Audio program player including a dynamic program selection controller

1. A player for reproducing selected audio program segments comprising, in combination:

means for storing a plurality of program segments, each of said program segments having a beginning and an end,

means for receiving and storing a file of data establishing a sequence in which said program segments are scheduled to be reproduced by said player,

means for accepting control commands from a user of said player,

means for continuously reproducing said program segments in the order established by said sequence in the absence of a control command,

means for detecting a first command indicative of a request to skip forward, and

means responsive to said first command for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program segment and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of a program segment which follows said currently playing program in said sequence.

2. A player as set forth in claim 1 further comprising means for detecting a second command indicative of a request to skip backward, and

means responsive to a single one of said second commands for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program segment and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of said currently playing program.

3. A player as set forth in claim 2 further comprising means responsive to the detection of two consecutive ones of said second commands for discontinuing the reproduction of the currently playing program segment and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of a program segment which precedes the currently playing program segment.

4. A player as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sequence established by said data forms an endless circular sequence of program segments.

5. A player as set forth in claim 1 including editing means for modifying said data establishing said sequence.

6. A player as set forth in claim 5 wherein said editing means includes means for reordering the sequence established by said data.

7. A player as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for reproducing said program segments includes means for varying the rate at which said program segments are reproduced.

8. A player as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for varying the rate at which said program segments are reproduced includes means for skipping periods of silence between words or other sounds when said program segments are reproduced.

9. A player as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for varying said rate comprises means for designating portions of said program segments as highlight passages and means responsive to a request from aid user for reproducing said highlight passages without reproducing at least some portions of said program segments which are adjacent to said highlight passages.

10. A player as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for reproducing said program segments including means for accepting a bookmarking request from said user, means for storing bookmark data indicating the program segment being reproduced at the time said bookmarking request is accepted.

11. A player as set forth in claim 1 wherein said program segments include descriptive program segments, each given descriptive segment containing information which when reproduced for the listener describes the content of one or more other program segments which immediate follow said given descriptive segment, and

wherein said player further comprises means responsive to said first command and operative when one of said descriptive segments is currently playing for discontinuing the reproduction of said currently playing descriptive segment and instead continuing the reproduction at the beginning of the next descriptive segment in said sequence.

12. A player as set forth in claim 1 wherein said player further comprises:

means for storing data indicative of highlight passages within at least selected ones of said program segments, and

means responsive to a predetermined one of said control commands for reproducing only the highlight passages within said selected program segments.

13. A player as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for accepting control command from a user includes a microphone for accepting voice signals from said user and means for translating said voice signals into said control commands.

14. A programmed digital computer for reproducing audio programs, said computer comprising, in combination:

a mass storage device for storing a plurality of digitally recorded audio program segments, each of said segments having a beginning and an end, and further receiving and storing a file of data establishing a sequence in which said program segments are scheduled to be played,

input means for accepting control commands from a user,

output means for producing audible sounds in response to analog audio signals,

processing means for translating said digitally recorded audio program segments into analog audio signals delivered to said output means for reproducing said recorded program segments in a form audible to said user,

processing means responsive to a first one of said control commands for discontinuing the translation of the currently playing program segment and instead continuing the translation at the beginning of the next program segment in said sequence, and

processing means responsive to a second one of said control command for discontinuing the translation of the currently playing program and instead continuing the translation at the beginning of said currently playing program.

15. A programmed digital computer for reproducing audio programs as set forth in claim 14 further comprising means responsive to two consecutive ones of said second control commands for discontinuing the translation of the currently playing program and instead continuing the translation at the beginning of a program segment which precedes said currently playing program in said sequence.

16. A programmed digital computer for reproducing audio programs as set forth in claim 14 wherein said program segments include descriptive programs segments which describe the content of one or more other program segments which immediately follow said descriptive segment in said sequence and wherein said processing means responsive to said a first one of said control commands continues the translation at the beginning of the next descriptive command when the currently playing program segment is a descriptive segment.

17. A programmed digital computer as set forth in claim 16 wherein said input means comprise a microphone for accepting voice commands spoken by said user.