Method and Apparatus For Progressively Deleting Media Objects From Storage

Abstract

A system for managing storage space on an electronic storage medium is provided in which a file format for stored data allows for progressive deletion of low-significance data, for example in a video or audio file, while allowing the remaining portions of the file to be subsequently retrieved. The file format allows for the ready deletion of low-significance data without having to open, edit and subsequently rewrite the data. Furthermore, rules-based algorithms for the deletion of low-significance data allow a user to store and progressively delete such low-significance data in accordance with time parameters, available storage space and the like, without having to delete the full file.

1 - 92 . (canceled) 
     
     
         93 . A method implemented by a software system running on a computer, comprising:
 accessing, via the software system, a listing of items of continuous media that have been selected by a consumer, the listing including metadata that identifies the items and that is usable to enable the consumer to access the items for play,   enabling, via the software system, the consumer to request to play one or more of the items,   providing automatically, via the software system, at least the metadata that identifies the items to a server system that is remote from the consumer and that serves the consumer and a plurality of other consumers,   accessing, via the software system, a playlist that identifies a plurality of the items to be played in a specified sequence,   providing automatically, via the software system, the playlist to the server system,   enabling, via the software system, the consumer to specify that the playlist is permitted to be shared with at least one device other than a device currently being used by the consumer.   
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the items are recorded music items. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the software system is local to the consumer. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the software system is remote from the consumer. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the software system is remote from the consumer and is coupled to the server system. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the items are accessed from storage local to the consumer. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the items are accessed from storage remote from the consumer. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the playlist is made accessible to at least one other device that is used by the consumer. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the playlist is made accessible to at least one other device that is used by at least one additional consumer. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the playlist is made accessible to at least one of the plurality of other consumers that is unrelated to the consumer. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the playlist is used to make inferences about the consumer. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein the inferences are used to recommend additional items to the consumer. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein the inferences are used to recommend additional items to at least one of the plurality of other consumers. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 93 , further comprising:
 automatically tracking, via the software system, a history of plays by the consumer; and   automatically providing the history of plays, via the software system, to the server system.   
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 106 , wherein the history of plays is used to make inferences about the consumer. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 107 , wherein the inferences are used to recommend additional items to the consumer. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 107 , wherein the inferences are used to recommend additional items to at least one of the plurality of other consumers. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the listing is made available to the consumer at a plurality of devices used by the consumer. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the listing is made available at a plurality of devices used by one or more consumers other than the consumer. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the consumer has local access to one of the items at one device, and is granted remote access to the one of the items from a different device at which the user does not have local access to the one of the items. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the consumer is provided access to one of the items at one device at a quality level different from that provided to the consumer at another device. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 93  further comprising:
 maintaining, via the software system, the listing of items, and 
 maintaining, via the software system, the playlist. 
 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 93 , further comprising enabling, via the software system, an initiation of play of the playlist so as to effect the automatic play of the items in the playlist in the specified sequence. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the software system comprises the device currently being used by the consumer. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the software system comprises a user interface service associated with the server system. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the software system comprises the device currently being used by the consumer coupled with a user interface service associated with the server system.