Active Playlist Having Dynamic Media Item Groups

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for creation and management of an active playlist having dynamic media item groups. In general, a number of media items to be used for the active playlist are first identified and classified into one or more media item groups based on a primary criterion and, optionally, one or more secondary criteria to provide an underlying pool of media items for the active playlist. The active playlist is then populated with media items from the underlying pool of media items. More specifically, the active playlist is divided into media item groups corresponding to those in the underlying pool of media items. Each media item group in the active playlist is populated with a predefined number of the media items in the corresponding media item group in the underlying pool of media items. Thereafter, the media items in the media item groups of the active playlist are dynamically updated based on user interactions.

1 . A method of operating a media player device comprising the steps of:
 identifying a plurality of media item groups based on a primary criterion, the media item groups collectively consisting of a subset of a media item pool;   for each of the plurality of media item groups, selecting a subset of the media items from the corresponding media item group as representative media items;   forming a playlist consisting of the plurality of media item groups;   displaying the playlist, wherein only the representative media items are displayed;   in response to a current media item from a current media item group being rendered without interruption, updating the subset of representative media items for the current media item group;   in response to the current media item from the current media item group not being rendered due to an interruption, not updating the subset of representative media items for the current media item group, selecting a next media item group as the new current media item group, and selecting a media item from the new current media item group as the new current media item.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the primary criterion comprises a criterion selected from a group consisting of: a score assigned to each of the plurality of media item groups based on preferences, a rating assigned to each of the plurality of media item groups, a time at which each of the plurality of media item groups was last played, a date on which each of the plurality of media item groups was lasted played, and a date and time on which each of the plurality of media item groups was last played. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising classifying a plurality of media items into the plurality of media item groups based on the primary criterion and one or more secondary criteria to form the plurality of media item groups for the playlist. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of media item groups is provided such that at least one media item from the plurality of media item groups is classified in each of the plurality of media item groups, and forming the playlist comprises forming the playlist such that the playlist is divided into a plurality of media item groups. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein forming the playlist further comprises, for each media item group of the plurality of media item groups in the playlist, populating the media item group with up to a predetermined number of media items in a corresponding media item group of the plurality of media item groups. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising enabling the skipping of playback from a first media item group of the plurality of media item groups in the playlist to a second media item group of the plurality of media item groups subsequent to the first media item group in the playlist. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein enabling the skipping of playback from the first media item group to the second media item group in the playlist comprises enabling the skipping of playback from the first media item group to the second media item group in the playlist by skipping through up to a predetermined number of media items in the playlist for the first media item group rather than all media items from the plurality of media items classified in the first media item group. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 monitoring interactions with the playlist; and 
 dynamically updating the playlist based on the interactions. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein dynamically updating the playlist comprises pulling additional media items from a media item group of the plurality of media item groups into the playlist as media items in the playlist from the media item group are consumed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein pulling the additional media items into the media item group of the playlist comprises pulling an additional media item from the media item group into the playlist in response to consumption of one of a group consisting of: a media item in the playlist from the media item group and a predetermined amount of a media item in the playlist from the media item group. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein dynamically updating the playlist further comprises removing consumed media items from the playlist. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 making a determination, based on the interactions, as to whether all media items in a media item group of the plurality of media item are expected to be consumed; and 
 identifying and obtaining one or more new media items for the media item group if the determination is made that the all media items in the media item group are expected to be consumed. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein identifying and obtaining the one or more new media items comprises obtaining the one or more new media items from at least one of a group consisting of: a local source and a remote source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing playback of the playlist under control of an associated user. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 an interface providing playback of a playlist; and   a control system, associated with the interface, and configured to:
 identify a plurality of media item groups based on a primary criterion, the media item groups collectively consisting of a subset of a media item pool; 
 for each of the plurality of media item groups, select a subset of the media items from the corresponding media item group as representative media items; 
 form a playlist consisting of the plurality of media item groups; 
 display the playlist, wherein only the representative media items are displayed; 
 in response to a current media item from a current media item group being rendered without interruption, update the subset of representative media items for the current media item group; 
 in response to the current media item from the current media item group not being rendered due to an interruption, not update the subset of representative media items for the current media item group, select a next media item group as the new current media item group, and select a media item from the new current media item group as the new current media item. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the primary criterion comprises a criterion selected from a group consisting of: a score assigned to each of the plurality of media item groups based on user preferences, a rating assigned to each of the plurality of media item groups, a time at which each of the plurality of media item groups was last played, a date on which each of the plurality of media item groups was lasted played, and a date and time on which each of the plurality of media item groups was last played. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the control system is further configured to classify a plurality of media items into the plurality of media item groups based on the primary criterion and one or more secondary criteria to form the plurality of media item groups for the playlist. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of media item groups is provided such that at least one media item from the plurality of media item groups is classified in each of the plurality of media item groups, and in forming the playlist, the control system is configured to form the playlist such that the playlist is divided into a plurality of media item groups. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein in forming the playlist, the control system is configured to: for each media item group of the plurality of media item groups in the playlist, populate the media item group with up to a predetermined number of media items in a corresponding media item group of the plurality of media item groups. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the control system is further configured to enable the skipping of playback from a first media item group of the plurality of media item groups in the playlist to a second media item group of the plurality of media item groups subsequent to the first media item group in the playlist. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein in enabling the skipping of playback from the first media item group to the second media item group in the playlist, the control system is configured to enable the skipping of playback from the first media item group to the second media item group in the playlist by skipping through up to a predetermined number of media items in the playlist for the first media item group rather than all media items from the plurality of media items classified in the first media item group. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15  where in the control system is further configured to:
 monitor interactions with the playlist; and 
 dynamically update the playlist based on the interactions. 
 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein in dynamically updating the playlist, the control system is configured to pull additional media items from a media item group of the plurality of media item groups into the playlist as media items in the playlist from the media item group are consumed. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein in pulling the additional media items into the media item group of the playlist, the control system is configured to pull an additional media item from the media item group into the playlist in response to consumption of one of a group consisting of: a media item in the playlist from the media item group and a predetermined amount of a media item in the playlist from the media item group. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein in dynamically updating the playlist, the control system is further configured to remove consumed media items from the playlist. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the control system is further configured to:
 make a determination, based on the interactions, as to whether all media items in a media item group of the plurality of media item groups are expected to be consumed; and 
 identify and obtain one or more new media items for the media item group if the determination is made that the all media items in the media item group are expected to be consumed. 
 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein in identifying and obtaining the one or more new media items, the control system is configured to obtain the one or more new media items from at least one of a group consisting of: a local source and a remote source. 
     
