System and process of managing media content

• US 6,910,049 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Pictures Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thai, Holly, Mannarino, Michael F., Shmelev, Alex, Manaster, Jacob S., Byer, John Jeffrey, Newby, Rodney C., Schneider, Andrew, Dayley, Marlowe J., Fenton, Nicholas W., Springer, Wendy
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Application Number:
  US09/906,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707 1- 3, 707/6, 707/100, 707/102, 715/501.1, 715/762, 715/763, 715/808, 345/762, 345/763, 345/808
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A content management system and process for programming, scheduling, uploading, storing and managing content on a website. The content management system and process attaches meta-data to website elements and sorts the elements into a hierarchy based on the meta-data. The content management system and process may then perform off-line generation and association of all associated website elements, through the meta-data, into a data package. The data package may then be scheduled for on-line availability at defined times. The content management system and process also enables the setting forward of an internal clock so that the data package may be tested within the context of the website before the data package may actually be available on the website. The content management system and process may automatically ingest content based on a naming convention and may also ingest website user content and inherit all meta-data that was associated with user content.

Claims

1. A non-hierarchical user file system, comprising:

a storage device;

a user file storage area; and

a processor programmed to;

upload a file from the storage device;

generate a unique identification number;

associate the unique identification number with the file; and

store the file in the user file storage area;

wherein files are stored in the user file storage area in a non-hierarchical manner based on the unique identification number; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to;

store and maintain content in the storage device;

sort the content into a hierarchy;

attach meta-data to selected high-level content within the hierarchy;

pass the meta-data from the selected high-level content to selected low-level content within the hierarchy, the selected low-level content thereby becoming associated with the selected high-level content;

integrate associated high-level and low-level content into a data package; and

generate a display of the data package for display on a display device.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to sort the content according to the meta-data.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is connected locally to the processor.

4. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one server network device, the at least one server network device communicating with the processor and being programmed to provide a user interface;

and

at least one user network device communicatively coupled to the at least one server network device via a network, the at least one user network device being programmed to access the user interface.

5. The system recited in claim 4, wherein the display device is connected locally to the at least one user network device.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the content comprises at least one of projects, poppers, promotes, and pages.

7. The system recited in claim 6, wherein the meta-data comprises information about at least one of the projects, the poppers, the promotes, and the pages.

8. The system recited in claim 7, wherein the information comprises at least one of a name, a title, an artist'"'"'s name, an author'"'"'s name, credits, keywords, a description, a file type, copyright information, and a summary.

9. The system recited in claim 4, wherein the network comprises the Internet and the user interface comprises a website.

10. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the high-level and low-level content are integrated into the data package off-line.

11. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the data package is displayed on-line via the website.

12. The system recited in claim 10, wherein the data package comprises at least one of a Web page, a popper, and a promote.

13. The system recited in claim 12, wherein the Web page is programmed in Flash.

14. The system recited in claim 12, wherein the promote comprises a graphic image.

15. The system recited in claim 12, wherein the promote comprises a text link.

16. The system recited in claim 12, wherein the Web page comprises at least one promote, the at least one promote being linked to at least one of media content, a page, a popper, an advertisement, and an external link.

17. The system recited in claim 16, wherein the external link is selectable for linking to a website.

18. The system recited in claim 16, wherein the media content comprises at least one of audio, video, photos, animation, and music.

19. The system recited in claim 16, wherein the popper comprises a media player for playing media content.

20. A non-hierarchical user file system, comprising:

a storage device;

a user file storage area; and

a processor programmed to;

unload a file from the storage device;

generate a unique identification number;

associate the unique identification number with the file; and

store the file in the user file storage area;

wherein files are stored in the user file storage area in a non-hierarchical manner based on the unique identification number; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to provide a user interface, comprising;

a project creating page, comprising;

means for creating a project;

means for attaching meta-data to the created project;

means for browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

means for browsing a library of poppers, the poppers being selectable for association with the created project;

means for browsing a library of links, the links being selectable for association with the created project;

means for scheduling the created project;

means for saving the created project in the user, file storage area.

