SEARCHING TWO OR MORE MEDIA SOURCES FOR MEDIA

• US 20110225156A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Pavlik, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Presented is a method for obtaining a single set of media search results from a search of media sources. The method includes providing a search query, executing a search of each of the media sources for media based on the provided search query, generating results of the searches, and consolidating the results of the searches into the single set of search results that include a list of media items with associated metadata. The method further includes organizing the media items into groups. Each of the groups includes media items that have similar content. The similarity of the content is defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting a metadata matching threshold. The method further includes filtering the groups, sorting the groups of media items with respect to each other, sorting the media items within the groups, and displaying the groups of media items.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a single set of media search results from a search of each of a plurality of media sources and displaying the single set of media search results on a display device, the method comprising:

providing a media search query;

executing a search of each of the plurality of media sources for media based on the provided media search query;

generating results of the search of each of the plurality of media sources;

consolidating the results of each of the plurality of searches into the single set of media search results comprising a list of media items, each of the listed media items having associated metadata;

organizing the media items into two or more groups, each of the two or more groups including media items having similar content, the similarity of the content of the media items being defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting or exceeding a metadata matching threshold;

filtering the two or more groups of media items;

sorting the two or more groups of media items with respect to each other according to cost or quality of service of the media;

sorting the media items within each of the two or more groups of media items according to the resolution of the media items; and

displaying the two or more groups of media items on the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media items within each of the two or more groups are further sorted according to a quality of service with which the media items can be obtained, purchase price of the media items, or a user'"'"'s previous sorting criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering comprises eliminating media items from each of the two or more groups of media items according to at least one of media content, media location, media format, and media duration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the media search query and the single set of media search results.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on the display device a preview thumbnail picture associated with at least one of each of the media items listed in the single set of media search results, each group of media items, and each of the media items within the two or more groups of media items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media sources comprises at least one of a hard disk disposed in a user'"'"'s local desktop computer, mobile/portable computer, a home theater personal computer, a network attached storage device, a local external hard disk, a personal data assistant, a mobile phone. a digital video recorder, a DVD/Blu-Ray disc changer, an audio storage and playback device, a digital video camera, a digital picture camera, a remote computer server, and a remote database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each media item listed in the single set of media search results includes an associated link, the link providing access to the associated media item for at least one of downloading, viewing, and hearing, the media item comprising one of a digital image file, a digital video file, a digital audio file, or an archive file comprising at least one of a digital image file, a digital video file, and a digital audio file.

8. A system (100) for obtaining and displaying a single set of media search results from a search of each of a plurality of media sources, the system (100) comprising:

an input module (502) configured for receiving a media search query;

a search module (514) configured for executing a search of each of the plurality of media sources (108, 120, 144, 128, 112, 142,138a, 140a) for media based on the received media search query;

a consolidating module (512) configured for consolidating the results of each of the plurality of searches into the single set of media search results comprising a list of media items, each of the listed media items having associated metadata;

a grouping module (516) configured for organizing the media items into two or more groups, each of the two or more groups including media items having similar content, the similarity of the content of the media items being defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting or exceeding a metadata matching threshold;

a filtering module (520) configured for filtering the two or more groups of media items;

a sorting module (518) configured for sorting the two or more groups of media items with respect to each other according to cost or quality of service and for sorting the media items within each of the two or more groups of media items according to the resolution of the media items;

a display device (104); and

a presenting module (510) configured for displaying the grouped single set of media search results on the display device (104).

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a mass storage device (310) configured for storing the media search query and the single set of media search results.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the sorting module (518) is configured for further sorting media items within each of the two or more groups according to a quality of service with which the media items can be obtained, purchase price of the media items, or a user'"'"'s previous sorting criteria.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the filtering module (520) is configured for eliminating results from each of the two or more groups of media items according to at least one of media content, media location, media format, and media duration.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the presenting module (510) is further configured for displaying on the display device (104) a preview picture associated with at least one of each of the media items listed in the single set of media search results, each group of media items, and each of the media items within the two or more groups of media items.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of media sources comprises at least one of a hard disk disposed in a user'"'"'s local desktop computer (120), mobile/portable computer (126a), a home theater personal computer (112), a network attached storage device (128), a local external hard disk (144), a personal data assistant (118a), a mobile phone (134a). a digital video recorder (108), a DVD/Blu-Ray disc changer (142), an audio storage and playback device (114), a digital video camera (122), a digital picture camera (124), a remote computer server (138a), and a remote database (140a).

14. The system of claim 8, wherein each media item listed in the single set of media search results includes an associated link, the link providing access to the associated media item for at least one of downloading, viewing, and hearing, the media comprising one of a digital image file, a digital video file, a digital audio file, or an archive file comprising at least one of a digital image file, a digital video file, and a digital audio file.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the display device comprises one of a television (110), a computer monitor (104), a mobile computer monitor, a touch screen (106), a mobile phone (134a), and a personal data assistant (118a).

