WO2007036830A2

WO2007036830A2 - Method and apparatus for managing contents

Info

Publication number: WO2007036830A2
Application number: PCT/IB2006/053332
Authority: WO
Inventors: Weiran Wang; Jingwei Tan; Liang Gan
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority date: 2005-09-28
Filing date: 2006-09-18
Publication date: 2007-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-28
Also published as: WO2007036830A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing contents, in particular to a method and apparatus for managing media files of home media center. The present invention provides a method of managing contents, comprising the steps of: receiving a standard data table, the standard data table has a topic and includes at least a meta data related to the topic; matching the meta data related to the topic with the meta data of local contents; and associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data if the meta data related to the topic match the meta data of a local content. The invention enables the user to timely update the meta data of the event information related to the file, so that the meta data of user' s files are more and more abundant, and the media files become much easier to be identified.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING CONTENTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing contents, in particular to a method and apparatus for managing media files of home media center.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the recent development and popularity of various digital information devices (including desk-top and portable computer, digital TV, CD player, DVD player, DV and DC), people have extensively adopted such application as using these digital information devices to create new digital contents and then editing and playing the created digital contents on personal computers. In addition, the technology of enabling users to access the digital contents stored in information devices through home network and personal computer is also developing rapidly. Rapid development of network technology and digital technology is accompanied by more and more digital contents. In particular, multi-media files are getting greater in quantity, for example, MP3 (Moving Picture Experts Group audio layer-3) files, WMA files (Windows Media Audio files), and WMV files (Windows Media Video files). With the accumulation of time, the multi-media files owned by the user are considerable in amount. Thus, how to efficiently manage and rapidly look up such huge amount of files becomes a big challenge to the user.

The existing file management technology usually employs metadata to manage files. The meta data is the data about data, used for describing the information related to these files. The meta data of multi-media files like audio files may include: the name of album, the name of singer, the name of the composer, and the name of the song, etc. The user can use the meta data of media files to retrieve and acquire the desired media files through home network and personal computer. The more abundant the meta data of media files are, the easier to identify the media files.

The existing meta data used for file management labels the information about the file itself, including the information when the file is created, the information about issue of the file and the information about the user's use of the file, but such information cannot reflect timely the file related event information. The file related event information refers to the information of the events that are related to the file and possibly affect the degree of the user's interest in the file, for example, the award information of the file, the information about significant events of the performer of the file and the information about significant events of the author of the file.

The file related event information usually occurs after the meta data of the information about the file itself is labeled, furthermore, since it needs to label a great amount of file related event information, generally the user can only label the related information after excessively detailed look-up and input, which is quite inconvenient to the user. Further speaking, labeling the file related event information has a higher requirement for the user's capabilities of computer operating and network application. For example, a user bought a plurality of DVD files in 2004 and stored them in the database of home media center for future convenient look-up. At the beginning of 2005, the result of "Top Ten Films of 2004" is appraised. If at this time, the user just owns several DVD files among the "Top Ten Films in 2004", and if he/she wants to update the meta data of these DVD files according to the appraised result of "Top Ten Films in 2004", he/she has to look up these DVD files in the database of home media center and manually add to them such meta data as "Top Ten Films in 2004". Every week, the same thing will happen to the DVD files collected by the user, it has become a very difficult thing when the user wants to timely update the meta data of files.

Therefore, it needs to provide a method of managing files by which the user's files are managed according to the meta data of the file related event information, thereby facilitating the user's efficient management and rapid look-up of the files.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improvement of the existing technical solution. The invention enables the user to timely update the meta data of the file related event information, so that the meta data of the user's files become more and more abundant and the media files become much easier to be identified.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method of managing contents, comprising the steps of: receiving a standard data table, the standard data table has a topic and includes at least a meta data related to the topic; matching the meta data related to the topic with the meta data of local contents; and associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data if the meta data related to the topic match the meta data of a local content. According to an embodiment of the invention, the meta data related to the topic is an identification number of a content related to the topic.

According to an embodiment of the invention, after associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data, further comprises the following steps of: acquiring location information of the matched local content; and associating the location information with the standard data table. Thus, the user can also use such content according to the standard data table.

According to an embodiment of the invention, acquiring location information of the matched local content; and associating the location information with the standard data table. The auxiliary information may be the purchasing information or advertisement information of the content. Since the user has owned a part of contents related to the topic, usually he/she has certain degree of interest in other contents related to the top. Associating the purchasing information of the content in the standard data table can stimulate the user's purchasing anxiety and at the same time, facilitate the user' s purchase. The present invention further provides an apparatus for a receiver for receiving a standard data table, the standard data table has a topic and includes at least a meta data related to the topic; a matcher for matching the meta data related to the topic with the meta data of local contents; and associating means for associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data if the meta data related to the topic match the meta data of a local content.

