APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR MANAGING CONTENT STORED IN DEVICES

• US 20080256087A1
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Piironen, Jarno, Aalto, Kimmo
• Application Number:
  US12/103,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256087A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for managing content are provided. The apparatus includes a processor that can communicate with a number of devices, identify content files stored by the devices, and provide a visible indicia of each device in which each content file is stored. The processor may also detect devices configured to store various types of content files and may receive user input selecting a particular content file for downloading, such as from a content provider'"'"'s website. A list of the downloaded content files, along with information regarding each file, the devices capable of storing each file, and the devices actually used to store each file, may be displayed to the user. In this way, the user may be able to see a list of the various content files that have been downloaded as well as a visible indicia of where each file is stored.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:

communicate with a plurality of devices;

identify at least one content file stored by at least one of the devices; and

provide a visible indicia of each device in which each content file is stored.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display configured to communicate with the processor and to present the indicia of each device in which each content file is stored.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of a particular content file stored in a content source from a user;

identify at least one device configured to store the selected content file; and

store the selected content file in at least one of the identified devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a user interface configured to communicate with the processor and to receive input from the user designating at least one aspect of content management selected from the group consisting of a particular content file to be downloaded from the content source and at least one of the identified devices in which to store the particular content file.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one identified device in which to store the selected content file according to a methodology that considers a factor selected from the group consisting of a type of content file, an amount of memory available in the device, a type of the device, and a user preference.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to convert the selected content file from a first format as received from the content source to a second format that is compatible with each device in which the selected content file is stored.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to receive a content management software application from a service provider prior to receiving the selected content file from the content source by accessing the selected content file from the content source via a custom Uniform Resource Locator protocol identifier.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication of at least one characteristic of each content file selected from the group consisting of a name, a length, a size, a date of downloading, and a download status of the content file.

9. A method comprising:

communicating with a plurality of devices;

identifying at least one content file stored by at least one of the devices; and

providing a visible indicia of each device in which each content file is stored.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a selection of a particular content file stored in a content source from a user;

identifying at least one device configured to store the selected content file; and

storing the selected content file in at least one of the identified devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein storing the selected content file comprises receiving a designation from a user of at least one of the identified devices in which to store the selected content file.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein storing the selected content file comprises determining at least one of the identified devices in which to store the selected content file according to a methodology that considers a factor selected from the group consisting of a type of content file, an amount of memory available in the device, a type of the device, and a user preference.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein storing the selected content file comprises converting the selected content file from a first format as received from the content source to a second format that is compatible with each device in which the selected content file is stored.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a content management software application from a service provider prior to receiving the selected content file from the content source by accessing the selected content file from the content source via a custom Uniform Resource Locator protocol identifier.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing an indication of at least one characteristic of each content file selected from the group consisting of a name, a length, a size, a date of downloading, and a download status of the content file.

16. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for communicating with a plurality of devices;

a second executable portion for identifying at least one content file stored by at least one of the devices; and

a third executable portion for providing a visible indicia of each device in which each content file is stored.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for receiving a selection of a particular content file stored in a content source from a user;

a fifth executable portion for identifying at least one device configured to store the selected content file; and

a sixth executable portion for storing the selected content file in at least one of the identified devices.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the sixth executable portion is further configured for receiving a designation from a user of at least one of the identified devices in which to store the selected content file.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the sixth executable portion is further configured for determining at least one of the identified devices in which to store the selected content file according to a methodology that considers a factor selected from the group consisting of a type of content file, an amount of memory available in the device, a type of the device, and a user preference.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the sixth executable portion is further configured for converting the selected content file from a first format as received from the content source to a second format that is compatible with each device in which the selected content file is stored.

21. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising a seventh executable portion for receiving a content management software application from a service provider prior to receiving the selected content file from the content source by accessing the selected content file from the content source via a custom Uniform Resource Locator protocol identifier.

22. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising a fourth executable portion for providing an indication of at least one characteristic of each content file selected from the group consisting of a name, a length, a size, a date of downloading, and a download status of the content file.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for communicating with a plurality of devices;

means for identifying at least one content file stored by at least one of the devices; and

means for providing a visible indicia of each device in which each content file is stored.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

means for receiving a selection of a particular content file stored in a content source from a user;

means for identifying at least one device configured to store the selected content file; and

means for storing the selected content file in at least one of the identified devices.