Method and apparatus for tagging and locating audio data

• US 20040199494A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatt, Nikhil
• Application Number:
  US10/407,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199494A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/686 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title or artist information, time, location or usage information, user ratings

Abstract

A method for indexing audio files to provide a small number of good matches from a search engine is presented. An indexer parses the audio files and generates search keywords which are presented to a user via a graphical user interface. The keywords presented to the user are only those keywords that matched tags obtained from the audio files that were indexed. Thus, the user is never presented information that will not provide a valid search. The user'"'"'s search query is simply a selection of one of the keywords presented by the indexer. The user can further narrow the search results to audio files that are within a predetermined number of semitones of the project tone. Thus, users need not waste time listening to audio files that are completely out of tone with their projects when search for a particular audio file.

Claims

1. A method for locating useful sound files comprising:

specifying a directory having a plurality of sound files;

parsing each of said plurality of sound files to extract tag information;

generating one or more words and word pairs from said tag information;

generating one or more keywords from said one or more words and word pairs; and

providing said one or more keywords to a user for use as query in searching for a desired sound file for a project.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said directory is a network path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said directory is the World-Wide-Web.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said directory is a computer storage media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said each of said plurality of sound files has tag information appended to an audio content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said each of said plurality of sound files has an associated tag information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said tag information comprises property tags.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said tag information comprises search tags.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said tag information comprises descriptors.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said searching for a desired sound file produces a second plurality of sound files.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of said second plurality of sound files is within a predefined number of semitones of said project.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating one or more keywords comprises running said one or more words and word pairs through a translation process.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said translation process comprises equating said one or more words and word pairs with at least one keyword.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said equating comprises a translation table lookup.

15. An apparatus for locating useful sound files on a computer system comprising:

a first graphical user interface on a computer system for specifying a directory having a plurality of sound files;

an indexer on said computer system parsing each of said plurality of sound files to extract tag information, said indexer generating one or more words and word pairs from said tag information;

a translator associated with said indexer for generating one or more keywords from said one or more words and word pairs; and

said indexer providing said one or more keywords at a second graphical user interface for use as query in searching for a desired sound file for a project.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said directory is a network path.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said directory is the World-Wide-Web.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said directory is a computer storage media.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said each of said plurality of sound files has tag information appended to an audio content.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said each of said plurality of sound files has an associated tag information.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said tag information comprises property tags.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said tag information comprises search tags.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said tag information comprises descriptors.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said searching for a desired sound file produces a second plurality of sound files.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein each of said second plurality of sound files is within a predefined number of semitones of said project.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said generating one or more keywords comprises said translator running said one or more words and word pairs through a translation process.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said translation process comprises equating said one or more words and word pairs with at least one keyword.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said equating comprises a translation table lookup.