Systems and methods for building an on-device temporal web index for user curated/preferred web content

A method and apparatus of a device that indexes donatable content from a network site is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device receives a requested document, where the requested document includes a plurality of tags. In addition, the device detects a donatable tag in the plurality tags that indicates the network site includes donatable content. In response to the detecting, the device sends a request for the donatable content to the network site. Furthermore, the device receives the donatable content from the network site. The device additionally indexes the donatable content into an on-device search index, where at least some of the index donatable content is further returned as a search result for an on-device search.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to search technology and more particularly to indexing content donated by a remote source.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A user can perform a query search to lookup information stored on a device. A query search begins with a client on the device receiving the query string, which is sent to a local search module. The client can be one of variety of applications that support local search (e.g., mail, media, calendar, and the file browser). The local search module receives query string and searches a search index for results that match this query string. The local search module uses a local search index to complete the search, where the local search index is an index of objects that reside on the device. For example, the local search index can include metadata corresponding the indexed objects. The local search module then returns the results to the client.

In addition or instead of, this query string can be sent to a remote search server. The search server uses this query string to perform a search on the index of the search server and return results to the device. The returned results do not include the rich amount of metadata that the objects indexed in the local search index may have. In addition, the search server may not index certain objects that are available to the user (e.g., objects stored in a cloud-based office software suite).

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION

A method and apparatus of a device that indexes donatable content from a network site is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device receives a requested document, where the requested document includes a plurality of tags. In addition, the device detects a donatable tag in the plurality tags that indicates the network site includes donatable content. In response to the detecting, the device sends a request for the donatable content to the network site. Furthermore, the device receives the donatable content from the network site. The device additionally indexes the donatable content into an on-device search index, where at least some of the index donatable content is further returned as a search result for an on-device search.

In one embodiment, the donatable content includes metadata associated with one or more downloadable objects from the network site and each of the metadata can include a time-to-live, wherein the metadata is removed from the index when the time-to-live expires for a corresponding downloadable object. The requested document can be a web page.

In a further embodiment, the device authenticates the user with the network site. The donatable content includes a cloud-based document associated with a cloud-based application, where the cloud-based document is associated with the authenticated user. In addition, the device may prompt the user to download the donatable content.

In one embodiment, a machine-readable medium having executable instructions to cause one or more processing units to perform a method to index donatable content from a network site is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the machine-readable medium method receives, with a device, a requested document, where the requested document includes a plurality of tags. In addition, the machine-readable medium method detects a donatable tag in the plurality tags that indicates the network site includes donatable content. In response to the detecting, the machine-readable medium method sends a request for the donatable content to the network site. Furthermore, the method receives the donatable content from the network site. The machine-readable medium method additionally indexes the donatable content into an on-device search index, where at least some of the index donatable content is further returned as a search result for an on-device search.

In one embodiment, the donatable content includes metadata associated with one or more downloadable objects from the network site and each of the metadata includes a time-to-live, wherein the metadata is removed from the index when the time-to-live expires for a corresponding downloadable object. The requested document can be a web page.

In a further embodiment, the machine-readable medium method authenticates the user with the network site. The donatable content includes a cloud-based document associated with a cloud-based application, where the cloud-based document is associated with the authenticated user. In addition, the machine-readable medium method may prompt the user to download the donatable content.

In a further embodiment, a method to index donatable content from a network site is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the method receives, with a device, a requested document, where the requested document includes a plurality of tags. In addition, the method detects a donatable tag in the plurality tags that indicates the network site includes donatable content. In response to the detecting, the method sends a request for the donatable content to the network site. Furthermore, the method receives the donatable content from the network site. The method additionally indexes the donatable content into an on-device search index, where at least some of the index donatable content is further returned as a search result for an on-device search.

In one embodiment, the donatable content includes metadata associated with one or more downloadable objects from the network site and each of the metadata includes a time-to-live, wherein the metadata is removed from the index when the time-to-live expires for a corresponding downloadable object. The requested document can be a web page.

