Abstract:
A GUI adapted for use with portable electronic devices such as media players is provided in which interactive objects are arranged in a virtual three-dimensional space (i.e., one represented on a two-dimensional display screen). The user manipulates controls on the player to maneuver through the 3-D space by zooming and steering to objects of interest which can represent various types of content, information or interactive experiences. The 3-D space mimics real space in that close objects appear larger to user while distant objects appear smaller. The close objects will typically represent higher level content, information, or interactive experiences while the distant objects represent more detailed content, information, or experiences. This GUI navigation feature, referred to as a semantic zoom, makes it easy for the user to maintain a clear understanding of his location within the 3-D space at all times.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Portable media players such as MP3 (Moving Pictures Expert Group, MPEG-1, audio layer 3) players, PDAs (personal digital assistants), mobile phones, smart phones, and similar devices typically enable users to interact with and consume media content such as music and video. Such players are generally compact and lightweight and operate on battery power to give users a lot of flexibility in choosing when and where to consume media content. As a result, personal media players have become widely accepted and used in all kinds of environments, including those where users are very active or out and about in their busy lifestyles. For example, when at the beach, a user might watch an episode of a favorite television show. The portable media player can then be placed in a pocket so that the user can listen to music while exercising, or when riding on the train back home. 
         [0002]    Users typically utilize a graphical user interface (“GUI”) supported by a display screen that is incorporated into the player in order to navigate among various menus to make selections of media content, control operation of the portable media player, set preferences, and the like. The menus are organized in a hierarchical manner and the user will generally interact with user controls (e.g., buttons and the like) to move within a menu and jump to different menus to accomplish the desired functions. 
         [0003]    While many current GUIs perform satisfactorily, it continues to be a challenge for developers to design GUIs that are easily and efficiently used, and engage the user in way that enhances the overall user experience. In particular, as portable media players get more onboard storage and support more features and functions, the GUIs needed to control them have often become larger and more complex to operate. For example, some current media players can store thousands of songs, videos, and photographs, play content from over the air radio stations, and enable shared experiences through device-to-device connections. Navigating through such large volumes of content and controlling the user experience as desired can often mean working through long series of hierarchical menus. Accordingly, GUIs that are more seamless in operation and intuitive to use and which provide a user with a better overall experience when interacting with the player would be desirable. 
         [0004]    This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A GUI adapted for use with portable electronic devices such as media players is provided in which interactive objects are arranged in a virtual three-dimensional space (i.e., one represented on a two-dimensional display screen). The user manipulates controls on the player to maneuver through the 3-D space by zooming and steering to GUI objects of interest which can represent various types of content, information or interactive experiences. The 3-D space mimics real space in that close GUI objects appear larger to the user while distant objects appear smaller. The close GUI objects will typically represent higher-level content, information, or interactive experiences while the distant objects represent more detailed content, information, or experiences. 
         [0006]    As the user flies along a desired path in the 3-D space to navigate between GUI objects by zooming and steering, distant objects appear in the space and become more detailed as they draw near. But unlike traditional hierarchical GUIs where the user typically jumps from menu to menu, the present GUI implements a continuous and seamless experience. Closer GUI objects on the display screen provide a semantic construct (i.e., contextual meaning) for the more distant objects that are simultaneously displayed. This GUI navigation feature, referred to as a semantic zoom, makes it easy for the user to maintain a clear understanding of his location within the 3-D space at all times. The semantic zoom is characterized by transitions between the close and distant objects that are dependent on the context level of the zoom. Simple and intuitive user control manipulation allows the user to steer to GUI objects while zooming in, or back up along the path to revisit objects and then navigate to other distant objects in the 3-D space. 
