Administering a time-shifting cache in a media playback device

1. A method of administering a time-shifting cache in a media playback device, the media playback device receiving from a digital media provider a digital media stream comprising digital media content, the method comprising:

caching the digital media content of the digital media stream in the time-shifting cache;

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content, including identifying one or more segments of digital audio, the segments limited to a maximum size, the maximum size limiting the identified segments of digital audio so that removing the identified segments of digital audio from the cached digital media content is imperceptible to a human ear during playback of the cached digital media content of the digital media stream; and

managing the time-shifting cache in dependence upon the identified non-preferred segments, deleting, from the time-shifting cache, the identified non-preferred segments.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein managing the time-shifting cache in dependence upon the identified non-preferred segments further comprises:

responsive to a user instruction to playback cached content, playing the cached content beginning at a segment not identified as non-preferred.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the digital media stream further comprises one or more segment markers, the segment markers indicating non-preferred segments of the digital media content; and

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content includes discovering the segment markers in the digital media stream.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the digital media stream is characterized by a content category; and

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content includes identifying one or more segments that do not conform to the content category.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content further comprises identifying segments representing silence.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content further comprises:

identifying one or more segments comprising advertisements.

7. An apparatus for administering a time-shifting cache in a media playback device, the media playback device receiving from a digital media provider a digital media stream comprising digital media content, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

caching the digital media content of the digital media stream in the time-shifting cache;

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content, including identifying one or more segments of digital audio, the segments limited to a maximum size, the maximum size limiting the identified segments of digital audio so that removing the identified segments of digital audio from the cached digital media content is imperceptible to a human ear during playback of the cached digital media content of the digital media stream; and

managing the time-shifting cache in dependence upon the identified non-preferred segments, deleting, from the time-shifting cache, the identified non-preferred segments.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein managing the time-shifting cache in dependence upon the identified non-preferred segments further comprises:

responsive to a user instruction to playback cached content, playing the cached content beginning at a segment not identified as non-preferred.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the digital media stream further comprises one or more segment markers, the segment markers indicating non-preferred segments of the digital media content; and

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content includes discovering the segment markers in the digital media stream.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the digital media stream is characterized by a content category; and

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content includes identifying one or more segments that do not conform to the content category.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content further comprises identifying segments representing silence.

12. A computer program product for administering a time-shifting cache in a media playback device, the media playback device receiving from a digital media provider a digital media stream comprising digital media content, the computer program product disposed in a non-transmission computer readable recording medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

caching the digital media content of the digital media stream in the time-shifting cache;

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content, including identifying one or more segments of digital audio, the segments limited to a maximum size, the maximum size limiting the identified segments of digital audio so that removing the identified segments of digital audio from the cached digital media content is imperceptible to a human ear during playback of the cached digital media content of the digital media stream; and

managing the time-shifting cache in dependence upon the identified non-preferred segments, deleting, from the time-shifting cache, the identified non-preferred segments.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein managing the time-shifting cache in dependence upon the identified non-preferred segments further comprises:

responsive to a user instruction to playback cached content, playing the cached content beginning at a segment not identified as non-preferred.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein:

the digital media stream further comprises one or more segment markers, the segment markers indicating non-preferred segments of the digital media content; and

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content includes discovering the segment markers in the digital media stream.

15. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein:

the digital media stream is characterized by a content category; and

dynamically identifying one or more non-preferred segments of the cached digital media content includes identifying one or more segments that do not conform to the content category.