Data structures and related methods for facilitating media content processing in user-defined development projects.

• US 20050204331A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rudolph, Eric H., Miller, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

Data structures and related methods facilitate processing of media content for a user-defined development project. In one embodiment, a data structure comprises a chain identified field for holding identifiers for identifying chains of components that are to be employed in connection with the development project, a source identifier field for denoting a project source associated with a particular chain identifier, a project time field for denoting when, during project execution, an associated source chain is required, a source time field for denoting which portion of a source is required to support execution of the project for an associated entry in the project time field, and a dependencies field for denoting whether an associated chain is dependent on any other chain(s).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

building a data structure to facilitate processing of media content for a user-defined development project, the data structure comprising;

a chain identifier field for holding identifiers for identifying chains of components that are to be employed in connection with the development project;

a source identifier field for denoting a project source associated with a particular chain identifier;

a project time field for denoting when, during project execution, an associated source chain is required;

a source time field for denoting which portion of a source is required to support execution of the project for an associated entry in the project time field; and

a dependencies field for denoting whether an associated chain is dependent on any other chain(s); and

using the data structure to organize and execute the development project.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises determining whether to unload a chain prior to its execution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises determining whether to unload a chain or any associated dependent chains prior to its execution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises dynamically managing chain priorities based, at least in part, on how soon a chain is required to support uninterrupted execution of the project.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises dynamically managing, with a matrix switch filter within a filter graph, chain priorities based, at least in part, on how soon a chain is required to support uninterrupted execution of the project.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises invoking only those chains that are associated with sources that are necessary to support a current or impending execution of a filter graph.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises limiting a number of currently loaded chains to a threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of using comprises unloading a chain when the chain is no longer required.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a project source can comprise audio and video content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the source identifier field can identify a source by using a file name.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the source identifier field can identify a source by using a file handle.

12. One or more computer-readable media having computer readable instructions thereon which implement a data structure to facilitate processing of media content for a user-defined development project, the data structure comprising:

a chain identifier field for holding identifiers for identifying chains of components that are to be employed in connection with the development project;

a source identifier field for denoting a project source associated with a particular chain identifier;

a project time field for denoting when, during project execution, an associated source chain is required;

a source time field for denoting which portion of a source is required to support execution of the project for an associated entry in the project time field; and

a dependencies field for denoting whether an associated chain is dependent on any other chain(s)/using data structure to organize and execute the development project.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable a determination of whether to unload a chain prior to its execution.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable a determination of whether to unload a chain or any associated dependent chains prior to its execution.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable dynamic management of chain priorities based, at least in part, on how soon a chain is required to support uninterrupted execution of the project.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable dynamic management, by a matrix switch filter within a filter graph, of chain priorities based at least in part on how soon a chain is required to support uninterrupted execution of the project.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable invocation of only those chains that are associated with sources that are necessary to support a current or impending execution of a filter graph.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable limiting a number of currently loaded chains to a threshold.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the data structure is configured to enable unloading a chain when the chain is no longer required.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein a project source can comprise audio and video content.