Virtual program streaming multi-media system

摘要

A multi-media content playback system capable of autonomous operation in a virtual program format includes a memory store providing for the storage of a plurality of digital content, a player interface supporting the transfer of a digital content stream to a content player and for receiving user input, and a content control system coupled between the memory store and the player interface. The content control system includes a network proxy that is coupleable through a network to a content server and a control file server and a program control system that is responsive to the programmatic evaluation of a control file. Based on the autonomous evaluation of a control file, digital content is selectively transferred from the content server to the memory store. The control file further defines a dynamic program order for selectively streaming the plurality of digital content from the last-element cache through the player interface as the digital content stream. The dynamic program order is determined based on the control file subject to predetermined selective variation based on the user input.