Intelligent identification of multimedia content for synchronization
View Patent ↗An intelligent synchronization tool ensures access to desired content in a manner that automatically keeps the content current on the portable media device. A variation threshold or user-specified degree of content variation may be introduced among content downloaded to a user's mobile device to prevent the user from becoming bored. Furthermore, intelligent synchronization may automatically populate the portable media device with popular content to save a user time and/or use passive monitoring techniques to ascertain a user's preferences for subsequent population.
1. A method comprising:
generating, using at least one processor, a first content group for a first portable media device, the first content group comprising one or more content selections based on one or more rules related to user content preferences;
selecting, using the at least one processor, one or more rules different than the one or more rules used to generate the first content group, wherein the different one or more rules are passively monitored on a second media device; and
generating a second content group comprising one or more different content selections for the first portable media device based on user preferences associated with the different one or more rules.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rules identify a subset of content to be loaded onto the first portable media device from a larger collection of content loaded on the second media device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rules comprise one or more classes of content, the one or more classes of content including a class designating a user's preferred content, a class designating content a user desires to access only occasionally, and a class designating sample or promotional content previously unaccessed by the user.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rules comprise user preferences relating to one or more of a genre, artist, album, studio, record label, tempo, mood, station, channel, or content provider.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different one or more rules comprise at least one variation function, the variation function comprising a predefined threshold of content change specified by a user.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the variation function is expressed as a desired rate of change between the first content group and the second content group.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the variation function is expressed as a desired percentage of change between the first content group and the second content group.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portable media device comprises one or more partitions, the one or more partitions configured to store a particular subset of content specified by a user.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the particular subset of content stored in each of the one or more partitions is associated with a different variation threshold.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the particular subset of content stored in each of the one or more partitions is associated with different user preferences.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second content group is loaded onto the first portable media device upon a synchronization with the second media device.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user content preferences are based on express user ratings of the one or more content selections.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user content preferences are based on implied user ratings of the one or more content selections, the implied user ratings being determined by monitoring a user's interactions with the one or more content selections.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rules related to the user's content preferences comprise one or more default rules, the one or more default rules being implemented when a desired variation threshold cannot be reached or when there is inadequate memory in the first portable media device to store desired content.
15. A system comprising:
a storage device that stores a set of instructions; and
at least one processor that executes the set of instructions, the set of instructions configuring the at least one processor to:
generate a first content group for a first portable media device, the first content group comprising one or more content selections based on one or more rules related to user content preferences;
select one or more rules different than the one or more rules used to generate the first content group, wherein the different one or more rules are passively monitored on a second media device; and
generate a second content group comprising one or more different content selections for the first portable media device based on user preferences associated with the different one or more rules.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rules identify a subset of content to be loaded onto the first portable media device from a larger collection of content loaded on the second media device.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rules comprise one or more classes of content, the one or more classes of content including a class designating a user's preferred content, a class designating content a user desires to access only occasionally, and a class designating sample or promotional content previously unaccessed by the user.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rules comprise user preferences relating to one or more of a genre, artist, album, studio, record label, tempo, mood, station, channel, or content provider.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the different one or more rules comprise at least one variation function, the variation function comprising a predefined threshold of content change specified by a user.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the variation function is expressed as a desired rate of change between the first content group and the second content group.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the variation function is expressed as a desired percentage of change between the first content group and the second content group.
22. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage device including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to:
generate a first content group for a first portable media device, the first content group comprising one or more content selections based on one or more rules related to user content preferences;
select one or more rules different than the one or more rules used to generate the first content group, wherein the different one or more rules are passively monitored on a second media device; and
generate a second content group comprising one or more different content selections for the first portable media device based on user preferences associated with the different one or more rules.