Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: A home theater system includes construction, presentation, and commerce in, songs. Presentation includes at least one of: metadata about songs or sounds, a function capable of transitioning from one song to a next song, and user preferences; and can determine in what manner to transition from one song to a next song. Construction of songs includes either factors above, or at least one of: a function or a user extension capable of selecting a next song, and an element capable of determining whether the song is perceptually random. A user interface is capable of searching playlists and selecting them for presentation, representing each playlist with a substantially unique pictorial representation, distinguishing in presentation between those playlists licensed to the user and those that are not, and capable of substantially immediate purchase of playlist licenses either individually or in bulk and either automatically or with minimal intervention.

Abstract: A home theater system includes construction, presentation, and commerce in, songs. Presentation includes at least one of: metadata about songs or sounds, a function capable of transitioning from one song to a next song, and user preferences; and can determine in what manner to transition from one song to a next song. Construction of songs includes either factors above, or at least one of: a function or a user extension capable of selecting a next song, and an element capable of determining whether the song is perceptually random. A user interface is capable of searching playlists and selecting them for presentation, representing each playlist with a substantially unique pictorial representation, distinguishing in presentation between those playlists licensed to the user and those that are not, and capable of substantially immediate purchase of playlist licenses either individually or in bulk and either automatically or with minimal intervention.

Abstract: Methods including steps of displaying at least one set of array elements in a screen area, with the array elements representing or associated with a set of particular media elements; cycling the array elements; and allowing a user to select an array element. Preferably, the cycling is continuous, and the array elements are cover art for CDs or DVDs. Also, devices and physical media storing instructions that implement these methods.

Abstract: A home theater system includes construction, presentation, and commerce in, songs. Presentation includes at least one of: metadata about songs or sounds, a function capable of transitioning from one song to a next song, and user preferences; and can determine in what manner to transition from one song to a next song. Construction of songs includes either factors above, or at least one of: a function or a user extension capable of selecting a next song, and an element capable of determining whether the song is perceptually random. A user interface is capable of searching playlists and selecting them for presentation, representing each playlist with a substantially unique pictorial representation, distinguishing in presentation between those playlists licensed to the user and those that are not, and capable of substantially immediate purchase of playlist licenses either individually or in bulk and either automatically or with minimal intervention.

Abstract: A user interface distinguishes between individual songs and collections of songs. A listener might review or manipulate individual songs, collections thereof, or individual songs within those collections. Review and manipulation includes visualizing those songs and collections queued for play, selecting either individual songs or collections thereof for listening, and selecting individual songs within collections thereof without having to manipulate the entire collection thereof. The user interface includes a visualization of songs queued for play, the visualization including a single block for each individual song and a single block for each collection of songs.

Abstract: A UI involving selection and display from a library of videos, including a “Mosaic” mode of operation, in which a primarily visual display is made of information about possible videos, with the effect that a user might select one such video in response to such visual display. The Mosaic includes an two-dimensional array of entries, each of which has visual information for that entry. The Mosaic collects relatively similar entries near to each other in the visual field seen by a user. The focus is centralized and emphasized, and has auxiliary information displayed for further understanding. The array is dynamically rearranged in response to change in focus and metadata about the entries. Relative weighting of that metadata is responsive to user choice. The array includes rows and columns each of which includes all possible entries, but offset by relatively prime values.

Abstract: A UI including a “Guide,” presenting a list of videos, having data fields relating to each entry, possibly including multiple data values for a single data field. When focusing on a single entry, the focused-upon entry is expanded and emphasized. The focused-upon entry is highlighted and centered, while other entries have lesser highlighting and centering. When a data field is selected, the focused-upon data field is emphasized (by highlighting, repositioning, or resizing), while other entries have lesser emphasis. Display changes might appear after a brief delay, or in response to further user command. When entries are sorted on selected data fields, entries with multiple data values for those fields are replicated, and the sorting letter is highlighted. The user can move individually down the list of entries, or skip to the next section with a different data value for a selected field.

Abstract: A UI including a “Guide,” presenting a list of videos, having data fields relating to each entry, possibly including multiple data values for a single data field. When focusing on a single entry, the focused-upon entry is expanded and emphasized. The focused-upon entry is highlighted and centered, while other entries have lesser highlighting and centering. When a data field is selected, the focused-upon data field is emphasized (by highlighting, repositioning, or resizing), while other entries have lesser emphasis. Display changes might appear after a brief delay, or in response to further user command. When entries are sorted on selected data fields, entries with multiple data values for those fields are replicated, and the sorting letter is highlighted. The user can move individually down the list of entries, or skip to the next section with a different data value for a selected field.

