Abstract: Technologies for selecting a media representation out of a plurality of representations of the same media offered by a media provider wherein the selected representation is a preferred representation and the selecting is based on metadata of the media representations evaluated against scoring criteria.

Abstract: Technologies for selecting a media representation out of a plurality of representations of the same media offered by a media provider wherein the selected representation is a preferred representation and the selecting is based on metadata of the media representations evaluated against scoring criteria.

Abstract: Technologies for selecting a media representation out of a plurality of representations of the same media offered by a media provider wherein the selected representation is a preferred representation and the selecting is based on metadata of the media representations evaluated against scoring criteria.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a media control operable to begin playing a media segment automatically after buffering the media segment, and a host application operable to receive a reference to the media segment, initialize the media control with the media segment, and cause the media control to postpone playing of the media segment after the media segment is buffered. An exemplary method includes receiving a playlist referencing a first media segment and a second media segment, the second media segment operable to play automatically without a prompt after being loaded, presenting the first media segment, and prerolling the second media segment.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a media control operable to begin playing a media segment automatically after buffering the media segment, and a host application operable to receive a reference to the media segment, initialize the media control with the media segment, and cause the media control to postpone playing of the media segment after the media segment is buffered. An exemplary method includes receiving a playlist referencing a first media segment and a second media segment, the second media segment operable to play automatically without a prompt after being loaded, presenting the first media segment, and prerolling the second media segment.

Abstract: Radio client/server architectures and graphical user interfaces for toolbars and explorer bars utilized in conjunction with Web browsers providing streaming-media content are disclosed. In one aspect of the present invention, the graphical user interface is of a Web browser with a radio toolbar that displays one or more buttons capable of controlling a source of streaming media. The graphical user interface can also include a menu bar, a standard-buttons toolbar, an address toolbar, horizontal or vertical explorer bars, a links toolbar and/or a status bar. The architecture aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of computer-executable components. One component is a radio server that plays a radio source of streaming-media. Another component is an interface for communicating with the radio server. A third component is at least one radio-client that communicates through the interface in order to provide instructions to the radio server.

Abstract: Incorporating interactive media into a playlist allows for media, operable to play automatically without a prompt after being loaded, to be loaded into a playlist and played from the playlist without overlapping playback with other media in the playlist. Incorporating interactive media into a playlist involves employing a playlist, a media wrapper, a media control, and a media player to preroll media, immediately stop playing the prerolled media while other media is playing, signal that media has finished playing in order to seamlessly begin playing the next media in the playlist.

Abstract: Technologies for selecting a media representation out of a plurality of representations of the same media offered by a media provider wherein the selected representation is a preferred representation and the selecting is based on metadata of the media representations evaluated against scoring criteria.

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: A system and method for retrieving media data from a portable media device for storage on a client computer during synchronization between the portable media device and the client computer. A media player application (MPA) identifies media data on the portable media device that has been modified since a last synchronization process, and automatically or selectively retrieves the modified and/or unmodified media data from the portable media device for storage on the client computer.

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, whereby 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, a skin is defined using at least one skin definition that defines the skin in a hierarchical tag-based language.

Abstract: A system and method for retrieving media data from a portable media device for storage on a client computer during synchronization between the portable media device and the client computer. A media player application (MPA) identifies media data on the portable media device that has been modified since a last synchronization process, and automatically or selectively retrieves the modified and/or unmodified media data from the portable media device for storage on the client computer.

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: An exemplary system includes a media control operable to begin playing a media segment automatically after buffering the media segment, and a host application operable to receive a reference to the media segment, initialize the media control with the media segment, and cause the media control to postpone playing of the media segment after the media segment is buffered. An exemplary method includes receiving a playlist referencing a first media segment and a second media segment, the second media segment operable to play automatically without a prompt after being loaded, presenting the first media segment, and prerolling the second media segment.

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.