Abstract:
A portable digital media player and method for providing convenient music recommendation are presented. A collection of music is maintained and includes a multiplicity of music stored in digital media form. A music recommendation is automatically generated in response to a recommender input. An identifier for a recipient is provided. Music to be recommended is identified from one of the music collection and a sample of music in an ambient environment. Information to the music recommendation to describe the music to be recommended, to identify the recommender, to capture a context of the recommendation, and to specify a rating for the music to be recommended is ascertained and added to the music recommendation. The music recommendation is sent for electronic receipt by the recipient.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/993,356, filed Sep. 10, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This application relates in general to music recommendation and, in particular, to a digital media player and method for facilitating music recommendation. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Digital media players provide an easily customized, and increasingly ubiquitous, personal environment for experiencing digital media. Digital media players include units dedicated strictly to media playback, particularly digitally recorded music or video, hybrid units that provide media playback as part of a suite of functions, such as “smart” mobile telephones with integral media players, and virtual units that are implemented wholly in software for execution on a personal computer or similar device. Other digital media players are possible. 
         [0004]    A portable digital media player for personal music enjoyment is illustrative of the features sets offered. For example, a digital media player could be loaded with an entire music collection and a music listener could choose music to play based on title, artist, genre, composer, album, or other criteria. The listener could also create play lists thematically organized for exercise, commute, home, or other purpose.  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram showing a prior all personal music environment  10 . A typical portable digital media player  11  uses either solid state memory or hard disk storage to store a collection  12  of recorded digital media  13 , and other data, such as a user profile. A user interface  14  provides tactile or voice controls  15  to select and play the media  13 , and a display or other indication  16  that the media  13  is being played or viewed. The capabilities of the user interface  14  can vary, depending upon the size and form factor of the player  11 . A data interface  17  allows the player  11  to upload the media  13  from external sources  18  and to synchronize data. The data interface  17  provides wired or wireless interconnections to host computers or network servers and can be data- or cellular-network capable. Other components are possible. 
         [0005]    Conventionally, recorded digital media  13  must first be uploaded onto a digital media player  11  from an external source  18  before becoming available for selection or playback. Music packaged in physical form  19 , such as cassette, LP record, or CD, must first be converted into compatible digital format, frequently requiring playback equipment and a personal computer. The proliferation of high bandwidth network access  20 , such as the Internet, and the adoption of digital encoding allow media  13  to be purchased online and shared electronically through digital media stores  21  and similar online enterprises. Personal music composition software  22  provides a further source of media  13  for online sharing and critique. 
         [0006]    Despite their conveniences, digital media players have their limitations. Discovering media beyond the scope of the stored media remains a process divorced from player usage. For instance, fellow aficionados must share their media recommendations by word of mouth or written message and the recipient must then separately find and review the media, after which the media must still be uploaded before finally becoming available. Moreover, musical tastes are notoriously subjective and dependent on mood, timing, locale, and other factors. Thus, a media recommendation recipient may not be open to suggestion at the time of receipt, thereby further alienating media discovery from player usage. As well, adding media encountered in the ambient environment to a stored collection requires identifying and remembering enough information about the media to identify the music or work, and later obtaining the media, which is a process generally removed in time, place, and circumstance. 
         [0007]    Conventional approaches fail to adequately facilitate media discovery by digital media player users. The iPod digital media player and iTunes client software respectively sold and licensed by Apple Inc. provide full featured digital media playback, and digital media transfer and purchase through an online music store. Media can only be shared if part of the same collection, which is accessed through the client software. In addition, a recently announced collaboration between Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, Wash., and Apple Inc., Cupertino, Calif., enables a user of a Wi-Fi enabled iPod digital media player to find out the title of a song currently being played in a Starbucks café through the tap of a button, after which the song can be purchased and downloaded directly from an online music store. See, e.g., John Markoff,  Apple Cuts iPhone Price Ahead of Holidays , N.Y. T IMES , Sep. 6, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. However, the service only operates in participating stores with subscribed iPod players and does not automatically integrate the song title into an existing music collection, absent purchase and download. 
         [0008]    The Zune digital audio player and client software respectively sold and licensed by Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., provide limited wireless file sharing, and digital music purchase through an online music store. Stored digital audio can be shared between Zune users under a “three plays or three days, whichever comes first” policy. The policy is indiscriminately applied to any audio content transferred between players and shared songs expire unconditionally in three days, even if not played. File sharing is limited to other Zune users within physical range, and email, messaging, and recommendations from sources that are out of range remain unavailable. As a result, file sharing remains unappealing. 
