System and method for media file synchronization

• US 8,688,631 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adeia Media Holdings LLC (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Remote Media LLC (Vertigo Media, Inc.)
• Inventors: Savenok, Alexander, Savenok, Pavel, Solovyev, Dmitry, Altynikov, Vassili
• Primary Examiner(s): Reyes, Mariela
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Hexing
• Application Number:
  US13/199,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content

Abstract

Media files are drop box-synchronized to limit the amount of new functionality to which a user must grow accustomed in order to synchronize the content of a media player with a remote server within a cloud computing network. Thusly, users are not required to change the way they use their media player(s), but rather are required to use the familiar drag and drop functionality of their native media player. The present invention contemplates automatic versus interval file synchronization between host and nodal processing units via a server within native media player formats. This is achieved through the creation of a media file play list folder that acts as a drop box into which the user drops the desired play list to synchronize with the server. Certain methodology enhances and supports the synchronization process, which methodology incorporates the use of signature waveform metrics.

Claims

1. A media file synchronization system for synchronizing media files, the media file synchronization system comprising:

remote data processing means;

host data processing means in communication with the remote data processing means, the host data processing means comprising identifier redirection means;

a user interface in communication with, and operable via said host data processing means;

media player means operable via said host data processing means, the media player means comprising play list folder generation means, the play list folder generation means for visually displaying a drop box-enabled play list folder upon the user interface;

folder populating means operable via said host data processing means for selectively populating said play list folder with (1) a dynamic media file play list and (2) listed tracks associated with said media file play list;

file transfer means operable via the host and remote data processing means for transferring media file data intermediate the remote and host data processing means;

data extraction means associated with the host data processing means for enabling sinusoidal waveform data extraction from media file data the sinusoidal waveform data extraction being relative to a data extraction baseline for extracting trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values;

summary statistic derivation means associated with the host data processing means for deriving calculated statistical values for the trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values, the calculated statistical values being for the trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values;

custom marker generation means, the custom marker generation means being associated with the host data processing means for generating a custom marker based on derived summary statistics;

marker association means associated with the host data processing means for respectively associating generated custom markers with the media file data for forming marked media file data; and

file synchronization means operable via the host and remote data processing means for synchronizing changes to the playlist folder, the file synchronization means comprising automatic file synchronization means and interval file synchronization means, the media file data comprising mixed media/metadata files, media-only files, and metadata-only files, the automatic file synchronization means being cooperable with the mixed media/metadata files, the interval file synchronization means being cooperable with the media-only and metadata-only files, the interval file synchronization means, when initiated, prompting identifier redirection via the identifier redirection means from the media-only files to the metadata-only files.

2. The media file synchronization system of claim 1 comprising interface-enabled means for dragging and dropping playlist changes to/from said playlist folder.

3. The media file synchronization system of claim 2 comprising file storage means in communication with the host data processing means for storing transferred media file data.

4. The media file synchronization system of claim 3 comprising data comparison means, the data comparison means being associated with the host data processing means for comparing unmarked media files to stored/marked media files, the data comparison means accessing the custom markers when comparing unmarked media file data with marked media file data for outputting file match status.

5. The media file synchronization system of claim 1 wherein the sinusoidal waveform data are time dependent, the data extraction means for extracting time-based derivative wave values from the sinusoidal waveform data, the summary statistic derivation means for deriving calculated statistics for the time-based derivative wave values.

6. The media file synchronization system of claim 1 comprising value sampling means, the value sampling means being associated with the host data processing means for deriving a value sampling from the calculated statistical values.

7. The media file synchronization system of claim 6 wherein the value sampling means randomly collect the value sampling from a number of select data points associated with the calculated statistical values.

8. The media file synchronization system of claim 6 wherein the value sampling means randomly collect the value sampling by averaging three select data points associated with the calculated statistical values.

9. The media file synchronization system of claim 1 comprising nodal data processing means, the host data processing means being in communication with the nodal data processing means for enabling updated play list synchronization with the nodal data processing means from the host data processing means.

10. The media file synchronization system of claim 9 comprising conflict resolution means for resolving by timestamp precedence synchronization conflicts.

11. The media file synchronization system of claim 2 comprising play list surveillance means for monitoring play list changes and initiating file data synchronization.

12. A media file synchronization system for synchronizing media files, the media file synchronization system comprising:

host data processing means, the host data processing means comprising identifier redirection means;

a user interface in communication with, and operable via said host data processing means;

media player means operable via said host data processing means, the media player means comprising play list folder visualization means for visually displaying a drop box-enabled play list folder upon the user interface;

folder populating means operable via said host processing means for selectively populating said play list folder with a dynamic play list and listed tracks associated with said play list;

file transfer means operable via the host data processing means for transferring media file data from the host data processing means;

data extraction means, the data extraction means being associated with the host data processing means for enabling sinusoidal waveform data extraction from media file data, the waveform data comprising length segment values, the waveform data extraction being relative to a data extraction baseline for extracting trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values;

summary statistic derivation means, the summary statistic derivation means being associated with the host data processing means for deriving calculated statistical values for the trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values;

custom marker generation means, the custom marker generation means being associated with the host data processing means for generating a custom marker based on derived summary statistics;

marker association means, the marker association means being associated with the host data processing means for respectively associating generated custom markers with the media file data for forming marked media file data; and

file synchronization means for synchronizing dragged playlist changes with said playlist folder, the file synchronization means comprising automatic file synchronization means and interval file synchronization means, the media file data comprising mixed media/metadata files, media-only files, and metadata-only files, the automatic file synchronization means being cooperable with the mixed media/metadata files, the interval file synchronization means being cooperable with the media-only and metadata-only files, the interval file synchronization means, when initiated, prompting identifier redirection via the identifier redirection means from the media-only files to the metadata-only files.

13. A media file synchronization method for synchronizing media files, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring media play list status within a drop box-enabled play list folder at host processing means;

altering media play list status within said drop box-enabled play list folder;

conducting a comparison inquiry, the comparison inquiry comprising the steps of;

extracting sinusoidal waveform data from a first media file via data extraction means, the extracted sinusoidal waveform data being extracted relative to a data extraction baseline, the extracted sinusoidal waveform data including trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values;

deriving mean, range, and standard deviation summary statistics from the extracted trough-to-baseline and peak-to-baseline length segment values;

generating a custom marker based on the derived mean, range, and standard deviation summary statistics;

associating the custom marker with the first media file thereby constructing a marked media file; and

accessing the custom marker when comparing a second media file to the marked media file for rendering a positive media file match;

transferring altered media file data determined from the comparison inquiry to remote data processing means for synchronizing media file data between the host and remote data processing means, the media file data comprising mixed media/metadata files, media-only files, and metadata-only files, the transferred altered media file data being selectively transferred depending on file type;

cooperating automatic file synchronization means with the mixed media/metadata files for effecting file synchronization; and

cooperating interval file synchronization means with the media-only files and metadata-only files for effecting file synchronization, the interval file synchronization means, when initiated, prompting identifier redirection via identifier redirection means from the media-only files to the metadata-only files.