Interactive system for collecting metadata

• US 20060112067A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US10/996,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112067A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

A method and system for collecting metadata for multimedia objects is described. According to an exemplary embodiment, a metadata service is provided for a multimedia object, wherein the metadata service is not associated with a source of the object. At least one metadata vocabulary is identified for the multimedia object using the metadata service. Metadata related to the multimedia object is collected according to the at least one metadata vocabulary. The metadata service allows users to view, modify, or search the metadata for the multimedia object. Users can further select or create metadata vocabularies to be used in the viewing, modifying, or searching of the metadata. In this manner, a common mechanism for providing a metadata service related to the multimedia object and for advertising the metadata service is provided.

Claims

1. A method for collecting metadata for multimedia objects, comprising:

providing a metadata service for a multimedia object, wherein the metadata service is not associated with a source of the object;

identifying at least one metadata vocabulary for the multimedia object using the metadata service; and

collecting metadata related to the multimedia object according to the at least one metadata vocabulary.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining an object type and an identifier associated with the multimedia object, wherein identifying the at least one metadata vocabulary is based on the determined object type or identifier of the multimedia object.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

storing the collected metadata in a repository separate from the multimedia object; and

linking the multimedia object to the stored metadata using the determined identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one metadata vocabulary can be identified using a plurality of metadata services including a second metadata service associated with the source of the object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the metadata services associated and not associated with the source of the object are selectable from among the plurality of metadata services.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata service provides for viewing of metadata associated with the multimedia object according to the at least one metadata vocabulary.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata service provides for modification of metadata associated with the multimedia object according to the at least one metadata vocabulary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata service provides for searching of metadata associated with the multimedia object according to the at least one metadata vocabulary.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the metadata service;

building a service request for the metadata service; and

transmitting the service request to a metadata service application.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to view metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the at least one metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

identifying a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the at least one metadata vocabulary; and

returning the metadata record.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to modify metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the at least one metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

identify a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the at least one metadata vocabulary; and

modifying the metadata record.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to search metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the at least one metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

receiving at least one search term according to the at least one metadata vocabulary;

identify any metadata records associated with the multimedia object that satisfy the term; and

returning the metadata records.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to create a new metadata vocabulary; and

adding the new metadata vocabulary to a metadata vocabulary database.

14. A method for providing a metadata service for multimedia objects, comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service for a multimedia object having a source not associated with the metadata service, wherein at least one metadata vocabulary available for the multimedia object can be identified and displayed to provide data according to the metadata vocabulary;

processing the service request by a metadata service application; and

returning a service response by the metadata service application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is for viewing metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request; and

identifying a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the metadata vocabulary to be returned.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is to modify metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

identify a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the metadata vocabulary; and

modifying the metadata record.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is to search metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

receiving at least one search term according to the metadata vocabulary;

identify any metadata records associated with the multimedia object that satisfy the term and that are to be returned.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is to create a new metadata vocabulary; and

adding the new metadata vocabulary to a metadata vocabulary database.

19. A system, comprising:

a client device capable of supporting an application, wherein the application is configured to display a multimedia object; and

a server comprising a metadata service application for providing a metadata service, wherein the metadata service is not associated with a source of the multimedia object, wherein the client device can display at least one metadata vocabulary for the multimedia object using the metadata service, and wherein the metadata relating to the multimedia object can be collected according to the at least one metadata vocabulary.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the application comprises:

a content manager for processing the metadata of the multimedia object;

at least one service agent for receiving the metadata from the content manager; and

a service client entity, wherein the service agent communicates with the server utilizing the service client entity.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the application further comprises:

a context monitor for monitoring available contextual information for automatically populating some of the metadata of the multimedia object.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the metadata service application comprises:

a search engine for providing a search of the metadata for the multimedia object; and

a metadata engine for managing metadata vocabularies, tables, and their relationships to each other.

23. A computer readable medium with program instructions for collecting metadata for multimedia objects, comprising:

providing a metadata service for a multimedia object, wherein the metadata service is not associated with a source of the object;

identifying at least one metadata vocabulary for the multimedia object using the metadata service; and

collecting metadata related to the multimedia object according to the at least one metadata vocabulary.

24. The medium of claim 23, comprising:

determining an object type and an identifier associated with the multimedia object, wherein identifying the at least one metadata vocabulary is based on the determined object type or identifier of the multimedia object.

25. The medium of claim 24, comprising:

storing the collected metadata in a repository separate from the multimedia object; and

linking the multimedia object to the stored metadata using the determined identifier.

26. The medium of claim 23, wherein the at least one metadata vocabulary can be identified using a plurality of metadata services including a second metadata service associated with the source of the object.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein the metadata services associated and not associated with the source of the object are selectable from among the plurality of metadata services.

28. The medium of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to view metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

identify a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the metadata vocabulary; and

returning the metadata record.

29. The medium of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to modify metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

identify a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the metadata vocabulary; and

modifying the metadata record.

30. The medium of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to search metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

receiving at least one search term according to the metadata vocabulary;

identify any metadata records associated with the multimedia object that satisfy the term; and

returning the metadata records.

31. The medium of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service to create a new metadata vocabulary; and

adding the new metadata vocabulary to a metadata vocabulary database.

32. A computer readable medium with program instructions for providing a metadata service for multimedia objects, comprising:

receiving a service request for the metadata service for a multimedia object having a source not associated with the metadata service, wherein at least one metadata vocabulary available for the multimedia object can be identified and displayed to provide data according to the metadata vocabulary;

processing the service request by a metadata service application; and

returning a service response by the metadata service application.

33. The medium of claim 32, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is for viewing metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request; and

identifying a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the metadata vocabulary to be returned.

34. The medium of claim 32, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is to modify metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

identify a metadata record associated with the multimedia object for the metadata vocabulary; and

modifying the metadata record.

35. The medium of claim 32, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is to search metadata associated with the multimedia object;

determining the metadata vocabulary to be used to service the service request;

receiving at least one search term according to the metadata vocabulary;

identify any metadata records associated with the multimedia object that satisfy the term and that are to be returned.

36. The medium of claim 32, wherein the processing comprises:

determining the service request is to create a new metadata vocabulary; and

adding the new metadata vocabulary to a metadata vocabulary database.