Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Methods and Systems for Content Processing

Improved techniques for interaction between a host computer (e.g., personal computer) and a media player are disclosed. According to one aspect, interaction between a host computer and a media player, such as automatic synchronization of media contents stored on a media player with media contents stored on a host computer, can be restricted. According to another aspect, management of media items residing on a media player can be performed at and by a host computer for the media player. According to still another aspect, media content can be played by a media player in accordance with quality settings established for the media content at the host computer.

Intelligent interaction between media player and host computer

A community media playlist sharing system is disclosed, wherein system users can upload media playlists which are automatically converted to a standardized format, media playlists can be shared with other users of the community media playlist sharing system, users can link to other playlists and obtain media from playlists automatically from third party points of purchase, users can provide recommendations, ratings and rankings relative to other playlists by system users and receive recommendations from other users and an editorial staff, participate in social networking functions including forums, discussions, weblogs, playlist topic groups and inter-user communications based on affinity for similar playlists, create playlists manually, automatically, or in real time, and wherein system users can obtain points for participation and popularity in the system and obtain profit by meta-affiliate sharing of profit for purchases of music made through playlists submitted by that user as well as through playlist toolbars distributed to third party websites.

Interactive music playlist sharing system and methods

In a portable multimedia device, a method, apparatus, and system for providing user supplied configuration data are described. In one embodiment, a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface are provided. A first order, or home, interface provides a highest order of user selectable items each of which, when selected, results in an automatic transition to a lower order user interface associated with the selected item. In one of the described embodiments, the lower order interface includes other user selectable items associated with the previously selected item from the higher order user interface.

Graphical user interface and methods of use thereof in a multimedia player

Disclosed is a method and system for providing audio service to a client through a communication network. A user subscribes to the service and the user's access to audio files is contingent upon authorization and validation. Once authorized, the user may access and stream out audio date files, or similar types of files, to the client device through the communication network. Metrics are maintained for the play-out of each audio file and payment may be allocated to an owner of rights in the audio file based on the play-out statistics. The user may maintain customized play lists on the server for playing out preselected audio files. A play list may be sent to another user. The server may also be configured to select audio files not previously selected by the user based on the user's past selection behavior or based on the user's stated preferences. The audio files identified by the server are then suggested to the user. The user may also be referred by the server to a sales site to purchase a recording of the audio file.

Method and system for subscriber-based audio service over a communication network

A method and system for establishing a dynamic content delivery system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a Bluetooth (103) enabled mobile communications unit is used to communicate with a server (105) in order to make a request for the delivery of specific content, such as a song, video, or the like, to a separate output device, such as a loudspeaker (109), a display screen (113), or the like. In another embodiment the content is delivered back to the requesting mobile communications device (111). In some embodiments, hybrid networks may be used for requesting and delivering content. A narrowband, bi-directional, unicast network may be used for requesting content and acknowledging the requests, while a broadband uni-directional, multicast network may be used to deliver the requested content to the requesting client device (111). The order in which the content is delivered may be modified by user requests according to a predetermined algorithm.

Dynamic content delivery responsive to user requests

A system and method for dynamically creating a sample of multimedia content for preview by a user of a mobile terminal involves providing a first set of parameters associated with a size of a preview sample of the multimedia content, and providing a second set of parameters associated with composition of the preview sample. A preview sample is dynamically extracted from the multimedia content using the respective first and second parameter sets. A mobile terminal specific preview sample of the multimedia content is generated using the extracted preview sample for transmission to a specific mobile terminal.

System and method for dynamically producing a multimedia content sample for mobile terminal preview

A mobile station has a processor and a user input mechanism such as a button that is operable to cause the processor to extract at least one feature from a digital media sample. The feature, such as a spectral centroid, is descriptive of an identity of a content of the media sample. Preferably, the same user input that causes the feature extraction also causes a transmitter to establish a link and to send a message to a network address, the message having a plurality of extracted features from which the digital media sample may not be reconstructed. Where a reply message identifies a media file that matches the media sample, another user input at the same or a different button causes an authorization message to be sent so that a copy of the media file, identified in the reply message and having features that exactly match the plurality of extracted and transmitted features, is downloaded to the mobile station.

Mobile station and interface adapted for feature extraction from an input media sample

A method for synthesizing a binaural audio signal, the method comprising: inputting a parametrically encoded audio signal comprising at least one combined signal of a plurality of audio channels and one or more corresponding sets of side information describing a multi- channel sound image; and applying a predetermined set of head-related transfer function filters to the at least one combined signal in proportion determined by the corresponding set of side information to synthesize a binaural audio signal. A corresponding parametric audio decoder, parametric audio encoder, computer program product, and apparatus for synthesizing a binaural audio signal are also described.

Decoding of binaural audio signals

The invention relates to a method and a circuit arrangement for adjusting the level and/or dynamic range of an audio signal in a transmission system and particularly in a mobile station. According to the invention, the level of acoustic noise in the environment of a terminal (10, 12) and the level and noise level of a received signal are measured (123) and the level and/or dynamic range of the reproduced signal are adjusted (121, 122) according to the results from said measurements. The solution according to the invention helps reduce the effect of noise in the signal transmitted on the transmission channel (11) and of the acoustic noise in the environment of the terminal (12) on the intelligibility of the reproduced information.

Mauri Vaananen

Papers

Dynamic content delivery responsive to user requests

System and method for dynamically producing a multimedia content sample for mobile terminal preview

Mobile station and interface adapted for feature extraction from an input media sample

Decoding of binaural audio signals

Method and circuit arrangement for adjusting the level or dynamic range of an audio signal