Abstract: A media-playback device includes: a media-output device that plays media content items; a physiological measurement device programmed to measure at least one physiological measurement of a user of the media-output device; and a physiological control engine configured to: identify a current physiological measurement for the user; and cause the media-output device to modify playback of the media content items based upon the current physiological measurement.

Abstract: A server performs a method of controlling the manipulation of a playlist that includes a queue of media items to be played. In the method, a first electronic device is authorized to control the manipulation of the playlist. First geographic information that indicates a geographic location of the first electronic device and second geographic information that indicates a geographic location of a second electronic device are accessed. Based on the first geographic information and the second geographic information, the server determines whether the first and second electronic devices are located within a defined geographic proximity. In response to a determination that the first and second electronic devices are located within the defined geographic proximity, the second electronic device is authorized to manipulate the playlist.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for building customized media programs for a specified duration are provided. An example media-playback device for generating customized media programs for a route to a specified duration includes a user preferences engine to determine a user's listening preferences, a duration engine to determine a duration of the route, and a duration-based media program engine for building a playlist of news and entertainment media content based on the duration of the route and the preferences of the user.

Abstract: A system, method and computer product for extracting an activity from recordings. The method comprises searching for signals representing plural versions of a track, determining feature representations of the plural versions of the track identified in the searching, aligning the feature representations determined in the determining, and extracting a time varying activity signal from the feature representations aligned in the aligning.

Abstract: A system operates to manage accessibility of media content items based on a user's performance of a repetitive motion activity. The system can generate rule data based on a rule designed to permit access to certain media content items. The rule data can include information about various conditions to be satisfied to make the media content items accessible for playback. Such conditions can be associated with a user's performance or status of a repetitive motion activity.

Abstract: An electronic device obtains a file header for a file that corresponds to a plurality of clusters. The file header includes a cluster index that enables coarse searching within the file. At least one of the file header and the file omits information that is known to or calculable by the device for extracting content from the file. In response to receiving a request to seek to a position within the file, the device identifies a cluster that includes content that corresponds to the position based on the cluster index and obtains a cluster header that enables fine searching within the cluster. After obtaining the cluster header, the device identifies, within the cluster, the content that corresponds to the position based on the content index and provides at least a portion of content corresponding to the file to a presentation device, starting with the content that corresponds to the position.

Abstract: A method of classifying content items utilizes user-generated playlists. A content item is included in playlists from a plurality of distinct users. A server system receives, from respective users of the plurality of distinct users, respective playlist titles for the playlists. In accordance with a determination that the respective playlist titles from a threshold number of the plurality of distinct users specify a first attribute, the server system assigns the first attribute to the content item. The server system receives a request, from a first user via an application that is executing on a client device that is distinct from the server system, for content having the first attribute. In response to receiving the request, the server system selects the content item according to the first attribute and delivers the selected content item for playback to the first user.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for identifying and playing media content are provided. An example media-playback device for identifying and playing media content for a user traveling in a vehicle includes an audio identification engine and a media playback engine. Audio content is recorded and identified by comparison to media content databases. The audio content is identified and immediately played on the same device. Additional media content is selected for playback based on user listening preferences.

Abstract: In response to a user reserving a vehicle via a first application on a user's mobile device, a first server authorizes a transportation service provider to access media items associated with the user's account for a media content provider. The authorizing includes receiving a first identifier generated by a second application on the mobile device, generating a second identifier if the first identifier is valid, and sending the second identifier to a second server associated with the transportation service provider. A request, initiated via the second application, is received to present a first media item at a media presentation system of the reserved vehicle. In response, a portion of the first media item is sent for presentation at the media presentation system if a device in communication with the media presentation system has received the second identifier.

Abstract: Audio mix information is received from a plurality of users. Mix rules are determined from the audio mix information from the plurality of users, wherein the mix rules include a first mix rule associated with a first audio item. The first mix rule relates to an overlap of the first audio item with another audio item. The first mix rule is made available to one or more clients. After making the first mix rule available, an indication, from a respective client device, that the first audio item is to be mixed with a second audio item at the respective client device in accordance with the first mix rule is received. In response to the indication, a specification of the first mix rule is transmitted to the respective client device to be applied by the respective client device to generate a transition between the first audio item and the second item.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for repetitive-motion activity enhancement based upon media content selection are provided. An example media-playback device for enhancement of a repetitive-motion activity includes a media-output device that plays media content items, a plurality of media content selection engines, and a repetitive-activity enhancement mode selection engine. The plurality of media content selection engines includes a cadence-based media content selection engine and an enhancement program engine. The cadence-based media content selection engine is configured to select media content items based on a cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity. The enhancement program engine is configured to select a media content items according to an enhancement program for the repetitive-motion activity.