         [0009]    The MusicGremlin Portable Wi-Fi Device sold by MusicGremlin, Inc., New York, N.Y., provides a portable music player for use with a music subscription service, which allows a user to wirelessly search, play, and download music using the device. Programmed playlists and music purchased through a client personal computer can also be automatically downloaded to the device, and music recommendations can be exchanged with fellow subscribers. However, the device is tied to a specific subscription service. As well, the music recommendations are not contextually integrated into the device&#39;s playlist and lack ratings, which would help a recipient to evaluate their overall utility in light of other recommendations and sources. 
         [0010]    A metadata sharing application for mobile phones is described in S. Baumann et al., “BluetunA: Let Your Neighbour Know What Music You Like,” CHI 2007 (Apr. 28-May 3, 2007), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. Users of Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones can share information about their music preferences by allowing other users in proximity of their mobile phone to access information about their play list. However, the information sharing is limited by physical device range and works anonymously, thereby providing information untied to credibility or authoritativeness of the source. 
         [0011]    Finally, online music services, such as Rhapsody, licensed by RealNetworks, Seattle, Wash., and Last.FM, licensed by Last.fm Ltd., London, UK, provide personalized music recommendations. Rhapsody offers a subscription music listening service that can provide personal music recommendations. Last.FM builds a profile of a user&#39;s musical tastes based on his listening habits as monitored from streamed radio stations or digital music player. The music recommendations, though, are based upon the user&#39;s own musical tastes and not evolved from external sources, such as through a social network. 
         [0012]    Therefore, there is a need for integrating music recommendation and discovery into a personal listening environment, both in easing the manner of making a music recommendation and in presenting the recommendation to a music listener when most receptive. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0013]    One embodiment provides a digital media player and method for facilitating music recommendation. A music recommendation is built for a recommender. A recipient for electronic receipt is named. Music to be recommended is identified. Information to describe one or more of an identification of the music to be recommended, the recommender, a context of the recommendation, and a rating for the music to be recommended is added. The music recommendation is provided to the recipient. 
         [0014]    A further embodiment provides a portable digital media player and method for providing convenient music recommendation. A collection of music is maintained and includes a multiplicity of music stored in digital media form. A music recommendation is automatically generated in response to a recommender input. An identifier for a recipient is provided. Music to be recommended is identified from one of the music collection and a sample of music in an ambient environment. Information to the music recommendation to describe the music to be recommended, to identify the recommender, to capture a context of the recommendation, and to specify a rating for the music to be recommended is ascertained and added to the music recommendation. The music recommendation is sent for electronic receipt by the recipient. 
         [0015]    Accordingly, from a user&#39;s point of view, the continuum of actions from recommending to receiving recommendations, and of music logging become a convenient and integrated procedure that helps make music discovery an elegant and pleasant experience. From the perspective of music distributors, social networks become effective viral marketing channels for the “long tail” of less popular music selections. 
         [0016]    In addition, recommendations from friends and other sources are integrated into a personal music collection in context. A user is thus able to locate new music for which there is good reason to believe that the user would be interested in listening. Moreover, the integration places the recommendations at a place where he would be likely to encounter the recommendations, particularly while browsing his own stored music. Music in his collection is thereby combined with other music in which he would likely have an interest. 
         [0017]    Still other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein are described embodiments by way of illustrating the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram showing a prior art personal music environment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram showing a system for facilitating music recommendation, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram showing a system for facilitating social music discovery through sampling, identification, and logging. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a data flow diagram showing, by way of example, components of a music recommendation. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a data flow diagram showing, by way of example, sources of personal music. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a process flow diagram showing a method for facilitating music recommendation, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a graph showing, by way of example, receptiveness to music-selection suggestion as a function of music activity. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a screen diagram showing, by way of example, a visual display for a personal music collection for use with the systems of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a process flow diagram showing music suggestion placement in a visual display for use with the methods of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Although described here in relation to digital music, the embodiments apply generally to all forms of digital media recordings, including audio and video recordings, as well as written information, such as news postings and Web pages. Additionally, digital media players embrace all forms of digital media playback device, including portable, mobile, and stationary players. 