Abstract: A UI involving selection and display from a library of videos, including a “Mosaic” mode of operation, in which a primarily visual display is made of information about possible videos, with the effect that a user might select one such video in response to such visual display. The Mosaic includes an two-dimensional array of entries, each of which has visual information for that entry. The Mosaic collects relatively similar entries near to each other in the visual field seen by a user. The focus is centralized and emphasized, and has auxiliary information displayed for further understanding. The array is dynamically rearranged in response to change in focus and metadata about the entries. Relative weighting of that metadata is responsive to user choice. The array includes rows and columns each of which includes all possible entries, but offset by relatively prime values.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system capable of displaying media streams in a variety of formats on a screen that is dynamically adjustable to conform to displaying the media format that is the object of the media stream. Specifically, the invention allows the viewable area of a display screen (143) to be dynamically resized using masks (161) and sidebars (163), thus the resulting viewable area is optimized for the media stream. A database (110) includes metadata (113) for media presentations. When a user (190) selects a presentation to view, a server (130) associated with the user (190) queries the database (110) for metadata (113) associated with the presentation. The metadata (113) includes aspect ratio and other information for the presentation and sends a response to the server (130) that includes the metadata (113).

Abstract: A user interface, both providing relatively high quality graphic output and receiving input signals from a pointing device with substantially direct physical contact, or other movement by a user, such as typing in a projected 3D field looking like a keyboard. A touch panel allows the user to sort and filter titles by their metadata, and to visually picture the relative closeness of multiple titles. The touch panel includes a presentation of individually selected titles by their cover art, along with associated metadata for those titles. The user can view textual metadata for titles concurrently with viewing cover art for those titles. A progress bar presents a location within a title, such as a media stream or a database, currently being, or having been, presented to the user.

Abstract: Parental control rules are logically separated from a set of parental control effects. Control rules are responsive to detectible circumstances, including: business relationships between the DVD owner and its content owner, particular presentation location or device, actual viewers present, date or time. Control effects include ways to edit or suppress inappropriate content, including: defacing via sound or video blanking, skipping scenes, presenting alternative scenes, warning of inappropriate scenes, and similar behavior for associated metadata.

Abstract: Associating multiple content chunks with multiple DVD packages or media objects; conveniently viewing or resuming these content chunks without knowing their disposition. Associating content chunks with media objects and positions therein, associating requests by a user for play or resumption of play with appropriate behaviors, including a database. Media objects have unique media hash values, to associate content chunks with hash values, and positions within media objects maintained by bookmarks and watchpoints. Selecting a content chunk might cause its metadata to be presented, or might cause selectable content chunks within that content chunk to become selectable. Users requesting play or resumption of play of content chunks, might cause those content chunks, or might cause smaller content chunks, such as movies, to be presented. Content chunks might span more than one media object, or might switch back and forth among multiple media objects, each without the viewer needing to know.

Abstract: Selection and presentation of media streams, in which presentation is not limited by order imposed by the digital content representative of those media streams, in response to bookmarks and watchpoints settable and usable by a user. Bookmarks reference a location within the media stream, not necessarily pre-selected and possibly dynamically selected, in which a presentation can be started or restarted therefrom. Watchpoints reference a location within the media stream, or a presentation state for the media stream, in which an action can be triggered thereby. Bookmarks and watchpoints provide a general technique for presenting selections from media streams in response to metadata.

Abstract: A UI including a “Guide,” presenting a list of videos, having data fields relating to each entry, possibly including multiple data values for a single data field. When focusing on a single entry, the focused-upon entry is expanded and emphasized. The focused-upon entry is highlighted and centered, while other entries have lesser highlighting and centering. When a data field is selected, the focused-upon data field is emphasized (by highlighting, repositioning, or resizing), while other entries have lesser emphasis. Display changes might appear after a brief delay, or in response to further user command. When entries are sorted on selected data fields, entries with multiple data values for those fields are replicated, and the sorting letter is highlighted. The user can move individually down the list of entries, or skip to the next section with a different data value for a selected field.