         [0007]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows an illustrative usage environment in which a user may listen to audio content and watch video content rendered by an illustrative portable media player; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows front view of an illustrative portable media player supporting a GUI on a display screen as well as user controls; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a typical hierarchical arrangement by which a user may navigate among various menus to make selections of media content, control operation of the portable media player, set preferences, and the like; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows an illustrative arrangement of GUI objects in a virtual 3-D space; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagram indicating illustrative operations of the user controls when using the present semantic zoom; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows an illustrative path by which a user navigates among GUI objects in the 3-D space; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows an illustrative arrangement where multiple 3-D spaces may be utilized by the present semantic zoom; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  shows an illustrative screen shot of an entry point into a 3-D space in which the present semantic zoom is utilized; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 9-16  are various illustrative screens that show aspects of the present 3-D semantic zoom; 
           [0017]      FIG. 17  shows how a user may back up along a path in a 3-D space and then navigate along a new path; 
           [0018]      FIG. 18  is an illustrative screen that shows a destination along the new path; 
           [0019]      FIG. 19  shows the portable media player when docked in a docking station that is operatively coupled to a PC and where the PC is connected to a media content delivery service over a network such as the Internet; 
           [0020]      FIG. 20  is a simplified block diagram that shows various functional components of an illustrative example of a portable media player; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 21  is a simplified block diagram that shows various physical components of an illustrative example of a portable media player. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    Like reference numerals indicate like elements in the drawings. Elements are not drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows an illustrative portable device usage environment  100  in which a user  105  interacts with digital media content rendered by a portable media player  110 . In this example, the portable media player  110  is configured with capabilities to play audio content such as MP3 files or content from over-the-air radio stations, display video and photographs, and render other content. The user  105  will typically use earphones  120  to enable audio content, such as music or the audio portion of video content, to be consumed privately (i.e., without the audio content being heard by others) and at volume levels that are satisfactory for the user while maintaining good battery life in the portable media player. Earphones  120  are representative of a class of devices used to render audio which may also be known as headphones, earbuds, headsets, and by other terms. Earphones  120  generally will be configured with a pair of audio speakers (one for each ear), or less commonly a single speaker, along with a means to place the speakers close to the user&#39;s ears. The speakers are wired via cables to a plug  126 . The plug  126  interfaces with a jack  202  in the portable media player  110 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  also shows a conventional GUI  205  that is rendered on a display screen  218 , and user controls  223  that are built in to the portable media player  110 . The GUI  205  uses menus, icons, and the like to enable the user  105  to find, select, and control playback of media content that is available to the player  110 . In addition to supporting the GUI  305 , the display screen  218  is also used to render video content, typically by turning the player  110  to a landscape orientation so that the long axis of the display screen  218  is parallel to the ground. 
         [0025]    The user controls  223 , in this example, include a gesture pad  225 , called a G-Pad, which combines the functionality of a conventional directional pad (i.e., a “D-pad”) with a touch sensitive surface as described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/987,399, filed Nov. 12, 2007, entitled “User Interface with Physics Engine for Natural Gestural Control,” owned by the assignee of the present application and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety having the same effect as if set forth in length. A “back” button  230  and “play/pause” button  236  are also provided. However, other types of user controls may also be used depending on the requirements of a particular implementation. 
         [0026]    Conventional GUIs typically provide menus or similar paradigms to enable a user to manipulate the user controls  223  to make selections of media content, control operation of the portable media player  110 , set preferences, and the like. The menus are generally arranged in a hierarchical manner, as represented by an illustrative hierarchy  300  shown in  FIG. 3 , with a representative menu item indicated by reference numeral  308 . Hierarchies are commonly used, for example, to organize and present information and interactive experiences through which a user may make a selection from various options presented. Users will typically “drill down” a chain of related menus to reveal successive screens until particular content item or interactive experience is located. 
         [0027]    While often effective, the hierarchical nature of such GUIs tends to compartmentalize the presentation of the GUI into discrete screens. The compartmentalization can often require that users move among one or more menus or go back and forth between menus to accomplish a desired action which may require a lot of interaction with the user controls  223 . In addition, the GUI presentation tends to be “flat” in that it is typically organized using the two-dimensions of the display  218 . To the extent that a third dimension is used, it often is implemented through the use of simple mechanisms such as pages (e.g., page 1 of 2, page 2 of 2, etc.). Overall, navigation in a hierarchically-arranged GUI can be non-intuitive and designers often face limitations in packaging the GUI content in order to avoid complex hierarchies in which users may easily get lost. 