       Music Recommendation and Presentation Overview 
       [0028]    Music can be efficiently recommended by one user of a digital media player to another user, even if the recommender and recipient users are separated by time, place, or circumstance.  FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram showing a system for facilitating music recommendation  30 , in accordance with one embodiment. By way of example, two individuals  31 ,  37  are engaged in some fashion with their respective digital media players  33 ,  38 , at the same or possibly different times. One of the individuals is a music recommender  31 , while the other individual is a music recommendation recipient  37 . The roles of recommender and recipient are interchangeable and can involve more than a single pair of music aficionados or digital media players. 
         [0029]    The recommender  31  can decide to send a music recommendation  35  (operation  32 ) to the recipient  37  at any time while listening to or viewing the music collection stored on his player  33 . The recommendation  35  could be for a limited excerpt, single song, selection of songs or “tracks,” album, or music compilation. The recommender  31  could also be using his player  33  in some way other than listening to or perusing his stored music collection. For instance, if the player  33  is integral to a “smart” mobile telephone, the recommender  31  may decide upon a recommendation  35  while on a call. The recommender  31  picks the music and his player  33  generates the recommendation  35  (operation  34 ), either automatically or with assistance from the recommender  31 . The contents of the recommendation  35  are further described below with reference to  FIG. 4 . In a further embodiment, the music can be digitally encoded to enable subsequent tracking, unless tracking is disallowed by the source, recommender, recipient, or other party. Once generated, the player  33  electronically sends the recommendation  35  (operation  36 ) to the recipient&#39;s player  38 . 
         [0030]    The methodology of music recommendation (operation  34 ) is further discussed below with reference to  FIG. 6 . Briefly, unless the recommender  31  indicates otherwise, the player  33  automatically identifies the song currently in play or being viewed as the music to be recommended. The recommender  31  must specify a recipient  37  and the player  33  generates a music recommendation  35  that is subsequently transmitted to the recipient  37 . In a further embodiment, the music recommendation  35  and details regarding its use (not shown) can be subsequently tracked, unless tracking is disallowed by the recommender  31 , recipient  37 , or other party. 
         [0031]    The recommendation  35  is received by the recipient&#39;s player  38  for presentation to the recipient (operation  39 ). Upon learning of the receipt of the recommendation  35  from his player  38 , the recipient  37  can immediately listen to or view the recommendation  35 , save the recommendation  35  for later presentation, or ignore or discard the recommendation  35  altogether. Absent other disposition, the recommendation  35  is automatically integrated into the recipient&#39;s music collection, such as described in commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, entitled “Digital Media Player and Method for Facilitating Social Music Discovery and Commerce,” Ser. No. ______, filed ______, pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The music title or other information from the recommendation  35  appears as a virtual part of the recipient&#39;s music collection. 
         [0032]    In a further embodiment, the music content itself may have to be separately obtained. For instance, the player  38  may fetch and cache a sample of recommended music, or even the entire digital work, as further described below with reference to  FIG. 6 . By caching the recommended music in the background, the player  38  can make music exploration more responsive and enjoyable, so that a user does not have to wait for music to download before listening. In addition, the playing of the digital work may be subject to controls, such as digital rights management. The digital rights may allow the user to play the music once or to play a sample of the music. The digital rights could have other limitations. Finally, the player  38  may facilitate a commercial transaction, so that the user can easily purchase the music or obtain the music from a subscription service. 
       Music Logging Overview 
       [0033]    Music can be efficiently discovered through logging by a digital media player, even if the viewing or playing of the music on the player is separated by time, place, or circumstance.  FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram showing a system for facilitating social music discovery through sampling, identification, and logging  40 . Music logging can occur on demand upon the action of an individual music “discoverer”  41 , or autonomously by automatic music logging performed by his digital media player  41 . 
         [0034]    The discoverer  41  could be engaged in some fashion with his digital media player  41 . Upon hearing music playing in the ambient environment  42 , the discoverer  41  decides to take a sample, that is, a short recording, of the music (operation  44 ). In a further embodiment, the player  43  automatically senses and samples the music without any further action by the discoverer  41 . The music sample is thereafter identified, if possible, although the discoverer  41  may need to be prompted to choose a particular version if several known versions of the music are found. Following identification, the music is integrated into the discoverer&#39;s music collection, such as described in commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, entitled “Digital Media Player and Method for Facilitating Social Music Discovery through Sampling, Identification, and Logging,” Ser. No. ______, filed ______, pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. In a further embodiment, the music sample can be digitally encoded to enable subsequent tracking, unless tracking is disallowed by the source, recommender, recipient, or other party. 