In a further embodiment, the method authenticates the user with the network site. The donatable content includes a cloud-based document associated with a cloud-based application, where the cloud-based document is associated with the authenticated user. In addition, the method may prompt the user to download the donatable content.

In one embodiment, a device to index donatable content from a network site is described. The device includes a processor and memory coupled to the processor though a bus. The device further includes a process, executed from the memory by the processor, that causes the processor to receive a requested document from the network site, where the requested document includes a plurality of tags. The process further causes the processor to detect a donatable tag in the plurality tags that indicates the network site includes donatable content. In addition, and in response to the detecting, the process further causes the processor to sending a request for the donatable content to the network site. Furthermore, the process further causes the processor to send a request for the donatable content to the network site, receive the donatable content from the network site, and index the donatable content into an on-device search index, wherein at least some of the index donatable content is further returned as a search result for an on-device search. In addition, the donatable content can include metadata associated with one or more downloadable objects from the network site.

Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method and apparatus of a device that indexes donatable content from a network site is described. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide thorough explanation of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known components, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of this description.

The terms “server,” “client,” and “device” are intended to refer generally to data processing systems rather than specifically to a particular form factor for the server, client, and/or device.

A method and apparatus of a device that indexes donatable content from a network site is described. In one embodiment, the device sends a document request to a server. In this embodiment, the document request can be a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for a web page (e.g., a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document). The device receives the document and starts to process the document. In one embodiment, the document can include multiple tags of varying types. One of the types of tags can be a donatable content tags. In this embodiment, a donatable content tag is a tag that indicates that donatable content is available from a network site. In one embodiment, the network site can be a web site, server, cluster of server, and/or another device that can provide objects to the client over a network. For example and in one embodiment, the donatable content could be metadata related to various downloadable objects that are accessible from the network site.

In one embodiment, the device can request the donatable content and use this donatable content to index the related downloadable objects in a local search index. In this embodiment, by indexing the downloadable objects using the donatable contents, a user can use a local search service to perform a search and receive results that include one or more of the downloadable objects.

FIG. 1is a block diagram of one embodiment of a system that indexes donatable content. InFIG. 1, the system100includes a client102, a server110, a search server122coupled by a network (not illustrated). In one embodiment, the server110is a collection of one or more servers that receives document requests from client102and/or other devices and returns the document back to those devices. In one embodiment, the server110can be a web server, file server, database, and/or another type of device that serve document requests. In one embodiment, the client102, server110, and/or search server122can be personal computer, laptop, server, mobile device (e.g., smartphone, laptop, personal digital assistant, music playing device, gaming device, etc.), and/or any device capable requesting a search and/or displaying search results. In one embodiment, the client102, and/or server110can be a physical or virtual device. In one embodiment, the smartphone can be a cellular telephone that is able to perform many functions of client102.

In one embodiment, the client102includes a browser104, local device index, and local search service108. In one embodiment, browser104can be a web browser and/or a file browser. In this embodiment, the browser104can be used to request and view various types of documents that accessible from the server110. Furthermore, the browser104can include a search input field that is used by the user to input the search query. In one embodiment, a web browser is a program that allows a user to search the web and/or other search domains and retrieve for various types of documents. In an alternative embodiment, the browser can be another type of application that allows a user to retrieve one or more documents and/or input a search query, which is used to search on-device and/or off-device search domains. In one embodiment, the browser includes a search input field, where the search input field is used by the user to input a search request string.

In one embodiment, the client102can includes additional applications (not illustrated) that use a local search service to perform a search of objects stored on the client102. In this embodiment, a search is a search of the objects stored on the client102. For example and in one embodiment, the objects can be documents, pictures, music, applications, email, calendar entries, and/or other types of objects stored in the client102. In one embodiment, the search is based on a local search index106that is maintained by the client102. In this embodiment, the index is an index of the metadata stored in objects of the device.