According to the invention, the receipt of the standard data table which has a topic of file related event can trigger an increase of the meta data of the user' s local contents. The meta data of contents become more and more abundant, and the contents become much easier to be identified by the user. Besides, according to the invention, since the standard data table received by the user further includes the auxiliary information of the content related to the event topic, if the meta data of the standard data table and the meta data of the local contents have no matching contents, the user may understand and even purchase the content conveniently according to the auxiliary information of the content. With reference to the following description made in combination with appended drawings and the claims, other objects and achievements of the invention will be obvious, and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention will be obtained. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

With the aid of exemplary embodiments and the schematic diagrams as appended, the present invention and the advantages thereof will be further explained, in the drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic flowchart illustrating the method of managing contents according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a user interface using the invention;

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates the most important part of the means for managing contents according to the invention. Corresponding features in these figures are represented by the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

Fig. 1 is a schematic flowchart illustrating the method of managing contents according to an embodiment of the invention. Fist of all, a standard data table is received, the standard data table has a topic and includes at least a meta data related to the topic (step SIlO).

Now the method of managing contents of the invention is described taking an example of the media file management system of the home media center managing the media files. The home media center is an home multi-media control device capable of controlling various information devices via home network, these information devices comprising TV, DVD player, CD player, personal computer, handset, personal digital assistant (PDA) , and set- top box, etc. The home media center is a multi-media control apparatus capable of performing one or more of the following functions: the function of home TV related to TV control; a home media function related to the management of multi-media files (such as image or photo/music/film or similar media files); the home cinema function related to CD/DVD/VCD, and the home network function for providing the whole solutions of entertainment, information, communications, home security and home automation.

The media file management system of the home media center manages the media files in the information devices connected to the home media center, for example, images, pictures, music or films. The media file management system of the home media center is used to look up media files through meta data, the receiving means of the media file management system receives a standard data table. The standard data table is a data table, related to the topic of news event, that is provided by the content provider according to the sudden news event. The standard data table has one topic and includes at least one meta data related to the topic.

The manufacturing procedure of the standard data table is shown below, generally this procedure is accomplished at the side of content provider.

(1) obtaining a most recently news event. For example, it is learned from the news media that the famous actor Leslie Cheung in HK was dead on April 1, 2003.

(2) mapping the media files related to the news event according to this news event and determining a topic. The topic can be Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death, the last ten films of Leslie Cheung, the awarded films of Leslie Cheung, the awarded CD albums of Leslie Cheung, and so on.

(3) constituting a standard data table according to the determined topic that includes the meta data of the topic content. For example, the topic is Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death. According to this topic, the Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death are found as follows: Film 1, the International Standard

Book Number (ISBN) thereof is 9990648888; Film 2, the ISBN is 9990646666, and Film 3, the ISBN is 9990647777 and 9990647788.

In this example, these ISBNs are the meta data corresponding to the films. The meta data certainly has many other presentation forms, such as director (Oliver Steve), actor (Tom Hanks), etc.

The use of ISBN gives a unique and simple identification number for each kind of publication so as to efficiently use the computer system for management. An ISBN consists of a group of ten numerical codes entitled "ISBN" and is used for identifying the nation and region (language) to which the publication belongs, the publishing company, the name, version and binding manner of the publication. Such group of numbers constitutes an identification number of the publication.

Table 1 is a schematic standard data table made according to the topic "Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death".

Table 1

Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death

Film 1 9990648888

Film 2 9990646666

In Table 1, the topic of the schematic standard data table is "Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death". The standard data table comprises the following meta data: 1. the ISBN 9990648888 of Film 1; 2. the ISBN 9990646666 of Film 2; and 3. the ISBN 9990647777 and 9990647788 of Film 3.

(4) adding in this table the auxiliary information of the content related to the topic. The auxiliary information can be the purchasing information of the content, also the advertisement information thereof.

Table 2 is a standard data table including auxiliary information.

Table 2:

<sales>http://buymovies.com/buy?id=9990648888</sales> </id>

</item>

<sales>http://buymovies.com/buy?id=9990646666</sales> </id>

</item>

<id isbn="9990647777"> <sales>http://buymovies.com/buy?id=9990647777</sales>

</id> <id isbn="9990647788">

<sales>http://buymovies.com/buy?id=9990647788</sales> </id>

</item> </label>

In Table 2, the topic of the standard data table is: "Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death". The website for purchasing Film 1 is: http://buymovies.com/buy ?id=9990648888; the website for purchasing Film 2 is: http://buymovies.com/buy ?id=9990646666; and the website for purchasing Film 3 is: http://buvmovies.com/buv?id=9990647788.

(5) the service provider releasing the standard data table. The service provider can release these standard data tables in various manners, for example, sending the standard data table to the user in a manner of broadcasting; if the user is a registered user who subscribes special topic out of personal preference, the service provider can send the standard data table to the user via an email; the standard data table can also be a network link associated with the news website. The release of the standard data table can be regular or not. And the service of releasing the standard data table may be free or not.

