Method and system for annotating audio/video data files

• US 20040237032A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Miele, David Vanesselstyn, Frank Moretti, Maurice Matiz
• Original Assignee: David Miele, David Vanesselstyn, Frank Moretti, Maurice Matiz
• Inventors: Matiz, Maurice, Moretti, Frank, Miele, David, Vanesselstyn, David
• Application Number:
  US10/489,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20040237032A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/512
• 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 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

One or more audio/video files are provided on a central server (203), accessible via a computer network. A audio/video file is requested by a user (205) and the file is transmitted to that user for viewing (207). The user enters edit point information specifying a portion of the previously-transmitted audio/video file relating to which the user wishes to make an annotation. The edit point information is received (209) by the central server over the computer network along with the textual annotation entered by the user. Use may be made of an optional rule that the edit point information must satisfy before it is accepted (211). The received edit point information and textual annotation are stored in an annotation data file (213). A subsequent user may request the annotation data file, which is transmitted to that user. The annotation text along with the relevant portion of the audio/vide file is then displayed for the requesting user.

Claims

1. A method for annotating audio/video data files, comprising:

a) providing one or more audio/video data files accessible via a computer server over a computer network;

b) receiving a request at said computer server from a computer of an annotating individual on the computer network for at least one of said one or more audio/video files;

c) transmitting by the computer server to the computer of the annotating individual said at least one audio/video file requested in step b) over said computer network for display by the computer of said annotating individual;

d) receiving by the computer server from the computer of the annotating individual edit point information specifying a portion of said at least one audio/video file transmitted by the computer server in step c) selected by said annotating individual;

e) receiving by the computer server text provided by said annotating individual, corresponding at least in part to said selected portion of said at least one audio/video file; and

f) storing by the computer server said text and said edit point information received from the computer of the annotating individual in an annotation data file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

g) receiving by the computer server a request for said annotation data file stored in step e) from a computer of a requesting individual on the computer network; and

h) providing by the computer server said requested annotation data file over said computer network for display by the computer of said requesting individual such that said text is displayed for said requesting individual together with said portion of said at least one audio/video file specified by said edit point information received by the computer server in step d).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

g) defining at least one rule that said edit point information received from the computer of the annotating individual must satisfy; and

h) processing by the computer server said edit point information received from the computer of the annotating individual in step d) to verify said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule, wherein steps d) and h) are repeated and storing step f) is performed only if the result of step h) is that said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

g) defining at least one rule that said edit point information must satisfy; and

h) processing by the computer of the annotating individual said edit point information to verify said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule, wherein steps d) and h) are repeated and storing step f) is performed only if the result of step h) is that said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule.

5. A system for annotating audio/video data files, comprising:

a first storage device for storing at least one audio/video data file;

a second storage device;

a computer server comprising;

a storage device interface coupled to said first and second storage devices;

a network interface coupled to a computer network;

a first receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving an audio/video file request selecting a particular one of said at least one audio/video data file over said computer network;

a first transmitter coupled to said network interface for transmitting over said computer network the particular one of said at least one audio/video data file selected by the audio/video file request received by said first receiver;

a second receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving edit point information specifying a portion of the particular one of said at least one audio/video file transmitted by said first transmitter and for receiving text corresponding at least in part to said specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audio/video file over said computer network from a computer of an annotating individual on said computer network; and

a controller coupled to said second receiver and said storage device interface for creating an annotation data file for the specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audio/video file, said annotation data file comprising said edit point information and said corresponding text, and the controller for causing said annotation data file to be stored on said second storage device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said computer server further comprises:

a third receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving an annotation request selecting at least one annotation data file stored on said second storage device; and

a second transmitter, coupled to said network interface for transmitting over said computer network to a destination computer at least one annotation data file selected by the annotation request received by said third receiver;

wherein said controller creates said annotation data file so that said corresponding text is displayed at the destination computer together with said specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audio/video file.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said computer server further comprises:

a third receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving an annotation request selecting at least one annotation data file stored on said second storage device over said computer network from a computer of a requesting individual on the computer network; and

a second transmitter, coupled to said network interface for transmitting over said computer network at least one annotation data file selected by the annotation request received by said third receiver;

wherein said controller creates said annotation data file so that said corresponding text is displayed at the computer of the requesting individual together with said specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audio/video file.