Patent ID: 6430582
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for playing a selected portion of at least one media file, the method comprising the steps of:defining a plurality of media clips from the at least one media file; defining at least one topic, at least one complexity rating, and at least one order rating, the at least one complexity rating providing a rating of the complexity of one of the plurality of media clips, the at least one order rating defining a presentation sequence of the plurality of media clips; measuring each of the plurality of media clips to determine a length of time of each of the plurality of media clips; providing a database means for associating each of the plurality of media clips with one of the at least one topics, one of the at least one complexity ratings, one of the at least one order ratings, and the length of time measured; associating, in the database means, each of the plurality of media clips with the length of time measured; associating, in the database means, each of the plurality of media clips with at least one of the at least one topic; associating, in the database means, each of the plurality of media clips with at least one of the at least one complexity rating; associating, in the database means, each of the plurality of media clips with at least one of the at least one order rating; providing a goal seeking engine; receiving, into the goal seeking engine, a desired topic, a desired complexity, and a desired play length, the goal seeking engine performing the steps of: selecting from the plurality of media clips only those media clips that are associated with the at least one topic that matches the desired topic; selecting from those media clips that are associated with the at least one topic only those media clips that are associated with the at least one complexity rating that matches the desired complexity; selecting, from those media clips that are associated with both the at least one topic that matches the desired topic and the at least one complexity rating that matches the desired complexity, a plurality of suitable media clips which are not duplicates, based on the order rating, and the sum of whose length of time is approximately equal to the desired play length; sorting the plurality of suitable media clips based on the order rating; and playing the plurality of suitable media clips.