Portable media device interoperability

Abstract

A method of adding content to a portable entertainment device, comprising identifying DRM capabilities of the portable entertainment device, defining a first set of content, defining a second set of content which is comprised of content selected by a user from the first content set, identifying content which is not compatible with the DRM capabilities of the portable entertainment device, and obtaining rights which allow at least a subset of the identified content to be copied to the portable entertainment device. The method also allows new content to be periodically added to the portable entertainment device. Also disclosed is a user interface through which the user can build a list of content to be copied to the portable entertainment device and through which the user can obtain any necessary rights to such content.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority from Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 657,222, filed Feb. 28, 2005, and Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 678,718 filed May 5, 2005, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.[0002] This application includes material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to the field of portable media reproduction devices, and more specifically to the creation and maintenance of playlists for portable media reproduction devices. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] The advent of computers has greatly changed how users transport and access music, movies, television shows, photographs, and other sensory-stimulating content. Perhaps ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] An embodiment of the invention is implemented as part of content management software for portable entertainment devices. The software allows a user to easily build one or more “playlists”, or lists of content to be transferred to a portable entertainment device, and to associate the playlist with a given portable entertainment device such that changes to the content in the playlist are automatically transferred to the portable entertainment device when the portable entertainment device is synchronized or otherwise connected to a content source, or such a content source is made available to the portable entertainment device. Such content sources may include, without limitation, content stored on a computer associated with the user, content stored remotely on a server, and content available from other users.

Problems solved by technology

However, such devices often pose unique problems for users.

Although the devices can carry tens of thousands of pictures, several thousand songs, hundreds of hours of television shows, or other such single- and multi-media content, the users can become bored with accessing the same content over and over, even where the order and / or frequency of playback is determined through one or more playlists.

This is both time consuming and technologically challenging for many consumers.

This flat fee is typically relatively low because content downloaded from such services is protected using digital rights management (“DRM”) technology, and will frequently expire (i.e. cannot be played or accessed) if the user stops subscribing to the service.

While such services have gained in popularity, not all portable entertainment devices support digital rights management, and some services require different forms of digital rights management.

Thus, unless a user has a DRM-compatible portable entertainment device, the user is not able to take full advantage of the content provided by such services.

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