2983results about "Track changing/selection" patented technology

A system and method for production of customized compact discs (CD) includes compiling a collection of digital data files from source CDS, receiving customer orders and processing those customer orders by writing customer-selected digital data files onto a CD. Data files are read from the source CDs by an acquisition station and stored in a storage subsystem distributed over a number of data servers. A order input client receives and logs orders from customers. The customer orders are then processed by data servers transferring the cuistomer-selected data files to a writing station. The writing station records the data onto a destination CD. A printing station then prints content description information on the CD and jacket and also prints invoices and shipping labels.

A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user, including services for creating playlists, communicating with others, accessing other features, etc. is provided. In some exemplary embodiments, after a user is recognized, the jukebox system allows users to access a special front-end via an Internet-enabled device or on an actual jukebox. Then, the user may, for example, create playlists, share songs with friends, send messages to friends, and access other value-added content. Such a system preferably learns about networks of friends, and enables managers to send similar messages to regular customers and/or others known to the system. In some exemplary embodiments, changes via a first user interface on a first device are reflected on second user interface on other properly-configured devices.

A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user is provided. For example, information specific to a recognized user may be stored and optionally may include a recognized user avatar representative of the recognized user. The user avatar may be an image, video, and/or animation, which may be displayed on and/or played through the jukebox. The user avatar may be associated with transactions associated with the user. For example, an avatar may be displayed when a playlist of the recognized user is played, when a message is sent, etc. In other examples, the avatar may introduce instances of media by playing an audio and/or video message, and the avatar may sing, dance, etc. while an instance of media is playing.

A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user, including services for creating playlists, communicating with others, accessing other features, etc. is provided. In some exemplary embodiments, after a user is recognized, the jukebox system allows users to access a special front-end via the Internet or on an actual jukebox. Then, the user may, for example, create playlists, share songs with friends, send messages to friends, and access other value-added content. Other exemplary embodiments allow users to become certified, charging them for services without requiring constant inputting of coinage or credit card information. Such a system preferably learns about networks of friends, and enables managers to send similar messages to regular customers and/or others known to the system.

A media organizer and entertainment center includes an importer for importing individual media/data selections and automatically assigning each selection at least one associated category flag pursuant to predetermined or user defined criteria. The center also includes a storage device for storing compressed data corresponding to the plurality of individual media/data selections and the associated category flags and a retriever for retrieving selections from the storage device based upon user selection of one or more of the associated category flags, and a data decompresser that translates the compressed data into playable digital or audio media data. With the center, playable digital or audio media data can be advantageously transported, organized, played or recorded through or on a variety of products or devices.

A player device uses playlists having names of contents. Users can update the playlists via network. The player device includes a storage device for storing digital data of the contents, a reception/reception circuit for downloading playlists, a display for displaying the titles of contents included in the playlists, a pointing device for specifying displayed titles, a circuit for retrieving digital data from the storage device in the event that digital data of a content specified by the pointing device is stored within the storage device, and an output circuit for outputting the retrieved digital data.

A system and method for providing automated generation of program groups used in shuffled playback. The playback system acquires "content information" concerning programs on subject media, and generates shuffled playback groups by comparing the content information to user entered "desired-group information". In one illustrative embodiment the content information is included on the media themselves. In a second illustrative embodiment, the content information is included in a database.

A portable digital voice recorder is interfaced for data communication with a personal computer. Voice data files are stored in the portable recorder together with header data which indicates the status of the voice data files. In response to a batch upload command, selected ones of the voice data files are uploaded to the personal computer, depending on the status of the voice data files as indicated by the status data. Graphical user interface software running in the PC causes the PC to display icons indicative of voice data files stored in the portable recorder. The header data in the portable recorder may be changed by operation of the PC's graphical user interface. For example, file designations indicated by header data in the portable recorder may be changed by editing corresponding fields displayed by the PC.

A plurality of user-selected annotations are used to define a playlist of media segments corresponding to the annotations. The user-selected annotations and their corresponding media segments are then provided to the user in a seamless manner. A user interface allows the user to alter the playlist and the order of annotations in the playlist. The user interface identifies each annotation by a short subject line.

