Customized Search or Acquisition of Digital Media Assets

• US 20120023095A1
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wadycki, Andrew, Douglas, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• 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 16/43 Querying

Abstract

Improved techniques for using usage data are disclosed. The usage data can pertain to a user of an electronic device. The usage data can be monitored and recorded on the electronic device. The improved techniques are particularly useful when the electronic device is a mobile electronic device. In one embodiment, the usage data can be used to enhance searching of digital assets, such as digital media assets, resident at a local or remote repository. In another embodiment, the usage data can be used to determine content to be resident locally on the electronic device. In still another embodiment, the usage data can be used to present (e.g., display) information on the electronic device.

Claims

11. A computer readable storage medium including at least computer program code executable by an electronic device for providing digital media content to the electronic device, said computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for monitoring usage of a first digital media asset having a plurality of levels or chapters;

computer program code for comparing the usage of the first digital media asset to at least one trigger point; and

computer program code for retrieving additional digital media data for use on the electronic device if the computer program code for comparing determines that the usage of the first digital media asset exceeds the at least one trigger point.

12. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code for storing the additional digital media data that has been retrieved,

wherein the electronic device includes or couples to a local storage device, and wherein the computer program code for storing of the additional digital media data stores the additional digital media data to the local storage device, and

wherein the computer program code for retrieving of the additional digital media data is from a remote server.

13. A method for processing a user search, the method comprising:

receiving a user search request from an electronic device, the user search request including one or more search criteria;

searching a database in accordance with the one or more search criteria to obtain search results, the database including digital asset information pertaining to a plurality of digital media assets;

accessing usage data pertaining to the electronic device or its user;

ranking the search results based at least in part on the usage data; and

presenting the ranked search results via the electronic device.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the search results includes resultant digital asset information pertaining to a subset of the plurality of digital media assets.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the usage data pertains to historical usage of the electronic device or its user.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the searching is influenced by the usage data.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the one or more search criteria comprises one or more search facets.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more search facets are automatically determined by the electronic device.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more search facets are each individually user-selectable.

24. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the each of the one or more search criteria are presented as user interface elements present on a display device associated with the electronic device, and wherein the user interface elements are user-selectable.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of the user interface elements enable selection of one of a list of selectable search criteria.

20. A method for processing a user search, the method comprising:

receiving a user search request from an electronic device, the user search request including one or more search criteria;

accessing usage data pertaining to the electronic device or its user;

searching a database in accordance with the one or more search criteria and the usage data to obtain search results, the database including digital asset information pertaining to a plurality of digital media assets; and

presenting the search results via the electronic device.

1. A method for providing digital media content to an electronic device, said method comprising:

monitoring usage of a first digital media asset having a plurality of levels or chapters;

comparing the usage of the first digital media asset to at least one trigger point; and

retrieving additional digital media data for use on the electronic device if the comparing determines that the usage of the first digital media asset exceeds the at least one trigger point.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the retrieving comprises:

determining the additional digital media data to be retrieved, the additional digital media data being affiliated with the first digital media asset; and

subsequently retrieving the additional digital media data.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the retrieving comprises:

storing the additional digital media data that has been retrieved.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the electronic device includes or couples to a local storage device, and wherein the storing of the additional digital media data stores the additional digital media data to a local storage device.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the retrieving of the additional digital media data is from a remote server.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the retrieving is performed in a background retrieval process.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the additional digital media data pertains to at least a second digital media asset.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the trigger point comprise a near-end mark.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

subsequently presenting at least a portion of the additional digital media data.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

determining whether the usage of the first digital media asset has reached an end marker; and

presenting at least a portion of the additional digital media data temporally proximate to the determining that the usage of the first digital media asset has reached the end marker.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the search results includes resultant digital asset information pertaining to a subset of the plurality of digital media assets.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the searching of the database is in accordance with the one or more search criteria, and wherein the one or more search criteria are determined automatically based on the usage data.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the presenting of the search results comprises displaying information concerning a set of the digital media assets that match at least the one or more search criteria.

22-1. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a user selection for at least one of the one or more search criteria.

26. A computer readable storage medium including at least computer program code executable by an electronic device for processing a user search, said computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a user search request from an electronic device, the user search request including search one or more search criteria;

computer program code for searching a database in accordance with the one or more search criteria to obtain search results, the database including digital asset information pertaining to a plurality of digital media assets;

computer program code for accessing usage data pertaining to the electronic device or its user;

computer program code for ranking the search results based at least in part on the usage data; and

computer program code for presenting the ranked search results via the electronic device.