Abstract: An electronic device associated with a media-providing service has one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The electronic device accesses a listening history of a user of the media-providing service. Based at least in part on the listening history of the user, the electronic device assigns a first personality trait of a plurality of personality traits to the user. The electronic device provides personalized content to the user based on the first personality trait.

Abstract: Technology for generating, reading, and using machine-readable codes is disclosed. There is a method, performed by an image capture device, for reading and using the codes. The method includes obtaining an image, identifying an area in the image having a machine-readable code. The method also includes, within the image area, finding a predefined start marker defining a start point and a predefined stop marker defining a stop point, an axis being defined there between. A plurality of axis points can be defined along the axis. For each axis point, a first distance within the image area to a mark is determined. The distance can be measured from the axis point in a first direction which is orthogonal to the axis. The first distances can be converted to a binary code using Gray code such that each first distance encodes at least one bit of data in the code.

Abstract: A system for playing media content items operates to provide smooth transitions between the media content items to continuously support a user's repetitive motion activity. The system can generate crossfade data containing information for transitions between media content items. The mix-in and mix-out points for the transitions are calculated to eliminate one or more portions of media content items that have lower musical energy than a majority portion of the items, and to maintain substantially consistent and/or stable musical energy (e.g., audio power or sound power) throughout the media content items including transitions therebetween.

Abstract: A computer system generates a first decompressed media stream based on a first compressed media stream. While providing the first decompressed media stream to the presentation device, the computer system receives a content-transition indication to switch to a second decompressed media stream. In response to receiving the content-transition indication, the computer system selects a first transition point in first content corresponding to the first compressed media stream and selects a second transition point in second content corresponding to the second compressed media stream. The second transition point is selected in accordance with a bandwidth available for receiving the second compressed media stream and the first transition point is selected based on the second transition point. The computer system requests the second compressed media stream starting at the second transition point and ceases to provide the first decompressed media stream at the first transition point in the first content.

Abstract: A system, method and computer product for predicting a content attribute are provided by collecting labeled media objects labeled with one or more attributes, constructing a feature vector of content-derived values for each of the labeled media objects, generating a model based on the feature vector and the one or more attributes, and applying the model to one or more unlabeled media objects to generate one or more attribute labels.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for navigating a vehicle to a recommended parking area are provided. A method of navigating a vehicle to a parking space includes determining a destination, determining a best available parking space, and routing the vehicle to the best available parking space. Available parking spaces are determined by accessing data for parking facilities, parking meters, and GPS data of other vehicles. The best parking spaces are determined by user preferences that include one or more of distance from destination, cost of parking, and availability of particular types of parking spaces. The method further includes providing media content in the vehicle during navigation to the best available parking space.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include systems and methods for distributed control of media-playback components of a webcast. In an example, a webcast presenter's device can include a webcast compositing engine for creating a webcast from a variety of data sources, a media-playback engine for playing media content items, and a message processing engine for processing messages sent from audience members to the presenter. The message processing engine can obtain the messages and parse the messages for tokens indicative of a requested media content item. The message processing engine, having identified the requested media content item, can then cause the media-playback engine to play the requested content or add it to a queue.

Abstract: A system for automatically initiating a travel mode of a media playback device is disclosed. The system operates to determine that the media playback device is connected to a vehicle media playback system based on an identifier provided from the vehicle media playback system. Upon determining presence of the media playback device in a vehicle, the travel mode is performed using the media playback device.

Abstract: A system and methods for acquiring cadence and selecting a song version based on the acquired cadence are disclosed. If the system detects a new cadence, then a new song version that corresponds to the new cadence can be played. The new song version playback can start in a corresponding position as the location of playback in a currently-playing song version. Each related song version shares one or more characteristics, such as melody, but is different in at least one characteristic, such as tempo.