Computer-Implemented System And Method For Providing Searchable Online Media Content

• US 20120023084A1
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmarTek21 LLC
• Original Assignee: SmarTek21 LLC
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Charles, Lalji, Alkarim "Al", Ganesan, Murugesan
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for providing searchable online media content is provided. A data store is maintained through an online media server. Media content, including device-playable data provided for dynamic online use, is stored. Media metadata, including markers synchronized to sections of the device-playable data, is also stored. The media content and media metadata are functionally combined through a layered network architecture. The data store is provided as a data layer. Applications are provided within a client layer that execute on a client interconnected to the network. Service interfaces are provided within a data access layer, which are each accessible by at least one of the applications. The media content and the media metadata are combined in response to a request received through a service interface from one of the applications. The combined media content and media metadata are served to the requesting application including streaming the device-playable data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for providing searchable online media content, comprising:

a data store maintained through a media server that is accessible online over a data communications network, comprising;

media content comprising device-playable data provided for dynamic online use through remote streaming over the network; and

media metadata comprising markers synchronized to sections of the device-playable data;

a media platform functionally combining the media content and the media metadata through a layered network architecture, comprising;

the data store as a data layer of the network architecture;

applications provided within a client layer of the network architecture that execute on a client interconnected to the network; and

service interfaces provided within a data access layer of the network architecture, which are each accessible by at least one of the applications;

wherein the media content and the media metadata are combined in response to a request received through a service interface from one of the applications, and the combined media content and media metadata are served to the requesting application comprising streaming the device-playable data.

2. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a publish service interface within the data access layer receiving search queries for the media content from the media player applications in the client layer;

identifying the markers in the media metadata that match the search queries; and

sending search results in response to the search queries to the media player applications in the client layer, the search results comprising the sections of the device-playable data synchronized to each of the markers identified.

3. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an analyze service interface within the data access layer receiving media metadata from an administration console application in the client layer through the analyze service interface;

collecting and logging events and related data concerning use of the video content by the applications in the client layer; and

sending events and related data to an analytics application in the client layer through the analyze service interface.

4. A computer-implemented system according to claim 3, further comprising at least one of:

a Web analytics module providing the events and related data as Web site-level analytics data comprising one or more of top media content selections by view, top media content selections by duration, and media content viewing trends over a timeline; and

a selection analytics module providing the events and related data as media content selection-level analytics data comprising one or more of top search terms, most popular topics, and bookmark usage data.

5. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a search and browse service interface within the data access layer receiving search queries for the media content from a search application programming interface exported by the client layer, the search queries originating from searches generated by Web search engines;

identifying the markers in the media metadata that match the search queries; and

sending search results in response to the search queries to the Web search engines via the search application programming in the client layer, the search results comprising the sections of the device-playable data synchronized to each of the markers identified.

6. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an indexing and relevancy scoring service interface within the data access layer accessing regularly-updated data concerning the media content;

receiving search queries for the media content from either the media player applications in the client layer or a search application programming interface exported by the client layer;

determining a relevancy score based on the regularly-updated data for each of the search queries;

identifying the markers in the media metadata that match the search queries;

identifying search results in response to the search queries, the search results comprising the sections of the device-playable data synchronized to each of the markers identified;

ranking the search results based on the relevancy score; and

sending the search results to the media player applications or through the search application programming interface.

7. A computer-implemented system according to claim 6, further comprising at least one of:

data concerning the media content one or more of closed captions, transcripts, and metadata;

data concerning the media content one or more of user- or administrator-provided annotations and comments;

data concerning the media content one or more of what chapter points, bookmarks, search terms, or media content users have searched, browsed, or watched; and

data concerning the media content one or more of what group, social cluster, demographic, or zip code-defined group users belong in and the media content which that group has used.

8. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a site map external search module performing external searching of the media content to Web search engines by providing a site map comprising a list of Web pages for the media metadata; and

an application programming external search interface performing external searching of the media content to Web search engines by exporting a search application programming interface comprised of a search and browse service for the media metadata.

9. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a browser search module performing internal searching of the media content to media player applications by providing browsing of the media metadata;

a table of contents search module performing internal searching of the media content to media player applications by providing browsing of a table of contents comprised with the media content; and

a bookmarks search module performing internal searching of the media content to media player applications by providing browsing of bookmarks temporally set within the media content.

10. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein the markers comprise at least one of media jots and transcript snippets, each such media job comprising a title and description for the section of the device-playable data to which the marker is synchronized, each such transcript snippet comprising a transcript of the section of the device-playable data to which the marker is synchronized.

11. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein the media content comprises at least one of video content, audio media, and visual media.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing searchable online media content, comprising:

maintaining a data store through a media server that is accessible online over a data communications network, comprising;

storing media content comprising device-playable data provided for dynamic online use through remote streaming over the network; and

storing media metadata comprising markers synchronized to sections of the device-playable data;

functionally combining the media content and the media metadata through a layered network architecture, comprising;

providing the data store as a data layer of the network architecture;

providing applications within a client layer of the network architecture that execute on a client interconnected to the network; and

providing service interfaces within a data access layer of the network architecture, which are each accessible by at least one of the applications;

combining the media content and the media metadata in response to a request received through a service interface from one of the applications; and

serving the combined media content and media metadata to the requesting application comprising streaming the device-playable data.

13. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

exporting a publish service interface within the data access layer, comprising;

receiving search queries for the media content from the media player applications in the client layer;

identifying the markers in the media metadata that match the search queries; and

sending search results in response to the search queries to the media player applications in the client layer, the search results comprising the sections of the device-playable data synchronized to each of the markers identified.

14. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

exporting an analyze service interface within the data access layer, comprising;

receiving media metadata from an administration console application in the client layer through the analyze service interface;

collecting and logging events and related data concerning use of the video content by the applications in the client layer; and

sending events and related data to an analytics application in the client layer through the analyze service interface.

15. A computer-implemented method according to claim 14, further comprising at least one of:

providing the events and related data as Web site-level analytics data comprising one or more of top media content selections by view, top media content selections by duration, and media content viewing trends over a timeline; and

providing the events and related data as media content selection-level analytics data comprising one or more of top search terms, most popular topics, and bookmark usage data.

16. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

exporting a search and browse service interface within the data access layer, comprising;

receiving search queries for the media content from a search application programming interface exported by the client layer, the search queries originating from searches generated by Web search engines;

identifying the markers in the media metadata that match the search queries; and

sending search results in response to the search queries to the Web search engines via the search application programming in the client layer, the search results comprising the sections of the device-playable data synchronized to each of the markers identified.

17. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

exporting an indexing and relevancy scoring service interface within the data access layer, comprising;

accessing regularly-updated data concerning the media content;

receiving search queries for the media content from either the media player applications in the client layer or a search application programming interface exported by the client layer;

determining a relevancy score based on the regularly-updated data for each of the search queries;

identifying the markers in the media metadata that match the search queries;

identifying search results in response to the search queries, the search results comprising the sections of the device-playable data synchronized to each of the markers identified;

ranking the search results based on the relevancy score; and

sending the search results to the media player applications or through the search application programming interface.

18. A computer-implemented method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of:

including in the data concerning the media content one or more of closed captions, transcripts, and metadata;

including in the data concerning the media content one or more of user- or administrator-provided annotations and comments;

including in the data concerning the media content one or more of what chapter points, bookmarks, search terms, or media content users have searched, browsed, or watched; and

including in the data concerning the media content one or more of what group, social cluster, demographic, or zip code-defined group users belong in and the media content which that group has used.

19. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

performing external searching of the media content to Web search engines by providing a site map comprising a list of Web pages for the media metadata; and

performing external searching of the media content to Web search engines by exporting a search application programming interface comprised of a search and browse service for the media metadata.

20. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

performing internal searching of the media content to media player applications by providing browsing of the media metadata;

performing internal searching of the media content to media player applications by providing browsing of a table of contents comprised with the media content; and

performing internal searching of the media content to media player applications by providing browsing of bookmarks temporally set within the media content.

21. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the markers comprise at least one of media jots and transcript snippets, each such media job comprising a title and description for the section of the device-playable data to which the marker is synchronized, each such transcript snippet comprising a transcript of the section of the device-playable data to which the marker is synchronized.

22. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the media content comprises at least one of video content, audio media, and visual media.

23. A computer-implemented apparatus for providing searchable online media content, comprising:

means for maintaining a data store through a media server that is accessible online over a data communications network, comprising;

means for storing media content comprising device-playable data provided for dynamic online use through remote streaming over the network; and

means for storing media metadata comprising markers synchronized to sections of the device-playable data;

means for functionally combining the media content and the media metadata through a layered network architecture, comprising;

means for providing the data store as a data layer of the network architecture;

means for providing applications within a client layer of the network architecture that execute on a client interconnected to the network; and

means for providing service interfaces within a data access layer of the network architecture, which are each accessible by at least one of the applications;

means for combining the media content and the media metadata in response to a request received through a service interface from one of the applications; and

means for serving the combined media content and media metadata to the requesting application comprising streaming the device-playable data.