Application interface to a media server and a method of implementing the same

• US 6,732,365 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Belknap, William Russell, Kozina, Gerald Edward, Nguyen, Tram Thi Mai, Silva, Geroge Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US10/293,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 709/321-328, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/231, 717/136-138, 719/321-328
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

According to the present invention, a media manager is provided which incorporates an application program interface (API) for converting high-level generic commands into device-level commands for output to a media device. The inventive media manager includes a high-level command processor which decodes the high-level generic commands and device-specific code mapping modules which convert the high-level generic commands decoded by the high-level command processor into device-level commands. Each of the device-level commands is output from one of the device-specific code-mapping modules to a corresponding one of the media devices. The present invention also encompasses a method of implementing an application program interface (API) for media devices. The method includes receiving high-level generic commands from a computer application, converting the high-level generic commands into device-level commands, and outputting each of the device-level commands to one of the media devices. The present invention also encompasses a computer program product including a computer-readable medium. The computer program product includes means for decoding high-level generic commands, means for converting the high-level generic commands into device-level commands, and means for outputting each of the device-level commands to a corresponding one of the media devices. The present invention further encompasses a common application program interface (API) which converts high-level generic commands received from a computer application into device-level commands which are output to a plurality of media devices including media servers which stores media objects. The common API includes a plurality of individual APIs which each perform a specific function.

Claims

1. A media manager which incorporates an application program interface (API) for converting high-level generic commands into device level commands for output to a plurality of media devices, said media manager comprising:

a high-level command processor which decodes the high-level generic commands; and

a plurality of device specific code mapping modules which convert the high-level generic commands by said high-level command processor into device level commands, each of the device-level commands being output from one of the plurality of device specific code mapping modules to a corresponding one of the plurality of media devices.

2. The media manager defined by claim 1, wherein said high-level command processor includes a plurality of individual APIs which correspond to the common API, the individual APIs each handling a specific function.

3. The media manager defined by claim 1, further comprising a device interface which receives each of the device level commands output from the plurality of device specific code mapping modules and outputs each of the device-level commands to a corresponding one of the plurality of media devices.

4. The media manager defined by claim 2, wherein said each of said media devices comprises a media archive and at least one media server, each of said media devices storing media objects.

5. The media manager defined by claim 4, wherein said media archive and media server are included in a multimedia data storage system including a digital library.

6. The media manager defined by claim 4, wherein said individual application program interfaces represent member functions associated with classes which define objects representing media servers and objects representing a logical description of a physical format of a media object.

7. The media manager defined by claim 1, wherein said plurality of device-specific code-mapping modules convert high-level generic commands into specific actions and convert the specific actions into device level commands.

8. A method of implementing an application program interface (API) for a plurality of media devices comprising:

receiving a plurality of high-level generic commands from a computer application;

converting the plurality of high-level generic commands into device-level commands; and

outputting each of the device level commands to one of the media devices;

wherein said converting comprises converting the plurality of high-level generic commands into specific actions, at least one of the plurality of high level commands being converted into a plurality of the specific actions; and

converting the specific actions into device-level commands.

9. The method defined by claim 8, wherein said converting comprises converting the plurality of high-level generic commands using a plurality of individual APIs which each perform a specific function.

10. The method defined by claim 8, wherein each one of the high-level generic commands is received along with a media device type identifier;

wherein prior to said converting, it is determined whether the media device type corresponds to one of the media devices; and

wherein each of the device level commands is output to a corresponding one of the plurality of media devices which is of the media device type.

11. A computer program product including a computer-readable medium, comprising:

means for decoding high-level generic commands;

means for converting the high-level generic commands into device-level commands; and

means for outputting each of the device-level commands to a corresponding media devices,

wherein said means for converting converts high-level generic commands into specific actions and converts said specific actions into the device-level commands, and at least one of said high level commands is converted into a plurality of the specific actions.

12. A method of implementing an application program interface (API) for a plurality of media devices comprising:

receiving a plurality of high-level generic commands from a computer application;

converting the plurality of high-level generic commands into device-level commands; and

outputting each of the device level commands to one of the media devices;

wherein each one of the high-level generic commands is received along with a media device type identifier;

wherein prior to said converting, it is determined whether the media device type corresponds to one of the media devices; and

wherein each of the device level commands is output to a corresponding one of the plurality of media devices which is of the media device type.

13. The method defined by claim 12, wherein said converting comprises converting the plurality of high-level generic commands using a plurality of individual APIs which each perform a specific function.

14. The method defined by claim 12, wherein said converting comprises converting the plurality of high-level generic commands into specific actions;

and

converting the specific actions into device-level commands.