Systems and methods of playing media files

Abstract

A method of playing media files includes accessing a media library, identifying a plurality of media files in the media library, indexing metadata of the plurality of media files, targeting a first subset of media files in the plurality of media files based on metadata of a selected media file, and playing at least one media file of the first subset of media files.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device for playback of media, the device comprising:
 an input device;   a processor; and   a hardware storage device in communication with the processor, the hardware storage device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 access a media library; 
 access metadata of a plurality of media files in the media library; 
 identify metadata of a selected media file; and 
 target a subset of the plurality of media files having metadata matching or within a threshold value of the metadata of the selected media file. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , the input device being a display of the electronic device. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , the input device having at least one targeting button. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , the targeting button being a soft button. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , the input device including a threshold control that sets the threshold value. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , the at least one targeting button having a plurality of states, each state of the plurality of states targeting a category of metadata. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , the input device having at least a first targeting button configured to target a first category of metadata and a second targeting button configured to target a second category of metadata, wherein the second category changes upon depressing the first targeting button. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a communication device configured to access the media library. 
     
     
         9 . A method of playing media files, the method comprising:
 accessing a media library;   identifying a plurality of media files in the media library;   indexing metadata of the plurality of media files;   targeting a first subset of media files in the plurality of media files based on metadata of a selected media file; and   playing at least one media file of the first subset of media files.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising creating playlist based on the first subset of media files. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising targeting a second subset of media files based on the selected media file. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , targeting a second subset including automatically targeting the second subset in response to targeting the first subset. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , playing at least one media file of the first subset of media files including playing at least one media file that is in both the first subset and second subset. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , the metadata comprising an artist title, an album title, and a publication year. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , the metadata further comprising a genre. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , the metadata further comprising a beats per minute value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , the metadata further comprising a composer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising targeting the first subset based on a threshold value and the metadata of the selected media file. 
     
     
         19 . A method of playing media files, the method comprising:
 accessing a media library;   identifying a plurality of media files in the media library;   indexing metadata of the plurality of media files;   playing a first media file;   selecting a metadata category;   targeting a first subset of media files in the plurality of media files based on the selected metadata category and the metadata of the first media file while the first media file is playing; and   playing at least one media file of the first subset of media files.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , targeting the first subset including targeting media files within a threshold value of the metadata of the first media file while the first media file is playing.