Abstract:
An automated method for periodically evaluating media streams on a network of computers. The invention is used to determine the availability of various media streams and identify various characteristics of each stream. By repeatedly obtaining the addresses, attempting to establish communication with each media stream, and then reporting the results the system can verify that each media stream is accessible and report various characteristics of the stream.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/151,503, entitled “Search Verify Engine to Verify Streaming Audio Sources,” filed on Aug. 30, 1999, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to accessing media content over a network and more specifically to the classification and monitoring of media content. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The Internet allows digital communication between a server computer and a client computer using various protocols, such as: protocols for the World Wide Web (WWW or Web), such as HTTP (Hyper-Text Transport Protocol), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or XML (eXtended Markup Language); protocols for media streams for playing audio or video content, such as MP3 (Motion Picture experts group, audio layer 3) and RM (Real Media); and protocols for wireless applications such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). 
     The WWW often serves as the user front-end for various non-WWW protocols (e.g., media streams and WAP), which are technically Internet services that are not part of the Web. For example, Web pages include text, graphics and access to streaming media resources, such as audio or video content. The user accesses the various content types by means of a browser or a media player, which may be a browser plug-in or a stand-alone application. 
     A unique Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifies each computer resource on the Internet. To establish a connection with a particular resource on an Internet server, a user at a client computer sends a request to the URL associated with the desired Internet resource. User URL requests are usually made by typing the URL address directly into an address request box or by selecting a hypertext “hot link” referencing that URL. When the desired connection is formed between the Internet server and the client computer, the user is capable of interacting with the contents of that Internet resource. 
     Audio and video have been commonly accessible from Web pages since the introduction of media players such as RealPlayer® from RealNetworks® of Seattle, Wash., or Windows® Media Player from Microsoft® of Redmond, Wash., and other similar products. Such media content is usually played using a process called media streaming. Media streaming is a technique for transferring data from a server to a client across a network such that the data is processed and played as a steady and continuous stream. On-demand media streams, such as individual music works, news broadcasts, or program archives, have a fixed playing duration. Live media streams, such as simulcasts of broadcast programming or continuous entertainment services, usually have an unlimited length. 
     Users generally want to connect with high quality resources that provide the type of entertainment or service of their preference. However, conventional streaming media sources suffer from a variety of deficiencies. If the data cannot be transmitted fast enough between the server and the client due to network delays or user congestion, then short interruptions or garbled fidelity are experienced while the player catches up with the missed content. Furthermore, there is usually an upper limit to the number of simultaneous users that the media site can support, so new users may be denied service if they try to access the URL of the media component. Finally, some media streams may be out of service for a variety of other reasons, including technical problems, content carried on an associated broadcast station but specifically “blacked out” from Web streaming by the rights owner, human error, or a decision to no longer provide the Web services. 
     There are many different Web sites that provide a directory of audio, video or TV resources. Most of these directories are updated only occasionally, so that the directory listings are often substantially out of date due to the rapid pace of change experienced by media stream sites. There are thousands of media servers on the Internet, and users would like to keep up to date with the many highly dynamic changes affecting reception quality, availability, content, and broadcast schedule. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is an automated method and a computer program for periodically evaluating media streams on a network of computers. The method and program determine the availability of various media streams and identify various characteristics of each stream. One embodiment of the method includes the steps of periodically obtaining a first and second group of addresses, attempting to establish communication with each media stream, terminating the connection if the connection was established, and reporting the results. Each address identifies a location of a media stream on the network. The second group of addresses only includes those media streams that were previously identified as being unavailable. The step of attempting to establish communication with each media stream is done to determine a characteristic of the media stream. However, even if communication is not established, that fact alone is valuable information that should be reported. A preferred embodiment of the invention periodically obtains the second group of addresses more frequently than the first group so unavailable media streams are verified more frequently than all other media streams. 
