Methods and systems for processing multi-media editing projects

• US 20020099789A1
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rudolph, Eric H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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:

generating a request for one or more multi-media files for use in a multi-media editing project, the request being generated by a user computer that comprises part of a network where multi-media files are maintained in a network-accessible location;

intercepting the request;

ascertaining whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer;

retrieving the multi-media file if the file is located on the user computer; and

seeking the requested file from the network-accessible location if the multi-media file is not located on the user computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising asking a user to designate a local directory if a requested file is not found on the user computer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising asking a user to designate a local directory if a requested file is not found on the user computer, and then searching for the requested file in a designated local directory before seeking the requested file from the network-accessible location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said ascertaining comprises checking various predetermined file directories on the computer'"'"'s hard drive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said ascertaining comprises:

maintaining a list of directories where multi-media files have been stored in the past; and

checking directories on the list for the requested one or more files.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said ascertaining comprises:

maintaining a list of directories where multi-media files are stored; and

checking directories on the list for the requested one or more files.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said ascertaining comprises:

maintaining a list of directories where multi-media files have been stored in the past or are presently stored; and

checking directories on the list for the requested one or more files.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a list of directories where multi-media files are stored; and

updating the list responsive to receiving and storing a multi-media file in a local directory that is not on the list.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a list of directories where multi-media files are stored; and

updating the list responsive to a user designating a local directory that is not on the list.

10. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 1.

11. A multi-media project editing application configured for execution on a user computer, the application being configured to implement the method of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files are stored.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files have been stored.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files are or have been stored.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files are stored, and further comprising asking a user to designate one or more local directories where a requested multi-media file might be stored if the requested file cannot be located in the directories designated on the list.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising updating the list responsive to a user designating the one or more directories, and searching for multi-media files in the one or more directories on subsequent attempts to locate requested files.

18. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 12.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to attempt to retrieve the requested file in the network-accessible location in the event that the file cannot be located locally.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the computer to check only those local directories that are contained in the list.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the computer to ask a user to designate a local directory where a multi-media file might be stored in the event a requested file cannot be located on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein the instructions cause the computer to update the list to contain a local directory that the user designates.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein the instructions cause the computer to attempt to locate the multi-media file from the designated local directory before attempting to locate the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising prior to second checking, asking a user to point to a local directory where the requested file might be stored and checking that local directory for the requested file.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said updating comprises doing so responsive to a user pointing to a local directory where the requested file might be stored.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the multi-media files are read only files.

29. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 25.

12. 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; and

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.

19. One or more computer-readable media 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; and

responsive to a request to retrieve a multi-media file from the network-accessible location, use the list to first attempt to locate the requested file on the local computer'"'"'s hard drive.

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

receiving one or more multi-media files from a network-accessible location;

locally storing the one or more multi-media files in a local directory on a user computer for use in a multi-media editing project;

updating a list of local directories that contain or have contained multi-media files in the past in the event that the one or more multi-media files are stored in a local directory that is not contained in the list;

responsive to receiving a request for a multi-media file that is maintained in the network-accessible location;

first checking in all of the local directories on the list of local directories for the requested file; and

second checking the network-accessible location for the requested file in the event the requested file is not found locally.

30. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

maintain a list of local directories that are or have been used to store multi-media files on a local user computer, the multi-media files being accessible from a network storage location;

generate a request for a multi-media file that is accessible from a network storage location, the request being intended for use in retrieving a multi-media file from the network accessible storage location;

intercept the request;

ascertain a requested file from the request;

first, determine whether the requested file is locally available by checking all of the local directories maintained on the list and retrieve the requested file from a local directory if the file is locally maintained;

second, seek the requested file from the network storage location if the file is not locally maintained;

store the requested file in a local directory if the requested file is retrieved from the network storage location; and

update the list to reflect the local directory if the local directory in which the requested file is stored is not on the list.

31. The computer-readable media of claim 30, wherein the instructions cause the computer to update the list responsive to input received from a user.

32. A multi-media editing system comprising:

a multi-media file locator object configured to intercept network-bound requests for multi-media files and determine whether requested files are locally maintained on a user computer; and

a list associated with the file locator object and referencing local file directories on the user computer where multi-media files are stored, the list being used by the file locator object to determine whether requested files are locally maintained on the user computer.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the list references local file directories where files have been maintained in the past.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the locator object is configured to update the list.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the locator object is configured to update the list responsive to a multi-media file being stored in a local directory where multi-media files have not been stored before.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the locator object is configured to update the list responsive to a user designating a local directory where a multi-media file is stored.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the locator object is configured to cause one or more multi-media files to be sought through the network in the event that the one or more files are not locally maintained.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the locator object comprises a COM object.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the locator object comprises an object-oriented object.