16. The system of claim 8, further comprising a processor (308) and wherein the input module (502), the search module (514), the consolidating module (512), the grouping module (516), the filtering module (520), the sorting module (518), and the presenting module (510) are implemented on the processor.

17. The system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of processors (402, 404, 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418) and wherein the input module (502), the search module (514), the consolidating module (512), the grouping module (516), the filtering module (520), the sorting module (518), and the presenting module (510) are each implemented on a different one of the plurality of processors.

18. A method for obtaining a single set of media search results from a search of each of a plurality of media sources and displaying the single set of media search results on a display device, the method comprising:

providing a media search query;

executing a search of each of the plurality of media sources for media based on the provided media search query;

generating results of the search of each of the plurality of media sources;

consolidating the results of each of the plurality of searches into the single set of media search results comprising a list of media items, each of the listed media items having associated metadata;

organizing the media items into two or more groups, each of the two or more groups including media items having similar content, the similarity of the content of the media items being defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting or exceeding a metadata matching threshold;

filtering the two or more groups of media items;

sorting the two or more groups of media items with respect to each other according to cost or quality of service of the media;

sorting the media items within each of the two or more groups of media items according to the resolution of the media items; and

displaying the two or more groups of media items on the display device;

wherein the plurality of media sources comprises at least one of a hard disk disposed in a user'"'"'s local desktop computer (120), mobile/portable computer (126a), a home theater personal computer (112), a network attached storage device (128), a local external hard disk (144), a personal data assistant (118a), a mobile phone (134a), a digital video recorder (108), a DVD/Blu-Ray disc changer (142), an audio storage and playback device (114), a digital video camera (122), a digital picture camera (124), a remote computer server (138a), and a remote database (140a).

19. A system (100) for obtaining and displaying a single set of media search results from a search of each of a plurality of media sources, the system (100) comprising:

an input module (502) configured for receiving a media search query;

a search module (514) configured for executing a search of each of the plurality of media sources (108, 120, 144, 128, 112, 142,138a, 140a) for media based on the received media search query;

a consolidating module (512) configured for consolidating the results of each of the plurality of searches into the single set of media search results comprising a list of media items, each of the listed media items having associated metadata;

a grouping module (516) configured for organizing the media items into two or more groups, each of the two or more groups including media items having similar content, the similarity of the content of the media items being defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting or exceeding a metadata matching threshold;

a filtering module (520) configured for filtering the two or more groups of media items;

a sorting module (518) configured for sorting the two or more groups of media items with respect to each other according to cost or quality of service and for sorting the media items within each of the two or more groups of media items according to the resolution of the media items;

a display device (104); and

a presenting module (510) configured for displaying the grouped single set of media search results on the display device (104);

wherein the plurality of media sources comprises at least one of a hard disk disposed in a user'"'"'s local desktop computer (120), mobile/portable computer (126a), a home theater personal computer (112), a network attached storage device (128), a local external hard disk (144), a personal data assistant (118a), a mobile phone (134a). a digital video recorder (108), a DVD/Blu-Ray disc changer (142), an audio storage and playback device (114), a digital video camera (122), a digital picture camera (124), a remote computer server (138a), and a remote database (140a).

20. A method for obtaining a single set of media search results from a search of each of a plurality of media sources and displaying the single set of media search results on a display device, the method comprising:

providing a media search query;

executing a search of each of the plurality of media sources for media based on the provided media search query;

generating results of the search of each of the plurality of media sources;

consolidating the results of each of the plurality of searches into the single set of media search results comprising a list of media items, each of the listed media items having associated metadata;

organizing the media items into two or more groups, each of the two or more groups including media items having similar content, the similarity of the content of the media items being defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting or exceeding a metadata matching threshold;

sorting the two or more groups of media items with respect to each other;

sorting the media items within each of the two or more groups of media items; and

displaying the two or more groups of media items on the display device.

21. A system (100) for obtaining and displaying a single set of media search results from a search of each of a plurality of media sources, the system (100) comprising:

an input module (502) configured for receiving a media search query;

a search module (514) configured for executing a search of each of the plurality of media sources (108, 120, 144, 128, 112, 142,138a, 140a) for media based on the received media search query;

a consolidating module (512) configured for consolidating the results of each of the plurality of searches into the single set of media search results comprising a list of media items, each of the listed media items having associated metadata;

a grouping module (516) configured for organizing the media items into two or more groups, each of the two or more groups including media items having similar content, the similarity of the content of the media items being defined by the media items'"'"' associated metadata meeting or exceeding a metadata matching threshold;

a sorting module (518) configured for sorting the two or more groups of media items with respect to each other and sorting the media items within each of the two or more groups of media items;

a display device (104); and

a presenting module (510) configured for displaying the grouped single set of media search results on the display device (104).