Tutorial generation unit, multimedia management system, portable apparatus, method of explanation of multimedia management behavior, computer program product

1 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) for explaining to a user multimedia management behavior of a multimedia item management system ( 130 ) arranged to manage multimedia items ( 164 , 166 , 168 , 169 ) according to user preferences by means of at least one multimedia management rule (MMR), the tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) comprising:

a processing unit ( 151 ), arranged to select at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ) to be explained of the at least one multimedia management rule (MMR), the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ) being selected depending on a predetermined relevance value (R) indicative of a relevance to the user of the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ); and

a rendering unit ( 178 ), arranged to generate at least one explanation theme ( 104 ) comprising at least one audiovisual information presentation signal ( 108 , 110 , 112 ) based on the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ) to be explained, and arranged to generate a tutorial ( 102 ) intended for user observation, the tutorial ( 102 ) comprising the at least one explanation theme ( 104 ).

2 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , in which a user interface unit ( 150 ) is comprised, arranged to substitute the at least one information presentation signal ( 108 , 110 , 112 ) of the at least one explanation theme ( 104 ) based on user input (in).

3 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , in which the rendering unit ( 178 ) is arranged to present explanation themes ( 104 ) of the type:

a) a movie of pictures to be presented during a predetermined time interval (Dt 1 ), the pictures comprising at least one sub-picture image signal, the at least one sub-picture image signal comprising a graphical representation corresponding the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 );

b) an information presentation image presenting information corresponding to the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ), with clickable hyperlink regions ( 532 , 534 , 536 , 538 ), which hyperlink regions when clicked initiate the display of a different information presentation image corresponding to a different explanation theme ( 106 );

c) a collection of audio sequentially played snippets, each snippet corresponding to the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ); and

d) scrolling text containing identifying information of at least one multimedia item selected according to the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ).

4 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 2 , in which the processing unit ( 151 ) is further arranged to adapt the at least one multimedia management rule (MMR) of the multimedia item management system ( 130 ) based on the user input (in).

5 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , in which the processing unit ( 151 ) is further arranged to associate a presentation time interval (Dt) with the at least one explanation theme ( 104 ), indicating the time interval during which the collection of information presentation signals ( 108 , 110 , 112 ) of the at least one explanation theme ( 104 ) are to be presented to the user.

6 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 5 , in which the processing unit ( 151 ) is further arranged to:

comprise a predetermined total presentation time interval (Ttot); and

allocate explanation themes ( 104 ) and associated presentation time intervals (Dt) on the basis of the relevance value (R) of the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ), and the total presentation time interval (Ttot).

7 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , in which the processing unit ( 151 ) is further arranged to determine the relevance value (R) of a single selected rule (MMR 1 ) or a combination of selected rules on the basis of one or more of:

a percentage of songs selected or rejected according to the selected rule (MMR 1 ) or rules;

a degree of correspondence between the selected rule (MMR 1 ) or rules and a user preference rule (UPR);

a manually assigned relevance of the selected rule (MMR 1 ) or rules;

a date of introduction or modification of the selected rule (MMR 1 ) or rules;

a date of previous explanation of the selected rule (MMR 1 ) or rules;

a predetermined kind of management action the selected rule (MMR 1 ) or rules predominantly contributes to; and

an origin of a rule.

8 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , in which the processing unit ( 151 ) is further arranged to explain a subset of the selected rules (MMR 1 ) and/or vary parameters of a subset of the selected rules (MMR 1 ).

9 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , in which the processing unit ( 151 ) is further arranged to perform a mathematical analysis on an equation ( 350 ) specifying a combined action of a set of selected rules (MMR 1 ), in order to explain to a user aspects of the behavior of the equation.

10 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an interface unit ( 152 ) arranged to receive or retrieve information from an external information source ( 154 ) of at least one of the types:

human generated information describing a multimedia item;

human generated information describing a multimedia management rule (MMR) or a combination of multimedia management rules; and

human generated information specifying a particular presentation signal related with a multimedia management rule (MMR).

11 . A tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , arranged to receive data on user preferences from a user preference determination unit ( 182 ).

12 . A multimedia management system comprising:

a multimedia item management system ( 130 ) arranged to manage multimedia items ( 164 , 166 , 168 , 169 ) according to user preferences by means of at least one multimedia management rule (MMR); and

a tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , arranged to explain to a user the behavior of the multimedia item management system ( 130 ).

13 . A portable apparatus ( 500 ) comprising:

a multimedia item management system ( 130 ) arranged to manage multimedia items ( 164 , 166 , 168 , 169 ) according to user preferences by means of at least one multimedia management rule (MMR); and

a tutorial generation unit ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , arranged to explain to a user the behavior of the multimedia item management system ( 130 ).

14 . A method of explaining multimedia management behavior of a multimedia item management system ( 130 ) arranged to manage multimedia items ( 164 , 166 , 168 , 169 ) according to user preferences by means of at least one multimedia management rule (MMR), comprising:

selecting at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ) to be explained of the at least one multimedia management rule (MMR), the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ) being selected depending on a predetermined relevance value (R) indicative of a relevance to a user of the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ); and

generating at least one explanation theme ( 104 ) comprising at least one audiovisual information presentation signal ( 108 , 110 , 112 ) based on the at least one selected rule (MMR 1 ) to be explained, and out of that generating a tutorial ( 102 ) intended for user observation, the tutorial ( 102 ) comprising one or more explanation themes ( 104 , 106 ).

15 . A computer program product comprising code enabling a processor to execute the method as claimed in claim 14 .