Aggregating metadata for media content from multiple devices

• US 20050015713A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Srinivas, Kasy, Plastina, Daniel, Rao, Praveen Singh
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Collecting and augmenting metadata associated with media content stored on a plurality of devices for display to a user. The collected metadata remains available (e.g., visible) to a user after the device storing the corresponding media content is offline, disconnected, or otherwise unavailable. In particular, the invention permits metadata associated with media content stored on one or more devices (e.g., consumer electronic devices) to be enumerated, obtained, and promoted into another device (e.g., a personal computer) such that the metadata may be treated as if the media content is stored on the other device (e.g., the personal computer). In particular, the invention automatically detects an event generated in response to an action by a first device storing a media file. In response to the detected event, the invention matches and obtains metadata for the media content stored in the media file. A user organizes or otherwise manipulates the obtained metadata, for example, via a media player.

Claims

1. A method for collecting metadata for media content stored on a plurality of devices, said method comprising:

automatically detecting an event generated in response to an action by a first device, said first device having a media file stored thereon;

determining an identifier associated with the media file in response to the detected event;

obtaining metadata for the media file from a metadata provider using the determined identifier;

storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a second device; and

enabling a user to manipulate the stored metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting a connection from a consumer electronics device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the obtained metadata in the memory area associated with the second device comprises storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a media player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier associated with the media file comprises querying the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier associated with the media file comprises accessing data stored on a computer-readable medium of the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for the media file from the metadata provider comprises obtaining the metadata for the media file from the first device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user to determine whether to obtain the metadata associated with the media file from the metadata provider; and

receiving a determination from the user in response to said prompting.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting a user to determine whether to add the obtained metadata to a media library associated with the second device;

and

receiving a determination from the user in response to said prompting.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory area stores metadata for a media file stored on an external device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting a connection from one or more of the following:

a portable device, an external device, a handheld device, a computing device, and a storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for the media file from the metadata provider using the determined identifier comprises obtaining metadata for the media file from a web service using the determined identifier

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving metadata from the media file.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for the media file from the metadata provider using the determined identifier comprises downloading the metadata from a network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises processing an event generated by creation of a connection by the first device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises one or more of the following:

a device event, an autoplay event, a change event, and a notify event.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting an event generated in response to storage of another media file on the first device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the obtained metadata in the memory area associated with the second device comprises storing the obtained metadata in a file system of a personal computer.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the obtained metadata to a user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising altering the display of the obtained metadata when the first device is disconnected.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein altering the display of the obtained metadata comprises one or more of the following:

dimming, shading, tinting, bolding, and italicizing.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting the insertion of a compact disc into a personal computer.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device has write capability, and further comprising storing the obtained metadata on the first device.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier associated with the media file comprises determining bibliographic metadata for the file.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

25. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable components for collecting metadata for media content stored on a plurality of devices, said components comprising:

a driver component for automatically detecting a connection from a first device upon creation of the connection by the first device having a media file stored thereon;

an identification component for identifying metadata associated with media content stored in the media file;

a retrieval component for obtaining from a metadata provider the metadata identified by the identification component for the media content;

a storage component for storing the metadata obtained by the retrieval component in a memory area associated with a second device; and

an application component for enabling a user to manipulate the metadata stored by the storage component.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 25, further comprising a user interface component for:

prompting a user to determine whether to obtain the metadata associated with the media file from the metadata provider; and

receiving a determination from the user in response to said prompting.

27. The computer-readable media of claim 25, further comprising a display component for displaying to a user the metadata obtained by the retrieval component.

28. The computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the display component further alters the display of the obtained metadata when the first device is disconnected.

29. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the retrieval component obtains the metadata identified by the identification component for the media content from a web service.

30. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the storage component stores the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a media player.

31. A system for collecting metadata for media content stored on a plurality of devices, said system comprising:

a memory area for storing metadata for media content, said media content being stored on a first device, said memory area being associated with a second device; and

a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

automatically detecting a connection from a first device upon creation of the connection by the first device having media content stored thereon;

identifying metadata associated with the media content in response to the detected connection;

obtaining the identified metadata for the media content from a metadata provider;

storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a second device;

displaying the stored metadata to a user; and

altering the display of the stored metadata responsive to termination of the connection.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first device comprises one or more of the following:

a computing device, a storage device, and a consumer electronic device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the second device comprises a personal computer.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the memory area comprises a metadata repository associated with a media player.

35. An operating system having an event handler associated therewith, said event handler having computer-executable instructions for:

automatically detecting a connection from a first device upon creation of the connection by the first device having a media file stored thereon;

determining an identifier associated with the media file in response to the detected connection;

obtaining the metadata for the media file from a metadata provider using the determined identifier;

storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a second device; and

enabling a user to manipulate the stored metadata via an application program associated with the second device.

36. The operating system of claim 35, wherein the event handler further includes computer-executable instructions for prompting a user to determine whether to obtain the metadata associated with the media file from the metadata provider.

37. The operating system of claim 35, wherein the event handler further includes computer-executable instructions for retrieving metadata from the first device.

38. The operating system of claim 35, wherein the event handler further includes computer-executable instructions for enabling the display of the stored metadata to the user.

39. A method for collecting metadata for media content stored on a plurality of devices, said method comprising:

automatically detecting an event generated in response to an action by a first device, said first device having a media file stored thereon;

said media file including media content;

matching metadata to the media content in response to the detected event;

obtaining the matched metadata from a metadata provider;

storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a second device; and

enabling a user to manipulate the stored metadata.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising displaying the obtained metadata to a user.