21. The system recited in claim 20, wherein the user interface further comprising:

means for approving the created project; and

means for generating the created project.

22. The system recited in claim 20, wherein the user interface further comprising:

a popper creating page, comprising;

means for selecting a template for creating a popper;

means for creating the popper;

means for associating the created popper with the created project;

means for associating at least one media player with the created popper;

means for scheduling the created popper;

means for previewing the created popper; and

means for saving the created popper;

wherein the created popper inherits the meta-data attached to the created project.

23. The system recited in claim 22, wherein the user interface further comprising:

means for approving the created popper, and

means for generating the created popper.

24. The system recited in claim 22, wherein the means for previewing the created popper further comprise:

means for setting forward an internal clock to a time when the created popper is scheduled; and

means for viewing the popper at the set time.

25. The system recited in claim 22, wherein the user interface further comprising:

means for associating together in a data package at least two media players; and

means for associating the data package with the created popper.

26. The system recited in claim 25, wherein the means for associating together in a data package at least two media players further comprise means for associating the at least two media players through meta-data.

27. The system recited in claim 22, wherein the user interface further comprising:

a promote creating page, comprising;

means for creating a promote;

means for browsing a library of pages and poppers, the pages and poppers being associated with the meta-data and being selectable for association with the created promote;

means for browsing a library of images, the images being selectable for association with the created promote; and

means for saving the created promote;

wherein the created promote inherits the meta-data from the associated pages and poppers.

28. The system recited in claim 27, wherein the user interface further comprising:

means for approving the created promote; and

means for generating the created promote.

29. The system recited in claim 27, wherein the user interface further comprising:

a page creating page, comprising;

means for selecting a template for creating a page;

means for creating the page;

means for associating the created page with the created project;

means for associating the created page with at least one promote, the at least one promote being associated with at least one of a page, a popper, and a link;

means for scheduling the created page;

means for previewing the created page; and

means for saving the created page;

wherein the created page inherits the meta-data attached to the created project.

30. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the user interface further comprising:

means for approving the created page; and

means for generating the created page.

31. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the means for previewing the created page further comprise:

means for setting forward an internal clock to a time when the created page is scheduled; and

means for viewing the created page at the set time.

32. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the user interface further comprising means for editing and duplicating at least one of a project, a popper, a promote, and a page.

33. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the user interface further comprising means for searching for at least one of a project, a popper, a promote, and a page.

34. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the user interface further comprising:

an asset page, comprising;

means for associating an asset with the created project;

means for disassociating an asset from the created project;

means for browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project; and

means for ingesting outside assets;

wherein the outside assets are ingested based on a naming convention.

35. The system in claim 34, wherein the means for ingesting the outside assets further comprise a “

magic upload”

user-selectable operator.

36. The system in claim 34, wherein the naming convention comprises a plurality of data fields, each of the plurality of data fields representing a type of the meta-data and comprising a plurality of bits.

37. A non-hierarchical user file system, comprising:

a storage device;

a user file storage area; and

a processor programmed to;

upload a file from the storage device;

generate a unique identification number;

associate the unique identification number with the file; and

store the file in the user file storage area;

wherein files are stored in the user file storage area in a non-hierarchical manner based on the unique identification number; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to;

associate with a modified file a unique identifier;

store the modified file in the storage device;

search the storage device periodically for the modified file;

access the modified file on the storage device;

read and parse the unique identifier associated with the modified file;

assign the modified file to the user storage area based on the unique identifier;

create a reference file, the reference file comprising meta-data associated with the modified file; and

store the reference file in the user storage area.

38. The system recited in claim 37, wherein the modified file comprises at least one of a newly created file and a newly edited file.

39. A process for organizing content into a hierarchy, comprising:

creating a project;

attaching meta-data to the created project;

browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

selecting at least one asset for association with the created project;

scheduling the created project;

saving the created project;

browsing a library of poppers, the poppers being selectable for association with the created project; and

selecting a popper for association with the created project.