         [0028]    By comparison to flat, hierarchically-arranged menu, the present GUI with semantic zoom uses a virtual 3-D space. The 3-D space is virtually represented on the two-dimensional display screen  218  of the portable media player  110 , but the user  105  may interact with it as if it had three dimensions in reality. An illustrative 3-D space  400  is shown in  FIG. 4  that contains a multiplicity of GUI objects  406 . The objects  406  are intended to represent any of a variety of GUI content that may be utilized when implementing a given system, such as media content, information, or interactive experiences. For example, the GUI objects  406  may include menu items, windows, icons, pictures, or other graphical elements, text, virtual buttons and other controls, and the like. 
         [0029]    The GUI objects  406  may be located within the 3-D space  400  in any arbitrary manner, typically as a matter of design choice. In this example, the objects  406  are grouped in successive x-y planes in the 3-D space  400  along the z axis, but it is emphasized that such grouping is merely illustrative and other arrangements may also be used. However, in most cases, the 3-D space  400  will mimic real space so that GUI objects  406  that are further away (i.e., have a greater ‘z’ value) will appear to be smaller to the user  105  when represented on the display  218  of the portable media player  110 . 
         [0030]    The user  105  may perform a semantic zoom in the 3-D space  400  through simple interaction with the user controls  223  on the portable media player  110 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , these interactions will typically comprise pushes on the G-pad  225 , as indicated by the black dots, in the center position, and the four directions of up, down, left, right. Pushes on the back button  230  may also be utilized, as described below, to back up along a path in the space. It is noted that the G-pad  225  is used as a conventional D-pad in this example. However, gestures supported by the touch sensitive portion of the G-pad  225  may also be utilized in alternative implementations. 
         [0031]    The user can fly within the 3-D space  400 , which is represented by apparent motion of the GUI objects  406  on the display screen  218 , through actuation of the G-pad  225 . A center push zooms ahead in a straight path, and the flight path can be altered by steering using up, down, left, or right pushes on the G-pad  225 . The center of the display screen will typically be a reference point through which the flight path intersects, but it may be desirable to explicitly indicate this reference point by use of a cross hair  506 , or similar marking. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , an illustrative flight path  606  for the semantic zoom goes between GUI objects  406  that are initially closer to the user and objects that are more distant. As the user steers the path  606  by manipulating the G-pad  225 , as the semantic zoom is performed, the GUI objects  406  appear to move towards the user on the display screen  218  by getting larger as they get closer. Typically, the semantic zoom will occur at a constant rate (i.e., the apparent velocity in the ‘z’ direction will be constant). However, in alternative implementations, it may be desirable to enable acceleration and braking when flying in the 3-D space  400 , for example through simultaneous pushes on the back button  230  (for braking) and the play/pause button  236  (for acceleration) while zooming and steering with the G-pad  225 . 
         [0033]    The present semantic zoom is not limited to a single 3-D space. Multiple 3-D spaces may be utilized in some scenarios. For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , it may be advantageous to use separate 3-D spaces to support different GUIs for different purposes. Media content could be navigated in one 3-D space  400   1 , while settings for the portable media player  110  could be effectuated using another 3-D space  400   2 , while yet another 3-D space  400   N  might be used to explore social interactions that are available through connections to other devices and players. Various methods such as different color schemes or themes could be used to uniquely identify the different 3-D spaces. The different 3-D spaces  702  may be entered through a common lobby  707 , for example, which may be displayed on the player&#39;s display screen  218 . 
         [0034]    For a given 3-D space  400 , the user  105  will typically enter the space at some high-level entry point, and then employ the semantic zoom to fly through the 3-D space to discover more detailed information.  FIG. 8  is an illustrative screen shot  800  of the display screen  218  showing one such high-level entry point into a 3-D space  400 . The high-level entry point in this example comprises a group of icons representing an alphabet that is used to access listings of music artists associated with media content that is stored on the portable media player  110  (or which may be otherwise accessed through the player). In this example, the alphabet icons are arranged as a scrollable list on the display screen  218 . However, in alternative arrangements, icons for the entire alphabet may be displayed on a non-scrollable screen. It is emphasized that the use of an alphabet as the high-level entry point to a 3-D space is illustrative and that other types of entry points may also be used depending on the requirements of a given implementation. 
         [0035]    In the screen  900  shown in  FIG. 9 , the user  105  has selected the letter ‘A’ to explore artists&#39; names that begin with that letter. As the user  105  presses the G-pad  225  to zoom into the 3-D space  400 , GUI objects  1006  appear in the distance as shown in screen  1000  in  FIG. 10 . As the user  105  continues to zoom in, the objects appear to get closer by increasing in size with more detail becoming apparent. As details become discernible, the user can use the directional positions on the G-pad  225  to steer up, down, left, or right as the zoom continues to steer to a GUI object or group of objects of interest. 
