US 2011/0213475 A1Published application

System and method for interactive visualization of music properties

AssigneeMagix AG

InventorsTilman Herberger, Titus Tost

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Abstract

There is provided a visual music classification and management system. Each music item in a user's collection will be analyzed to identify its musical characteristics along with some estimate of the degree of confidence associated with that characteristic. By using characteristics, so-called music aspects, it will be possible to efficiently categorize the contents of a music database. Each music item will be stored in a database with the calculated values as will the characterizing aspect. The database contents will be displayed by drawing icons representing the music items on a user's screen, with the size (or other visual aspect) of the icon reflecting the degree of confidence with that categorization. Searches of the database will be performed by on-screen manipulations of the aspect cluster-positioned music items.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of managing a plurality of digital audio items, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a database comprised of said plurality of digital audio items, each of said plurality of digital audio items having a plurality of data values associated therewith, each of said plurality of data values being representative of an aspect of said digital audio item;
(b) choosing one of said plurality of digital audio items;
(c) identifying said data values associated with said chosen digital audio item;
(d) using said identified data values to determine a characterizing aspect of said chosen digital audio item;
(e) determining a screen location associated with said characterizing aspect;
(f) displaying an icon representative of said chosen digital audio item on a display device proximate to said screen location, thereby forming an aspect cluster;
(g) performing steps (b) through (f) until sufficient digital audio items are chosen to produce at least two different aspect clusters that each have a plurality of digital audio items associated therewith;
(h) selecting a first one of said aspect clusters on the display device, said first aspect cluster having a first characterizing aspect associated therewith, said first aspect cluster having a first plurality of digital audio items associated therewith;
(i) dragging on said display device a representation of said first aspect cluster to a screen location proximate to a second aspect cluster, said second aspect cluster having a second characterizing aspect associated therewith, said second aspect cluster having a second plurality of digital audio items associated therewith;
(j) selecting a confidence level;
(k) identifying which of said first plurality of digital audio items possesses said second characterizing aspect at said confidence level;
(l) identifying which of said second plurality of digital audio items possesses said first characterizing aspect at said confidence level;
(m) using any of said identified digital audio items in said first plurality of digital audio items or said second plurality of digital audio items to form a playlist;
and,
(n) performing for a user at least a portion of said playlist.

12 more elements

A method of managing a plurality of music items comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing said plurality of said music items;
(b) determining a characterizing aspect for each of said plurality of music items, thereby obtaining a plurality of different characterizing aspects;
(c) for each of said plurality of different characterizing aspects, determining a different screen location;
(d) displaying an icon representative of each of said plurality of music items on a display screen at a location proximate to said screen location of its determined characterizing aspect, thereby creating a plurality of aspect clusters;
(e) requiring a user to select a first aspect cluster, thereby selecting each music item having a first characterizing aspect;
(f) requiring the user to move an on-screen representation of said first aspect cluster to an on-screen representation of said second aspect cluster, thereby selecting each music item having a second characterizing aspect;
(g) for each of said selected music item having said first characterizing aspect, determining a value of said second characterizing aspect;
(h) for each of said selected music item having said second characterizing aspect, determining a value of said first characterizing aspect;
(i) selecting a confidence level;
(j) selecting from among said selected music item having said first characterizing aspect any music item which has said second characterizing aspect at or above said selected confidence level;
(k) selecting from among said selected music item having said second characterizing aspect any music item which has said second characterizing aspect at or above said selected confidence level;
(l) for each of said music items selected in steps (j) and (k), displaying on said display screen a changed icon different from said icon of step (d);
(m) requiring the user to choose at least one of said changed icons, thereby choosing at least one of said music items;
and,
(n) performing any of said chosen at least one music items for the user.

12 more elements

A method of creating a playlist, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a plurality of different music aspects;
(b) choosing one of a plurality of digital audio items in a music database, said chosen digital audio item having at least two aspect data values associated therewith;
(c) determining from said at least two aspect data values a characterizing aspect for said chosen digital audio item;
(d) assigning said chosen digital audio item to a particular one of said plurality of different music aspects using at least said characterizing aspect, wherein said particular one of said plurality of music aspects has a particular screen location associated therewith;
(e) displaying on a display device an icon representative of said chosen digital audio item at a location proximate to said particular screen location, thereby forming a cluster associated with said particular one of said plurality of music aspects;
(f) performing steps (b) through (e) until at least two of said music aspects have at least one of said chosen digital audio items assigned thereto, thereby forming at least two different clusters each associated with a different one of said music aspects;
(g) requiring a user to select one of said at least two different clusters via said display device;
(h) requiring the user to drag on said display device a representation of said selected cluster to a screen location proximate to a different one of said at least two different clusters;
(i) identifying a first music characteristic associated with said selected cluster;
(j) identifying a second music characteristic associated with said different one of said at least two different clusters;
(k) selecting a confidence level;
(l) identifying each music item in either said selected cluster or said different one of said at least two different clusters that exhibits both said first music characteristic and said second music characteristic at a level greater than or equal to said confidence level;
(m) creating a playlist from any of said music items so identified;
and,
(n) performing at least a portion of said playlist for a user.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.