Aggregating metadata for media content from multiple devices

• US 7,650,563 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rao, Praveen Singh, Srinivas, Kasy, Plastina, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries; Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; MaiKhanh
• Application Number:
  US10/873,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/501.1, 715/513, 715/200, 715/201, 715/202, 715/203, 715/205, 715/210, 715/226, 715/231, 715/234, 715/247, 715/253, 715/255, 715/256, 715/273, 715/700, 715/727, 715/737, 715/738, 715/760, 715/968, 709/217, 713/164, 713/176, 704/104.1, 704/E17.108, 704/E17.109, 707/1, 707 3- 7, 707/104, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Collecting and augmenting metadata associated with media content stored on a plurality of devices for display to a user. The collected metadata remains available (e.g., visible) to a user after the device storing the corresponding media content is offline, disconnected, or otherwise unavailable. In particular, the invention permits metadata associated with media content stored on one or more devices (e.g., consumer electronic devices) to be enumerated, obtained, and promoted into another device (e.g., a personal computer) such that the metadata may be treated as if the media content is stored on the other device (e.g., the personal computer). In particular, the invention automatically detects an event generated in response to an action by a first device storing a media file. In response to the detected event, the invention matches and obtains metadata for the media content stored in the media file. A user organizes or otherwise manipulates the obtained metadata, for example, via a media player.

Claims

1. A method for collecting metadata for media content, said method comprising:

automatically detecting an event generated in response to connection of each of a plurality of first devices to a second device, said first devices each having a media file stored thereon;

determining an identifier associated with the media file in response to the detected event, said identifier identifying metadata associated with media content stored in the media file on the first devices;

obtaining the identified metadata for the media file from a metadata provider using the determined identifier;

storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with the second device;

aggregating, on the second device, the stored metadata;

displaying the aggregated metadata to a user via the second device;

enabling the user to manipulate the aggregated metadata via the second device and to access the aggregated metadata on the second device after termination of the connection of one or more of the plurality of first devices to the second device; and

altering the display of the aggregated metadata on the second device in response to said termination, wherein altering the display of the aggregated metadata comprises one or more of the following;

dimming, shading, tinting, bolding, and italicizing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting a connection from a consumer electronics device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the obtained metadata in the memory area associated with the second device comprises storing the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a media player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier associated with the media file comprises querying the first devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier associated with the media file comprises accessing data stored on a computer storage medium of the first devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for the media file from the metadata provider comprises obtaining the metadata for the media file from the first devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user to determine whether to obtain the metadata associated with the media file from the metadata provider; and

receiving a determination from the user in response to said prompting.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the user to determine whether to add the obtained metadata to a media library associated with the second device;

and receiving a determination from the user in response to said prompting.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory area stores metadata for a media file stored on an external device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting a connection from one or more of the following:

a portable device, an external device, a handheld device, a computing device, and a storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for the media file from the metadata provider using the determined identifier comprises obtaining metadata for the media file from a web service using the determined identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving metadata from the media file.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for the media file from the metadata provider using the determined identifier comprises downloading the metadata from a network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises processing an event generated by creation of a connection by the first devices.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises one or more of the following:

a device event, an autoplay event, a change event, and a notify event.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting an event generated in response to storage of another media file on the first devices.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the obtained metadata in the memory area associated with the second device comprises storing the obtained metadata in a file system of a personal computer.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting the event comprises automatically detecting the insertion of a compact disc into a personal computer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first devices has write capability, and further comprising storing the obtained metadata on the first devices.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier associated with the media file comprises determining bibliographic metadata for the file.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more computer storage media have computer-executable instructions, and further comprising executing said computer-executable instructions to perform said detecting, said determining, said obtaining, said storing, and said enabling.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disconnecting the first devices from the second device; and

enabling the user to manipulate the metadata stored on the second device after said disconnecting.

23. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable components for collecting metadata for media content, said components comprising:

a driver component for automatically detecting a connection from one or more of a plurality of first devices to a second device upon creation of the connection by the first devices, said first devices each having a media file stored thereon;

an identification component for identifying metadata associated with media content stored in the media files on the first devices in response to the detected connection;

a user interface component for prompting a user to determine whether to obtain the metadata associated with each of the media files from a metadata provider, and receiving a determination from the user in response to said prompting;

a retrieval component for obtaining from the metadata provider the metadata identified by the identification component for the media content;

a storage component for storing the metadata obtained by the retrieval component in a memory area associated with the second device;

an application component for enabling the user to manipulate, via the second device, the metadata stored on the second device by the storage component;

an application component for aggregating, on the second device, the metadata stored on the second device by the storage component and enabling the user to access the aggregated metadata on the second device after termination of the connection of one or more of the first devices to the second device; and

a display component for displaying to the user via the second device the metadata obtained by the retrieval component, wherein the display component further alters the display of the obtained metadata on the second device in response to said termination, wherein altering the display of the obtained metadata comprises one or more of the following;

dimming, shading, tinting, bolding, and italicizing.

24. The computer storage media of claim 23, wherein the retrieval component obtains the metadata identified by the identification component for the media content from a web service.

25. The computer storage media of claim 23, wherein the storage component stores the obtained metadata in a memory area associated with a media player.

26. A system for collecting metadata for media content, said system comprising:

a memory area for storing metadata for media content, said media content being stored on a plurality of first devices, said memory area being associated with a second device; and

a processor associated with the second device, said processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

automatically detecting a connection from one or more of the first devices to the second device upon creation of the connection by the first devices;

identifying the metadata associated with the media content stored in the media files on the first devices in response to the detected connection;

obtaining the identified metadata for the media content from a metadata provider;

storing the obtained metadata in the memory area of the second device;

aggregating, on the second device, the stored metadata;

displaying the aggregated metadata to a user on the second device;

enabling the user to manipulate the aggregated metadata via the second device and to access the aggregated metadata on the second device after termination of the connection of one or more of the first devices to the second device; and

altering the display of the aggregated metadata on the second device responsive to said termination, wherein altering the display of the aggregated metadata comprises one or more of the following;

dimming, shading, tinting, bolding, and italicizing.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first devices comprises one or more of the following:

a computing device, a storage device, and a consumer electronic device.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the second device comprises a personal computer.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the memory area comprises a metadata repository associated with a media player.