the World Wide Web (“web”) has given computer users the enhanced ability to listen to and to watch various different forms of media through their computers. This media can be in the form of audio music, music videos, television programs, sporting events or any other form of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a system for storing a playlist of media files accessible from various locations on a network comprising one or more servers configured to: receive, upon a user selection action to identify a created playlist, a list of media file identifiers wherein each identifier is associated with a media file the user has selected to include in the playlist; identify a media file source associated with each identifier; and store the list of media file identifiers in a storage on the network so that multiple users of the network, including the user, can access the playlist from various locations.

Problems solved by technology

Although these devices are popular today, they do have numerous drawbacks in that a user is severely limited in the range of what type of media they can store on their portable device and the ease of storing such media.

This is because these devices only allow a user the capability of transporting media that is available locally on their computer as well as media that is available from a network service that offers such media.

What is lacking in each of the currently available systems is a system in which a user may utilize their own media player to communicate their likes or dislikes for a particular media item to another user.

In the past, the users who wished to transfer or transport media files between different locations would have to go through the cumbersome steps of either transferring the media files by hand (e.g., on a compact disc), emailing or instant messaging the media file to themselves and then opening the file at a second location, or attempting to locate the media file on a particular media network service and then once again loading that particular media at a second computer location.

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