Improved techniques to facilitate generation, management and delivery of personalized media items for users are disclosed. Users are able to influence or control content within a personalized media item. According to one aspect, personalized media items can pertain to generation and delivery of map-based media items. These media items are playable by a media playback device. For example, when a map-based media item is played by a media playback device, an audio output and/or a visual output can be provided. The audio output can be provided by digital audio, and the visual output can be provided by at least one digital image that is associated with at least a portion of the digital audio.

Here's Apple's summary of the invention: "The invention pertains to the generation, management and delivery of personalized media items for users. Users are able to influence or control content within a personalized media item.

"According to one aspect of the invention, personalized media items can pertain to generation and delivery of map-based media items. These media items are playable by a media playback device. For example, when a map-based media item is played by a media playback device, an audio output and/or a visual output can be provided. The audio output can be provided by digital audio, and the visual output can be provided by at least one digital image that is associated with at least a portion of the digital audio.

"The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a method, system, device, apparatus (including graphical user interface), or computer readable medium. Several embodiments of the invention are discussed below.

"As a computer-implemented method for forming a map-based media item, one embodiment of the invention includes at least the acts of: receiving a request for a map-based media item pertaining to mapping a route from a start location to a destination location; obtaining map information based on a determined route from the start location to the destination location, the map information including text directions and at least one map image; causing the text directions to be converted into voice directions; and forming the map-based media item using at least the voice directions and the at least one map image.

"As a computer-implemented method for providing a map-based media item to a portable media playback device, one embodiment of the invention includes at least the acts of: receiving a request for a map-based media item pertaining to mapping a route from a start location to a destination location; obtaining map information based on a determined route from the start location to the destination location, the map information including text directions and a plurality of map images; causing the text directions to be converted into voice directions; forming a map-based media item from the voice directions and the map images, the map images being at least partially synchronized with the corresponding portions of the voice directions; and rendering the map-based media item available to be provided to the portable media playback device.

"As a computer-readable medium including at least computer program code for providing a map-based media item to a media playback device, one embodiment of the invention includes at least: computer program code for receiving a request for a map-based media item pertaining to mapping a route from a start location to a destination location; computer program code for obtaining map information based on a determined route from the start location to the destination location, the map information including text directions; computer program code for causing the text directions to be converted into voice directions; and computer program code for forming the map-based media item using at least the voice directions.

"As a computer-implemented method for providing map-based media data to a client device, one embodiment of the invention includes at least the acts of: requesting map-based media data from a remote server, the map-based media data pertaining to mapping a route from a start location to a destination location; receiving an indication that the map-based media data that has been requested has been made available on a subscription server; requesting the map-based media data from the subscription server; receiving at least a portion of the map-based media data from the subscription server in response to a request therefor; storing the received map-based media data; and subsequently downloading the received map-based media data to the portable media playback device.

"As a computer system one embodiment of the invention includes at least: a processor for executing computer program code to form one or more map-based media items, and a data storage device that stores one or more map-based media items and the computer program code. The computer program code includes at least: computer program code for obtaining map information based on a route from a start location to a destination location, the map information including text directions; computer program code for causing the text directions to be converted into voice directions; and computer program code for forming the map-based media item using at least the voice directions."

The inventor is Ellis M. Verosub. The graphic below is a block diagram of a map-based media system according to one embodiment of the invention.