Publishing, browsing, rating and purchasing of groups of media items

Abstract

Improved techniques to create, browse, rate and/or purchase media asset groups are disclosed. Media assets groups can be created by various users and published to a digital assets manager. Thereafter, the media assets groups can be finalized and made available for on-line purchase. Once the media asset groups are made available for on-line purchase, users can browse, rate and/or purchase the media asset groups at an on-line media store. One example of a media asset group (group of media items) is known as a playlist, which can pertain to a group of audio tracks.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 obtaining, by a computing device having a processor, a selection of a media asset group comprising a plurality of media assets, each of the plurality of the media assets having a respective graphic image associated with it;   selecting a graphic image from respective graphic images associated with the plurality of media assets based on a priority of the graphic image with respect to respective priorities of the respective graphic images, wherein the graphic image is selected to be used as a background image of a media asset group image representing the media asset group;   producing, by the computing device, the media asset group image using the respective graphic images from the plurality of media assets, the media asset group image comprising the respective graphic images arranged over the background image based on a fill pattern, the media asset group image resulting in a single image representation for the media asset group; and   associating, by the computing device, the media asset group image to the media asset group.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the media asset group illustration is a mosaic. 
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein determining the fill pattern is based on the number of the media asset illustrations associated with the media assets of the media asset group. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein producing the media asset group image comprises:
 determining a fill pattern for the media asset group image, the fill pattern being based on a number of graphic images associated with the plurality of media assets of the media asset group image;   determining a number of the graphic images to be included in the fill pattern;   prioritizing the media asset images;   selecting the number of the media asset images based on the prioritizing; and   creating the media asset group image by arranging the number of media asset images according to the fill pattern, wherein each of the media asset images represents only a part of the media asset group image.   
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the fill pattern has a fill order, and wherein the media asset images are inserted into the media asset group image in accordance with the fill order, with a highest priority one of the media asset images being first inserted into the media asset group image. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein when the number of the media asset images to be included in the fill pattern exceeds a total number of the media asset images associated with the media assets of the media assets group image, one or more parts of the media asset group image are not filled with a media asset image. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein a color to be applied to some portion of the media asset group image is automatically determined based on a color from one or more of the media asset images associated with the media assets of the media asset group. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein when the number of the media asset images to be included in the fill pattern exceeds a total number of the media asset images associated with the media assets of the media assets group, one or more parts of the media asset group illustration are not filled with a media asset image. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a color to be applied to some portion of the media asset group image is automatically determined based on a color from one or more of the media asset images associated with the media assets of the media asset group. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a proposed media asset group for media assets, at least a plurality of the media assets having a media asset graphic image illustration associated therewith;   producing a media asset group illustration based on two or more of the media asset graphic image illustrations associated with the media assets of the media asset group, the media asset group illustration representing a single graphic image illustration for the media asset group; and   associating the media asset group illustration to the media asset group.   
     
     
         11 . A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the media asset group illustration is a mosaic. 
     
     
         12 . A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 10 , storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, result in operations further comprising:
 rendering the media asset group with the associated media asset group illustration available for browsing and purchasing on an on-line media store.   
     
     
         13 . A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein producing the media asset group comprises:
 determining a fill pattern for the media asset group illustration; and   creating the media asset group illustration by arranging the two or more of the media asset illustrations according to the fill pattern, wherein each of the two or more media asset illustrations represents only a part of the media asset group illustration.   
     
     
         14 . A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein determining the fill pattern is based on a number of the media asset illustrations associated with the media assets of the media asset group. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:   
       obtaining, by a computing device having a processor, a selection of a media asset group comprising a plurality of media assets, each of the plurality of the media assets having a respective graphic image associated with it; 
       selecting a graphic image from respective graphic images associated with the plurality of media assets based on a priority of the graphic image with respect to respective priorities of the respective graphic images, wherein the graphic image is selected to be used as a background image of a media asset group image representing the media asset group; 
       producing, by the computing device, the media asset group image using the respective graphic images from the plurality of media assets, the media asset group image comprising the respective graphic images arranged over the background image based on a fill pattern, the media asset group image resulting in a single image representation for the media asset group; and
 associating, by the computing device, the media asset group image to the media asset group. 
 
     
     
         16 . A system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the graphic image is an image of a poster, photograph, or promotional material, and wherein the media asset group is a mosaic. 
     
     
         17 . A system as recited in  claim 15 , the computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, result in an operation further comprising rendering the media asset group with an associated media asset group illustration available for browsing and purchasing on an on-line media store. 
     
     
         18 . A system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the fill pattern has a fill order, and wherein the media asset images are inserted into the media asset group image in accordance with the fill order, with a highest priority one of the media asset images being first inserted into the media asset group image. 
     
     
         19 . A system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein when the number of the media asset images to be included in the fill pattern exceeds a total number of the media asset images associated with the media assets of the media assets group image, one or more parts of the media asset group image are not filled with a media asset image. 
     
     
         20 . A system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein a color to be applied to some portion of the media asset group image is automatically determined based on a color from one or more of the media asset images associated with the media assets of the media asset group.