# 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. - **Patent:** US 6990497 - **Original title:** Dynamic streaming media management - **Owner:** Microsoft Corp - **Granted:** 2006 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 92 - **Field:** software, telecommunications, consumer_electronics ## What it does 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). ## 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. ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Early versions of Windows Media Player handling various playlist types 2. Media servers that consolidate playlists from different user devices 3. Music streaming services that import playlists from competing platforms 4. Podcast apps that manage episodes from diverse RSS feeds ## Why it matters 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. ## 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. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6990497/dynamic-streaming-media-management **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US6990497 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Seamlessly Switch Video Streams for Many Viewers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6732183/video-and-audio-streaming-for-multiple-users) — This patent describes a computer system that allows an administrator or viewer to smoothly switch between different video or audio sources for many people watching at the same time, without interrupting their viewing experience. - [How Music Apps Learn What You Don't Want in Playlists](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12277178/media-content-item-recommendation-system) — This patent describes how a music streaming service learns what kinds of songs or artists a user dislikes for their playlists by tracking what they repeatedly ignore, then uses that information to avoid recommending similar things in the future. - [How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9535948/facebook-watch) — A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code. - [How to Browse TV Shows Using 3D Virtual Objects](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8176439/windows-8-live-tiles) — A method for organizing television content by mapping category labels onto 3D surfaces that transform into video players when selected. - [How Software Automatically Collects and Organizes Data from Multiple Websites](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8112476/amazon-ec2-elastic-compute-cloud) — A system that automatically logs into multiple websites, pulls information, and stores it locally before you even ask for it, so it is ready to view instantly.