       Music Recommendation Components 
       [0035]    A music recommendation contains information about the music that is being recommended. The music recommendation does not necessarily include the music itself, which could be separately obtained and uploaded by the recipient.  FIG. 4  is a data flow diagram showing, by way of example, components  50  of a music recommendation  51 . The components  50  are grouped into information relating to identification of the music  52 , the recommender  53 , the context  54  of the recommendation  51 , and the associated rating  55 . Other information components are possible. 
         [0036]    Identification information  52  relates to information about the music or digital work itself For clarity, the music that is being recommended will hereafter be referred to as a music selection, although the music could be a single tune or song, selection or related set of songs or “tracks,” album, music compilation, or other type or form of related or associated music content. Specific identification information  52  can include the title of the music selection, performing artist, album name, genre, publisher, availability, length, digital identifier, and a sample of the music or work. Other specific identification information is possible. 
         [0037]    The recommender information  53  identifies the source of the recommendation  51 . Absent consent, personal privacy considerations may limit what information is provided for an individual that sent a recommendation, although an institutional recommender, such as a recommendation service or online store, might be willing or required to divulge their information. Specific recommender information  53  includes the recommender&#39;s name, relation, such as friend, subscribed, or automated system, address data, phone number, email address, and Web site. Automated system information includes data on usage, social filtering, or collaborative filtering. In addition, information concerning a self-recommendation, which must include an explicit act by tile user to rate the music highly, as further described below with reference to  FIG. 5 , can include whether the information originates from a subscription or news service, or a sampling source. Other specific recommender information is possible, including text or voice annotations. 
         [0038]    The context information  54  relates to the time, place, or circumstance of a recommendation. The specific context information available will depend upon the setting or environment in which the recommendation was made. For instance, the time and date of a recommendation can generally be discerned based on when the recommendation was sent, even if the recommender&#39;s digital media player lacks a built-in clock. However, the circumstances surrounding a recommendation may not be directly known, unless the recommender annotates the circumstances to the recommendation. Other context information would have to be either directly sensed by the digital media player, or indirectly derived. Thus, a geolocational receiver would be needed to automatically determine location if the digital media player is portable. Similarly, a calendar would have to be evaluated to match up events to recommendations, such as a concert, party, or holiday. Other specific context information is possible. 
         [0039]    The rating information  55  is typically based on a Leikert scale. The rating could two-level or multi-level. The rating is generally from the recommender. Other specific rating information is possible. 
       Recommendation Sources 
       [0040]    Over time, a digital media player can amass a wide assortment of music, which has been received from various sources.  FIG. 5  is a data flow diagram showing, by way of example, sources  60  of personal music. The sources  60  can be loosely grouped into “traditional” sources  62 , recommendation sources  63 , and sampled sources  69 . The sources are merely representative of common music sources available to a music collector. Other music sources are possible. 
         [0041]    Traditional sources  62  include storefront and online music retail channels, such as described above with reference to  FIG. 1 . However, this source places the burden of growing the personal music collection  61  on the collector, relying oil his efforts and intuition to buy or obtain music as activities collateral to the use and enjoyment of his digital media player. The collector is left to seek out and audition music on his own before taking further steps to purchase or obtain, convert, upload, and integrate the music into his collection  61 . 
         [0042]    Recommendation sources  63  include several types of recommenders. A direct recommendation source  64  is a form of person-to-person recommendation and includes recommendations received from friends, family, colleagues, or fellow aficionados, such as described above with reference to  FIG. 2 . A direct recommendation source  64  is also known as social filtering or social recommendations. A recommendation originating from an online recommendation service or individual recommender, such as an online music critic that sends a music recommendation each week, constitutes a subscribed recommendation source  65 . The user of the player can also be a self-recommendation source  66  for music or other digital media originating from an ambient source. The user signals approval, such as by tapping his player, that an ambient source identified by the player should be sampled for music logging. A usage-based recommendation source  67  is similar to a direct source  64 , except by functioning implicitly to recommend music or other digital media by tracking listening habits and automatically generating a recommendation when user profile usage recommendation parameters are satisfied. Finally, a popularity- and profile-based recommendation source  68  bases recommendations on groups of users who appear to share common tastes. A recommendation is generated if group members buy or listen to certain music. A popularity and profile recommendation source  68  is also known as collaborative filtering or collaborative recommendations. Other types of recommendation sources are possible. 
