DYNAMIC LOCATION-BASED MEDIA COLLECTION AGGREGATION

• US 20120117110A1
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eloy Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Amidon, Christopher M., Sutherland, Harold, Svendsen, Hugh
• Application Number:
  US13/172,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A cloud-based media aggregation system that aggregates media collections of geographically proximate users is disclosed. In one embodiment, the media aggregation system determines that a first user and one or more second users are geographically proximate to one another. In response, the media aggregation system dynamically aggregates at least a portion of media collection catalogs of the one or more second users with a media collection catalog of the first user to provide an aggregate media collection catalog of the first user. The media aggregation system may control an extent of the aggregation based on pre-defined criteria.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a server computer to generate an aggregate media collection catalog for a first user, comprising:

identifying one or more second users that are geographically proximate to the first user; and

in response to determining that the one or more second users are geographically proximate to the first user, dynamically aggregating at least a portion of media collection catalogs of the one or more second users into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that at least one of the one or more second users is no longer geographically proximate to the first user;

temporarily retaining the media collection catalog of the at least one of the one or more second users in the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user for a defined amount of time; and

de-aggregating the media collection catalog of the at least one of the one or more second users from the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user after the defined amount of time has expired.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically aggregating at least a portion of the media collection catalogs of the one or more second users into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user comprises controlling an extent to which the media collection catalogs of the one or more second users are aggregated into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user based on one or more predefined criteria.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise an amount of time that the first user and the one or more second users are in geographic proximity to one another.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise an amount of time that the first user and the one or more second users are expected to be in geographic proximity to one another.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a geographic location at which the first user and the one or more second users are located.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a location type of a geographic location at which the first user and the one or more second users are located.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a system-defined aggregation value.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a user-defined aggregation value.

10. A server computer comprising:

a communication interface communicatively coupling the server computer to a network; and

a controller associated with the communication interface adapted to, in order to generate an aggregate media collection catalog of a first user;

identify one or more second users that are geographically proximate to the first user; and

in response to determining that the one or more second users are geographically proximate to the first user, dynamically aggregate at least a portion of media collection catalogs of the one or more second users into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user.

11. The server computer of claim 10 wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the one or more second users is no longer geographically proximate to the first user;

temporarily retain the media collection catalog of the at least one of the one or more second users in the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user for a defined amount of time; and

de-aggregate the media collection catalog of the at least one of the one or more second users from the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user after the defined amount of time has expired.

12. The server computer of claim 10 wherein, in order to dynamically aggregate the at least a portion of the media collection catalogs of the one or more second users into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user, the controller is further adapted to control an extent to which the media collection catalogs of the one or more second users are aggregated into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user based on one or more predefined criteria.

13. The server computer of claim 12 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise an amount of time that the first user and the one or more second users are in geographic proximity to one another.

14. The server computer of claim 12 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise an amount of time that the first user and the one or more second users are expected to be in geographic proximity to one another.

15. The server computer of claim 12 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a geographic location at which the first user and the one or more second users are located.

16. The server computer of claim 12 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a location type of a geographic location at which the first user and the one or more second users are located.

17. The server computer of claim 12 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a system-defined aggregation value.

18. The server computer of claim 12 wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a user-defined aggregation value.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software for instructing a controller of a server computer to, in order to generate an aggregate media collection catalog of a first user:

identify one or more second users that are geographically proximate to the first user; and

in response to determining that the one or more second users are geographically proximate to the first user, dynamically aggregate at least a portion of media collection catalogs of the one or more second users into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the software further instructs the controller of the server computer to:

determine that at least one of the one or more second users is no longer geographically proximate to the first user;

temporarily retain the media collection catalog of the at least one of the one or more second users in the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user for a defined amount of time; and

de-aggregate the media collection catalog of the at least one of the one or more second users from the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user after the defined amount of time has expired.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein, in order to dynamically aggregate the at least a portion of the media collection catalogs of the one or more second users into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user, the software further instructs the controller of the server computer to control an extent to which the media collection catalogs of the one or more second users are aggregated into the aggregate media collection catalog of the first user based on one or more predefined criteria.