Federated Media Player Cross-Service Playlist Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in managing and transferring playlists created on one music service to another due to differences in protocols and storage formats, making it difficult to play playlists across multiple devices and services.
Innovation Solution
A system that identifies audio tracks in a playlist, compares them to a compatibility library, and generates a new playlist with compatible tracks from various sources, allowing playback on different devices and services, using a federated media player that accesses audio tracks from multiple locations and services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If playlists are created on a specific music service with proprietary formats and protocols, then the playlist can be played on that service's devices, but the playlist cannot be played on devices or services with different protocols and formats
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a federated media player as an intermediary component that sits between the playlist source and the playback device. This player translates and adapts playlists from different music services and formats into a universal playback format, enabling cross-service compatibility without requiring changes to the original services or devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The federated media player is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple music services, playlist formats, and playback devices simultaneously. It maintains a library of compatibility information for various services and can automatically adapt playlists from any supported service to work on any supported device, making the system universally applicable.
2Ease of operation
If a user wants to transfer a playlist from one music service to another, then the user can access music from different services, but the transfer process becomes complex due to protocol and format differences
Solution Approach 1:
The federated media player implements self-service functionality by automatically detecting the source service format, retrieving compatibility information from its library, performing the necessary format conversions, and playing the adapted playlist. This automation eliminates the need for users to manually handle complex format conversions or protocol translations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading and maintaining a compatibility library that contains format and protocol information for multiple music services. This preparation work is done in advance, so when a playlist transfer is needed, the system can quickly retrieve the necessary adaptation information without requiring complex real-time processing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system supports multiple music services and formats, then playlist compatibility improves, but the system complexity increases due to managing multiple protocols and formats
Solution Approach 1:
The system architecture is segmented into distinct modular components: a compatibility library module that stores service-specific information, a format conversion module that handles translations, and a playback module that executes the adapted playlists. This segmentation allows each component to be developed, maintained, and updated independently, reducing overall system complexity despite supporting multiple services.
Data Source
AI summary
Electronic content items may be organized into playlists and associated with a plurality of sources. These playlists may be managed using at least one media content manager. A compatibility hierarchy may be implemented to determine compatibility of certain electronic content items with other electronic content items, which may be organized into playlists. Other playlists may be populated based at least in part on the compatibility hierarchy. Playlists comprising electronic content items associated with a plurality of sources may be playable by implementing a federated media player.