Method and apparatus for providing downlaoded audio data

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for downloading audio data. The method comprises the steps of providing user preference data indicating one or more topics of interest to a user, and a relative ranking between these topics and providing user designated time span data indicative of a desired time for listening to an audio program. This user preference data and user designated time span data are then forwarded to a storage device and a plurality of audio data corresponding to the user preference data is retrieved. A length of time required to playback the audio data is first determined, and then it is determined whether the length of time required to playback the audio data is longer than the user designated time span. If it is determined that the length of time required to playback the audio data is longer than the user designated time span, then the length of at least one of the plurality of audio data is reduced. Finally, the audio data including the one of the plurality of audio data reduced in length is output.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.