     Another embodiment of the invention includes the steps of periodically obtaining addresses, attempting to establish connections with the media streams using the addresses, determining the transmission rate of each media stream, and updating records that contain information about the media stream with information concerning whether a connection was made to each media stream and, if a connection was made, reporting the transmission rate. 
     In another aspect of the invention, a computer program includes a control loop and at least one stream verification routine. The control loop obtains a block of addresses from a database each time verification is required. The stream verification routine first receives an individual address from the control loop, then verifies that the media stream is capable of being accessed, and then delivers the results back to the database. Several different stream verification routines can be used if the available hardware can support simultaneous connections with the media streams. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustration of the various systems associated with the invention. 
     FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustration of the Universal Stream Tuning System (USTS). 
     FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustration of the URL Verification Engine (UVE). 
     FIG. 1D is a block diagram illustration of the database system. 
     FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a process for logging on to the USTS server. 
     FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process for filtering, displaying, selecting, and playing media streams. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a state diagram for the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) Verification Engine. 
     FIG. 5 shows the method used for filling out records in the Stream Database. 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of a representative Web page tool bar that interacts with the USTS database. 
     FIG. 7 is an illustration of a representative interactive display of stream categories and subcategories produced from the Stream Database. 
     FIG. 8 is an illustration of an interactive display that provides interactive results produced from a Stream Database search. 
     FIG. 9 is an illustration of an interactive display that provides additional stream details provided from the Stream Database. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1A shows various systems that may communicate through the Internet  110 . The Internet  110  is conventional and comprises a collection of networked computer nodes capable of exchanging data packets using standard transmission protocols. The Internet  110  is explained in the reference  LAN Times Encyclopedia of Networking , Tom Sheldon, 1994. One such set of protocols conventionally referred to as media stream protocols, enables the transmission of various media streams between nodes throughout the Internet  110 . 
     A Universal Stream Tuning Service (USTS)  120  enhances the ability of users to locate and receive media streams from the Internet. 
     The USTS  120  provides a very general tuning service designed to enable use of the USTS from a plurality of other USTS-enabled services  130 , including Web sites  128  and other protocol servers  129 , which may be provided by third parties. The design of the USTS allows the look, feel and content of the other USTS-enabled services  130  to be customized to the particular needs, formats, user equipment types, concepts and business model of each service provider. 
     The streams used with the USTS are sourced from media stream provider servers  140 . Content supplied from media stream provider servers  140  may include: 
     Internet simulcasts of conventional radio and TV broadcasting programs; 
     On-demand streams, such as playing the latest news or weather on request, or playing selections from an entertainment library; 
     Netcasts, which can have similar programming formats to conventional broadcasting, but are carried only over the Internet; 
     Live events, such as concerts, sports, press conferences, conventions, etc.; 
     Premium services, which are subscription services to any type of media content; 
     Preferential logons, which are subscriptions to a priority server that provides access when public servers are busy; and 
     Archives, which contain programs broadcast previously. 
     A codec (compression/decompression) server  144  may be provided in media stream provider servers. Codec servers provide streams that are compressed and coded for specific players such as RealPlayer® or Windows® Media Player, and other similar products. 
     The user equipment  150  contains at least one codec player  154 , and may take many different forms: desktop computers with different operating systems (Windows®, Mac®, UNIX, Linux®, and other conventional operating systems); TV Web appliances, which use special computer-based equipment to display or play Web or Internet content over a TV set; Internet appliances, such as Internet radios and Web telephones; wireless laptop computers, or wireless Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs); wireless telephones; or game consoles with Internet capability. 
     Therefore, the USTS  120  assists users in finding and enjoying streams from a wide selection of media streams using a wide variety of stream reception equipment. 
     FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating the Universal Tuning Service (USTS)  120 , which comprises at least one Internet connection  121 , and may have a plurality of USTS servers  122 . The USTS server  122  may be comprised of a database system  123 , a content handler  124 , a USTS server management system  125 , a URL Verification Engine (UVE)  126 , Web page files  131 , and other protocol files  132 . The USTS servers  122  may be sited at the same location, or may be geographically distributed. The content handler  124  and the Web page files  131  may host direct Web pages for the USTS  120  or may host Web pages having USTS capabilities developed for or by third parties. 
     FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating the UVE  126 , which comprises a stream verification system  127 , a connection  133  to the USTS server manager system  125 , a UVE management system  134 , a URL block handler  135 , a time-of-day handler  136 , and a verification scheduler  137 . 
     FIG. 1D is a block diagram illustrating the database system  123 . Blocks referred to as a database may also be database subsets or tables. The database system  123 . comprises a connection  141  to the USTS server management system  125 , a database management system  142 , a stream database  145 , a user database  146 , an advertisement database  147 , a sponsor database  148  and a stream categories database  149 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the log-on process to gain access to the USTS  120 . A log-on step  200  enables a user of a USTS session hosted by the content handler  124 , the Web page files  131 , the other protocol files  132 , or other USTS-enabled services  130  to interface with the USTS  120 . One entry point  210  to the USTS  120  provides indirect access for other. USTS-enabled services  130 , and the other entry point  214  provides direct access through the content handler  124 , Web page files  131  or other protocol files  132 . Users other USTS-enabled services  130  are connected to the USTS in a step  220 , which may include authentication and recording the identity of that USTS-enabled services  130 . The USTS  120  is provided with the identity of the internal or external services enabling access to the user in a step  230 . If the the content handler  124 , the Web page files  131 , the other protocol files  132 , or other USTS-enabled services  130  collect or forwards a user ID, that is also recorded by the USTS in the step  230 . 
     The USTS  120  allows users to be anonymous. However, since there are advantages to being a registered user, the user is optionally permitted to register in step a  240 . If the user wants to register, the USTS  120  requests user information and equipment information such as user name, address, e-mail address, Internet connection bandwidth and types of codec players  154  installed on the user&#39;s system  150  in a step  250 . The USTS  120  creates a user search profile that is used to filter out media streams that do not apply to the user in a step  260 . If the user is not registered, then the USTS  120  uses a search profile based only on the Web page or Internet service ID. Since the searches of non-registered users are not custom-filtered, search results of non-registered users may include many records that the user is unable to play. On the other hand, if the user is registered, then the USTS  120  creates a search filter profile based on the capabilities of user equipment  150 , codec player(s)  154 , and perhaps the individual user ID. Consequently, registered users get search results that are tailored to what the user is able to play. 
     FIG. 3 shows the details of the stream search, display, select and play step  270 . After log-on activities the USTS server  122  creates a stream categories table for the session from the stream categories database  149  through interaction with the database management system  142 . The stream categories table may be tailored to meet the preferences of the other USTS-enabled services  130 . All or a portion of the resulting session stream categories table may be displayed to the user in a step  310 . The stream categories table may include only main categories or may be a hierarchical table listing all stream categories and subcategories. If subcategories are used, they may be displayed after selecting a category; or may be directly listed underneath each category. 
     The user selects a category or subcategory in a step  330  using any conventional interactive user control, such as any type of hypertext link, a user button, or an equipment function button, which records the selected category or subcategory. The USTS  120 , through interactions that may involve the database management system  142 , the stream database  145 , and the user database  146 , then performs a search for streams and displays the streams from the stream database  145  that match the category table description selected and the user filter profile. 
     The ability to perform a custom search may be provided by the USTS  120  in a tool bar interactive display or may be in a dialog box that the user accesses by standard means such as selecting a user button or a menu item. If this capability is provided, the user may use interactive text field or other interactive devices to describe the desired search. Although step  320 , the option of performing a custom search, is shown after step  310  in FIG. 3, it may be used at any time prior to selecting a media stream in a step  350 . The USTS  120  then locates and displays matching streams in the stream database  145  using the search specifications and user filter profile. 
