Methods and systems for personalized rendering of digital media content

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing devices capable of the reception and playback of one or more crafted media channels transmitted over an intermittent connection. The one or more channels may be customized by the end user to bias the programming towards individual tastes or moods. The channels may be delivered over an intermittent, unidirectional link, for example a Satellite Radio receiver in a home or car. Content may also be delivered over an intermittent, bidirectional link, for example to a portable media player via a wireless 802.11 or other networked connection.

1 . A method for facilitating personalized rendering of media files through on a device configured to access a data link, the method comprising:
 receiving, over the data link, a plurality of media files and associated file metadata, wherein the file metadata defines one or more attributes of the media files; and   storing, in a memory of the device, ones of the media files and associated file metadata consistent with one or more channel profiles maintained within the memory of the device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising discarding, based upon the file metadata associated with said ones of the media files, one or more media files that are non-responsive to the one or more channel profiles;
 categorizing the media files stored in the memory of the device into one or more categories; and   sequencing the media files for rendering responsive to the one or more categories.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the media files selected responsive to the category are selected responsive to a measure to which the attributes of the media file match a set of attributes related to the category. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the media files selected responsive to the category are additionally selected responsive to the degree to which the attributes of the media files match one or more attribute biases selectable by a user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sequencing for playback is responsive to a set of user preferences, said preferences including user identification of a user preference attribute of the media file as a favorite. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sequencing for playback is responsive to a set of user preferences, said preferences including user identification of a user preference attribute of the media file as banned. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said user preference attribute is further associated with an artist. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the amount of storage devoted to local files associated with a channel is allocated responsive to the characteristics of the channel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the amount of storage devoted to the local files associated with a channel is allocated responsive to the characteristics of the categories associated with the channel. 
     
     
         10 . A method for managing inventory of media files on a user personalized media file rendering device, comprising the steps of:
 receiving at the user device, over a communication link, a plurality of media files and associated metadata;   determining a value metric of each of said plurality of media files, said determining based at least in part on said metadata;   selecting, based on said determining a value metric, one or more media files of said plurality of media files for storage; and   storing, in a memory of the device, said one or more selected media files.   
     
     
         11 . A method for sequencing media files for rendering on a user personalized media file rendering device, comprising the steps of:
 storing, in a memory of said device, a plurality of media files and associated metadata;   retrieving, from said memory, said metadata associated with ones of said plurality of media files;   determining, for each retrieved metadata, a rendering value metric; and   sequencing, based on said rendering value metric, one or more of said media files for rendering.