Abstract: Various systems and methods described above permit a user's content experience (e.g. music playing experience) to be monitored and for metadata describing this experience to be collected. This metadata can be dynamically updated as a user experiences media content and then used to impart to the user a personalized experience that is tailored to that specific user. A user's metadata can, in some instances, provided across a wide variety of computing devices on which the user may experience the media content, thus standardizing the user's personalized media experience. In addition, intelligent or “smart” playlists can be provided which, in some instances, can be dynamically and automatically updated to reflect current user experiences, thus providing a highly personalized and enjoyable content experience.

Abstract: Creating a journal of media encounters listing media content that was previously provided to a user. Metadata describing the media encounters is used to create journal entries. The journal is presented to the user for interaction. A purchase opportunity for the media content is provided to the user based on the metadata.

Abstract: Various systems and methods described above permit a user's content experience (e.g. music playing experience) to be monitored and for metadata describing this experience to be collected. This metadata can be dynamically updated as a user experiences media content and then used to impart to the user a personalized experience that is tailored to that specific user. A user's metadata can, in some instances, provided across a wide variety of computing devices on which the user may experience the media content, thus standardizing the user's personalized media experience. In addition, intelligent or “smart” playlists can be provided which, in some instances, can be dynamically and automatically updated to reflect current user experiences, thus providing a highly personalized and enjoyable content experience.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided in which a Univeral Plug and Play (UPnP) device exposes a service for mapping a UPnP discovered content item to a server message block (SMB) location. The service is arranged to expose an SMB share path to a user at a remote client using a UPnP protocol. The user is then enabled with access to the share via SMB to gain file access, write changes or exercise file level control of the discovered content item. Authentication is optionally utilized to verify that the user is authorized to receive the SMB share location from the service or to verify that the user is authorized to access the SMB share.

Abstract: Requesting and receiving image files associated with media content. The received image files are stored such that an identifier value associated with the media content is stored in the filenames of the received image files. The invention determines which of the image files is associated with specific media content by searching for the identifier value of the specific media content in the filenames of the image files.

Abstract: Transmit user feedback from a user to a web syndication author. A first communication link is opened. Content data from the web syndication author is received. The received content data is stored on a first client device. The opened first communication link is terminated after receiving the content data. User behavior data is collected as a function of user interactions with the received content data on the first client device after terminating the first communication link. User feedback including the collected user behavior data is transmitted to the web syndication author by opening a second communication link.

Abstract: Providing subscription management in local communication regions. Upon detecting a computing device of a user within a predefined proximity, a media server provides the user with access to a corresponding user profile maintained by a media service. The user profile includes subscription information defining access by the user to media content items available from the media service. The user creates or renews a subscription to the media service while connected to the media server, and subsequently receives media content items from the media service.

Abstract: Sharing media content between entities. A computing device detects and connects to another computing device within a predefined proximity. Media content items and associated metadata are selected and exchanged between the connected computing devices. A subsequent purchase opportunity is provided to the users to purchase the exchanged media content items.

Abstract: Requesting and receiving image files associated with media content. The received image files are stored such that an identifier value associated with the media content is stored in the filenames of the received image files. The invention determines which of the image files is associated with specific media content by searching for the identifier value of the specific media content in the filenames of the image files.

Abstract: In response to the user query of a first data source, the first data source is search and search results, if any, are displayed. In addition, a second data source is searched using the same or a similar query and the results, if any, are displayed.

Abstract: Storing metadata updates for a read-only media file. The media file has content and metadata describing the content. Responsive to a user or application program updating the metadata, the invention stores the updates to the metadata in an update data store when the media file is in the read-only state. The update data store is associated with the media file. The invention reconciles the metadata of the media file with the updates stored in the update data store to create updated metadata. The invention attempts to write the updated metadata to the media file when the media file is available with write access.

Abstract: Various systems and methods described above permit a user's content experience (e.g. music playing experience) to be monitored and for metadata describing this experience to be collected. This metadata can be dynamically updated as a user experiences media content and then used to impart to the user a personalized experience that is tailored to that specific user. A user's metadata can, in some instances, provided across a wide variety of computing devices on which the user may experience the media content, thus standardizing the user's personalized media experience. In addition, intelligent or “smart” playlists can be provided which, in some instances, can be dynamically and automatically updated to reflect current user experiences, thus providing a highly personalized and enjoyable content experience.

Abstract: Various systems and methods described above permit a user's content experience (e.g. music playing experience) to be monitored and for metadata describing this experience to be collected. This metadata can be dynamically updated as a user experiences media content and then used to impart to the user a personalized experience that is tailored to that specific user. A user's metadata can, in some instances, provided across a wide variety of computing devices on which the user may experience the media content, thus standardizing the user's personalized media experience. In addition, intelligent or “smart” playlists can be provided which, in some instances, can be dynamically and automatically updated to reflect current user experiences, thus providing a highly personalized and enjoyable content experience.

Abstract: A media player monitors user playback control actions, such as skip commands, during a playback experience associated with a playlist. Based on these actions, the media player sets one or more media files to an inactive state. The media player defines a subgroup, or modified playlist excluding the inactive media files for further processing.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for equalizing the loudness of an audio source. Initially, the perceptual loudness level of an audio signal is measured from one or more audio sources. Next, the loudness level of the audio signal is adjusted using the perceptual loudness level. Thereafter, the audio signal corresponding to the music selections is reproduced such that the perceived loudness to a listener is the same entirely throughout a music track corresponding to the music selections.

Abstract: Various systems and methods described above permit a user's content experience (e.g. music playing experience) to be monitored and for metadata describing this experience to be collected. This metadata can be dynamically updated as a user experiences media content and then used to impart to the user a personalized experience that is tailored to that specific user. A user's metadata can, in some instances, provided across a wide variety of computing devices on which the user may experience the media content, thus standardizing the user's personalized media experience. In addition, intelligent or “smart” playlists can be provided which, in some instances, can be dynamically and automatically updated to reflect current user experiences, thus providing a highly personalized and enjoyable content experience.

Abstract: A method for managing a group of owned and for-purchase media items in response to a single user action. The method treats the owned media items and the for-purchase media items similarly with respect to the user's interaction with them, facilitating a user paradigm-shift from thinking about two stores of media items to a single store of media items available for use. A media item grouping generic to both types of media items is provided, permitting sharing of media item collections between users having different access rights with respect to the media items.

Abstract: Integrated management of local media files stored at a computer and remote media files accessible via a data communication network. A hierarchical structure displayed in a user interface of a media player application represents local and remote media libraries and permits media player operations on the media files from either the local media library or the remote media library or both. The user interface is configured to receive user input and the media player application is responsive to the user input for performing the media player operations.

Abstract: Integrated management of local media files stored at a computer and remote media files accessible via a data communication network. A compressed catalog of the remote media files is stored locally on the computer. A user interface of a media player application displays the contents of a library of local media files and the contents of the compressed catalog. The user interface is configured to receive user input and the media player application is responsive to the user input for performing the media player operations on media files from either the local media library or the compressed catalog or both.

Abstract: Integrated management of local and remote media files. A playlist of media files adapted for rendering by a media player application are located in either a local media library stored at the computer or a remote media library accessible by the computer via a data communication network or both. Media player operations may be performed on the playlist. A first identifier identifies each of the media files in the playlist and a second identifier represents a source of each of the media files in the playlist. A streaming locator defined by the first and second identifiers locates each of the media files in the playlist in the local media library and then in the remote library.