     At step  350 , the user interactively selects one media stream to play, either a category/subcategory stream choice from step  330  or a search results stream choice from step  340 . The stream selection means may be any interactive user control which provides a link to a stream file, such as any type of hypertext link, a user button, or an equipment function button. 
     The same audio or video content may be available from a plurality of media streams, which may be identical streams, streams with a different codec format, or streams with a different bandwidth. Identical streams that are “mirrored” allow more users to access the content and the redundancy allows user to gain access to the material even if one stream is down. Mirrored streams in different geographical location additionally prevent regional outages from effecting users. Mirroring could be accomplished by the media provider, third parties, or stored on the USTS  120 . 
     By uniquely identifying each individual item of media content in the stream database  145 , users would request content and not individual media streams. The USTS  120  could then analyze the request and determine which media stream is the most appropriate for that particular user, based on geography, congestion, preferential log-on, and any other factors deemed appropriate. The USTS  120  could then redirect the URL to the appropriate media stream. Therefore, if the same request for media content were executed at different times or different locations, the user might be connected to different streams. By using this redirection, the user could bookmark media content and not be concerned with the details of which streams are available and always be redirected to the best media stream, have the best available same to be played. 
     In a step  370 , the USTS  120  calls and plays the optimum URL determined in a step  360 . Many players allow the user to pause or end the stream at any time by using player controls. In a step  380 , the user can either loop back to step  310  to look for a new stream or exit from the USTS at a step  290 . Once the connection to the third party media stream is made, the media stream may continue to play regardless of whether the user browses for a new stream or exits from the USTS  120  in step  290 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a state diagram for the UVE  126  shown in FIG.  1 C. States are shown in rounded boxes, and transition events are shown in text along the arrows between the states. After the stream verification system  127  begins running in a state  405 , it automatically enters the top of a stream verification control loop  410 , which waits until a scheduled verification time occurs. Preferably, there are at least two scheduled paths for verifying streams based on the stream characteristics and selected verification intervals. 
     Streams listed in the stream database system  145  may be categorized as having a status of play, busy or down. An event  415  occurs at the next scheduled time for checking all current streams. The verification scheduler  127  periodically requests blocks of active media stream URLs from the stream database  145 , which may be managed by the UVE management system  134  and the URL block handler  135 . Event  415  leads to a state  420 , which obtains all current stream URLs from the stream database  145 . An event  425  occurs at the next scheduled time for rechecking streams that were busy or down the last time that they were checked. Event  425  leads to a state  430 , which obtains those stream URLs from the stream database  145  that were previously down or busy. 
     The verification check schedule in events  415  and  425  managed by the verification scheduler  137  involve performance tradeoffs. Verification checks need to be scheduled often enough that the stream data is reasonably current, but not so often that the verification process imposes an unnecessary load on the stream servers or make it impossible to complete checks all of the streams in the available time. Verification checking of all streams in event  415  is typically scheduled for about 60-minute intervals but checking intervals of between 15 minutes and 8 hours may also be used. Even if the resources allowed stream verification of greater than once every 15 minutes, it would not be desirable to check the streams so often that the UVE  126  puts an unreasonable load on the stream providers  140 . Similarly, it is certainly possible to conduct stream verification at intervals greater than 8 hours, but that would probably result in at least some of the users being dissatisfied by finding stations whose actual status is incorrectly recorded in the database for much of the day. Checking of down or busy streams is a separate event  425  so that such inactive streams may be checked more frequently in order to quickly discover streams that have returned to play status. 
     An event  435  occurs upon completion of the complete URL transfer under the direction of the UVE block handler  135  from either state  420  or  430 , and leads to state a  440 , which incrementally loops block-by-block through the entire URL list. State  440  automatically passes to a state  450 , which checks stream details of each URL in the URL block. 