         [0043]    The quality or authoritativeness of the recommendation source matters. Recommendations from trusted sources are considered more reliable than sources that generally send irrelevant or uninteresting recommendations. The recommender information  53  and context information  54  included as part of each recommendation  51  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) can help a collector to organize or filter recommendations, as well as the recommenders themselves, as further described below with reference to  FIG. 9 . For instance, reliable recommenders whose recommendations are generally trusted and followed may be rated higher or assigned greater weight than other recommenders. In addition, the recommendations from those trusted recommenders could also be displayed more prominently to reflect their higher credibility or greater weight. Conversely, recommendations from seldom-followed or untrusted recommenders could be automatically ignored or discarded. 
         [0044]    Finally, sampled sources  69  include music recommended by the user himself and samples autonomously collected from an ambient environment. Like recommendation sources  63 , sampled sources  69  can be evaluated and rated. Raw samples from random music logging might be the lowest rated, as the music would likely be of lowest interest. Self-recommended music, though, might be highly rated, particularly where the music selection sampled can be completely identified from the music sample alone. For example, if music logging takes place “on demand,” the act of taking the sample reflects the user&#39;s intention and implies a high rating. If music logging is proactive, that is, autonomous, the user could signal a rating while the music is playing, or could add a rating later while listening to the music. Other types of sampled sources are possible. 
       Recommendation 
       [0045]    Music recommending refers to the selection and sending of a recommendation of one or more music selections by a digital media player.  FIG. 6  is a process flow diagram showing a method  70  for facilitating music recommendation, in accordance with one embodiment. The method is performed as a series of process steps or operations executed by a digital media player or similar device. 
         [0046]    Each music recommendation first begins with the selection of one or more music selections via a digital media player (operation  71 ). The selection can be an explicit recommendation made by the recommender. The selection could instead be an implicit recommendation generated by a watcher program executing on the player that monitors the listening habits and selections of the recommender in the background. For example, the player could create a recommendation upon sensing that the recommender has repeatedly listened to a particular music selection. The player would then automatically generate a recommendation on behalf of the recommender for those recipients to whom similar recommendations have been sent in the past. The player is itself the “recommender,” although acting with the tacit permission of the user. Alternatively, the recommender might be prompted by his player to definitively approve the selection. Thus, the recommendation reflects the recommender&#39;s level of intention, where an explicit recommendation reflects a strong level of intention, an wholly implicit recommendation reflects a weak level of intention, and an implicit recommendation subject to recommender approval reflects a medium level of intention. 
         [0047]    In addition, the recommendation need not include the actual music or even constitute a complete musical work. Rather, the recommendation itself could contain no music whatsoever, a rendition with initial limitations on playback rights, such as a music sample or play-limited version, a hyperlink or reference to an online sample, another recommendation that is being forwarded from another recommender, or even a narrative or annotation dictated by the recommender. Other content is possible. 
         [0048]    In simplest form, the recommender only has to push a single “Recommend” button on his player to make the recommendation. The “Recommend” button is analogous to a “Call” button on a mobile telephone. Alternatively, the recommender could explicitly choose the selection, such as by picking a music selection from a display. In a further embodiment, the user interface of the player could provide a range of means to specify a recommendation. For instance, the player could include a motion sensor or accelerometer that accepted physical gestures as inputs, such as a shake, tap, or other movement, which would each signify the choice of a limited excerpt, single song, album, or other selection. The player could also provide voice recognition by which the recommender could speak out the music selection and recipient. 
         [0049]    Upon identifying the music selection to be recommended, the recommender must specify at least one recipient (operation  72 ), which could be by name, email address, phone number, or other identification. The recipient and music selection constitute a starting point or “shell” of a music recommendation. The player also adds as much recommendation information  51  that can be ascertained, as further described above with reference to  FIG. 4 . In addition, the recommender can optionally annotate a message to the recommendation (operation  73 ), either in text or voice, where supported. In a further embodiment, the player could automatically pick a recipient based on a list of frequently selected recipients or other criteria, such as shared musical interests or history of past recommendations and whether the recipient followed them. 