         [0036]    An illustrative group of GUI objects  1106  is shown in  FIG. 11  which comprises four fictitious artists. As the user  105  continues to zoom and steer a path, more detailed information becomes available. As shown in  FIG. 12 , such details may include, for example, information such as representative graphics and logos  1206  for the band, descriptive text, and the like. Representative audio content, such as a sample of a hit or popular song from the artist, could also be rendered as the user  105  zooms in to a particular object that is associated with the artist. 
         [0037]    The present semantic zoom provides a seamless user experience which also advantageously provides a context for the GUI objects in the 3-D space  400 . That is, unlike hierarchically-arranged menus where users jump from menu to menu, the GUI objects are traversed in the 3-D space in a continuous manner so that a close object will provide context for the more distant objects that reveal more detailed information or interactive experiences. For example, as shown in  FIG. 13 , as the user  105  continues to zoom into the GUI object  1206 , it will dissolve, or become increasingly transparent to reveal more distant GUI objects  1306  in the 3-D space with which the user may interact to get more details about the artist. However, it is emphasized that transparency is merely illustrative and that other techniques for providing semantic context may also be utilized. In most cases, the techniques will operate to show a connection between GUI objects, such as some form of simultaneous display of both objects on the display screen  218  or the like. 
         [0038]    The semantic zoom is characterized by transitions between the close and distant GUI objects that are dependent on the context level of the zoom. For example, as the user  105  zooms in, graphics and/or text will continue to grow in size as they appear to get closer. At a certain point in the zoom, a meaningful transition (i.e., a semantic transition) occurs where such graphics and text can appear to dissolve (e.g., have maximum transparency) to give room on the display to show other GUI objects that represent more detailed information. These objects will be initially small but also continue to grow in size and appear to get closer as the user continues with the semantic zoom. Another semantic transition will then take place to reveal GUI objects representing even more detailed information, and so on. The semantic zoom operation is thus a combination of a traditional zoom feature with semantic transitions that occur at the interstices between related groups of GUI objects. 
         [0039]    The semantic zoom enables a continuity of experience which lets the user  105  keep track of where he is located in the 3-D space without needing to manipulate a lot of user controls. Indeed, the zooming and manipulating is very intuitive and only requires steering with the G-pad  225 . Referring back to  FIG. 8 , some users may wish the hold the portable media player  110  in one hand and steer with a thumb. Thus, navigating even large libraries of content can be done easily with very little input motion. 
         [0040]    As the user  105  continues with the semantic zoom the GUI objects  1306  become more distinct as they draw closer, as shown in  FIG. 14 . The GUI objects  1306  in this example represent more detailed information about albums and videos (e.g., music videos) that the user  105  owns and has stored on the portable media player  110 , or might otherwise be available. For example, media content may be available on the player  110  that may be rendered with a limited play count under an applicable DRM (digital rights management) scheme. Icons representing artist information and purchase opportunities via an electronic store are also shown to the user  105  on the display screen  218 . 
         [0041]    In this example, the user  105  steers to the artist information icon  1506 , as shown in  FIG. 15 , which gets larger and reveals more details as the user zooms in. These details illustratively include such items as concert information, the artist&#39;s discography and biography, reviews by people within the user&#39;s social graph, trivia about the artist, and the like. Other details may include “rich” metadata associated with an artist or media content such as album cover artwork, artist information, news from live feeds, reviews by other consumers or friends, “bonus,” “box set,” or “extras” features, etc. For video content, the metadata may include, for example, interviews with the artists, actors, and directors, commentary, bloopers, behind the scenes footage, outtakes, remixes, and similar kinds of content. 
         [0042]    If the user  105  continues to zoom in and steers to the concert information, a list of concert dates and venues  1606  will come into view, as shown in  FIG. 16 . Here, the user  105  may select a particular date and venue which triggers the display of a graphic  1612  to invite the user to purchase tickets to the event. 
