CUSTOMIZABLE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MEDIA AND META-DATA VIA FEEDS

• US 20080126388A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Naaman, Mor
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for associating meta-data from any meta-data source or feed, whose selection is customizable, with media objects, such as photographs or video are provided. In specific example embodiments, the meta-data from the custom-selected feeds are used to provide selectable feed tags that can be used to tag media objects. An architecture is provided that allows any combination of feeds to be selected for creation of a custom set of selected feeds that are to be used as sources of feed tags for media objects, and this custom set of selected feeds is extensible. In specific applications, different sets of feeds and feed tags may be utilized for facilitating the annotation of media objects.

Claims

1. A method for associating meta-data from one or more customized feeds with media objects, comprising:

providing a feed selection mechanism for selecting one or more feeds that each provide periodic updates of a plurality of meta-data items that can describe a characteristic of a media object, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted so that any feed that has a known format for its meta-data items can be selected for use with a media object; and

providing an annotation mechanism for associating one or more meta-data items from the one or more selected feeds with a media object.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted for a user to select at least one of the one or more feeds.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted for at least one of the one or more feeds to be selected automatically.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted so that a particular feed is selected automatically based on a user identity and its use with a particular computer implemented activity.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the particular computer implemented activity is one or more recent searches performed by the user identity.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the particular computer implemented activity is one or more online scheduling services to which the user identity subscribes.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected one or more feeds can include a particular feed that originates from an online repository of scheduled events for a person, a group of people, or a local geographical area, wherein the updated meta-data items of this particular feed are in the form of event information.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected one or more feeds includes a weather website for providing weather that is local to a user of the method, wherein the meta-data items from the weather website are in the form of weather descriptions.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present a plurality of meta-data items of the one or more feeds for a user to select and associate with a media object.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present the meta-data items which correspond to a time or date range that encompasses a creation time or date of the media object.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present the meta-data items which correspond to a location that is proximate to a location at which the media object was captured.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to automatically associate one or more meta-data items from the one or more selected feeds with a media object based on a context of such media object.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the context is in the form of a creation time of the media object, a date of the media object, or a Bluetooth characteristic associated with the media object.

14. An apparatus comprising a processor, memory, and a display, the processor and memory being configured for:

providing a feed selection mechanism for selecting one or more feeds that each provide periodic updates of a plurality of meta-data items that can describe a characteristic of a media object, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted so that any feed that has a known format for its meta-data items can be selected for use with a media object; and

providing an annotation mechanism for associating one or more meta-data items from the one or more selected feeds with a media object.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted for a user to select at least one of the one or more feeds.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted for at least one of the one or more feeds to be selected automatically.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted so that a particular feed is selected automatically based on a user identity and its use with a particular computer implemented activity.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the particular computer implemented activity is one or more recent searches performed by the user identity.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the particular computer implemented activity is one or more online scheduling services to which the user identity subscribes.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the selected one or more feeds can include a particular feed that originates from an online repository of scheduled events for a person, a group of people, or a local geographical area, wherein the updated meta-data items of this particular feed are in the form of event information.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the selected one or more feeds includes a weather website for providing weather that is local to a user of the method, wherein the meta-data items from the weather website are in the form of weather descriptions.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present a plurality of meta-data items of the one or more feeds for a user to select and associate with a media object.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present the meta-data items which correspond to a time or date range that encompasses a creation time or date of the media object.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present the meta-data items which correspond to a location that is proximate to a location at which the media object was captured.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to automatically associate one or more meta-data items from the one or more selected feeds with a media object based on a context of such media object.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the context is in the form of a creation time of the media object, a date of the media object, or a Bluetooth characteristic associated with the media object.

27. At least one computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon that are arranged to perform the following operations:

providing a feed selection mechanism for selecting one or more feeds that each provide periodic updates of a plurality of meta-data items that can describe a characteristic of a media object, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted so that any feed that has a known format for its meta-data items can be selected for use with a media object; and

providing an annotation mechanism for associating one or more meta-data items from the one or more selected feeds with a media object.

28. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted for a user to select at least one of the one or more feeds.

29. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted for at least one of the one or more feeds to be selected automatically.

30. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 29, wherein the feed selection mechanism is adapted so that a particular feed is selected automatically based on a user identity and its use with a particular computer implemented activity.

31. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the particular computer implemented activity is one or more recent searches performed by the user identity.

32. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the particular computer implemented activity is one or more online scheduling services to which the user identity subscribes.

33. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the selected one or more feeds can include a particular feed that originates from an online repository of scheduled events for a person, a group of people, or a local geographical area, wherein the updated meta-data items of this particular feed are in the form of event information.

34. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the selected one or more feeds includes a weather website for providing weather that is local to a user of the method, wherein the meta-data items from the weather website are in the form of weather descriptions.

35. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present a plurality of meta-data items of the one or more feeds for a user to select and associate with a media object.

36. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present the meta-data items which correspond to a time or date range that encompasses a creation time or date of the media object.

37. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to present the meta-data items which correspond to a location that is proximate to a location at which the media object was captured.

38. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited claim 27, wherein the annotation mechanism is adapted to automatically associate one or more meta-data items from the one or more selected feeds with a media object based on a context of such media object.

39. At least one computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the context is in the form of a creation time of the media object, a date of the media object, or a Bluetooth characteristic associated with the media object.