In one embodiment, each of the metadata stored in the index has a type. For example and in one embodiment, the metadata types can include creation date, modification date, upload date, files size, file type, attachment type (PDF, JPEG, etc.), metadata types within the object (e.g., “To,” “From,” “CC,” “Subject,” ID3 tags with media, “Date,” “Time,” “location,” “name,” “address,” etc.), and/or other data types stored within each of the objects. The metadata contents and types are stored in the local search index106. To search this index106, the applications can each capture a query prefix and send this query prefix to the local search service108, which in turn, uses the query prefix to perform the search using the local search index106. For example and in one embodiment, a mail application includes a search field to search for relevant emails or used for a general search using the local search service108. Similarly, the applications calendar, media player, file browser, and/or other applications (e.g., contacts) can use local search service108to search for objects stored on the device100. In one embodiment, because the objects that are indexed in the local search index106reside on the client, the local search index106can include a rich amount of metadata for each object that is indexed. In another embodiment, local search service108is partially or fully encompassed in the application itself.

In one embodiment, the browser104can request document(s) from a server, such as the server110. In another embodiment, the browser can send a query prefix to a search server122, where the server122uses the query prefix to perform a search and returns the search results to the client102. In addition, each of the documents in the search results can include some metadata, but the amount of metadata for each of these documents in the search results is less than the metadata stored for the objects indexed in the local search index106. In one embodiment, this is because local indexing provides a more privacy friendly since websites may not be able to track local searches and the local search index can be encrypted with user's private key. In addition, local indexing is available on-device so connectivity to the index is not mandatory. Furthermore, a single local search index having entries from multiple donating sources yields scope for faster response times and better relevance.

In one embodiment, the server110can indicate that there is donatable content available to the client102, where the client102can index this donatable content in the local device index. In this embodiment, the donatable content is metadata that for corresponding downloadable objects that are available from one or more network sites124. In one embodiment, the network site can include or be separate from the server100. In one embodiment, some, none, or all of the metadata includes a time-to-live (TTL) value, where the TTL value controls how long one or more of the downloadable objects related to the donatable content remains indexed in the local search index.

For example and in one embodiment, the donatable content could be metadata related to various downloadable objects that are accessible from the network site. If the network site is a storefront, the downloadable objects can be different items that are for sale from the storefront. The donatable contents can be metadata related to all of the objects available in the storefront, or can be for a subset of the downloadable object. In this example, the donatable content can be a subset of the downloadable objects for the user requesting the document, such a subset of the downloadable objects that are related to the document, the user's interests, user's browsing history, and/or some other relation or interest.

In another example, and embodiment, the network site is a cloud service that the user has access to document or objects that are part of the cloud service (e.g., a cloud office suite service). A cloud service may not make available to web search service the objects that are stored in the cloud service. In this example, the donatable content can be metadata relating to objects stored in the cloud service. If the cloud service is a cloud office suite service, the downloadable objects could be the objects that user has created, stored, or been shared, and the donatable content can be metadata relating to some or all of these objects (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and/or other office suite type of objects). By having these objects indexed using the donatable content, the user can perform search and get hits on these objects without having to login into to the cloud service and run another search.

In a further example, the network site could be an online database of information (e.g., library catalog, shopping catalogs (e.g., grocery, fashion, electronics, and/or another type of shopping catalog), news articles and sections (politics, sports, and/or another type of news section), online education websites (e.g., a massive online open course) with sections for each topic (e.g. Science, Mathematics, Computers, and/or other types of topic sections), where the donatable content is metadata relating to some or all of the catalog. In this example, by having metadata for some or all of the database information, this database can be searched using the local device search facility.

The metadata in the donatable content the can be similar in structure to the metadata index for objects stored on the client102. For example and in one embodiment, the metadata types can include creation date, modification date, upload date, files size, file type, attachment type (PDF, JPEG, etc.), metadata types within the object (e.g., “To,” “From,” “CC,” “Subject,” ID3 tags with media, “Date,” “Time,” “location,” “name,” “address,” etc.), and/or other data types stored within each of the objects.