         [0043]    In the event that the user  105  wishes to move backwards in the 3-D space  400  to revisit a previous GUI object or steer a new path, by actuating the back button  230  on the player  110 , he can back up along the previous semantic zoom path  606 , as shown in  FIG. 17 . The GUI objects  406  shown on the display screen  218  will get smaller and recede from view to indicate the backwards motion to the user  105 . Typically, to avoid needing to steer in reverse, the backing up will automatically trace the path  606  in a backwards direction. The user  105  can then steer a new path  1706  to another GUI object of interest  406  using the G-pad  225 . In this example, the new destination GUI object is a menu  1800  for a store that is associated with the artist selected by the user  105 . 
         [0044]    It will be appreciated that the user experience shown in the illustrative example in  FIGS. 9-18  and described in the accompanying text can be extended to cover additional detailed information and interactive experiences as may be required to meet the needs of a particular implementation and usage scenarios. In addition, the particular number and arrangement of GUI objects  406  shown and described is intended to be illustrative, and other numbers and arrangements may also be utilized. 
         [0045]      FIG. 19  shows the portable media player  110  as typically inserted into a dock  1905  for synchronization with a PC  1909 . Dock  1905  is coupled to an input port  1912  such as USB port (Universal Serial Bus) with a synchronization (“sync”) cable  1915 , in this example. Other arrangements may also be used to implement communications between the portable media player  110  and PC  102   1  including, for example, those employing wireless protocols such as Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi (i.e., the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE 802.11 standards family) that enable connection to a wireless network or access point. 
         [0046]    In this example, the portable media player  110  is arranged to be operatively couplable with the PC  1909  using a synchronization process by which data may be exchanged or shared between the devices. The synchronization process implemented between the PC  1909  and portable media player  110  typically enables media content such as music, video, images, games, information, and other data to be downloaded from an on-line source or media content delivery service  1922  over a network  1926  such as the Internet to the PC  1909 . In this way, the PC  1909  operates as an intermediary or proxy device between the service  1922  and the portable media player  110 . 
         [0047]    In addition to media content, GUI objects  406  that may be used as updates to the objects in a given 3-D space  400  may also be provided by the service  1922  in order to keep the GUI current with any newly downloaded content. The downloaded media content and/or updated GUI objects may then be transferred to the portable media player  110  from the PC  1909 . Typically, the GUI objects from the service will be DRM-free, although various DRM methodologies may also be applied if desired. 
         [0048]    A pair of mating connectors are utilized to implement the connection between the portable media player  110  and the dock  1905 , where one of the connectors in the pair is disposed in the player (typically accessed through a sync port on the bottom of the player opposite the earphone jack  202 ) the and the other is disposed in the recess of the dock  206  in which the player sits. In this example, the connectors are proprietary and device-specific, but in alternative implementations standardized connector types may also be utilized. 
         [0049]    The dock  1905  also typically provides a charging functionality to charge an onboard battery in the portable media player  110  when it is docked. It is noted that the sync cable  1915  may also be directly coupled (i.e., without the player being inserted into the dock  1905 ) to the portable media player  110  using the proprietary, device-specific connector at one end of the sync cable. However, the dock  1905  may generally be used to position the docked portable media player  110  so that the player&#39;s display  218  may be readily seen and the controls  223  conveniently accessed by the user  105 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 20  a simplified block diagram that shows various illustrative functional components of the portable media player  110 . The functional components include a digital media processing system  2002 , a user interface system  2008 , a display unit system  2013 , a power source system  2017 , and a data port system  2024 . The digital media processing system  2002  further comprises an image rendering subsystem  2030 , a video rendering subsystem  2035 , and an audio rendering subsystem  2038 . 
         [0051]    The digital media processing system  2002  is the central processing system for the portable media player  110  and provides functionality that is similar to that provided by the processing systems found in a variety of electronic devices such as PCs, mobile phones, PDAs, handheld game devices, digital recording and playback systems, and the like. 
         [0052]    Some of the primary functions of the digital media processing system  2002  may include receiving media content files downloaded to the player  110 , coordinating storage of such media content files, recalling specific media content files on demand, and rendering the media content files into audio/visual output on the display for the user  105 . Additional features of the digital media processing system  2002  may also include searching external resources for media content files, coordinating DRM protocols for protected media content, and interfacing directly with other recording and playback systems. 
