Categorization and recall methodology for physical media in large carousel systems

• US 7,080,013 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gusler, Carl Phillip, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Fellenstein, Craig William
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shortledge, Thomas E.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 704/270, 704/272, 368/63, 706/25, 706/39
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system allowing a user to associate media elements (such as CDs or DVDs) with unique identification tags and channel groupings. A user can cause a given element to be played by voice controlled interface. Speaking the identification tag of a media element causes that media element to play. Speaking a channel tag causes any media element associated with the channel to be played in a pseudorandom manner.

Claims

1. A media system, comprising:

a media device capable of holding a plurality of media elements and displaying content of the plurality of media elements;

a logic unit connected to control the media device, the logic unit having a voice input;

wherein the logic unit stores a plurality of identification tags, wherein the plurality of identification tags are user specified using the voice input; and

wherein the logic unit maintains user assigned associations between individual media elements of the plurality and individual identification tags of the plurality, wherein the individual media elements remain associated with individual identification tags even if the media elements are moved.

2. The media system of claim 1, wherein when a user enters an identification tag of the plurality via the voice input, the logic unit causes the media device to display the content of an associated media element of the plurality.

3. The media system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of identification tags are text tags.

4. The media system of claim 1, wherein the logic unit further comprises an output for displaying association information to a user.

5. The media system of claim 1, wherein the media elements of the plurality contain audio content.

6. The media system of claim 1, wherein the logic unit maintains associations between groups of media elements and group identification tags such that upon receiving a group identification tag as input, the logic unit causes random play of a media element from a group associated with the input group identification tag.

7. A method of media access, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of media elements in a media system;

associating media elements of the plurality with identification tags specified by a user to form a plurality of associated identification tags, wherein the associated identification tags are voice inputs and, wherein the media elements remain associated with the identification tags even if the media elements are moved;

when a user invokes a recall function using a voice input and submits a first identification tag, comparing the first identification tag with the plurality of associated identification tags;

if the first identification tag is substantially equivalent to an identification tag of the plurality, presenting a media element associated with the first identification tag.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of presenting the first media element comprises displaying the content of the first media element.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the steps of associating end comparing are performed by a logic unit.

10. A voice controlled media display system, comprising:

a media unit having storage locations for a plurality of media elements and a logic unit which is at least partially controlled by voice input from a user;

wherein the logic unit associates individual user-input identification tags with individual media elements of We plurality;

wherein the individual user-input identification tags are specified using voice input from the user and the individual user-input identification tags remain associated with the individual media elements of the plurality even if the media elements are moved;

wherein the logic unit associates individual channel tags with groups of media elements of the plurality;

wherein when a user enters an identification tag, the media unit displays the associated media element; and

wherein when a user enters a channel tag, the media unit displays one media element from a group of media elements associated with the channel tag.

11. The media system of claim 10, wherein the channel tags are determined from existing information on a media element.

12. The media system of claim 10, wherein the channel tags are user-input.

13. The media system of claim 10, wherein a media element of the plurality can be associated with more than one channel tag.

14. The media system of claim 10, wherein displaying a media element includes playing audio content of the media element.

15. The media system of claim 10, wherein a user can invoke random play from among all media elements associated with a first channel tag using a voice input command.

16. A voice controlled media display system, comprising:

a media unit having storage locations for media elements and a logic unit which is at least partially controlled by voice input from a user;

a plurality of channel tags stored by the logic unit, wherein each channel tag of the plurality is associated with at least one media element;

wherein a user can input a channel tag to cause an associated media element to be played;

where a first channel tag of the plurality is associated with multiple media elements and remains associated even if the multiple media elements are moved; and

wherein invoking the first channel tag of the plurality causes random play of media elements associated with the first channel tag.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a user associates individual media elements with each of the plurality of channel tags.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one media element may be associated with multiple channels tags within the plurality of channel tags by the user.

19. A method of media access, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of media elements in a media system;

associating media elements of the plurality with identification tags specified by a user to form a plurality of associated identification tags, wherein the associated identification tags are voice inputs entered while the media system is in a listen mode and, wherein the media elements remain associated with the plurality of associated identification tags indefinitely even if the media elements are moved;

responsive to a user invoking a recall function using a voice input and submitting a first identification tag, comparing the first identification tag with the plurality of associated identification tags; and

responsive to the first identification tag being substantially equivalent to an identification tag of the plurality, presenting a media element associated with the first identification tag.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein moved is at least one of moved between media slots of the media system, removed from the media system, and inserted into the media system.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the presenting step is at least one of playing the media element, reading the media element, and writing to the media element.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

responsive to inserting a media element back into the media system, identifying an associated identification tag associated with the media element;

responsive to identifying an associated identification tag associated with the media element, playing back the associated identification tag to the user; and

prompting the user to change or accept the associated identification tag associated with the media element.