In this embodiment, the client102makes a request for document from the server110. For example and in one embodiment, the client102can make a request for a web page or another type of document (e. g., eXtended Markup Language (XML), another type of markup document, and/or another type of document) to the server110. For example and in one embodiment, the request can be a HTTP request for the document. In response, the server110returns the document to the client102, where the document can include one or more tags that indicate that donatable content is available to the client102. In one embodiment, the tag can indicate the type of donatable content that is available and the source of the donatable content. In one embodiment, the client102can prompt a user of the client102if the user wishes to index the donatable content. If the user indicates for the client102to proceed with the indexing of the donatable content, the client102requests the donatable content from the source for this donatable content. The client102receives the donatable content and indexes this content in the local search index106. Alternatively, the client102can automatically request and index the donatable content in response to detecting the donatable content tag.

For example and in one embodiment, the browser104sends a request (112) for the document to the server110. This request can be from a search results provided by a search server122, can be linked from another document, or can be input by the user. The server110sends the requested document (114) back to the client102. The document can include one or more tags that indicate that donatable content is available. While in one embodiment, the donatable content is available from the server110that sent the requested document, in alternate embodiments, the donatable content is available from other sources (e.g. another server, web site, and/or another type of source). In one embodiment, the tag can include a location for the donatable content (e.g. a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), or some other type of location reference).

With the requested document, the client104processes the document (e.g., to display the document). If the client104detects a donatable content tag (and the user agrees, if needed), the client104makes a request (116) to the network site124for the donatable content indicated in the tag. In one embodiment, if the tag includes a URL for the donatable content, the client104sends the URL to the network site124for the donatable content (e.g., by making a HTTP request using the donatable content URL). The network site124sends the donatable content back (118) to the client104. With the donatable content, the client104indexes this content in the local search index106, where the donatable content is now available to the local search service108. In one embodiment, applications running on the client104can submit queries to the local search service108, where the local search service108uses the local search index106. In this embodiment, one, some, or all of the query results can be from the donatable content. Thus, downloadable objects appear as being part of the objects stored on the client102.

In one embodiment, for web services that require (or can use) authentication, a user's login details may be stored in an authentication management mechanism (e.g., a keychain, browser stored authentication, or another type of authentication management mechanism). The browser104can use these details to automatically log into the web service. Alternatively, the browser104can prompt the user to provide the login details.

In this example, the authenticated web services can donate contents in a file structure to the browser104that can be parsed by host operating system. The donated content is added to the local search index to allow for easy searching via local search service108. In addition, a TTL (time to live) can predefined with some, all, or none of the indexed donatable content, which includes the ability to revoke items once authentication information is removed from system.

For example and in one embodiment, a user logs in to a cloud-based office software suite (e.g. cloud-based word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and/or other cloud-based applications) with credentials stored in a keychain. In this example, a top-level domain of the cloud-based office software suite can trigger a download of metadata corresponding to the documents to the user via the cloud-based office software suite to the client102. In this example, the donatable content can be metadata regarding the different user documents of the cloud-based office software suite. Using the metadata, these documents are indexed to the local search index and the user can search for this content using the local search service108.

In another embodiment, for web content that is not associated with any authentication, the network site124can donate metadata for curated content indexing. In this embodiment, when a network site124wants to offer donatable contents to be indexed, a user maybe prompted to allow the network site be added to a whitelist. Over a period of time, this whitelist maybe personalized and/or maintained on the client102. Once whitelisted, the network site124can donate metadata (e.g., in a file format that can be parsed by host operating system of the client102). Similar to authenticated content and by using the metadata, these documents are indexed to the local search index and the user can search for this content using the local search service108.

