Methods and systems for processing multi-media editing projects

• US 8,150,954 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rudolph, Eric H.
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/264,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709223-224, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Methods and systems of processing multi-media editing projects are described. In one embodiment, a request for one or more multi-media files is generated on a user computer that comprises part of a network where multi-media files are maintained in a network-accessible location. The file or files are intended for use in a multi-media editing project. The request is intercepted and software executing on the user computer ascertains whether one or more of the requested multi-media files are located on the user computer. If the file or files are located on the user computer, they are retrieved and used. If a file or files are not locally available, the file or files are retrieved from the network-accessible location. In one embodiment, a multi-media file locator object is configured to intercept network-bound requests for multi-media files and determine whether requested files are locally maintained on a user computer. A list associated with the file locator object can reference local file directories on the user computer where multi-media files are stored, or have been stored in the past. Whenever a user retrieves a multi-media file from the network and saves it locally, if the directory in which the file is stored is not referenced on the list, the file locator object can update the list to include the new directory. If the file locator object attempts to locally find a multi-media file but cannot, the user can be prompted to point to a directory where they have stored the file. The list is then updated to reflect this new directory, and the directory is checked on subsequent searches for multi-media files. Accordingly, when a request for a multi-media file is received, only those local directories that are or have been associated with multi-media files can be checked.

Claims

1. A method of processing a multi-media editing project comprising:

maintaining information on a local computer that comprises part of a network having multiple computers, said information being associated with multi-media files that are maintained in a network-accessible location and that can be temporarily stored on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive, said information comprising a list of local directories where the multi-media files are maintained;

responsive to a request to retrieve a multi-media file from the network-accessible location, using the information to attempt to locate the requested file on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive before attempting to retrieve the file in the network-accessible location; and

requesting a user to designate one or more additional directories where the requested multi-media file is stored in response to determining that the requested multi-media file is not located in the directories on the list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files are stored.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files have been stored.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files are or have been stored.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the list responsive to a user designating the one or more additional directories, and searching for multi-media files in the one or more additional directories on subsequent attempts to locate requested files.

6. A memory device having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 1.

7. A memory device having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

maintain a list on a local computer that comprises part of a network having multiple computers, said list being used to determine which local directories have been used in the past, or are currently being used to stored multi-media files that are maintained in a network-accessible location;

responsive to a request to retrieve a multi-media file from the network-accessible location, initiate retrieval of the requested file on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive based on the list; and

request a user to designate an additional local directory where the multi-media file is able to be stored in the event the requested multi-media file cannot be located on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive.

8. The computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to initiate retrieval of the requested multi-media file in the network-accessible location when the multi-media file cannot be located locally.

9. The computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the computer to check only those local directories that are contained in the list.

10. The computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the computer to update the list to contain the additional local directory.

11. The computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the computer to attempt to locate the multi-media file from the additional local directory before attempting to locate the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location.

12. A multi-media editing system comprising:

one or more processors executing instructions stored on a memory device to;

maintain information on a local computer that comprises part of a network having multiple computers, said information being associated with multi-media files that are maintained in a network-accessible location and that can be temporarily stored on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive, said information comprising a list of local directories where the multi-media files are maintained;

responsive to a request to retrieve a multi-media file from the network-accessible location, use the information to attempt to locate the requested file on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive before attempting to retrieve the file in the network-accessible location; and

request a user to designate one or more additional directories where the requested multi-media file is stored in response to determining that the requested multi-media file is not located in the directories on the list.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the list references local file directories where files have been maintained in the past.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the locator object is executable by the one or more processors to update the list responsive to locating the multi-media file in the additional directory where multi-media files have not been stored before.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the locator object is executable by the one or more processors to update the list responsive to the user designating the additional directory where the multi-media file is stored.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the locator object is executable by the one or more processors to cause one or more multi-media files to be retrieved via the network in response to determining that the one or more files are not locally maintained.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the locator object comprises a COM object.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the locator object comprises an object-oriented object.