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 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 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 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: Innovative techniques, systems and methods are described that enable media content to be packaged and delivered, via a network, in a manner that can greatly enhance the user experience. A packaging approach provides a downloadable file that contains different constituent parts that can be processed by a software-implemented media player to provide a user with not only media content, but additional content that adds value to the media content. In addition, in some embodiments, a download approach provides for the downloadable file to be link-accessed by a user, and automatically downloaded, cataloged, and experienced by the user without any more user intervention other than clicking on a particular link that is associated with the downloadable file.

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 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.