A system is disclosed that provides access to a large amount of content using a traditional interface. The system has many applications, one of which is for providing access to audio/visual content. Examples of audio/visual content includes compressed digital music data and video data. In one embodiment, the system receives an indication of a first mode, accesses a first playlist for the first mode, and plays tracks according to the first playlist. In this embodiment, each mode is associated with a different attribute, each mode includes one or more playlists of tracks, and each playlist of a particular mode is based on a different value for the attribute associated with the particular mode. Examples of attributes include artist, album, genre, etc. Thus, there can be an artist mode, an album node, a genre mode, etc. For example, each playlist in the artist mode is associated with a particular artist. All tracks on a given playlist in the artist mode would be associated with the same artists.

A digital servo control system for disk drives is an "embedded" system-one in which servo control information is embedded on the same disk surface as the user data. In contrast to known embedded-servo systems in which a space-consuming series of many dibit pairs is present, the present system provides only a single dibit pair in a fractional positional error (PESF) area. Thus, the disk drive's read head encounters only a single dibit pair per sample period (or per data sector), thus saving valuable disk space that may be used for user data. Various pre-processing methods may be provided so as to pre-process the measurement derived from the single dibit pair per sample period (or data sector), so as to compensate for non-ideal characteristics of the dibit measurement. The system thus provides an accurate and robust servo control system, while sacrificing a minimum amount of valuable disk space to the servo information field.

Payment-based audiovisual playback system characterized by comprising a microprocessor device associated with a payment device primarily including means for storing, inter alia, in digital format the visual and sound information to be used. The system is associated through interfaces with display means and sound playback means for providing a multimedia environment. The system is controlled by a multitask operating system including a tool and service library integrated into the storage means. The system, which is also associated through an interface with a telecommunications modem, is optionally connected to an audiovisual data distribution network by a telecommunications modem and telecommunications links, said telecommunications function also being controlled by said multitask operating system.

A compact write element includes a conductive shield layer, an insulating write gap layer, a pole pedestal, a coil, and a conductive pole layer, and, in some embodiments also includes a backgap. The pole pedestal and the coil, and, in some embodiments the backgap, constitute a self-aligned array of components that may be formed in a single masking operation to allow for very tight tolerances between the components for a shorter yoke length. The pole layer is substantially flat and parallel to the conductive shield layer, providing for a shorter stack height. Also, a compact MR read/write head includes such a write element and a magnetic data storage and retrieval system includes the compact MR read/write head having such a write element.

The latest management data recorded in a recording medium is read. Then, it is judged whether the fault is in this latest management data or not. When it is judged the fault is not in this latest management data, a data size of user data under the management of this latest management data is compared with a data size of the user data recorded actually in the recording medium. In the judgment explained above, when the latest management data cannot be read, when it is judged the fault is in the latest management data or when it is judged a data size of user data under the management of the latest management data is not identical to a data size of the user data recorded actually in the recording medium, management data can be updated by analyzing the user data recorded in the recording medium. Thereby, there is provided a repair technique for the recorded data in response to an accidental shut-off condition of power supply in a data recording apparatus for recording user data and management data used for management of such user data to the recording medium.

A digital jukebox (14) allows for playback of a first offering and a second offering. The contents of each offering are individually licensed for public performance at a particular location where the jukebox is found. The jukebox (14) displays advertisements that are selected in response to user interaction with the jukebox or a number of other factors. The jukebox (14) features a screen (18 and 20) that allows user to interact with the jukebox to select offerings, but also to respond to advertising. Jukebox can function in cooperation with a server (12), but in the alternate, can function as an independent and stand-alone device when connection (16) to server (12) is not available.

The present invention relates to a method of managing summary information of play lists. In the present method, summary information is written in a specific file other than a play list file wherein the summary information is summarized from information written in play list files created under file structure of a recording medium. Afterwards, the summary information written in the specific file is read, and at least one thumbnail representing a play list is displayed onto a menu screen for user selections with reference to the read summary information. Through the concentrated summary information, play list related information such as thumbnails can be displayed fast.