     
         28 . A method of operating a media player device comprising the steps of:
 identifying a plurality of media item groups based on a primary criterion, the media item groups collectively consisting of a subset of media items of a media item collection;   for each of the plurality of media item groups, designating a subset of the media items from the respective media item group as representative media items and a distinct subset of media items from the respective media item group as underlying media items;   forming a playlist consisting of the representative media items from the plurality of media item groups; and   enabling playback of the playlist such that:
 uninterrupted playback of the playlist proceeds sequentially to the next representative media item of a first media item group, wherein the representative media items of the first media item group are updated from the underlying media items of the first media item group, and 
 interrupted playback of the playlist proceeds to a representative media item of a second media item group, wherein the representative media items of the second media item group are updated from the underlying media items of the second media item group, and the updating of the representative media items of the first media item group is suspended. 
   
     
     
         29 . A system comprising:
 an interface providing playback of a playlist; and   a control system, associated with the interface, and configured to:
 identify a plurality of media item groups based on a primary criterion, the media item groups collectively consisting of a subset of media items of a media item collection; 
 for each of the plurality of media item groups, designate a subset of the media items from the respective media item group as representative media items and a distinct subset of media items from the respective media item group as underlying media items; 
 form a playlist consisting of the representative media items from the plurality of media item groups; and 
 enable playback of the playlist such that:
 uninterrupted playback of the playlist proceeds sequentially to the next representative media item of a first media item group, wherein the representative media items of the first media item group are updated from the underlying media items of the first media item group, and 
 interrupted playback of the playlist proceeds to a representative media item of a second media item group, wherein the representative media items of the second media item group are updated from the underlying media items of the second media item group, and the updating of the representative media items of the first media item group is suspended.