Methods, systems, and products for restoring media

• US 20080189338A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Timothy H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1402 Saving, restoring, recovering or retrying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for restoring media. A user'"'"'s media catalog is received and stored in a database of media catalogs. When restoration is desired, the user'"'"'s media catalog is retrieved that describes an identity of a media file to be restored. The database of media catalogs is queried for another media catalog that describes the same identity of the media file. A communications address associated with the another media catalog is retrieved.

Claims

1. A method for restoring media, comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s media catalog;

storing the user'"'"'s media catalog in a database of media catalogs;

when restoration is desired, retrieving the user'"'"'s media catalog that describes an identity of a media file to be restored;

querying the database of media catalogs for another media catalog that describes the same identity of the media file; and

retrieving a communications address associated with the another media catalog.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a query to the communications address to obtain the media file to be restored.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving the media file and sending the media file to the user.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising brokering a transfer of the media file.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing a peer contact list and querying a peer device in the peer contact list for the media.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising querying multiple peer devices in the peer contact list for the media to be restored.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein accessing the peer contact list comprises accessing a hierarchical listing of peers and sequentially querying each peer device until the media to be restored is returned.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for restoration.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a restoration address that identifies to what address the restored media is sent.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising querying a peer server for the media to be restored.

13. A device according to claim 2, further operable to receive the media file and send the media file to the user.

11. A system for restoring media, the system operable to:

receive a user'"'"'s media catalog;

store the user'"'"'s media catalog in a database of media catalogs;

when restoration is desired, retrieve the user'"'"'s media catalog that describes an identity of a media file to be restored;

query the database of media catalogs for another media catalog that describes the same identity of the media file; and

retrieve a communications address associated with the another media catalog.

12. A device according to claim 11, further operable to send a query to the communications address to obtain the media file to be restored.

14. A device according to claim 11, further operable to broker a transfer of the media file.

15. A device according to claim 11, further operable to access a peer contact list and query a peer device in the peer contact list for the media.

16. A device according to claim 15, further operable to query multiple peer devices in the peer contact list for the media to be restored.

17. A device according to claim 15, further operable to access a hierarchical listing of peers and sequentially query each peer device until the media to be restored is returned.

18. A device according to claim 11, further operable to receive a request for restoration.

19. A device according to claim 11, further operable to receive a restoration address that identifies to what address the restored media is sent.

20. A computer program product storing computer code for:

receiving a user'"'"'s media catalog;

storing the user'"'"'s media catalog in a database of media catalogs;

when restoration is desired, retrieving the user'"'"'s media catalog that describes an identity of a media file to be restored;

querying the database of media catalogs for another media catalog that describes the same identity of the media file; and

retrieving a communications address associated with the another media catalog.