         [0050]    The player then electronically sends the recommendation (operation  74 ). The recommendation can be sent immediately, if the player has the capability, such as via wireless or cellular network. Alternatively, the sending of tile recommendation can be deferred until the player is connected or “docked” to a synchronization device, such as a personal computer. 
         [0051]    Following sending, the recommendation can be tracked (operation  75 ), unless tracking is disallowed by the recommender, recipient, or other party. Tracking can include maintaining an internal record of each recommendation, plus recipient list, although other tracking information may also be maintained, such as disposition, for instance, “In Transit,” “Read,” “Unread,” “Discarded,” or “Purchased.” Other tracking dispositions are possible. The tracking information can be maintained on the recommender&#39;s player or other location, such as a centralized server, although the recipient&#39;s player would have to allow the tracking information to be provided back to the recommender. The tracking information would thereafter be accessible by the recommender, or other authorized party, and could be used to decide whether subsequent recommendations to a recipient would likely be followed, or other determination. 
         [0052]    Finally, in a further embodiment, the recommender may receive an incentive from a music retail channel (operation  76 ) in recognition of having facilitated the eventual purchase of a recommended music selection. The tracking information would need to be made available to the music retail channel, which would need to corroborate the recipient&#39;s purchase to safeguard against fabricated claims. Still other recommendation operations are possible. 
         [0053]    The improved ease of use and convenience afforded in music recommendation through the foregoing method is best illustrated through the following scenario. Suppose a listener is exercising at a gym and is listening to a tune on his digital media player. He realizes that his son might be interested in the tune to which he is presently listening. To send a music recommendation, he taps a button on his digital media player and speak a message into his player, such as “Message for Morgan. Check out this piece, The River Sings, by Enya, which reminds me of Orinoco Flow.” The approach is analogous to “hands-free” calling on mobile telephones, which facilitate dialup to any party listed in a digital address book. Here, the user interaction is extremely easy for the listener because Morgan, his son, is already in his music-related address book and tile player automatically defaults to recommend the tune that is currently being played. Thus, the listener need not specially select Morgan&#39;s name from a list, specify a music selection, or think about formats. Rather, the listener merely need push a button, speak a message, and resume with his workout. The digital media player automatically annotates his message to the music recommendation and dispatches the recommendation to Morgan&#39;s digital music player. 
       User Receptiveness 
       [0054]    Logically integrating the recommended music selections into the music collection helps to opportunistically suggest the potential purchase of music to the recipient  25  at a time when he may be most receptive.  FIG. 7  is a graph  80  showing, by way of example, receptiveness to music-selection suggestion as a function of music activity. The x-axis  81  represents music-related activities as a continuum of personal involvement on the part of the music listener. The y-axis  82  represents the relative level of receptiveness experienced by a music listener in increasing order. 
         [0055]    Receptiveness  83  can be diagrammatically depicted as a function of music-related activities. Minimal activity  84  occurs when the user is having little to no involvement with his player. Searching activity  85  is goal-oriented and occurs when the user is trying to find a particular selection of music, which is also when the user would likely welcome relevant recommendations. The player enlarges the search scope to include the recommendation information, as described above with reference to  FIG. 4 . Organizing activity  86  occurs after music has been found, but prior to listening, such as while composing a play list. During organizing activity  86 , the available selections of music have been narrowed down by taste or other criteria and recommendations only appear within the display parameters in force. Finally, listening activity  87  connotes the actual playing of music on the player. The shaded area  88  of the receptiveness curve  83  respectively bounded by the searching and organizing activities  85 ,  86  represents peak receptiveness during which times the listener is most likely to be receptive to a recommendation. Integrating the music recommendations into the display thereby ensures that the recommendations are available both in form with existing music for purposes of organization and through recommendation information for location through search. 
       Visual Display 
       [0056]    Limits on human visual perception and digital manipulative abilities restrict the physical sizes of the displays and controls provided in the user interfaces of digital media players.  FIG. 8  is a screen diagram showing, by way of example, a visual display  90  for a personal music collection for use with the systems of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The visual display  90  assumes sufficient space to provide multiple rows of information regarding a personal music collection. The display  90  is supplemented with controls (not shown) to enable navigation and selection of music, although the composition of play lists is generally performed offline, where text entry capabilities are available. The display  90  includes parameters  91  to display music selections by artist  92 , title  93 , album  94 , genre  95 , and source  96 , although other display parameters are possible. Each column is sortable and searchable, as accommodated by the controls. 
