Systems for processing multi-media editing projects

• US 7,680,898 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• 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): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams; Clayton R
• Application Number:
  US10/970,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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

Systems for processing multi-media editing projects are described. In one embodiment, a computing system comprises input means for generating a request for one or more multi-media files for use in a multi-media editing project, one or more processors, one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising: intercepting the request; ascertaining whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer by checking one or more user-designated directories for the multi-media file; 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.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

means for maintaining a list of one or more user designated directories where multi-media files have been stored in the past;

input means for generating a request for one or more multi-media files for use in a multi-media editing project, wherein the multi-media editing project comprises a render engine, the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the 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, the render engine configured to;

invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;

ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components; and

adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by said one or more processors, perform a method comprising;

intercepting the request by the user computer;

ascertaining whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer by checking one or more user-designated directories for the requested multi-media file listed in the list of one or more user designated directories;

retrieving the requested multi-media file from the user computer if the file is located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated directories;

asking a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated directories;

seeking the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location if the multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory; and

updating the list responsive to the user designating the additional local directory.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method wherein said means for maintaining further comprises:

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

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

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method further comprising:

updating the list responsive to receiving and storing the multi-media file in the additional local directory.

4. The computing system of claim 1 further comprising:

a computer network communicatively linked with said computing system and comprising means for storing said multi-media files.

5. A computing system comprising:

means for maintaining a list of one or more user designated directories where multi-media files have been stored in the past;

input means for enabling a user to request one or more multi-media files for creating a multi-media editing project, wherein the multi-media editing project comprises a render engine, the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the multi-media editing project, the request being generated by a user computer, the render engine configured to;

invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;

ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components; and

adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by said one or more processors, perform a method comprising;

maintaining information on the user computer, the user computer comprising 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 user computer;

intercepting the request by the user computer;

ascertaining whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer by checking one or more user-designated directories for the requested multi-media file listed in the list of one or more user designated directories;

retrieving the requested multi-media file from the user computer if the file is located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated directories;

asking a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated directories;

seeking the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location if the multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory; and

updating the list responsive to the user designating the additional local directory.

6. The computing system of claim 5, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method wherein said information comprises a list of local directories where multi-media files are currently stored.

7. The computing system of claim 5 further comprising a network comprising multiple computers, said network being communicatively linked with said computing system and comprising one or more network-accessible locations for maintaining multi-media files.

8. A computing system comprising:

means for maintaining a list of one or more user designated directories wherein multi-media files have been stored in the past;

input means for enabling a user to request one or more multi-media files for creating a multi-media editing project, wherein the multi-media editing project comprises a render engine, the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the multi-media editing project, the request being generated by a user computer, the render engine configured to;

invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;

ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components; and

adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by said one or more processors, perform a method comprising;

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

locally storing the one or more multi-media files in a user-designated directory on the user computer;

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

first checking in all of the user-designated directories on the list of user-designated directories for the requested file;

second asking a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested file is not located on the user computer in the user-designated directories;

third checking the network-accessible location for the requested file in the event the requested file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory; and

fourth updating the list responsive to the user designated the additional local directory.

9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method wherein the multi-media files are read only files.

10. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media;

software code embodied on the one or more computer-readable storage media and configured to implement;

a multi-media editing project comprising a render engine, wherein the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the multi-media editing project, the render engine configured to;

invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;

ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components; and

adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;

a list referencing user-designated file directories on the user computer where multi-media files are stored;

a multi-media file locator object configured to;

intercept 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;

ascertain whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer by checking the user-designated file directories for the requested multi-media file listed in the list of user-designated file directories;

retrieve the requested multi-media file from the user computer if the file is located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated file directories;

ask a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated file directories;

seek the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location if the multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory; and

update the list responsive to the user designating the additional local directory.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the locator object comprises a COM object.

12. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the locator object comprises an object-oriented object.

13. The computing system of claim 10 further comprising a network comprising multiple computers for storing multi-media.