40. A process for organizing content into a hierarchy, comprising:

creating a project;

attaching meta-data to the created project;

browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

selecting at least one asset for association with the created project;

scheduling the created project;

saving the created project;

approving the created project; and

generating the created project.

41. A process for organizing content into a hierarchy, comprising:

creating a project;

attaching meta-data to the created project;

browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

selecting at least one asset for association with the created project;

scheduling the created project;

saving the created project;

selecting a template for creating a popper;

creating the popper;

associating the created popper with the created project; and

saving the created popper;

wherein the created popper inherits the meta-data attached to the created project.

42. The process recited in claim 41, further comprising:

scheduling the created popper; and

previewing the created popper.

43. The process recited in claim 41, further comprising:

approving the created popper; and

generating the created popper.

44. The process recited in claim 42, wherein previewing the created popper comprises:

setting forward an internal clock to a time when the created popper is scheduled; and

viewing the created popper at the set time.

45. The process recited in claim 41, further comprising associating at least one media player with the created popper.

46. The process recited in claim 45, further comprising:

associating together in a data package at least two media players; and

associating the data package with the created popper.

47. The process recited in claim 46, wherein associating together in a data package at leas two media players comprises associating the at least two media players through the meta-data.

48. A process for organizing content into a hierarchy, comprising:

creating a project;

attaching meta-data to the created project;

browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

selecting at least one asset for association with the created project;

scheduling the created project;

saving the created project;

creating a project;

browsing a library of pages and poppers, the pages and poppers being associated with the meta-data and being selectable for association with the created promote;

selecting at least one of page and popper for association with the created promote; and

saving the created promoted;

wherein the created promoted inherits the meta-data from the associated pages and poppers.

49. The process recited in claim 48, further comprising:

browsing a library of images, the images being selectable for association with the created promote; and

selecting an image for association with the created promote.

50. The process recited in claim 48, further comprising:

approving the created promote; and

generating the created promote.

51. A process for organizing content into a hierarchy, comprising:

creating a project;

attaching meta-data to the created project;

browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

selecting at least one asset for association with the created project;

scheduling the created project;

saving the created project;

selecting a template for creating a page;

creating the page;

associating the created page with the created project;

associating the created page with at least one promote, the at least one promote being associated with at least one of a page, a popper, and a link; and

saving the created page;

wherein the created page inherits the meta-data attached to the created project.

52. The process recited in claim 51, further comprising:

scheduling the created page; and

previewing the created page.

53. The process recited in claim 51, further comprising:

approving the created page; and

generating the created page.

54. The process recited in claim 52, wherein previewing the created page further comprises:

setting forward an internal clock to a time when the created page is scheduled; and

viewing the created page at the set time.

55. The process recited in claim 51, further comprising at least one of editing and duplicating at least one of a project, a popper, a promote, and a page.

56. The process recited in claim 51, further comprising searching for at least one of a project, a popper, a promote, and a page.

57. The process recited in claim 51, further comprising:

browsing a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project; and

selecting an asset for association with the created project.

58. A system for organizing content relating to a created project into a hierarchy, comprising at least one processor programmed to:

attach meta-data to the created project;

provide a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

providing means that allow a user to select at least one asset for association with the created project;

schedule the created project; and

save the created project;

wherein the at least one processor is further programmed for;

providing a library of poppers, the poppers being selectable for association with the created project; and

providing means that allow a user to select a popper for association with the created project.

59. A system for organizing content relating to a created project into a hierarchy, comprising at least one processor programmed to:

attach meta-data to the created project;

provide a library of assets, the assets being selectable for association with the created project;

providing means that allow a user to select at least one asset for association with the created project;

schedule the created project; and

save the created project;

wherein the at least one processor is further programmed for;

providing selectable templates for creating a popper;

creating a popper based on a selected template;

associating the created popper with the created project; and

saving the created popper;

wherein the created popper inherits the meta-data attached to the created project.