# US 11,909,797 B2 · Systems and methods for switching between media content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,797 B2 - Document ID: US11909797B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/825,996 - Filed: 2022-05-26 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-29 - Assignees: Spotify AB - Applicants: Spotify AB - Inventors: Aaron Paul Harmon; Adam Shonkoff; Bradford Lage; Johanna Anderson Favole; Justin David Covington; Paul Lamere; Timothy Andrew Chagnon; Debra Lynn McDonald; Matthew Julian Seaton; Matthew Budelman; Scott Kagan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909797B2 ## CPC - H04L 65/613: for the control of the source by the destination (control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637) - H04L 65/1089: by adding media; by removing media - H04L 65/612: for unicast - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method for personalizing media content for a user is provided. The method includes, at an electronic device, streaming a first media item from a first set of media items, the first set of media items compiled using a first recommendation hypothesis. The method further includes, while streaming the first media item, in response to a first user request, selecting, without user intervention, a second set of media items, distinct from the first set of media items, including determining a presentation order of a plurality of sets of media items using a heuristic applied to the plurality of sets of media items. The second set of media items is compiled using a second recommendation hypothesis, wherein the second recommendation hypothesis is distinct from the first recommendation hypothesis. The method includes streaming a second media item from the second set of media items. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for personalizing media content for a user, comprising: at an electronic device: streaming a first media item from a first playlist, the first playlist comprising a plurality of media items curated for the user using a first recommendation hypothesis; while streaming the first media item, in response to a first user request for initiating a differently-curated next playlist, selecting, without user intervention, the differently-curated next playlist, distinct from the first playlist, including: determining a presentation order of a plurality of playlists, each playlist including a plurality of media items curated using a respective recommendation hypothesis, using a heuristic applied to the plurality of playlists, wherein: a second playlist is selected as the differently-curated next playlist after the first playlist in the presentation order; and the second playlist is curated for the user using a second recommendation hypothesis, wherein the second recommendation hypothesis curates media items differently than the first recommendation hypothesis; and streaming a second media item from the second playlist. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first user request is a request to change to a different playlist. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the heuristic is based on one or more of: a playback history of the user, user inputs in a current session, user inputs in previous sessions, and user profile information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, during a current session: tracking one or more inputs received from the user; and updating a presentation order of the plurality of playlists based on the heuristic in accordance with the one or more inputs received during the current session. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein a user input of the one or more inputs received from the user comprises a user request to skip a currently playing media item from a set of the plurality of playlists. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: while streaming a third media item from the second playlist, in response to receiving a second user request: selecting, without user intervention, a third playlist, distinct from the first playlist and the second playlist, the third playlist compiled using a third recommendation hypothesis, wherein the third playlist is selected according to the presentation order of the plurality of playlists determined by the heuristic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting an order for streaming media items from the second playlist; and streaming media items from the second playlist in the selected order. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first recommendation hypothesis for compiling the first playlist is based on one or more of a genre of media items, a decade of media items, a mood of media items, an artist of media items, and whether media items have previously been presented to the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, removing, from the second playlist, media items that have been previously streamed to the user during a current session. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: each playlist in the plurality of playlists is associated with a respective category from a predefined set of categories; and the heuristic identifies an order of the categories such that the second playlist is selected from a next respective category after the respective category of the first playlist. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising, rotating through the identified order of the categories, including selecting a playlist within the respective category. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein, for a current session, an initial order of the categories, as identified by the heuristic, is predefined without input from previous sessions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the predefined set of categories includes a category for familiar media content, a category for nostalgic media content, and a category for discovering media content. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising, using a second heuristic to determine, within the next respective category, which playlist within the next respective category to select as the differently-curated next playlist. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, before streaming the second media item from the second playlist, streaming an additional content item that includes information about the second playlist. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the heuristic is updated during a first session of the user; and the method further comprises: storing the updated heuristic, and using the updated heuristic during a subsequent session of the user. ### Claim 17 An electronic device associated with a media-providing service, comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for: streaming a first media item from a first playlist, the first playlist comprising a plurality of media items curated for a user using a first recommendation hypothesis; while streaming the first media item, in response to a first user request for initiating a differently-curated next playlist, selecting, without user intervention, the differently-curated next playlist, distinct from the first playlist, including: determining a presentation order of a plurality of playlists, each playlist including a plurality of media items curated using a respective recommendation hypothesis, using a heuristic applied to the plurality of playlists, wherein: a second playlist is selected as the differently-curated next playlist after the first playlist in the presentation order; and the second playlist is curated for the user using a second recommendation hypothesis, wherein the second recommendation hypothesis curates media items differently than the first recommendation hypothesis; and streaming a second media item from the second playlist. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by an electronic device associated with a media-providing service, the one or more programs comprising instructions for: streaming a first media item from a first playlist, the first playlist comprising a plurality of media items curated for a user using a first recommendation hypothesis; while streaming the first media item, in response to a first user request for initiating a differently-curated next playlist, selecting, without user intervention, the differently-curated next playlist, distinct from the first playlist, including: determining a presentation order of a plurality of playlists, each playlist including a plurality of media items curated using a respective recommendation hypothesis, using a heuristic applied to the plurality of playlists, wherein: a second playlist is selected as the differently-curated next playlist after the first playlist in the presentation order; and the second playlist is curated for the user using a second recommendation hypothesis, wherein the second recommendation hypothesis curates media items differently than the first recommendation hypothesis; and streaming a second media item from the second playlist.