     State  450  preferably uses a plurality of network connections, such as a plurality of active network sockets in the USTS server management system  125 , so that a plurality of different URLs can be called and checked simultaneously. The first URL check performed by state  450  is to attempt connection to each stream. If the stream starts normally and a starting portion of the stream content has been read, the stream status is recorded in stream database  145  as play. If the stream server returns a “busy stream” message, the stream status is recorded as busy. If a connection cannot be made to the stream or reading the stream fails before the entire starting portion of the stream has been read, the stream status is recorded as down. 
     If the stream status is play, then various characteristics are obtained from the header, such as the specific codec type used to generate the stream, whether stereo is present, and the stream data rate. The starting portion is preferably about 1 Kilobyte, which is usually enough data to determine all of the various characteristics of the stream. All results are recorded in the corresponding dynamic fields of the stream table of the stream database  145 . 
     The UVE  126 , however, is not the only way to accomplish stream verification. An alternative method, which can be used to augment the UVE  126  or in place of the UVE  126 , is to have the user equipment  150  report the status of media streams. Once the user has made a request for media content and obtained the appropriate stream URL, the user equipment  150  could be configured to analyze the stream and report the stream&#39;s characteristics back to the UVE  126 . Although the usage patterns of users accessing media are not as predictable as the UVE  126 , enough users have the potential of generating the same or better results than the UVE  126 . However, in order to utilize this method, the USTS  120  must be able to exert some control over the user equipment  150 . The user equipment  150  would need to be configured to report back to the USTS  120 . 
     The database system  123  may be implemented with a relational database. Some database fields are essentially static and change only rarely, if at all. These fields represent information that was entered manually into the database system  123 . Other database fields are subject to frequent changes, due to continual verification checks by the UVE  126 . The remaining fields are changed only occasionally, such as user preferences, equipment or players supported. 
     In the field tables that follow, an asterisk (*) indicates fields that may be occasionally changed manually at the USTS  120 , or by users or advertisers, and a double asterisk (**) indicates fields that may be changed frequently by the UVE  126  or the USTS server management system  125 . Change to other field may originate with USTS personnel or the stream providers, who may notify the USTS  120  of the changes. Other changes may be discovered by USTS personnel or from reports of users. The timeliness of manually entering such changes in the database system  123  is limited by available staffing. 
     The stream characteristics records in stream database  145  may have fields such as: 
     Station Description Fields: 
     Station ID 
     Station Status (Play, Busy, Down)** 
     Station Name (Call Letters or Name) 
     Station Additional Description 
     Station Frequency 
     Station Geographical Location 
     Main Language Used 
     Station Service Type (Simulcast, Netcast, Archive, etc.) 
     Flag Indicating Stream Access Provided through a Stream Distributor 
     Station Broadcast Categories/Subcategories 
     Station Key Words 
     Station Info Web Page URL 
     Date Station Info URL Last Verified/Checked** 
     Number of Streams Carried** 
     Audio Stream Sub-tables (Multiple streams may be listed per station): 
     Stream Format (Codec Type)** 
     URL of Standard Web Page Associated with Stream* 
     Stream Metafile*  or  ** 
     Stream Average and Maximum Bandwidth** 
     Title/Author/Copyright** 
     Stereo Flag** 
     Live Flag** 
     Recordable Flag** 
     Stream Availability/Reliability** 
     Stream Score** 
     Stream Status (Play, Busy, Down)** 
     Time Stream Last Checked/Validated** 
     Number of Times Stream Played by Users** 
     Stream Approved for Users Flag* 
     Include in Current “Cool Streams”* 
     A stream metafile is a file containing the file names of a set of stream files. The stream metafile is accessed with the HTTP protocol, while the files it contains are accessed with stream protocols. 
