Method and system for managing and distributing digital media

• US 20020138619A1
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Theplatform For Media, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Olson, Andrew, Ramaley, Alan, Sonnad, Rahul, Blaine, Ian, Sodt, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method that integrates a plurality of media service systems offering different multimedia services such as media storage, syndication, delivery, and billing services. The system and method also provides automated file transcoding. In embodiment, a method of the present invention includes receiving a plurality of physical media files, organizing the plurality of physical media files so that different bit-rates and formats of a single source material are organized into a media database entity, receiving user specified delivery settings for the distribution of the physical media file, generating a release database entity storing the delivery settings of the physical media file, generating an address indicating the storage location of the release, and transmitting the address to a remote computing device.

Claims

1. In a networked computing environment comprising a server and a plurality of remote computing devices, a method for managing the distribution of digital media, wherein the method comprises:

at the server, receiving a plurality of physical media files;

storing each of the plurality of physical media files in a memory device;

creating a media database entity, wherein the media database entity stores data attributes that relate specific physical media files having a common input source;

receiving a data set indicative of a delivery setting for the distribution of one physical media file;

creating a release database entity, wherein the release database entity stores data attributes that relate the received data set to one physical media file and one media database entity;

generating a location data set that communicates the data attributes of the release database entity, wherein the location data set is configured for enabling a client computer to receive one physical media file; and

transmitting the location data set from the server to at least one remote computing device of the plurality of remote computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service data set indicative of a selection of at least one service provider associated with a remote computing device configured to provide a media service;

determining a storage location for one physical media file of the plurality of physical media files, wherein the determination of the storage location is based on the service data set;

transferring at least one physical media file to at least one remote computing device associated with the determined storage location; and

recording a location data set indicative of a network address of the remote computing device associated with the determined storage location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location data set is in the format of a uniform resource locator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of physical media files is an audio file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of physical media files is a video file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a master media file having a first bit-rate;

determining a number of media files that can be derived from the master media file;

generating at least one derivative file from the master media file, wherein the derivative file has a second bit-rate;

storing the derivative file in a media database; and

distributing the derivative file to a media service computing system.

7. In a networked computing environment comprising a managing server and a plurality of remote computing devices, a method for managing the distribution of digital media, wherein the method comprises:

receiving from a first remote computing device a request for a transfer of a media file;

generating an instruction set indicative of a location address of the media file by the use of a database, wherein the database architecture comprises a plurality of media and release entities relating the request to the location address of the media file; and

transmitting an instruction set to the first remote computing device, wherein the instruction set is configured to allow the remote computing device to receive the media file from a second remote computing device associated with the location address of the media file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the instruction set for the transfer of the media file instructs the second remote computing device to download the media file to the first remote computing device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the instruction set for the transfer of the media file instructs the second remote computing device to stream the media file to the first remote computing device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a master media file having a first bit-rate;

determining a number of media files that can be derived from the master media file;

generating at least one derivative file from the master media file, wherein the derivative file has a second bit-rate;

storing the derivative file in a database; and

distributing the derivative file to a the second remote computing device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising, storing the instruction set on a computer readable-medium.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transferring the physical media file to at least one remote computer associated with a service provider for storage; and

recording data indicative of the location of the transferred media file.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing steps of:

receiving a service data set indicative of a selection of at least one service provider associated with a remote computing device configured to provide a media service;

determining a storage location for one physical media file of the plurality of physical media files, wherein the determination of the storage location is based on the service data set;

transferring at least one physical media file to a remote computing device associated with the determined storage location; and

recording a location data set indicative of a network address of the remote computing device associated with the determined storage location.

12. In a networked computing environment comprising a managing server and a plurality of remote computing devices, a method for integrating a plurality of media service systems, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a plurality of physical media files;

storing each of the plurality of physical media files in a memory device;

creating a media database entity, wherein the media database entity stores data attributes that relate specific physical media files having a common input source;

receiving a data set indicative of a delivery setting for the distribution of one physical media file;

creating a release database entity, wherein the release database entity stores data attributes that relate the received data set to one physical media file and the media database entity;

generating a location data set indicative of a storage location of the physical media file, wherein the location data set contains the data attributes of the release database entity; and

transmitting the location data set to at least one remote computing device.

14. A networked computer system including at least one remote client computer, at least one server, and a plurality of servers providing multimedia services, a system of integrating the plurality of servers providing a plurality of multimedia services, comprising:

a database storing a plurality of media files, data indicative of the storage location of the media files, and data parameters indicating the types of each media file and transmission capabilities of the plurality of media files;

a memory storage device housed within the managing server, wherein the memory storage device for storing a program module, the program module operative for causing the managing server to;

receive a plurality of physical media files;

store each of the plurality of physical media files in the database;

create a media database entity in the database, wherein the media database entity stores data attributes that relate specific physical media files having a common input source;

receive a data set indicative of a delivery setting for the distribution of one physical media file;

create a release database entity in the database, wherein the release database entity stores data attributes that relate the received data set to one physical media file and one media database entity;

generate a location data set that communicates the data attributes of the release database entity, wherein the location data set is configured for enabling a client computer to receive one physical media file; and

transmit the location data set to at least one remote computing device.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving a plurality of physical media files;

storing each of the plurality of physical media files in a memory device;

creating a media database entity, wherein the media database entity stores data attributes that relate specific physical media files having a common input source;

receiving a data set indicative of a delivery setting for the distribution of one physical media file;

creating a release database entity, wherein the release database entity stores data attributes that relate the received data set to one physical media file and one media database entity;

generating a location data set that communicates the data attributes of the release database entity, wherein the location data set is configured for enabling a client computer to receive one physical media file; and

transmitting the location data set to at least one remote computing device.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a first data field containing media data that relates a plurality of media files, wherein related media files are associated by a common input source; and

a second data field containing data that relates one or more delivery settings to the media files of the plurality of media files, wherein the second data field further comprises a data attribute that relates the delivery settings of the media files to the media data of the first data field.