Abstract: A method to provide additional media objects for data objects containing one or more existing media objects is described. The existing media object is analyzed to determine additional related media available on the network and the data object description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced data object description. When the enhanced data object is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media objects in the displayed page.

Abstract: A method and network architecture through which user-specific media profile data can be made available to third parties. A browser is optionally enhanced to facilitate playback and control of one or more media players, thereby allowing the user to play content via the browser. As the user plays content in the browser or any of the media players, information is collected about the content and stored in a database. By monitoring all media-related interactions made by the user within the browser, the collected content information can encompass information from a wide range of sources. User-specific profile data is then determined based on the collected data and such user-specific profile data is made available to third parties. The user-specific profile data can be used, for example, for social networking purposes, and may also be used to drive advertisements or other content to the user.

Abstract: A software based system for facilitating streaming of media files to a device over a wide area network (WAN) includes an agent process, an authentication process, a client services process and a client process. The agent process catalogs local media files and advises the authentication process of it's availability on the WAN and the address at which it may be contacted. The client process contacts the client services process to obtain, after authenticating with it, the WAN address of the agent process and contacts the agent process to receive information or meta-data describing the media files available for streaming. The client process obtains information for forming a URI or playlist, that it then passes to a media player to request the stream over the WAN. Alternately, the client process may direct the agent process to pass the URL to another client process on, for example, the same local area network.

Abstract: A real-time locater for digital media objects, related to one or more musical compositions and accessible over a network, is described. A service-provider maintains a master index of the digital media objects and a playlist-resolver server. The master index is organized by considering each media object to be an example of a primary attribute associated with the media object by a multitude of users. The reference is constructed as a data structure of primary attributes and means of locating the media objects as instances of primary attributes. The playlist-resolver works with the master index to translate a list of references to creative works into a series of successful accesses to the corresponding media object files.

Abstract: A real-time locater for digital media objects, related to one or more musical compositions and accessible over a network, is described. A service-provider maintains a master index of the digital media objects and a playlist-resolver server. The master index is organized by considering each media object to be an example of a primary attribute associated with the media object by a multitude of users. The reference is constructed as a data structure of primary attributes and means of locating the media objects as instances of primary attributes. The playlist-resolver works with the master index to translate a list of references to creative works into a series of successful accesses to the corresponding media object files.

Abstract: A software based system for facilitating streaming of media files to a device over a wide area network (WAN) includes an agent process, an authentication process, a client services process and a client process. The agent process catalogs local media files and advises the authentication process of it's availability on the WAN and the address at which it may be contacted. The client process contacts the client services process to obtain, after authenticating with it, the WAN address of the agent process and contacts the agent process to receive information or meta-data describing the media files available for streaming. The client process obtains information for forming a URI or playlist, that it then passes to a media player to request the stream over the WAN. Alternately, the client process may direct the agent process to pass the URL to another client process on, for example, the same local area network.

Abstract: A software based system for facilitating streaming of media files to a device over a wide area network (WAN) includes an agent process, an authentication process, a client services process and a client process. The agent process catalogs local media files and advises the authentication process of it's availability on the WAN and the address at which it may be contacted. The client process contacts the client services process to obtain, after authenticating with it, the WAN address of the agent process and contacts the agent process to receive information or meta-data describing the media files available for streaming. The client process obtains information for forming a URI or playlist, that it then passes to a media player to request the stream over the WAN. Alternately, the client process may direct the agent process to pass the URL to another client process on, for example, the same local area network.

Abstract: An online music system includes a music database configured to store musical selections and to store a user profile for respective users of the online music system, an advertiser account management system to store bid amounts from advertisers seeking to provide information to the users of the online music system and a user recommendation system coupled to the music database to present information about musical selections to respective users based on the stored user profile and the stored bid amounts.

Abstract: A method to provide additional media objects for data objects containing one or more existing media objects is described. The existing media object is analyzed to determine additional related media available on the network and the data object description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced data object description. When the enhanced data object is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media objects in the displayed page.

Abstract: An online music system includes a music database configured to store musical selections and to store a user profile for respective users of the online music system, an advertiser account management system to store bid amounts from advertisers seeking to provide information to the users of the online music system and a user recommendation system coupled to the music database to present information about musical selections to respective users based on the stored user profile and the stored bid amounts.

