On November 1, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple’s patent application titled Location-based media presentation . In this patent, Apple introduces their Media Presentation System & Environment technologies and GPS processes which are geared primarily for portable devices such as the iPhone, iPod touch and laptops.

Apple’s Summary

Broadly speaking, the invention relates to techniques for presentation of digital media. It will be appreciated that the techniques can be used to present media based on a location associated with the presentation of media (e.g., a physical, virtual, or assigned location of a device that presents media). In other words, the improved techniques can be used to effectively control presentation of media based on location (e.g., physical location of a device that is to present media). As such, presentation of digital media can, for example, be effectively controlled in order to present a first media content (e.g., a list of songs, an album) in accordance with a first set of media presentation attributes or parameters (e.g., volume associated with presentation of audible media) at a first location, while a second media content is presented in accordance with a second set of media presentation attributes or parameters at a second location, and so on.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, Media Presentation Environment (MPE) can be effectively defined for a location (e.g., geographical location, area, or region, a virtual or assigned location on real-geographical or virtual map). The Media Presentation Environment (MPE) can effectively define what to present (or media content) for the location and/or how to present media (or media presentation information) for the location. As such, Media Presentation Environment (MPE) can effectively define: (a) digital media content (“content”) to be presented and/or (b) media presentation information effectively defining how to present the media content defined by the Media Presentation Environment (MPE), other media content (e.g., default, whatever is being presented), or generally any media content to be presented for that location.

In one embodiment, Media Presentation Environment (MPE) is provided as data for a computing device that can present media (e.g., a digital media player). Media Presentation Environment (MPE) data can be effectively assigned to or defined for presentation of media at a particular physical location, region, area, space, etc. Media Presentation Environment (MPE) data can include media content data that effectively specifies, describes, identifies, includes, or references particular media content (e.g., a song, a list of songs, a directory) to be presented at a particular physical location, region, area, space, etc. Alternatively, or in addition to the media content data, the Media Presentation Environment (MPE) data can include media presentation data that effectively specifies or describes how to present content at that particular physical location, region, area, space, etc.
The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including a method, an apparatus, a computer readable medium, a computing device, or a signal embodied in a carrier wave. Several embodiments of the invention are discussed below.

Media Presentation System

Apple’s patent FIG. 1A depicts a Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. It will be appreciated that the Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 can, for example, be implemented as a device that can present media represented as digital data (e.g., computing device with at least one processor and memory for storing digital data).

More particularly, the Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 can present media based on a location (e.g., a physical, virtual, assigned or perceived location). In other words, the Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 can be configured to automatically (e.g., without requiring input from a human being) vary presentation of media as a function of a location. It will be appreciated that the Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 is especially well suited for implementation as a mobile or portable device that can be easily moved (e.g., a mobile phone, a mobile media-player, a laptop computer).

MPS Integrates GPS

To further elaborate, FIG. 1B depicts the Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 in greater detail in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The Media Presentation System (MPS) 100 depicted in FIG. 1B can present media responsive to various physical locations as depicted by a location detector (e.g., GPS receiver) 110. In addition to the location detector 110, Media Environment Controller/Selector 112, and Media Presenter 114 are provided. The Media Environment Controller/Selector 112 can effectively select the appropriate Media Presentation Environment data in response to the physical location detected by the location detector (e.g., GPS receiver) 110. By way of example, when the location detector 110 detects a physical location L1, the Media Environment Controller/Selector 112 can select the particular Media Presentation Environment (MPE) associated with the location L. Namely, Media Presentation Environment Data 120 (or MPED1). In this example, the Media Presentation Environment (MPE) 120 includes media content 121 (e.g., digital file(s), or item(s)) that can be presented by the Media Presenter (e.g., media-player) 114. Referring again to FIG. 1B, a Media Presentation Environment Data 122 (or MPED2) includes data that effectively describes how to present media content for another location L2. In general, Media Presentation Environment (MPE) 104 can include data representing media content (media content) and/or media presentation data that effectively describes how to present media content. Referring to FIG. 1B, Media Presentation Environment Data 124 (or MPED3) includes both media content 125 and media presentation data 127. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that Media Presentation Environment (MPE) can be represented in numerous forms effectively defining media content and/or how to present media content. As such, the invention is not dependent on any specific format used to represent media content or how to present media content.

Media Presentation Environment

Apple’s patent FIGS. 5A-B depict Media Presentation Environment data provided in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. More particularly, FIG. 5A depicts a map of a road that can, for example, be used for an athletic event (e.g., biking, running).

Referring to FIG. 5A, the distance between points A and B depicts an uphill road and the distance between points B and C depicts a downhill road. A Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver can be configured to detect locations between points A and B (on the hill) and points B and C (downhill). As such, media content 502 can be defined for location between A and B. The media content can, for example, be a list of songs, or a directory or songs (A1, A2 . . . An).
Furthermore, media presentation data 504 can indicate how to present data for points between locations A and B (e.g., higher volume of 7/10). Similarly, media content can be defined for points between B and C. However, referring to the example depicted in FIG. 5A, only media presentation data 506 is provided to effectively present media (i.e., whatever is being presented) at a lower volume of 3/10. Thus, media presentation can be effectively changed at point B to lower the volume. As depicted in FIG. 5A, media content can subsequently be changed when point C is reached to a different play list, or directory (C1, C2, and C3). Furthermore, for each individual media content (e.g., song), a media presentation information (C1P, C2P, C3P) can be provided.

It should be noted that the media presentation information can provide one or more media presentation parameters or attributes corresponding to, for example, volume, base, or terrible associated with presentation of a particular media content (C1).

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that Media Presentation Environment (MPE) can be defined, provided, and effectively used to present media in a particular geographical area, boundary or region. Referring to FIG. 5B, a map of gym 510 is depicted. In a geographical region G (e.g., 1000 square feet), specific audio only content can be defined for presentation.

In another region H (e.g., 400 square feet), audio/visual content can be defined. The presentation of media can be automatically changed as a user moves from area G to area H. Media presentation can, for example, automatically default to radio or stopped/paused when the user enters area 1.

Apple list Michael M. Lee (San Jose, CA) as the sole inventor of this patent.

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Written and researched by Neo.