How to Play Any Media Playlist by Converting it to a Standard Format
This patent describes a system that takes media playlists in various formats, converts them into a single standard format, and then streams the referenced content, even allowing for dynamic changes during playback.
Original patent title: “Dynamic streaming media management”
This patent describes a system that takes media playlists in various formats, converts them into a single standard format, and then streams the referenced content, even allowing for dynamic changes during playback. Granted to Microsoft Corp in 2006 with 48 claims and 92 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a method for managing and streaming media content by first handling different playlist formats. A computing device accesses a "first playlist" that uses a "non-canonical data format" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). It then uses one of several "translators" to convert this first playlist into a "canonical playlist format," creating a "second playlist" (Claim 1). Once in this standard format, the system can retrieve and stream the media content referenced by the second playlist (Claim 1, 2). For example, a server could receive a playlist from a user's old media player, convert it to a standard web format, and then stream those songs to their phone. The system can even dynamically interrupt a media item being streamed to insert another one or change the playlist order (Claim 13, 14, 15).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems that only use a single, proprietary playlist format from creation to playback without any translation step.
- Does not cover media players that simply play different media file formats without translating the underlying playlist structure.
- Does not cover managing media content that is not referenced by a playlist, such as playing individual files directly.
- Does not cover systems where playlist modifications cannot happen dynamically while content is actively streaming to a client.
- Does not cover the conversion of the media content itself, only the playlist that references the content.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using a 'canonical' (standard) playlist format as an intermediary. This allows a system to accept playlists from many different sources by translating them into one common language, making it much easier to manage, stream, and even dynamically change the content without needing to understand every unique original format.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Early versions of Windows Media Player handling various playlist types
Media servers that consolidate playlists from different user devices
Music streaming services that import playlists from competing platforms
Podcast apps that manage episodes from diverse RSS feeds
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses a core challenge in early digital media: the proliferation of different file and playlist formats. By proposing a system to standardize playlists internally, it enabled media platforms to offer greater compatibility and flexibility to users. This approach was crucial for services aiming to aggregate content from various sources or allow users to bring their own diverse media collections.
Filed
June 26, 2001
Granted
January 24, 2006
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon continue to build on the principles of managing diverse media content. Their streaming services and media platforms often need to handle various playlist formats or integrate content from different sources, relying on similar underlying architectural concepts for interoperability and dynamic content delivery.
Market impact
This patent contributed to the development of more robust and flexible media management systems. It helped platforms overcome the fragmentation of media formats, allowing them to offer a more unified user experience. This approach became foundational for services that needed to ingest and deliver content from multiple, disparate sources, influencing how media libraries and streaming queues are handled in modern applications.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a method for managing and streaming media content by first handling different playlist formats. A computing device accesses a "first playlist" that uses a "non-canonical data format" (Claim 1). It then uses one of several "translators" to convert this first playlist into a "canonical playlist format," creating a "second playlist" (Claim 1). Once in this standard format, the system can retrieve and stream the media content referenced by the second playlist (Claim 1, 2). For example, a server could receive a playlist from a user's old media player, convert it to a standard web format, and then stream those songs to their phone. The system can even dynamically interrupt a media item being streamed to insert another one or change the playlist order (Claim 13, 14, 15).
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using a 'canonical' (standard) playlist format as an intermediary. This allows a system to accept playlists from many different sources by translating them into one common language, making it much easier to manage, stream, and even dynamically change the content without needing to understand every unique original format.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems that only use a single, proprietary playlist format from creation to playback without any translation step.
- Does not cover media players that simply play different media file formats without translating the underlying playlist structure.
- Does not cover managing media content that is not referenced by a playlist, such as playing individual files directly.
- Does not cover systems where playlist modifications cannot happen dynamically while content is actively streaming to a client.
- Does not cover the conversion of the media content itself, only the playlist that references the content.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
39/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$86K – $276K
Midpoint $173K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Patent Claims
0 independent claims · 1 dependent
Claims are the legal boundaries of the patent. An independent claim stands alone. A dependent claim adds limitations to its parent, narrowing — but not broadening — the scope.
The original legal language
Original claims
48 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Dean, D. F., & O'Rourke, B. P. (2006). How to Play Any Media Playlist by Converting it to a Standard Format (U.S. Patent No. 6,990,497). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6990497/dynamic-streaming-media-management
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How to Play Any Media Playlist by Converting it to a Standard Format cover?
This patent describes a system that takes media playlists in various formats, converts them into a single standard format, and then streams the referenced content, even allowing for dynamic changes during playback.
Who owns patent US 6990497?
Microsoft Corp owns this patent, granted in 2006.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 6990497 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 92 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses a core challenge in early digital media: the proliferation of different file and playlist formats. By proposing a system to standardize playlists internally, it enabled media platforms to offer greater compatibility and flexibility to users. This approach was crucial for services aiming to aggregate content from various sources or allow users to bring their own diverse media collections.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems that only use a single, proprietary playlist format from creation to playback without any translation step.
Same assignee
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