Abstract: A method and network architecture through which user-specific media profile data can be made available to third parties. A browser is optionally enhanced to facilitate playback and control of one or more media players, thereby allowing the user to play content via the browser. As the user plays content in the browser or any of the media players, information is collected about the content and stored in a database. By monitoring all media-related interactions made by the user within the browser, the collected content information can encompass information from a wide range of sources. User-specific profile data is then determined based on the collected data and such user-specific profile data is made available to third parties. The user-specific profile data can be used, for example, for social networking purposes, and may also be used to drive advertisements or other content to the user.

Abstract: A method to provide additional media objects for data objects containing one or more existing media objects is described. The existing media object is analyzed to determine additional related media available on the network, and the data object description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced data object description. When the enhanced data object is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media objects in the displayed page.

Abstract: A real-time locater for digital media objects, related to one or more creative compositions and accessible over a network, is described. A service-provider maintains a master index of the digital media objects. The master index is organized by considering each media object to be an example of a primary attribute associated with the media object by a multitude of users. The reference is constructed as a data structure of primary attributes and means of locating the media objects as instances of primary attributes. Each such media object may be further categorized by associating it with one or more secondary attributes. The data structure is augmented to provide for efficient location of media objects by relating secondary attributes.

Abstract: Media enhancing services for pages containing text is described. Text is analyzed to determine related additional media available on the network, and the page description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced page description. When the enhanced page is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media in the displayed page.

Abstract: A software based system for facilitating streaming of media files to a device over a wide area network (WAN) includes an agent process, an authentication process, a client services process and a client process. The agent process catalogs local media files and advises the authentication process of it's availability on the WAN and the address at which it may be contacted. The client process contacts the client services process to obtain, after authenticating with it, the WAN address of the agent process and contacts the agent process to receive information or meta-data describing the media files available for streaming. The client process obtains information for forming a URI or playlist, that it then passes to a media player to request the stream over the WAN. Alternately, the client process may direct the agent process to pass the URL to another client process on, for example, the same local area network.

Abstract: A software based system for facilitating streaming of media files to a device over a wide area network (WAN) includes an agent process, an authentication process, a client services process and a client process. The agent process catalogs local media files and advises the authentication process of it's availability on the WAN and the address at which it may be contacted. The client process contacts the client services process to obtain, after authenticating with it, the WAN address of the agent process and contacts the agent process to receive information or meta-data describing the media files available for streaming. The client process obtains information for forming a URI or playlist, that it then passes to a media player to request the stream over the WAN. Alternately, the client process may direct the agent process to pass the URL to another client process on, for example, the same local area network.

Abstract: A software based system for facilitating streaming of media files to a device over a wide area network (WAN) includes an agent process, an authentication process, a client services process and a client process. The agent process catalogs local media files and advises the authentication process of its availability on the WAN and the address at which it may be contacted. The client process contacts the client services process to obtain, after authenticating with it, the WAN address of the agent process and contacts the agent process to receive information or meta-data describing the media files available for streaming. The client process obtains information for forming a URI or playlist, that it then passes to a media player to request the stream over the WAN. Alternately, the client process may direct the agent process to pass the URL to another client process on, for example, the same local area network.

Abstract: A method and network architecture through which user-specific media profile data can be made available to third parties. A browser is optionally enhanced to facilitate playback and control of one or more media players, thereby allowing the user to play content via the browser. As the user plays content in the browser or any of the media players, information is collected about the content and stored in a database. By monitoring all media-related interactions made by the user within the browser, the collected content information can encompass information from a wide range of sources. User-specific profile data is then determined based on the collected data and such user-specific profile data is made available to third parties. The user-specific profile data can be used, for example, for social networking purposes, and may also be used to drive advertisements or other content to the user.

Abstract: A method to provide additional media objects for data objects containing one or more existing media objects is described. The existing media object is analyzed to determine additional related media available on the network, and the data object description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced data object description. When the enhanced data object is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media objects in the displayed page.

Abstract: A toolbar application for network browser applications is described. The tool augments web pages with related multimedia content. The browser application allows the user to locate and render a web page of personal interest. The tool invokes a mechanism to identify one or more media objects related to the web page in a playlist, and invokes a media object player application to render the one or more media objects in the playlist. When all of the media objects in the playlist are complete, the enhancement application may automatically generate one or more additional playlists.