     The stream score is calculated from other fields and may be either included as a database field, calculated by the USTS  120  software, or calculated by the other USTS-enabled services  130 . The stream score is calculated as a weighted product of various stream parameters, which may include a stream bandwidth score, a codec format perceived-quality score and the measured availability of the streams. For example: 
     
       
         Stream Score= W   1 *BandwidthScore+ W   2 *CodecScore+ W   3 *Availability, 
       
     
     where W 1 , W 2  and W 3  are the relative weightings of the scoring criteria. 
     The BandwidthScore is approximately proportional to the stream bandwidth (either average or maximum, or a weighted combination of both). The CodecScore is a qualitative score based on user-perceived quality of streams using that type of Codec Server/Player combination. Availability is the fraction of the time that the stream is available to USTS users (i.e., in “play” status). The weighting factors or CodecScore values that are used will depend upon the particular business model, philosophy and operator judgement used in running the Web page management system  124  or other USTS-enabled services  130 . 
     For example, in one implementation where bandwidth is considered very important, CodecScore is considered somewhat important and access is disregarded, the weights may be: 
     
       
           W   1 =0.7 
       
     
     
       
           W   2 =0.3 
       
     
     
       
           W   3 =0 
       
     
     The corresponding ranges of weighted parameters used may be: 
     BandwidthScore range: between 0.5 and 10.0 
     CodecScore range: between 3.0 and 9.0 
     Availability range: not considered 
     Therefore, the range of the stream score in this illustration would be between (0.7×0.5+0.3*3.0)=1.25 and (0.7*10.0+0.3*9)=9.7. The stream scores may be rounded off downward to the nearest integer, to give an easily displayed range of between 1 and 9, such as by using a bar display for each stream having between one and nine bar segments. 
     The stream score can be used in a variety of graphical or text indicators that are embedded or otherwise included in the stream search results so that the user can anticipate how “good” stream reception will be. 
     The user database  146  allows certain fields to be registered with the USTS  120  or to be updated during a user session. The user database may have field such as: 
     User Fields: 
     User ID 
     User Status (active, inactive) 
     Last and First Name 
     User Address* 
     User Telephone* 
     Flag for Credit/Billing Problems* 
     Payment Method (Credit Card, EFT)* 
     User Stream Presets* 
     User Favorites* 
     Codec Player Formats Available on User Equipment* 
     The advertisement database  147  might contain data for advertisements, such as banner ads or streaming ads than can be inserted into the media content. The advertisement database  147  may contain fields such as: 
     Ad Fields: 
     AD ID 
     Ad Status* 
     Ad Name 
     Ad Sponsor 
     Ad Description* 
     Ad Type/Classification 
     Ad Demographic targets* 
     Ad Play Frequency* 
     Ad Priority* 
     Total Plays of Ad Requested* 
     Ad Play Count** 
     Count of User Responses to Ad** 
     The sponsor database  148  may be used in conjunction with the advertisment database  147 . The sponsor database  148  contains all of the administrative contacts and billing information for the sponsors of the advertisements contained in advertisement database  147 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the method used to prepare and update the relatively static fields of the stream table portions of the database system  123 . The method starts at a step  510 . In step  510 , the various media streams are identified and new records are created in the stream database  145  under the direction of the database management system  142 . Media streams are located based on information provided by site developers, publications, system users, or from the results of search engines. Hereafter, references to a “manager” or “editor” refer both to people performing the tasks or the use of computer assistance or software that may automatically perform at least portions of the task. In a step  530 , an evaluation manager performs preliminary content and signal evaluations of each stream. In a step  540 , a content manager approves and specifies those streams that will be entered as a user-accessible record in the stream database  145 . The content manager duties may include saving the Web page URLs to be used in writing portions of the stream description and extracting the URLs of media streams from Web pages being screened, and entering both types of URLs into the stream database  145 . In a step  550 , a database editor, who may be the same person as the content manager, writes database fields that describe and categorize each user-accessible stream based on materials collected previous steps. In a step  560 , stream records which were approved for inclusion in the user-accessible records and have all field completed are made available to stream database  145  users by setting a record status flag to “user-accessible.” 
