Systems and methods for using playlists

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically generating a playlist of series assets and systems and methods for grouping assets of a playlist in clusters are provided. In one embodiment, series assets may automatically be included into a playlist for that series. In another embodiment, an interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters based on one or more user selected parameters or may group assets in cluster based on automatically determined parameters. In yet another embodiment, the interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters and display at least one identifier in connection with each cluster to indicate a basis for forming the cluster. The identifier may be a key word or catch phrase that succinctly identifies a trait or characteristic of assets in a particular cluster associated with the identifier.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method for using an interactive media guidance application, comprising:
 generating a playlist associated with a selected asset;   automatically including other related available assets into the playlist substantially at the time of the generation of the playlist;   arranging the assets in the playlist according to a predetermined order; and   dynamically updating the playlist as a function of changes associated with the assets in the playlist.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the selected asset is a recorded asset that is part of a series and the other related available assets are assets that belong to the same series as the selected asset. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein including other related available assets into the playlist comprises including assets that are related by a specified set of criteria. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 displaying program guide information, the program guide information including the selected asset;   receiving a user selection of the selected asset; and   determining whether the selected asset belongs to a series, wherein, generating a playlist comprises generating a series playlist when a playlist associated with the series does not already exist.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising:
 enabling a user to designate at least one series playlist option for the playlist. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the including is based on the at least one designated series playlist option. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the updating is based on the at least one designated series playlist option. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the playlist includes assets only for a series associated with the selected asset. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the playlist includes assets of at least one particular type, the method further comprising:
 determining assets of the at least one particular type that are available and correlating those determined assets to the series; and   including the available assets having the at least one particular type in the playlist.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one particular type is selected from the group consisting of locally recorded assets, remotely recorded assets, server stored assets, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 rearranging the order of assets in the playlist.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 adding a new series asset to the playlist when the new series asset becomes available.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the new series asset is added to the playlist when the new series asset is recorded. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the new series asset is added to the playlist when the new series asset is made available on a server. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 changing a representation of an asset within the playlist when that asset's accessibility changes state.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein changing a representation of an asset within the playlist comprises removing the asset from the playlist while maintaining an integrity of a rest of the playlist. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein changing a representation of an asset within the playlist comprises changing a characteristic of a visual representation of the asset within the playlist and changing some aspect of a functionality of the asset's representation. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein changing some aspect of a functionality of the asset's representation comprises skipping playback of the asset during execution of the playlist. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 removing an asset from the playlist when that asset has been deleted.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 removing an asset from the playlist when that asset is no longer accessible.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 preventing playback of an asset from the playlist when that asset is not authorized for viewing according to a digital rights management system.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the updating comprises:
 removing an asset from the playlist when that asset has been viewed.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising providing a remote user interface to allow a user to at least select the selected asset. 
     
     
         50 . A system for using an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising user equipment operative to:
 generate a playlist associated with a selected asset;   automatically include other related available assets into the playlist substantially at the time of the generation of the playlist;   arrange the assets in the playlist according to a predetermined order; and   dynamically update the playlist as a function of changes associated with the assets in the playlist.   
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the selected asset is a recorded asset that is part of a series and the other related available assets are assets that belong to the same series as the selected asset. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to include the other related available assets into the playlist that are related by a specified set of criteria. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 50 , the user equipment further operative to:
 display program guide information, the program guide information including the selected asset;   receive a user selection of the selected asset;   determine whether the selected asset belongs to a series; and   generate a series playlist when a playlist associated with the series does not already exist.   
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 50 , the user equipment further operative to:
 enable a user to designate at least one series playlist option for the playlist.   
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the user equipment is operative to include the other related available assets into the playlist based on the at least one designated series playlist option. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the user equipment is operative to update the playlist based on the at least one designated series playlist option. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the playlist includes assets only for a series associated with the selected asset. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the playlist includes assets of at least one particular type, the user equipment further operative to:
 determine assets of the at least one particular type that are available and correlating those determined assets to the series; and   include the available assets having the at least one particular type in the playlist.   
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the at least one particular type is selected from the group consisting of locally recorded assets, remotely recorded assets, server stored assets, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 rearrange the order of assets in the playlist.   
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 add a new series asset to the playlist when the new series asset becomes available.   
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the new series asset is added to the playlist when the new series asset is recorded. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the new series asset is added to the playlist when the new series asset is made available on a server. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 change the representation of an asset within the playlist when that asset's accessibility changes state.   
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the user equipment is operative to change a representation of an asset within the playlist by removing the asset from the playlist while maintaining an integrity of a rest of the playlist. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the user equipment is operative to change a representation of an asset within the playlist by changing a characteristic of a visual representation of the asset within the playlist and changing some aspect of a functionality of the asset's representation. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein the user equipment is operative to change some aspect of a functionality of the asset's representation by skipping playback of the asset during execution of the playlist. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 remove an asset from the playlist when that asset has been deleted.   
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 remove an asset from the playlist when that asset is no longer accessible.   
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 prevent playback of an asset from the playlist when that asset is not authorized for viewing according to a digital rights management system.   
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the user equipment is operative to:
 remove an asset from the playlist when that asset has been viewed.   
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 50 , further comprising a remote user interface, the remote user interface allowing a user to at least select the selected asset.