For example and in one embodiment, a user navigates to a web site using the browser104. The web site donates content, such as some or all store items of the web site, including various items and/or services for sale. With these items indexed, the user can search store items using the local search service108to surface these results. In addition, a TTL is set on these items that can influence how long the items are maintained in system index.

In one embodiment, the server110can further use push-notification to notify the client102of donatable content that is available for the client102to index. In this embodiment, the server110can determine which donatable content to make available depending on whether a user is or has logged into a service provided by the server110, the user can provide some sort of personalization without logging in (e.g., web browser cookies), or the user may have visited a website without providing personalization. If the user is or has logged into a service the server110can provide (e.g., Cloud Office provider), the server110can send push notifications to the client102regarding donatable content that is known to the server100that is available to be indexed by the client102. For example and in one embodiment, if the user has logged into a Cloud Office or File Storage service, the server110uses the user information to determine what content is available to be downloaded for indexing on the client102. In this example, the server110sends the donatable content indication (e.g., one or more links) for the donatable content that can be indexed on the client102to the client102. As an example, the server110send a push notification regarding content that was shared with the user. Alternatively, the server110can send push notification regarding donatable content by on time. For example and in one embodiment, the server110can send a push notification for donatable content for tax documents during a tax season.

In another embodiment, the server110sends a push notification regarding the donatable content available from the server110using cookies that were available to the server110(or another device, not illustrated). Using the information from the cookies, the server110determines what donatable content should be made available for the client102and sends a push notification for this donatable content that can be indexed on the client102to the client102. For example and in one embodiment, the server110can detect that the user has a great interest in gardening (e.g., through the cookies in the web browser) and personalize donatable content using this information (e.g., donatable content regarding gardening tips or gardening products).

If the user is not logged into a service or can indicate personalization information to the server110, the server110can attempt to personalize the donatable content for the user. For example and in one embodiment, the server110can receive information from the client102regarding the type of results the user engages with in the local search index106.

FIG. 2is a block diagram of one embodiment of a document200with a tag indicating that donatable content is available. In one embodiment, the document200is an HTML document, an XML document, or another type of document. In this embodiment, the document200includes multiple different tags (e.g., formatting tags, references to other documents, metadata tags, scripting tags, etc.). In particular, the document200can include donatable content tags202A-B. In one embodiment, each of the donatable content tags202A-B include a tag marker (e.g., “<,” “>,” and/or some other type of tag marker), a tag identifier (e.g., the token “donatable” or some other type of tag identifier), a source identifier (e.g., “src” or some other type of source identifier), options, and/or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, the tag marker delineates the tag, the tag identifier identifies the type of tag, and the source identifier is used by the client to request the donatable content. The options can be one or more different options used to choose which of the donatable content is available or otherwise affect the availability or format of the donatable content.

FIG. 3is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a process300to process a document from a remote source. In one embodiment, a browser performs process300to process the document, such as browser104. InFIG. 3, process300begins by (optionally) authenticating with the server at block302. In one embodiment, process300can authenticate with stored user credentials or can prompt the user for the user credentials that can be used to authenticate with the server. At block304, process300sends a request to server for a document. In one embodiment, this request can be from a search results provided by a search server, can be linked from another document, or can be input by the user. In one embodiment, the request can be an HTTP request. Process300receives the document at block306.

At block308, process300processes the document. In one embodiment, process300parses the documents to determine what types of tags are present in the document, so as to determine how to format and display the document. In one embodiment, the document includes tags for donatable content. Processing the donatable content tags is further describe inFIG. 4below.

