Storage, retrieval, and display of contextual art with digital media files
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of processing media content comprising:
- storing at least one media file in a memory associated with a client computer, said media file being adapted for rendering by a media player program executed by the client computer;
sending an identifier of the stored media file from the client computer to a server associated with a central database, said central database storing metadata corresponding to media files, said client computer and said server being coupled to a data communication network;
retrieving metadata corresponding to the stored media file from the central database via the data communication network, said metadata being retrieved in response to the identifier sent from the client computer to the server and including at least one image file corresponding to the stored media file, said image file relating to content of the stored media file; and
displaying the image file by the client computer when the media player program renders the stored media file corresponding thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and system for processing media content. A client computer stores a media file and sends an identifier of the media file to a server via a data communication network. In response to the identifier, the server retrieves metadata corresponding to the media file from a central database. The client computer executes a media player program adapted to render the media file and display the metadata, which includes an image file related to the content of the media file. The client computer can also display a thumbnail-sized representation of the image file in its shell to graphically represent the directory in which the media file is located.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method of processing media content comprising:
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storing at least one media file in a memory associated with a client computer, said media file being adapted for rendering by a media player program executed by the client computer;
sending an identifier of the stored media file from the client computer to a server associated with a central database, said central database storing metadata corresponding to media files, said client computer and said server being coupled to a data communication network;
retrieving metadata corresponding to the stored media file from the central database via the data communication network, said metadata being retrieved in response to the identifier sent from the client computer to the server and including at least one image file corresponding to the stored media file, said image file relating to content of the stored media file; and
displaying the image file by the client computer when the media player program renders the stored media file corresponding thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of processing media content comprising:
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determining whether a user-selected image file stored in a memory of a client computer directly corresponds to a media file to be rendered with a media player program executed by the client computer; and
if so, displaying the user-selected image file, by the client computer, when the media player program renders the media file corresponding thereto. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of processing media content comprising:
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storing at least one media file in a memory associated with a client computer, said stored media file being adapted for rendering by a media player program executed by the client computer, said client computer having an operating system installed thereon, said operating system having a shell providing an interface between the operating system and a user of the client computer;
defining a directory in which the stored media file is located;
storing at least one image file corresponding to the stored media file in the memory of the client computer; and
graphically representing the directory in which the stored media file is located by displaying a thumbnail-sized representation of the image file in the shell. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of processing media content comprising:
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storing metadata in a central database, said metadata corresponding to at least one media file stored in a memory associated with a client computer, said media file being adapted for rendering by a media player program executed by the client computer;
receiving, by a server associated with the central database, an identifier of the stored media file from the client computer, said client computer and said server being coupled to a data communication network;
retrieving metadata corresponding to the stored media file from the central database in response to the received identifier, said retrieved metadata including at least one image file corresponding to the stored media file, said image file relating to content of the stored media file; and
sending the retrieved metadata to the client computer via the data communication network for displaying the image file by the client computer when the media player program renders the stored media file corresponding thereto. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A system for processing media content comprising:
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a central database storing metadata corresponding to a plurality of media files;
a client computer coupled to a data communication network, said client computer having a memory storing at least one media file, said stored media file being adapted for rendering by a media player program executed by the client computer; and
a server associated with the central database, said server also being coupled to a data communication network, said server receiving and responsive to an identifier of the stored media file sent by the client computer via the data communication network for retrieving metadata corresponding to the stored media file from the central database, said metadata including at least one image file corresponding to the stored media file, said image file relating to content of the stored media file, said client computer displaying the image file when the media player program renders the stored media file corresponding thereto. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification