Metadata brokering server and methods

• US 20050182792A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Scheirey, Stephen, Wang, Yizhong, Simpkins, Daniel S., Hunleth, Frank A., Stoner, Ryan, Gritton, Charles W.K., Israel, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• 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 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/81 Monomedia components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for supplying rich multimedia metadata usable to generate, e.g., sophisticated entertainment user interfaces in the home. These methods and systems can be implemented as a server-based software application that feeds multiple, diverse clients. The server functionality could be distributed, even co-located physically with one or more clients, or centralized. The server aggregates, filters, validates, augments and links metadata from disparate sources. The server transforms the metadata into a more manageable and extensible internal format. The server communicates with client devices using a schema-independent protocol, providing metadata in the appropriate format that suites the clients needs.

Claims

1. A method for processing metadata information comprising the steps of:

capturing said metadata information from a plurality of different media sources;

creating links between said captured metadata information;

building a plurality of screen templates using at least one of said captured metadata and said links; and

distributing processed metadata including at least one of said plurality of screen templates, said links and said metadata to a plurality of different client devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of capturing said metadata information further comprises the steps of:

evaluating said metadata for relevancy and accuracy to generate filtered metadata; and

selectively storing said metadata in a database based upon a result of said evaluating step.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating links further comprises the step of:

selectively linking together metadata elements based upon their semantic relevance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of distributing said processed metadata further comprises the step of:

distributing a first set of processed metadata to a first set of client devices having a first set of capabilities and distributing a second set of processed metadata to a second set of client devices having a second set of capabilities.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

generating, at both said first set of client devices and said second set of client devices, a same displayed screen view based on said first set of processed metadata and said second set of processed metadata, respectively.

6. A system for processing media metadata comprising:

a metadata server for receiving metadata from a plurality of sources and for filtering and selectively storing said metadata in a metadata database;

a processor, associated with said metadata server, for linking together metadata stored in said database and generating screen templates using said metadata to collectively generate processed metadata; and

at least one distribution server for distributing said processed metadata to a plurality of client devices.

7. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of:

receiving metadata from at least two sources;

processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata; and

distributing said processed metadata.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said metadata is supplemental data associated with at least one media item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said supplemental data includes one or more of a title, description, genre, cast, DVD cover art, price, availability and rights associated with said at least one media item.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of receiving metadata further comprises the step of:

receiving metadata from a first service provider and a second service provider, said second service provider being different than said first service provider.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

converting said received metadata from a first received format into a second predetermined format.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

filtering said received metadata to remove information elements which are not relevant for screen generation.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

validating said received metadata to correct errors.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

mapping metadata, from said at least two sources, associated with a single media item into a single set of metadata.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

synthesizing new metadata based on said received metadata.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

modifying said received metadata based on a set of rules.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

generating user interface screens using portions of said received metadata from said at least two sources.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of:

populating a user interface screen using portions of said received metadata from said at least two sources.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

restricting usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on rights associated with said received metadata.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

restricting usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on parental controls associated with said received metadata.

21. A method for providing metadata usable to generate an interface comprising the steps of:

receiving metadata from at least one metadata source associated with a media item, said metadata having a plurality of fields;

selectively modifying contents of at least one of said fields based on at least one rule; and

forwarding said modified metadata to an entity which generates said interface for said media item.

22. A method for filtering metadata comprising the steps of:

receiving metadata from a source;

identifying at least one metadata information element which is not used in interface screen generation; and

filtering out said identified at least one metadata information element.

23. A method for validating metadata comprising the steps of:

receiving metadata from at least one source;

identifying an error in said received metadata; and

correcting said error in said received metadata.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of identifying said error further comprises the step of:

performing a closeness fit operation with respect to said received metadata and a repository of previously stored metadata.

25. A method for mapping metadata comprising the steps of:

receiving metadata from at least one source in at least one first format;

mapping said metadata from said at least one first format into a second format different from said first format; and

storing said received metadata in said second format.

26. A method for augmenting metadata comprising the steps of:

receiving metadata from at least one source;

identifying a semantic connection between two pieces of metadata; and

generating a link between said two pieces of metadata.

27. A system for processing metadata comprising:

a master server for receiving metadata from at least one source;

a processor for processing said received metadata; and

a repository for storing said processed metadata.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a plurality of distribution servers connected to said master server for distributing said processed metadata.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein at least two of said plurality of servers distribute said processed metadata differently based upon a capability level of client devices associated therewith.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said metadata is supplemental data associated with at least one media item.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said supplemental data includes one or more of a title, description, genre, cast, DVD cover art, price, availability and rights associated with said at least one media item.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to convert said received metadata from a first received format into a second predetermined format.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to filter said received metadata to remove information elements which are not relevant for screen generation.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to validate said received metadata to correct errors.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to

map said received metadata, from at least two sources, associated with a single media item into a single set of metadata.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to synthesize new metadata based on said received metadata.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to modify said received metadata based on a set of rules.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to generate user interface screens using portions of said received metadata from at least two sources.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to populate a user interface screen using portions of said received metadata from at least two sources.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to restrict usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on rights associated with said received metadata.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to restrict usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on parental controls associated with said received metadata.