On November 2, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple’s patent application titled ‘Rating media item groups’ which was originally filed in June 2006. Apple’s patent application relates to media asset groups and, more particularly, to publishing, browsing and purchasing media asset groups.

It should be noted that while Apple isn’t noted as the official assignee on this patent application, the inventors listed therein, such as Patrice Gautier, are Apple engineers and are in fact listed in the other Apple patents which were published today.

Apple’s 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.

Apple’s Summary

The invention pertains to improved techniques to create, browse, rate and/or purchase media asset groups. Media asset groups can be created by various users and published to a digital assets manager. Thereafter, the media asset 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.

One aspect of the invention pertains to creation of media asset groups of media assets that can be made available at an on-line media store. Another aspect of the invention is the ability to process a created media asset group to ensure appropriate availability of each of the constituent media assets of the media asset group. Still another aspect of the invention pertains to creating media asset group illustrations (e.g., mosaics) to be used with corresponding media asset groups. Yet still another aspect of the invention is the ability to enable users of an on-line media store to rate media asset groups that have been made available.

The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a method, system, device, apparatus (including graphical user interface), or computer readable medium. Several embodiments of the invention are discussed below.

As a method for rating media asset groups available on an on-line media asset store, one embodiment of the invention includes at least the acts of: causing a media asset group to be displayed for a user, the media asset group pertaining to a plurality of media assets; receiving a user rating indication, the user rating indication denoting a user rating; and updating a media asset group rating in accordance with the user rating.

As a method for reviewing groups of media assets available from an on-line media asset store, the on-line media store supporting access thereto by one or more client devices via a network, one embodiment of the invention includes at least the acts of: receiving a user request, from a client device, for information concerning a particular group of media assets from a plurality of groups of media assets available on the on-line media asset store; retrieving media asset group information for the particular group of media assets from the on-line media asset store; providing the media asset group information for display on the client device, the media asset group information including a list of media items in the particular group of media assets, at least one media asset illustration, and rating selection information; receiving a user-indicated rating for the particular group of media assets, and subsequently updating a media asset group rating for the particular group of media assets in accordance with the user-indicated rating.

As a computer readable medium including at least computer program code for rating media asset groups available on an on-line media asset store, one embodiment of the invention includes at least: computer program code for causing a media asset group to be displayed for a user, the media asset group pertaining to a plurality of media assets; computer program code for receiving a user rating indication, the user rating indication denoting a user rating; and computer program code for updating a media asset group rating in accordance with the user rating.

As a computer readable medium for reviewing groups of media assets available from an on-line media asset store, the on-line media store supporting access thereto by one or more client devices via a network, one embodiment of the invention includes at least: computer program code for receiving a user request, from a client device, for information concerning a particular group of media assets from a plurality of groups of media assets available on the on-line media asset store; computer program code for retrieving media asset group information for the particular group of media assets from the on-line media asset store; computer program code for providing the media asset group information for display on the client device, the media asset group information including a list of media items in the particular group of media assets, at least one media asset illustration, and rating selection information; computer program code for receiving a user-indicated rating for the particular group of media assets, and computer program code for subsequently updating a media asset group rating for the particular group of media assets in accordance with the user-indicated rating.

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The inventors listed on patent application number 20060247980 are: Payam Mirrashidi, Ellis M. Verosub, Patrice Gautier and Anuraq Pandey.

This is a continuation-patent. See the actual patent for details.

Written and researched by Neo.