         [0053]    As noted above the digital media processing system  2002  further comprises three subsystems: the video rendering subsystem  2035  which handles all functionality related to video-based media content files, which may include files in MPEG ( Moving Picture Experts Group) and other formats; the audio rendering subsystem  2038  which handles all functionality related to audio-based media content including, for example music in the commonly-utilized MP3 format and other formats; and the image rendering subsystem  2030  which handles all functionality related to picture-based media content, including for example JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), GIF (Graphic Interchange Format), and other formats. While each subsystem is shown as being logically separated, each may in fact share hardware and software components with each other and with the rest of the portable media player  110 , as may be necessary to meet the requirements of a particular implementation. 
         [0054]    Functionally coupled to the digital media processing system  2002  is the user interface system  2008  through which the user  105  may exercise control over the operation of the portable media player  110 . A display unit system  2013  is also functionally coupled to the digital media processing system  2002  and may comprise the display screen  218  ( FIG. 2 ). Audio output through the earphone jack  202  ( FIG. 2 ) for playback of rendered media content may also be supported by display unit system  2013 . The display unit system  2013  may also functionally support and complement the operation of the user interface system  2008  by providing visual and/or audio output to the user  105  during operation of the player  110 . 
         [0055]    The data port system  2024  is also functionally coupled to the digital media processing system  2002  and provides a mechanism by which the portable media player  110  can interface with external systems in order to download media content. The data port system  2024  may comprise, for example, a data synchronization connector port, a network connection (which may be wired or wireless), or other means of connectivity. 
         [0056]    The portable media player  110  has a power source system  2017  that provides power to the entire device. The power source system  2017  in this example is coupled directly to the digital media processing system  2002  and indirectly to the other systems and subsystems throughout the player. The power source system  2017  may also be directly coupled to any other system or subsystem of the portable media player  110 . Typically, the power source may comprise a battery, a power converter/transformer, or any other conventional type of electricity-providing power source, portable or otherwise. 
         [0057]      FIG. 21  is a simplified block diagram that shows various illustrative physical components of the portable media player  110  based on the functional components shown in  FIG. 20  and described in the accompanying text (which are represented in  FIG. 21  by dashed lines) including the digital media processing system  2002 , the user interface system  2008 , the display unit system  2013 , the data port system  2024 , and the power source system  2028 . While each physical component is shown as included in only a single functional component in  FIG. 21  the physical components may, in fact, be shared by more than one functional component. 
         [0058]    The physical components include a central processor  2102  coupled to a memory controller/chipset  2106  through, for example, a multi-pin connection  2112 . The memory controller/chipset  2106  may be, in turn, coupled to random access memory (“RAM”)  2115  and/or non-volatile memory  2118  such as flash memory. These physical components, through connectivity with the memory controller/chipset  2106 , may be collectively coupled to a hard disk drive  2121  via a controller  2125 , as well as to the rest of the functional component systems via a system bus  2130 . 
         [0059]    In the power supply system  2028 , a rechargeable battery  2132  may be used to provide power to the components using one or more connections (not shown). The battery  2132 , in turn, may also be coupled to an external AC power adapter  2133  or receive power via the sync cable  1915  when it is coupled to the PC  1909 . 
         [0060]    The display screen  218  is associated with a video graphics controller  2134 . The video graphics controller will typically use a mix of software, firmware, and/or hardware, as is known in the art, to implement the GUI, including the present semantic zoom feature, on the display screen  218 . Along with the earphone jack  436  and its associated audio controller/codec  2139 , these components comprise the display unit system  2013  and may be directly or indirectly connected to the other physical components via the system bus  2130 . 
         [0061]    The user controls  223  are associated with a user control interface  2142  in the user interface system  2008  that implements the user control functionality that is used to support the interaction with the GUI as described above. A network port  2145  and associated network interface  2148 , along with the sync port  2153  and its associated controller  2152  may constitute the physical components of the data port system  2024 . These components may also directly or indirectly connect to the other components via the system bus  2130 . 
         [0062]    It will be appreciated that the principles of the present semantic zoom may be generally applied to other devices beyond media players. Such devices include, for example, mobile phones, PDAs, smart phones, handheld game devices, ultra-mobile computers, devices including various combinations of the functionalities provided therein, and the like. 
         [0063]    Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.