FIG. 4is flow diagram of one embodiment of a process400to process donatable content tags in a document. In one embodiment, process400is performed by a donatable content module to process donatable content, such as the donatable content module120as described inFIG. 1above. InFIG. 4, process400begins by receiving the document at block402. At block404, process400processes the document. In one embodiment, process400processes the document by parses the document and processing the different tags of the document. At block406, process400determines if process400finds a donatable content tag. If a donatable content tag is found, process400retrieves the donatable content tag, retrieves the source from the tag, and makes a request for the donatable content at block408. Optionally, process400can prompt the user for permission to retrieve the donatable content before requesting the donatable content. At block410, process400processes and indexes the donatable content. In one embodiment, the donatable content is in a format that can be parsed by the operating system of the client. In this embodiment, process400determines the metadata from the donatable content for the each of the corresponding downloadable objects associated with this metadata. Process400indexes the downloadable objects in the local search index using this metadata. Execution proceeds to block406above, where process400continues to process the document. If there are no further donatable content tags in the document, execution proceeds to block412, where process400returns.

FIG. 5is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a process500to process user activity for indexable content. In one embodiment, process500is performed by a donatable content module to process donatable content, such as the donatable content module120as described inFIG. 1above. InFIG. 5, process500begins by culling user activity at block502. In one embodiment, the user activity can include annotated conduct and/or additional engagements as a result of the user activity. At block504, process500determines which items were visited and/or not visited. In one embodiment, the engagement model helps process refine what the user is likely to be interested in. For example and in one embodiment, a user may have engaged with the Sports section of a popular online news source. That news website can then donate more items for the sport (e. g., basketball) that the user may have engaged with. Apart from these basketball items, if the news site donates content for 10 different sports, the local index can be smart about picking items for other sports that user is interested in (which it knows from engagement on other news sites). Process500indexes the relevant items into the local search index at block506.

FIG. 6is a block diagram of one embodiment of donatable content module120that processes donatable content tags in a document and processes used activity for indexable content. In one embodiment, the donatable content module120includes a receive document module602, process document module604, find donatable content module606, get donatable content module608, index donatable content module610, cull user activity module612, determine items module614, and index relevant items616. In one embodiment, the receive document module602receives the document as described inFIG. 4, block402above. The process document module604processes the document as described inFIG. 4, block404above. The find donatable content module606find the donatable content as described inFIG. 4, block406above. The get donatable content module608gets the donatable content as described inFIG. 4, block408above. The index donatable content module610indexes the donatable content as described inFIG. 4, block410above. The cull user activity module612culls the user activity as described inFIG. 5, block502above. The determine items module614determines the items visited (or not) as described inFIG. 5, block504above. The index relevant items616indexes the relevant items as described inFIG. 5, block506above.

The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to re-rank search results that is of greater interest to the user. Accordingly, use of such personal information data enables calculated control of the search results. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure.

Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of advertisement delivery services, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services. In another example, users can select not to provide location information for targeted content delivery services. In yet another example, users can select to not provide precise location information, but permit the transfer of location zone information.

FIG. 7shows one example of a data processing system700, which may be used with one embodiment of the present invention. For example, the system700may be implemented including a client102as shown inFIG. 1. Note that whileFIG. 7illustrates various components of a computer system, it is not intended to represent any particular architecture or manner of interconnecting the components as such details are not germane to the present invention. It will also be appreciated that network computers and other data processing systems or other consumer electronic devices, which have fewer components or perhaps more components, may also be used with the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 7, the computer system700, which is a form of a data processing system, includes a bus703which is coupled to a microprocessor(s)705and a ROM (Read Only Memory)707and volatile RAM709and a non-volatile memory711. The microprocessor705may include one or more CPU(s), GPU(s), a specialized processor, and/or a combination thereof. The microprocessor705may retrieve the instructions from the memories707,709,711and execute the instructions to perform operations described above. The bus703interconnects these various components together and also interconnects these components705,707,709, and711to a display controller and display device717and to peripheral devices such as input/output (I/O) devices which may be mice, keyboards, modems, network interfaces, printers and other devices which are well known in the art. Typically, the input/output devices715are coupled to the system through input/output controllers713. The volatile RAM (Random Access Memory)709is typically implemented as dynamic RAM (DRAM), which requires power continually in order to refresh or maintain the data in the memory.

