Abstract: A method for generating a subgroup of one or more media items from a library of media items. The method monitors user playback control actions during a playback experience with the library on a media player. The method chooses a selecting filter based upon the monitored user playback control action and generates a subgroup of media items selected from the library of media items by applying the selecting filter to the library of media items. The method may further order the subgroup of media items. A system also generates a subgroup of one or more media items from a library of media items. The system comprises a processor for monitoring a user playback control action during a playback experience with the library, a selecting filter adapted to generate a subgroup of media items from the library of media items, and a user interface adapted for presenting the user with the subgroup of media items for playing on a media player.

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: 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: Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a skin is defined using at least one skin definition that defines the skin in a hierarchical tag-based language.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, an XML data structure comprises multiple tag pairs, individual tag pairs being associated with and referencing information that can be utilized to render a skin.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment skins can be defined as sets of script files, art files, media files, and text files. These files can be used to create new and different skin appearances, layouts and functionalities. The files are organized for use using a hierarchical tag-based data structure, an example of which is an XML data structure. The data structure is processed to provide an object model. The object model can be a scriptable object model that enables script to execute to provide an interactive, dynamic skin that can respond to internal and external events. In one embodiment, a computer architecture used for rendering the skin includes a layout manager that processes an intermediate representation of the XML data structure to provide the scriptable object model. Various components of the scriptable object model can include a script engine for receiving and executing script, and one or more rendering elements.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a method of providing a skin model for use in rendering a skin comprises receiving a skin definition file that contains information associated with a skin, and one or more other files that are associated with the skin; providing at least some of the one or more other files directly into computer memory, without the files entering a computer file system; and processing the skin definition file to provide a hierarchical data structure that describes the skin.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a skin-organizing method comprises providing one or more file types that define different aspects of a skin; and organizing the files types using a hierarchical tag-based structure.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that assist media players in rendering different media types. In some embodiments, a unified rendering area is provided and managed such that multiple different media types are rendered by the media player in the same user interface area. This unified rendering area thus permits different media types to be presented to a user in an integrated and organized manner. An underlying object model promotes the unified rendering area by providing a base rendering object that has properties that are shared among the different media types. Object sub-classes are provided and are each associated with a different media type, and have properties that extend the shared properties of the base rendering object. In addition, an inventive approach to visualizations is presented that provides better synchronization between a visualization and its associated audio stream.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that assist media players in rendering visualizations and synchronizing those visualizations with audio samples. In one embodiment, visualizations are synchronized with an audio stream using a technique that builds and maintains various data structures. Each data structure can maintain data that is associated with a particular pre-processed audio sample. The maintained data can include a timestamp that is associated with a time when the audio sample is to be rendered. The maintained data can also include various characteristic data that is associated with the audio stream. When a particular audio sample is being rendered, its timestamp is used to locate a data structure having characteristic data. The characteristic data is then used in a visualization rendering process to render a visualization.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that assist media players in rendering different media types. In some embodiments, a unified rendering area is provided and managed such that multiple different media types are rendered by the media player in the same user interface area. This unified rendering area thus permits different media types to be presented to a user in an integrated and organized manner. An underlying object model promotes the unified rendering area by providing a base rendering object that has properties that are shared among the different media types. Object sub-classes are provided and are each associated with a different media type, and have properties that extend the shared properties of the base rendering object. In addition, an inventive approach to visualizations is presented that provides better synchronization between a visualization and its associated audio stream.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that assist media players in rendering visualizations and synchronizing those visualizations with audio samples. In one embodiment, a system comprises one or more audio sources configured to provide audio samples that are to be rendered by a media player. An audio sample pre-processor is communicatively linked with the one or more audio sources and is configured to receive and pre-process audio samples before the samples are rendered. The pre-processing provides characterizing data associated with each sample and derived from the audio samples. One or more effects are configured to receive the characterizing data and use the characterizing data to render a visualization that is synchronized with an audio sample that is being rendered by the media player.

Abstract: Systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a system is configured to provide multiple skin elements that comprise part of a user interface and synchronize a property of at least a first of the skin elements with a property of a second of the skin elements such that a change in the property of the second of the elements causes a change in the property of the first of the elements. The system synchronizes properties by describing synchronization between the properties using an XML data structure.

Abstract: Systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a system is configured to provide multiple skin elements that comprise part of a user interface that is executing under the influence of a software application. The system synchronizes a property of at least one of the skin elements with a state associated with the software application such that a change in the state of the software application causes a change in the property of the one skin element. In one embodiment, synchronization takes place using an XML data structure.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that assist media players in rendering visualizations and synchronizing those visualizations with audio samples. In one embodiment, visualizations are synchronized with an audio stream using a technique that builds and maintains various data structures. Each data structure can maintain data that is associated with a particular pre-processed audio sample. The maintained data can include a timestamp that is associated with a time when the audio sample is to be rendered. The maintained data can also include various characteristic data that is associated with the audio stream. When a particular audio sample is being rendered, its timestamp is used to locate a data structure having characteristic data. The characteristic data is then used in a visualization rendering process to render a visualization.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that assist media players in rendering visualizations and synchronizing those visualizations with audio samples. In one embodiment, visualizations are synchronized with an audio stream using a technique that builds and maintains various data structures. Each data structure can maintain data that is associated with a particular pre-processed audio sample. The maintained data can include a timestamp that is associated with a time when the audio sample is to be rendered. The maintained data can also include various characteristic data that is associated with the audio stream. When a particular audio sample is being rendered, its timestamp is used to locate a data structure having characteristic data. The characteristic data is then used in a visualization rendering process to render a visualization.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying metadata included in one or more media files. A media library stores one or more media files. A graphical user interface displays metadata of the one or more media files in the media library via a display. A media player application parses data contained in metadata fields of a media file to identify one or more properties of the media file. The user interface allows a user to view each identified property within a metadata field of the media files in a hierarchical format.

Abstract: A method and system for retrieving metadata for a media file. A source selection component includes instructions for querying a plurality of metadata sources in a predetermined order to retrieve metadata for the media file. The source selection component also includes instructions for retrieving metadata from metadata sources according business rules as required for specific metadata. A graphical user interface displays metadata from the first source identified as having available metadata, or displays metadata from the source designated by business rules.

Abstract: Managing a plurality of states of metadata. Each of the states stores one or more items of metadata that have been automatically matched and obtained for media content (e.g., for rendering by a media player). The invention resolves the matched metadata by selectively applying some or all of the matched metadata items without user intervention (e.g., based on a user-specified threshold). In one embodiment, the invention selectively applies some or all of the matched metadata items based on a trustworthiness rating associated with the metadata match. The invention displays the remaining metadata items to the user for review and acceptance or rejection.

Abstract: A method and system for modifying metadata of one or more media files via a drag and drop operation. A media library stores one or more media files. A graphical user interface displays the one or more media files in the media library via a display. The graphical user interface allows a user to select one or more media files from the media files being displayed. The user interface allows a user to drag and drop the one or more selected media files onto a property node that defines a property the user would like to incorporate into the metadata of one or more selected media files. Dropping the one or more selected media files onto the property node modifies the metadata of the media file to correspond to the property defined by the property onto which the one or more selected media files were dropped.