     Since there are other USTS-enabled services  130  that may use the USTS  120 , the USTS  120  design makes it easy to customize the interactive displays obtained from the database system  123  so that a variety of different user display types are produced. To illustrate how the different aspects of the invention may be displayed to users, a representative Web page is shown in FIG.  6 . 
     A Web page might include a tool bar set  600  and a user interactive display  660 . The tool bar set  600  could include a search and access tool group  610  that contains interactive buttons and input fields to guide stream searches or to access other USTS Web pages. Stream search options may include beginner or advanced searching capabilities. Across the bottom of search and access tool  610  are a number of hot-links that directly access other useful Web pages, such as 
     A tuning Web page showing a number of major categories and subcategories of media content (See FIG.  7 ); 
     An advanced search display, which allows users to conduct advanced custom stream searches; 
     A presets Web page, which allows users to directly set known stream URLs as one of the stream presets; 
     A favorite Web page, which allows users to list many preferred streams which are too numerous to include as one of the fixed number of presets; 
     A downloads Web page, which allows users to download stream-related plug-ins, such as media players; and 
     A help Web page, which provides conventional help to USTS  120  users. 
     A presets tool group  620  selects and plays a stream that the user has previously selected on one or more of the other Web pages. 
     A log-in Dialog  630  allows users to register with the service so they may later access all of their user preferences, presets and favorite streams. 
     A “cool streams” display  650  contains a plurality of stream links which the Web site editors believe would interest either a broad range of users or users with a particular profile. Each item in the cool streams display  650  contains a direct hot-link to that media stream. The Web site staff can periodically rotate the contents of the cool streams display for variety and to reflect popular trends. 
     The user interactive display  660  is frequently shown simultaneously with the tool bar and can contain varied contents such as advertisements, news, directories, search results of station details. The User Interactive Display  660  is reserved for the user interactive displays unique to each different Web page. FIGS. 7 through 9 show a series of different examples of user interface display contents. 
     FIG. 7 shows a directory that indicates the major categories and subcategories that are commonly used to classify streams. Selection of one such subcategory conducts a search filtered by the user profiles, and a corresponding interactive display of results is presented. 
     FIG. 8 shows the results of a simple keyword search resulting from the use of search fields in tool bar  600 . Use of a category selector  720  may also produce a similar display. 
     A search status box  820  shows the number of matches to the user&#39;s search criteria. If the display is the result of selecting a choice from the category selector  720 , then the search status box  820  can also display the total number of streams in this subcategory and provide a simple navigation interface that allows the user to return to a higher category in the hierarchy. A sort options Bar  830  might allow the user to re-sort the match results in order of signal strength, city, stream name, popularity or format. All of the matches are shown in a results box  840 . 
     The top line of the results boxes  840  and  850  shows the stream name, the city of origin, the stream subcategory, and a Web site link. The second line, and possibly additional lines, in the results boxes  840  and  850  show: 
     The stream score indicated graphically; 
     The bit rate and type of media stream; 
     Buttons or other selection devices for choosing that stream as one of the preset streams (using a numbered button) or to a favorite (using the + button); and 
     A button or other interactive device displaying the stream status (play, busy, or down) and enabling the user to play that stream, if it is in play status. 
     The last section of results display  840  and  850  contains a brief description of the stream. A “More Info” interactive device, such as a hot-link or button, allows the user to access a more complete listing of this stream, such as is shown in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a user interactive display  660  that contains more detailed information on a particular stream. Displays  910  and  920  have the same contents as the second line of the results boxes  840  and  850 . A stream detail table  930  provides in-depth information on the stream. 
     Although the invention has been described in its presently contemplated best mode, it is clear that it is susceptible to numerous modifications, modes of operation and embodiments, all within the ability and skill of those familiar with the art and without the exercise of further inventive activity. Accordingly, that which is intended to be protected by Letters Patents is set forth in the claims and includes all variations and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.