Apparatus, System, and Method for Integrating Content and Content Services

Abstract

A system and method for providing seamless consumption of media content and managing playlists for seamless consumption of media is described. One embodiment includes receiving a request for media content; determining a mode of consumption for the media content; determining a media content service to provide the media content; and providing the media content according to the preferred mode of consumption and from the preferred service and managing playlists to integrate reproduction of media content from multiple services.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request for specified media content through a media player graphic interface of a media player application;   evaluating, by the media player application, a plurality of source channels to determine availability of the specified media content;   in response to an identification of a first source channel of the plurality of source channels, wherein the first source channel has availability of the specified media content, requesting the specified media content from the first source channel; and   playing, by the media player application, the specified media using the media player graphic interface regardless of the source channel that has availability of the specified media content.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said evaluating further comprises:
 inspecting local data for the specified media content;   requesting availability of the specified media from a streaming service the user is subscribed to;   requesting availability of the specified media from a downloadable content repository; and   requesting availability of the specified media from a streaming service the user does not have a subscription for.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 requesting availability of the specified media content from a plurality of different streaming services that the user is subscribed to.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 requesting metadata associated with the specified media content from the first source channel; and   displaying the metadata on the media player graphic interface.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the media player application, user input indicating a consumption preference;   ordering said evaluating the plurality of source channels based on the consumption preference, wherein source channels ordered earlier receive preference in identification of the first source channel.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said ordering further orders a set of options within a given source channel based on the consumption preference. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the media player graphic interface, user input applying a tag to the specified media content; and   either of:
 downloading the specified media content; or 
 integrating the specified media content into existing virtual or actual content repositories. 
   
     
     
         27 . A method comprising:
 for each of a plurality of media content included on a playlist stored with a media player application and managed by a graphic interface of the media player application:
 evaluating, by the media player application, a plurality of source channels to determine availability of a current media content; and 
 in response to an identification of a first source channel that has availability of the current media content, linking a corresponding playlist entry to the current media content from the first source channel; and 
   in response to selection of a first playlist entry:
 requesting, by the media player application, a first media content from a source channel linked to the first playlist entry; and 
 playing the first media content corresponding to the first playlist entry using the graphic interface. 
   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the media player application, a tag associated with a given media content while the given media content is being played by an interface other than the graphic interface of the media player application;   adding, by the media player application, the given media content to the playlist stored with the media player application.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said evaluating further comprises:
 inspecting local data for the current media content;   requesting availability of the current media content from a streaming service the user is subscribed to;   requesting availability of the current media content from a downloadable content repository; and   requesting availability of the current media content from a streaming service the user does not have a subscription for.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 requesting availability of the current media content from a plurality of different streaming services that the user is subscribed to.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 requesting metadata associated with the current media content from the first source channel; and   displaying the metadata on the graphic interface.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the media player application, user input indicating a consumption preference;   ordering said evaluating the plurality of source channels based on the consumption preference, wherein source channels ordered earlier receive preference in linking of the first source channel.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said ordering further orders a set of options within a given source channel based on the consumption preference. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the graphic interface, user input applying a tag to the specified media content; and   either of:
 downloading the specified media content; or 
 integrating the specified media content into existing virtual or actual content repositories. 
   
     
     
         35 . A system comprising:
 a media player graphic interface embodied on a display device, the media player graphic interface configured to receive a request for specified media content; and   a media player application stored in memory and configured to receive user input via the media player graphic interface, the media player application configured to evaluate a plurality of source channels to determine availability of the specified media content, wherein in response to an identification of a first source channel of the plurality of source channels wherein the first source channel has availability of the specified media content the media player application is configured to request the specified media content from the first source channel and then play the specified media through the media player graphic interface regardless of the source channel that has availability of the specified media content.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a local data store that the media player application is configured to evaluate as one of the plurality of source channels for the specified media content; and   a network interface configured to coordinate with the media player application and enable the media player application to request availability of the specified media from an Internet streaming service the user is subscribed to, request availability of the specified media from a downloadable content repository, and request availability of the specified media from a streaming service the user does not have a subscription for.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the media player application is further configured to request metadata associated with the specified media content from the first source channel via the network interface, and the media player graphic interface is configured to display the metadata. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the media player application is further configured to receive user input indicating a consumption preference and order the evaluation of the plurality of source channels based on the consumption preference, wherein source channels ordered earlier receive preference in identification of the first source channel. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a memory including a playlist of media content configured to include the specified media content and additional media content requested in turn after the specified media content in playlist order.