Method and apparatus for providing a customized selection of audio content over the internet

Abstract

A method an apparatus is provided for providing selected media files, which are chosen from among a plurality of media files, to a user over a packet-switched network such as the Internet. The method begins by receiving over the packet- switched network a request from the user to receive media content. Next, a user profile associated with the user is retrieved from a database. The user profile reflects user preferences in media content to be received over the packet-switched network. The plurality of media files are ranked based at least in part on the user profile. At least one highly ranked media file is selected from among the ranked plurality of media files. At least one of the highly ranked media files is forwarded to the user over the packet-switched network.

1 . A server comprising:
 a network interface configured to obtain over a cellular network data associated with a user; and   a controller in communication with the cellular network for generating a user profile associated with the user reflecting user preferences in media content, the generating being based at least in part on the data obtained by the network interface.   
     
     
         2 . The server of  claim 1  further comprising:
 ranking a plurality of media content items based at least in part on the user profile to select at least one highly ranked media content item from among the ranked plurality of media content items; and 
 sending said at least one highly ranked media content item to the user over the cellular network. 
 
     
     
         3 . The server of  claim 1  wherein said user profile reflects declared user preferences that are self-defined by the user. 
     
     
         4 . The server of  claim 3  wherein said declared user preferences include predefined categories of media content. 
     
     
         5 . The server of  claim 4  wherein said predefined categories include musical categories. 
     
     
         6 . The server of  claim 2  wherein said user profile includes a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The server of  claim 6  wherein said behavior profile includes information identifying items displayed by the user during at least one online session. 
     
     
         8 . The server of  claim 6  wherein said behavior profile is updated based on online user activity subsequent to forwarding said at least one highly ranked media content item to the user. 
     
     
         9 . The server of  claim 8  wherein said server is a web server. 
     
     
         10 . The server of  claim 6  wherein said online user activity on which the behavior profile is based includes an identification of web pages visited by the user and items selected by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The server of  claim 2  wherein said user profile includes a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user, said controller rankings the plurality of media content items in accordance with a keyword search of the behavior profile for preselected terms. 
     
     
         12 . The server of  claim 2  wherein wherein said user profile includes a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user, said controller ranking the plurality of media content items by forming an association between keywords found in the behavior profile and predefined categories of media content. 
     
     
         13 . The server of  claim 2  wherein said controller ranks the plurality of media content items in accordance with a social filtering technique. 
     
     
         14 . The server of  claim 1  wherein said media content includes audio content. 
     
     
         15 . The server of  claim 14  wherein said audio content includes musical content. 
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 14  wherein said media content includes informational content. 
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 1  wherein said user profile reflects declared user preferences that are self-defined by the user and user preferences obtained at least in part from a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 17  wherein either said declared user preferences or said behavior profile is used to define a default profile. 
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 18  wherein said behavior profile is a default profile and said declared user profile includes prescribed conditions under which said behavior profile is to be adjusted in accordance with said declared user profile. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 1  wherein said controller selects and forwards to the user at least one advertisement based at least in part on the user profile. 
     
     
         21 . A cellular communication unit comprising:
 a cellular processor configured to obtain selection data from a user, the selection data reflecting user preferences in media content to be received over a cellular network, said user preferences being associated with the user; and   a network interface for transmitting the selection data to a server over the cellular network and receiving from the server, in response to a request from the user to receive media content, at least one media content item that is selected by the server based at least in part on the selection data.   
     
     
         22 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 21  wherein said user preferences include declared user preferences that are self-defined by the user. 
     
     
         23 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 22  wherein said declared user preferences include predefined categories of media content. 
     
     
         24 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 23  wherein said predefined categories include musical categories. 
     
     
         25 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 21  wherein said selection data includes data reflecting online activity of the user that is used to determine a behavior profile of the user. 
     
     
         26 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 25  wherein said selection data includes information identifying items displayed by the user during at least one online session. 
     
     
         27 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 25  wherein said behavior profile is updated based on online user activity subsequent to receiving said at least one media content item . 
     