The mass storage711is typically a magnetic hard drive or a magnetic optical drive or an optical drive or a DVD RAM or a flash memory or other types of memory systems, which maintain data (e.g. large amounts of data) even after power is removed from the system. Typically, the mass storage711will also be a random access memory although this is not required. WhileFIG. 7shows that the mass storage711is a local device coupled directly to the rest of the components in the data processing system, it will be appreciated that the present invention may utilize a non-volatile memory which is remote from the system, such as a network storage device which is coupled to the data processing system through a network interface such as a modem, an Ethernet interface or a wireless network. The bus703may include one or more buses connected to each other through various bridges, controllers and/or adapters as is well known in the art.

FIG. 8shows an example of another data processing system800which may be used with one embodiment of the present invention. For example, system800may be implemented as a client102as shown inFIG. 1. The data processing system800shown inFIG. 8includes a processing system811, which may be one or more microprocessors, or which may be a system on a chip integrated circuit, and the system also includes memory801for storing data and programs for execution by the processing system. The system800also includes an audio input/output subsystem805, which may include a microphone and a speaker for, for example, playing back music or providing telephone functionality through the speaker and microphone.

A display controller and display device809provide a visual user interface for the user; this digital interface may include a graphical user interface which is similar to that shown on a Macintosh computer when running OS X operating system software, or Apple iPhone when running the iOS operating system, etc. The system800also includes one or more wireless transceivers803to communicate with another data processing system, such as the system800ofFIG. 8. A wireless transceiver may be a WLAN transceiver, an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, and/or a wireless cellular telephony transceiver. It will be appreciated that additional components, not shown, may also be part of the system800in certain embodiments, and in certain embodiments fewer components than shown inFIG. 8may also be used in a data processing system. The system800further includes one or more communications ports817to communicate with another data processing system, such as the system700ofFIG. 7. The communications port may be a USB port, Firewire port, Bluetooth interface, etc.

The data processing system800also includes one or more input devices813, which are provided to allow a user to provide input to the system. These input devices may be a keypad or a keyboard or a touch panel or a multi touch panel. The data processing system800also includes an optional input/output device815which may be a connector for a dock. It will be appreciated that one or more buses, not shown, may be used to interconnect the various components as is well known in the art. The data processing system shown inFIG. 8may be a handheld computer or a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a cellular telephone with PDA like functionality, or a handheld computer which includes a cellular telephone, or a media player, such as an iPod, or devices which combine aspects or functions of these devices, such as a media player combined with a PDA and a cellular telephone in one device or an embedded device or other consumer electronic devices. In other embodiments, the data processing system800may be a network computer or an embedded processing device within another device, or other types of data processing systems, which have fewer components or perhaps more components than that shown inFIG. 8.

At least certain embodiments of the inventions may be part of a digital media player, such as a portable music and/or video media player, which may include a media processing system to present the media, a storage device to store the media and may further include a radio frequency (RF) transceiver (e.g., an RF transceiver for a cellular telephone) coupled with an antenna system and the media processing system. In certain embodiments, media stored on a remote storage device may be transmitted to the media player through the RF transceiver. The media may be, for example, one or more of music or other audio, still pictures, or motion pictures.

The portable media player may include a media selection device, such as a click wheel input device on an iPod® or iPod Nano® media player from Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., a touch screen input device, pushbutton device, movable pointing input device or other input device. The media selection device may be used to select the media stored on the storage device and/or the remote storage device. The portable media player may, in at least certain embodiments, include a display device which is coupled to the media processing system to display titles or other indicators of media being selected through the input device and being presented, either through a speaker or earphone(s), or on the display device, or on both display device and a speaker or earphone(s). Examples of a portable media player are described in published U.S. Pat. No. 7,345,671 and U.S. published patent number 2004/0224638, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

A machine readable medium includes any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine readable medium includes read only memory (“ROM”); random access memory (“RAM”); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices; etc.