Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.