Method and apparatus to prepare listener-interest-filtered works

1. A method of presenting at least a portion of an audio or audio-visual work comprising:

retrieving from a database apparatus an average speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for a single user, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work or a democratic speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for multiple users, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work; and

presenting the at least a portion at a playback apparatus using the retrieved average speed contour or democratic speed contour to provide presentation rates.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the audio or audio-visual work comprises an informational work.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the informational work comprises instructional material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the audio or audio-visual work comprises an entertainment work.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the entertainment work comprises a television show or a movie.

6. A method of presenting at least a portion of an audio or audio-visual work comprising:

retrieving from a database apparatus a speed contour or an average speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for a single user, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work or a democratic speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for multiple users, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work; and

presenting the at least a portion at a playback apparatus using the retrieved speed contour or average speed contour or democratic speed contour to provide presentation rates;

wherein the audio or audio-visual work comprises results obtained from a search using an apparatus comprised of a search engine.

7. A method of presenting at least a portion of an audio or audio-visual work comprising:

from a database apparatus a speed contour or an average speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for a single user, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work or a democratic speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for multiple users, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work; and

presenting the at least a portion at a playback apparatus using the retrieved speed contour or average speed contour or democratic speed contour to provide presentation rates;

wherein the audio or audio-visual work comprises a commercial.

8. A method of presenting at least a portion of an audio or audio-visual work comprises:

a user selecting from a database apparatus a conceptual speed association data structure comprised of pairs of concept identifiers and presentation rates; and

presenting the at least a portion of the audio or audio-visual work using a playback apparatus by: (a) obtaining conceptual information from the at least a portion of the audio or audio-visual work and/or any metadata associated therewith, (b) using the conceptual information to determine concept identifiers, and (c) using the concept identifiers and the user selected conceptual speed association data structure to determine presentation rates for the conceptual information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein selecting comprises selecting the conceptual speed association data structure from those previously used for presenting by the user or a different user.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the conceptual speed association data structure is stored at a database apparatus that is remote from the playback apparatus.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the conceptual speed association data structure includes concepts where the user has no interest; and wherein presenting the audio or audio-visual work causes such concepts to be skipped.

12. A method of presenting an audio or audio-visual work comprises:

a user selecting from a database apparatus an average speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for a single user, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work;

or a democratic speed contour comprised of an average of multiple speed contours obtained for the audio or audio-visual work for multiple users, wherein values of presentation rate in the average speed contour are mathematical averages of presentation rates in the multiple speed contours for corresponding segments of the audio or audio-visual work; and

presenting the audio or audio-visual work at a playback apparatus using the user selected average speed contour or democratic speed contour to provide presentation rates.

13. A method of providing a conceptual speed association structure (CSA) which includes pairs of concept identifiers and presentation rates comprises:

presenting an audio or audio-visual work using a playback apparatus to a user;

the user providing input to the playback apparatus during the presentation, and, the playback apparatus determining the presentation rate for the audio or audio-visual work during the presentation that may include responding to the user input;

the playback apparatus obtaining conceptual information for portions of the audio or audio-visual work from the audio or audio-visual work and/or any metadata associated therewith, using the conceptual information to determine concept identifiers, and developing presentation rates for each of the concept identifiers using the presentation rates set by the playback apparatus and/or the user; and

the playback apparatus generating the CSA by pairing the concept identifiers with the presentation rates.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the user providing input comprises the user specifying “no interest” in a concept.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein:

developing comprises analyzing playback rates set over a concept to provide a single playback rate for the concept.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein analyzing comprises averaging the playback rates over the concept.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein:

analyzing comprises calculating a weighted average of user modified playback rates over a concept to provide a single playback rate for the concept, which weighted average emphasizes the most recent user modified playback rates.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

the playback apparatus converting the CSA into a speed contour.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the audio or audio-visual work comprises an informational work.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the informational work comprises instructional material.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the audio or audio-visual work comprises an entertainment work.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the entertainment work comprises a television show or a movie.

23. A method of presenting an audio or audio-visual work comprises:

presenting an audio or audio-visual work using a playback apparatus to a user;

the user providing input to the playback apparatus for portions of the audio or audio-visual work during the presentation, and, in response, the playback apparatus modifying the presentation rate during the presentation;

the playback apparatus (a) obtaining conceptual information for the portions from the audio or audio-visual work and/or any metadata associated therewith, (b) using the conceptual information to determine concept identifiers, and (c) developing presentation rates for each of the concept identifiers using presentation rates modified in response to the user input; and

during the presentation, the playback apparatus (a) obtaining conceptual information from the audio or audio-visual work and/or any metadata associated therewith, (b) using the conceptual information to determine concept identifiers, and (c) using the concept identifiers to obtain presentation rates developed for the concept identifiers.

24. A method of presenting an audio or audio-visual work comprises:

a user forming a search request comprised of search criteria for use in retrieving audio or audio-visual works using a search apparatus comprised of a search engine;

converting the search request into a conceptual speed association structure (CSA) using a playback apparatus or the search apparatus by using the search request to determine concept identifiers and pairing the concept identifiers with presentation rates;

retrieving an audio or audio-visual work using the search request in conjunction with the apparatus comprised of a search engine; and

presenting the search results comprised of one or more audio and/or audio-visual works using the playback apparatus by: (a) obtaining conceptual information from one of the one or more audio or audio-visual works and/or any metadata associated therewith, (b) using the conceptual information to determine concept identifiers, and (c) using the concept identifiers and the CSA to determine presentation rates.