         [0057]    Music selections, both recommended and sample music that has been identified, are included in the visual display as an integral part of the music collection. In general, the amount of information displayed is sensitive to the amount of space available and allocated in the display. For example, on a player in which a user can “open” or “close” the folders for groups of music shown in a display, opening a Celtic folder would show all artists and albums in the Celtic genre. Closing the same folder might just show the genre, Celtic, and not the music contained within. The display of recommendations thus follows the display of the music. If all music selections are displayed, recommendations in the Celtic genre would show up closest to the most relevant selections. However, if the folder is closed, the player would only show the numbers of music selections and recommendations. In addition, the display can incorporate further useful elements. When a user is looking at a recommendation, controls could enable him to read or listen to any message from the recommender. The display could also show when the recommendation was made and any rating provided by the recommender. If there is more than one recommendation for a music selection, the user may want to read or listen to multiple recommendations. Finally, controls could facilitate buying, such as from an online music retailer, or otherwise obtaining the recommended music, for instance, from a subscription service. 
         [0058]    The type of music selection, that is, existing music, recommended music, and sampled music, can be indicated using a different font, color, or other display attribute. In addition, the quality or authoritativeness of the recommender can be applied, either in how the music selection appears or whether the music selection is rated or omitted. Moreover, the “staleness” of a music selection could affect manifestation in the visual display. For instance, a recommendation or sample that is significantly older than more recent music selections might be filtered out. Other visual display criteria are possible. 
         [0059]    In a further embodiment, the spatial arrangement of the integrated music selections can be controlled to help distinguish recommended or sampled music from already-existing music acquisitions. Various indications can be used, including representing each piece as an icon or symbol, placing the recommended pieces adjacent to the music collection, or ordering and highlighting the recommended pieces within the music collection. In addition, a calendar could be generated to match up events to recommendations, such as a concert, party, or holiday, or a timeline could be created with one or more clusters of music recommendations. Still other spatial arrangement or indications are possible. 
       Music Suggestion Placement 
       [0060]    The recommended and sampled music selections are logically integrated into the visual display in an ordering to help ensure relevant and useful placement.  FIG. 9  is a process flow diagram showing music suggestion placement in a visual display for use with the methods of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The ordering determines placement as a function of degree of interest and contextual relevance. 
         [0061]    First, the degree of interest  101  rates whether a recommendation is expected to be of interest to the listener in any context. The degree of interest  101  depends upon recommendation-specific factors, such the recommendation source and associated reliability, described above with reference to  FIG. 5 ; the recommender&#39;s level of intention, described above with reference to  FIG. 6 ; the reliability of the recommender; and timing, that is, when the recommendation was sent. A recommender whose recommendations are generally followed, such as a subscribed recommendation source, would be assigned more weight than a seldom-followed recommender, like a collaborative recommendation. Similarly, a recommendation recently sent would be afforded greater weight than a stale recommendation. Other factors weighing into degree of interest  101  are possible. 
         [0062]    Second, the contextual relevance  102  characterizes the current listening context of the listener and can include evaluation of the possible spectrum of music-related activities  81 , as described above with reference to  FIG. 7 . Contextual relevance seeks to identify those recommendations to which a listener would presently be most receptive. For example, a listener browsing “Baroque music” would not likely have much interest in contemporary pop or light jazz. Contextual relevance can be derived, for instance, from the display, which generally is constrained to show only a subset of an overall personal music collection. Thus, contextual relevance applies similar constraints, such as genre, artist, and so forth, in evaluating the recommendations to show. Other types of contextual relevance are possible. 
         [0063]    Finally, placement  103  is a function of the degree of interest and contextual relevance  102 . A music selection from a recommendation that reflects a sufficient degree of interest and which is contextually relevant may be placed or integrated into the collection. Actual placement  103  applies the same constraints as listed music, and thus depends upon the ordering principles of the listing and the relatedness of the recommended music to the displayed music. Other forms of placement are possible. 
         [0064]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described as referenced to the embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope.