Media Content Descriptions

• US 20070005653A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Marsh, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,164 B2
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• 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

A media content description system receives media content descriptions from one or more metadata providers. The media content description system associates each media content description with the metadata provider that provided the description. The media content description system may generate composite descriptions based on the received media content descriptions. The media content description system provides data associated with the media content descriptions to one or more program data providers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a plurality of descriptions including element values of a media content from a plurality of metadata providers;

determining an element associated with the media content;

associating, in storage, individual descriptions with individual metadata providers that provided the descriptions;

associating individual trust levels with individual metadata providers; and

generating in the storage a composite description of the media content based on the descriptions provided by individual metadata providers and the trust levels associated with individual metadata providers.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media content comprises at least one of a movie, a television program, a song, a talk radio show, a sound effect, a photograph, a digital image, an art image, or a home movie.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the descriptions comprise at least one of content identification data, an associated person, genre data, media content description data, a critic review, a popularity, a broadcast ubiquity, a censor parental rating, a censor rating associated with adult content, a censor rating associated with bad language, a censor rating associated with violence, a censor rating associated with nudity, a censor rating associated with drug abuse, technical details data, production details data, enhancement data, language data, or associated media.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the trust levels indicate a ranking of the metadata providers.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the trust levels indicate degrees to which metadata provided by metadata providers is trusted.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the composite description of the media content to end users for display through an electronic programming guide.

7. A system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of descriptions including element values of a media content from a plurality of metadata providers;

means for determining an element associated with the media content;

means for associating, in storage, individual descriptions with individual metadata providers that provided the descriptions;

means for associating individual trust levels with individual metadata providers; and

means for generating in the storage a composite description of the media content based on the descriptions provided by individual metadata providers and the trust levels associated with individual metadata providers.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the media content comprises at least one of a movie, a television program, a song, a talk radio show, a sound effect, a photograph, a digital image, an art image, or a home movie.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the descriptions comprise at least one of content identification data, an associated person, genre data, media content description data, a critic review, a popularity, a broadcast ubiquity, a censor parental rating, a censor rating associated with adult content, a censor rating associated with bad language, a censor rating associated with violence, a censor rating associated with nudity, a censor rating associated with drug abuse, technical details data, production details data, enhancement data, language data, or associated media.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the trust levels indicate a ranking of the metadata providers.

11. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the trust levels indicate degrees to which metadata provided by metadata providers is trusted.

12. The system as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for sending the composite description of the media content to end users for display through an electronic programming guide.

13. A computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts comprising:

receiving a plurality of descriptions including element values of a media content from a plurality of metadata providers;

determining an element associated with the media content;

associating, in storage, individual descriptions with individual metadata so providers that provided the descriptions;

associating individual trust levels with individual metadata providers; and

generating in the storage a composite description of the media content based on the descriptions provided by individual metadata providers and the trust levels associated with individual metadata providers.

14. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the media content comprises at least one of a movie, a television program, a song, a talk radio show, a sound effect, a photograph, a digital image, an art image, or a home movie.

15. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the descriptions comprise at least one of content identification data, an associated person, genre data, media content description data, a critic review, a popularity, a broadcast ubiquity, a censor parental rating, a censor rating associated with adult content, a censor rating associated with bad language, a censor rating associated with violence, a censor rating associated with nudity, a censor rating associated with drug abuse, technical details data, production details data, enhancement data, language data, or associated media.

16. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the trust levels indicate a ranking of the metadata providers.

17. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the trust levels indicate degrees to which metadata provided by metadata providers is trusted.

18. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, further comprising sending the composite description of the media content to end users for display through an electronic programming guide.