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: A media player for use with any file format is provided. The system receives a file and provides it to a plug-in to generate a corresponding file having a native file format if the file is not already in a native file format. The system stores both the original file and the converted file, or the original file if no converted file is generated. When synchronizing media content to a media device, the system provides the file having a file format corresponding to a file format preferred by the media device.

Abstract: A method for managing a group of owned and for-purchase media items in response to a single user action. The method treats the owned media items and the for-purchase media items similarly with respect to the user's interaction with them, facilitating a user paradigm-shift from thinking about two stores of media items to a single store of media items available for use. A media item grouping generic to both types of media items is provided, permitting sharing of media item collections between users having different access rights with respect to the media items.

Abstract: A method of crossfading a plurality of audio files comprising opening a first process, opening a second process hosting an audio renderer in which a first audio file of the plurality of audio files is cross faded with a second audio file of the plurality of audio files.

Abstract: Described herein are one or more implementations for transferring formatted digital media content (“formatted-media-content”) from a source device (e.g., a desktop computer) to a target media-playback device (e.g., a MP3 player). The formatted-media-content may need to be converted from a source format to a target format before it is transferred. An implementation seeks permission from a source-format-agent associated with the source format of the formatted-media-content, to perform a format-conversion (“transcoding”).

Abstract: A system and method for transferring album art from a client computer to a portable media device (PMD). A graphical user-interface allows a user to select a track for transfer to the PMD. A media player application (MPA) verifies that the PMD is capable and authorized to receive album art. The MPA queries the PMD for an album object storing album art for the selected track. If an album object corresponding to the selected track exists, a reference to the selected track is added to the existing album object. If an album object corresponding to the selected track does not exist, the MPA transfers a new album object referencing the selected track and storing album art for the selected track to the PMD. The MPA further connects to a web site authorized to sell an audio CD associated with a track when a buy flag is detected on the PMD.

Abstract: Methods for reporting status information in a user interface and managing synchronizations. One or more categories of status information are defined in connection with synchronization operations performed on digital files. Upon termination of a synchronization operation, per-file status information for the terminated synchronization operation is categorized in one of the defined categories. The defined categories having per-file status information categorized therein are displayed with a summary of the per-file status information. In one aspect, an expandable node corresponding to each of the defined categories of status information that have per-file status information categorized therein is displayed. Grouping the digital files according to the defined categories of status information, permits collectively managing the digital files.

Abstract: Automatic rules-based synchronization of digital files on a source device and a target device coupled to it. A source computer executes a synchronization engine for managing transfer of files from a source database to a target device coupled to the computer as a function of a defined storage capacity of the device. The synchronization engine is configured to receive user-defined rules for selecting which of the files are to be transferred to the device and assigning priorities to the files. The synchronization engine builds a designated list of the files to be transferred according to the priorities defined by the rules.

Abstract: A system and methods are described for transcoding media content in the background on a source computer device prior to such time as a target media playback device is connected to the source computer for synchronization of the media content. The system and methods anticipate which media content to background-transcode based on user input rules and media status data that are maintained in a transcode database. Pre-transcoding media content provides advantages that include a significant reduction in the time needed to synchronize media content between a source computer and a target media playback device, and an efficient use of CPU power for transcoding media content at times when the CPU might otherwise stand idle.

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 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 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 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, 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 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.