Systems and methods are disclosed in which correspondences with content or other media assets can be established such that a media player or portable media device can automatically modify or adjust an equalizer setting based on information associated with the content or other media assets. The media player may automatically adjust one or more equalizer settings based on genre, artist, album, or the like.

In some embodiments, metadata associated with content or other media assets can be analyzed to determine normalized data thereby potentially grouping content into supersets. Based on the normalized data, the media player may automatically adjust equalizer settings for each superset or grouping of content. Correspondences with one or more accessories may be established such that the media player can automatically modify or adjust an equalizer setting based on the one or more accessories.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "Electronic devices, such as portable media players, cellular phones, personal digital assists (PDAs), and the like, are prevalent in today's marketplace, as are the peripheral electronic devices that support their use, such as docking stations and the like. As competition in the personal electronics marketplace becomes ever more heated, consumers have become more demanding in terms of both the functionality and use of such devices.

"Users listen to, watch, or otherwise receive and consume content in a variety of contexts. For example, it is common to listen to music while driving, riding public transit, exercising, hiking, doing chores, or the like. Additionally, users now are more often using media players to receive radio, television, and satellite broadcasts, Global Positioning and other broadcast-based location services for navigation and recreation in addition to the playback of content stored on the media players.

:Graphic equalizers can be common in middle- and high-end stereophonic sound systems for consumer use, and may also be available for use in fine-tuning sound in media players. Media players or portable media device may allow users to determine settings for audio and video signals by controlling the graphic equalizer. For example, the equalizer may control timbre or other attributes associated with the signals. In a conventional equalizer, controls are provided in accordance with a plurality of frequency band units, and the user manually manipulates controls for one or more of the frequency band units so that the desired setting may be achieved. However, a user unfamiliar with the manipulation of the equalizer may listen to all music with one setting, or the quality of the music may be reduced due to unskilled equalizing manipulation.

"Accordingly, what is desired are improved methods and apparatus for solving the problems discussed above. Additionally, what is desired are improved methods and apparatus for reducing some of the drawbacks discussed above."

The inventor is Szu Wen Huang. The graphic below is a block diagram of a media player that may incorporate embodiments of the present invention.

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