Abstract: An apparatus and method for the remote control and/or interaction-with electronic-devices such as computers; home-entertainment-systems; media-centers; televisions; DVD-players; VCR-players; music systems; appliances; security systems; toys/games; and/or displays. A user may orient a pointer (e.g., laser pointer) to place a visible pointer-spot on/near object(s) on an active-display(s); and/or a fixed-display(s); and/or on real-world object(s) within a display region or pointer-spot detection-region. Detectors and/or camera(s) may be connected/attached to the display region and/or a structure that is connected/attached to display region. When the user initiates a “select”, the detectors/cameras may detect the location of the pointer-spot within the display region. Corresponding to the user's selection(s); control action(s) may be performed on the device(s) being controlled/interacted-with and additional selection-menus may be optionally presented on an active-display.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically distributing, as needed, a user's digital-works and usage-rights to one or more user-devices. A definition of the usage-rights for a digital-work may be stored at one or more locations on a network. A version of said digital-work suitable for a user-device may be provided by one or more locations on said network. When a user who is authorized to utilize said digital-work is active at a user-device, a version of said digital-work and authorization to utilize is automatically transferred when needed to a user-device. The digital-work and authorization may be automatically transferred as needed to any user-device where an authorized user is active. The usage-rights may only be valid for one or more specific users. The usage authorization at each user-device may be less than defined in the full usage-rights maintained on the network.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a personalized entertainment experience that is customized for each user. The history of user control actions (such as “forward” and “back”) associated with each played composition are captured as positive or negative user feedback about each composition. A customized sequence of compositions may be automatically generated for each user by utilizing the prior history of user control actions. The personalized sequence automatically adapts to changing user feedback over time. The user's collection of compositions is automatically integrated with the generated customized sequence. Additional compositions and samples, that are new to a user, may be automatically chosen based on the prior user feedback history and may be added to the user's collection when positive user feedback occurs during playback.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for marketing an un-owned composition to a user and acquiring an un-owned composition for a user's collection of compositions. A customized sequence of compositions is generated for a user. The customized sequence may be based upon the user's history or other compositions familiar to the user or other compositions in the user's collection. Portions of one or more compositions that are un-owned by the user may be interleaved for free and/or for multiple times in the sequence, in-order to interest the user in acquiring the composition. While an un-owned composition is active or playing, the user may take action to acquire the composition or add the composition to the user's collection. Usage-rights for an acquired composition may be stored at a network repository and may be automatically usable at one or more user-devices, whenever the user is active at such a user-device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the creation and playback of music and/or sound; such that each time a composition is played back, a different sound sequence may be generated. In one embodiment, during composition creation, artist(s) may define how the composition may vary from playback to playback using visually interactive display(s). The artist's definition may be embedded into a composition dataset. During playback, a composition data set may be processed by a playback device and/or a playback program, so that each time the composition is played-back a unique version may be generated. Variability during playback may include: the variable selection of alternative sound segment(s); variable editing of sound segment(s) during playback processing; variable placement of sound segment(s) during playback processing; the spawning of group(s) of alternative sound segments from initiating sound segment(s); and the combining and/or mixing of alternative sound segments in one or more sound channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the creation and playback of music, audio and sound; such that each time a composition is played back, a different sound sequence is generated in the manner previously defined by the artist. During composition creation, the artist's definition of how the composition will vary from playback to playback is embedded into the composition data set. During playback, the composition data set is processed by a playback device incorporating a playback program, so that each time the composition is played back a unique version is generated. Variability occurs during playback per the artist's composition data set, which specifies: the spawning of group(s) from a snippet; the selection of snippet(s) from each group; editing of snippets; flexible and variable placement of snippets; and the combining and/or mixing of multiple snippets to generate each time sample in one or more channels.