Browser interpretable document for controlling a plurality of media players and systems and methods related thereto

Abstract

A browser interpretable document comprising a first media file or a pointer to the first media file; a graphical user interface definition, or a pointer to the graphical user interface definition, the graphical user interface definition comprising a first user interface element and a function associated with the first user interface element; and, a set of commands, or a pointer to the set of commands, for controlling the operation of a plurality of media players; wherein, when the browser interpretable document is rendered by a conventional web browser, the web browser can render a graphical user interface based on the graphical user interface definition, and wherein the rendered graphical user interface controls one of the plurality of media players to facilitate playing of the first media file.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . Computer media tangibly comprising instructions interpretable by a browser running on a computing device, the instructions defining:
 a playlist comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a media file or a pointer to the media file;   a graphical user interface definition, or a pointer to the graphical user interface definition, the graphical user interface definition comprising a first user interface element and a media player related function associated with the first user interface element; and,   a set of commands, or a pointer to the set of commands, for controlling the operation of a plurality of media player applications;   wherein, when the browser interpretable instructions are interpreted by a conventional web browser, the web browser displays a graphical user interface to the user, the displayed graphical user interface being based on the graphical user interface definition, the displayed graphical user interface being capable of controlling one of the plurality of media player applications via the first user interface element to facilitate playing of the media file of the playlist.   
   
   
       16 . The browser interpretable document of  claim 15 , the graphical user interface definition being defined in a standardized markup language derived from the Standardized Generalized Markup Language. 
   
   
       17 . The browser interpretable document of  claim 16 , the markup language being Hypertext Markup Language. 
   
   
       18 . The browser interpretable document of  claim 17 , the set of commands comprising instructions in a scripting language. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , each playlist entry further comprising a media type indicator associated with the media file. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , the set of commands comprising instructions through which the browser can determine whether a media player application capable of playing the media file is installed on a computing device on which the browser is running, such determination being made, at least in part, based on the media type indicator associated with the media file.