     
         28 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 25  wherein said selection data includes an identification of web pages visited by the user and items selected by the user. 
     
     
         29 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 21  wherein said media content includes audio content. 
     
     
         30 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 29  wherein said audio content includes musical content. 
     
     
         31 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 29  wherein said media content includes informational content. 
     
     
         32 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 21  wherein said user preferences include declared user preferences that are self-defined by the user and behavior-based user preferences that are based on online activity of the user. 
     
     
         33 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 32  wherein either said declared user preferences or said behavior-based user preferences define a default user profile. 
     
     
         34 . The cellular communication unit of  claim 21  wherein said network interface receives at least one advertisement based at least in part on the selection data obtained from the user. 
     
     
         35 . A method for selecting media content for a user, comprising:
 collecting data associated with the user;   transmitting the data and a request to receive media content to a server over a cellular network; and   generating with the server a user profile associated with the user reflecting user preferences in media content based at least in part on the collected data.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 ranking with the server a plurality of media content items based at least in part on the user profile and selecting at least one highly ranked media content item from among the ranked plurality of media content items; and 
 sending said at least one highly ranked media content item to a cellular communication unit over the cellular network. 
 
     
     
         37 . The cellular system of  claim 35  wherein said user profile reflects declared user preferences that are self-defined by the user. 
     
     
         38 . The cellular system of  claim 37  wherein said declared user preferences include predefined categories of media content. 
     
     
         39 . The cellular system of  claim 38  wherein said predefined categories include musical categories. 
     
     
         40 . The cellular system of  claim 35  wherein said user profile includes a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user. 
     
     
         41 . The cellular system of  claim 36  wherein said user profile includes a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user. 
     
     
         42 . The cellular system of  claim 40  wherein said behavior profile includes information identifying items displayed by the user during at least one online session. 
     
     
         43 . The cellular system of  claim 41  further comprising updating said behavior profile based on online user activity subsequent to sending said at least one highly ranked media content item to the user. 
     
     
         44 . The cellular system of  claim 35  wherein said server is a web server. 
     
     
         45 . The cellular system of  claim 40  wherein said online user activity on which the behavior profile is based includes an identification of web pages visited by the user and items selected by the user. 
     
     
         46 . The cellular system of  claim 41  further comprising ranking the plurality of media content items in accordance with a keyword search of the behavior profile for preselected terms. 
     
     
         47 . The cellular system of  claim 41  further comprising ranking the plurality of media content items by forming an association between keywords found in the behavior profile and predefined categories of media content. 
     
     
         48 . The cellular system of  claim 36  further comprising ranking the plurality of media content items in accordance with a social filtering technique. 
     
     
         49 . The cellular system of  claim 35  wherein said media content includes audio content. 
     
     
         50 . The cellular system of  claim 49  wherein said audio content includes musical content. 
     
     
         51 . The cellular system of  claim 49  wherein said media content includes informational content. 
     
     
         52 . The cellular system of  claim 35  wherein said user profile reflects declared user preferences that are self-defined by the user and user preferences obtained at least in part from a behavior profile of the user that is based on online activity of the user. 
     
     
         53 . The cellular system of  claim 52  wherein either said declared user preferences or said behavior profile is used to define a default profile. 
     
     
         54 . The cellular system of  claim 53  wherein said behavior profile is a default profile and said declared user profile includes prescribed conditions under which said behavior profile is to be adjusted in accordance with said declared user profile. 
     
     
         55 . The cellular system of  claim 35  further comprising selecting and forwarding to the user at least one advertisement based at least in part on the user profile. 
     
     
         56 . The cellular system of  claim 36  wherein selecting the at least one highly ranked media content item further comprises:
 generalizing user preferences in media content from specific examples of user preferences; and 
 ranking the plurality of media content items based at least in part on the generalized user preferences. 
 
     
     
         57 . The cellular system of  claim 56  wherein the media content includes music and generalizing user preferences includes inferring a musical genre of interest to the user based on a specific artist included in the user profile.