After receiving the standard data table (step SIlO), reading a meta data from the standard data table (step S 120). In this embodiment, the standard data table includes the following meta data: ISBN 9990648888, 9990646666, 9990647777 and 9990647788. One of these meta data is read, for example, ISBN 9990648888 of Film 1.

Then, determining whether an ISBN of the standard data table matches the meta data of the local contents (step S 130).

The local contents can be all the contents controlled by various information devices which a home media center is able to control through a home network, and can be the content on a separate information device, like TV, DVD player, CD player, PC, PDA and set-top box, etc. The local contents can be the image or picture/music/film or similar media files.

The meta data of content can be positioned in a part of file, or a separate database, as long as the separate database is associated with this file.

It will be helpful to rapidly match the meta data of the file when the meta data is positioned in a central database. The reason is when the meta data is positioned in a single file, it needs to open every file to read the meta data, resulting in decrease of the velocity of meta data matching; however, when the meta data is positioned in a central database, it needs to continuously update the meta data of the central database when adding or deleting files.

If the meta data of the standard data table match the meta data of an item of local content, then associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data (step S 140). If the ISBN 9990648888 of Film 1 matches the metal data of an item of local content, then the topic "Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death" is associated with the matched local content in the form of meta data. The associating manner is adding a meta data to the file head of the matched local content, i.e. Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death, the meta data can also be added in a separate database, as long as the separate database is associated with the matched local content.

If the standard data table is stored locally, the method of associating contents according to the invention may selectively comprise obtaining the location information of the matched local content (step S 150). The location information of Film 1 in a home media center is obtained as file:///movies/2005/moviel .rm.

Then, the location information is associated with the standard data table (step S 160).

The location information file:///movies/2005/moviel .rm. of Film 1 is associated with the standard data table, the location information file :///movies/2005/mo vie 1.rm. of

Film 1 can be added to the standard data table.

After that, determining whether the standard data table has other meta data (step S180).

Since the standard data table also has other meta data, next meta data is read, i.e. the ISBN 9990646666 of Film 2.

If the ISBN 9990646666 in the standard data table and the meta data of the home media center have no matching items, then presenting the auxiliary information of the content related to the topic (step S 170).

In this embodiment, the meta data of all media files are retrieved, if the ISBN 9990646666 is not found in meta data list of the home media center, the purchasing information of Film 2 in the standard data table is presented, i.e. http://buymovies.com/buy ?id=9990646666.

Next, determining whether the standard data table has other meta data (step S 180).

Since the standard data table has other meta data, next meta data is read, i.e. the ISBN 9990647777 of Film 3, then the topic "Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death" is associated with the matched local content Film 3 in the form of meta data (step S 140). After that, the location information file:///movies/2005/movie2.rm of

Film 3 in the home media center is obtained (step S 150). Next, the location information file:///movies/2005/movie2.rm is associated with the standard data table (step S160). Another version of Film 3 has the ISBN 9990647788, this ISBN and the meta data of the home media center have no matching items with, then the auxiliary information of the content related to the topic is presented, i.e. http://buymovies.com/buy ?id=9990647788

{Step S170).

The standard data table updated according to this embodiment is shown in Table 3.

Table 3: <label name="Leslie's best 3 films"> <item name="Movie 1"> <id isbn="9990648888">

</URL>

</id>

</item>

<sales>http://buymovies.com/buy?id=9990646666</sales> </id> </item>

<sales>http://buymovies.com/buy?id=9990647788</sales>

</id>

</item> </label>

According to the invention, Film 1 and Film 3 associate the meta data "Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death". Box Office top three films of Leslie Cheung before his death can also include the following sub-topics: Film 1 represents the best Box Office film of Leslie Cheung before his death; Film 2 represents the second best Box Office film of Leslie Cheung before his death; and Film 3 represents the third best Box Office film of Leslie Cheung before his death. Correspondingly, with regard to Film 1 and Film 3 stored in the home media center, the following meta data are associated respectively: associating Film 1 with the meta data "best Box Office film of Leslie Cheung before his death"; and associating Film 3 with the meta data "third best Box Office film of Leslie Cheung before his death". The present invention provide a simpler scene, wherein a standard data table is received, the topic of the standard data table is a news event about a famous movie star, in the standard data table the meta data related to the topic is the famous movie star. According to the standard data table, the meta data in the home media center includes a new meta data with which all the contents of the movie star can be associated, i.e. the news event of the famous movie star. Thus, the contents with the meta data the famous movie star in the home media centers are easier to be identified by the user.

For example, the famous actress Gao Xiu-min died of cardiac accident on August 18, 2005. The user receives a standard data table with the topic "Gao Xiu-min died of cardiac accident on August 18, 2005", in this standard data table the meta data related to the topic is Gao Xiu-min. According to the standard data table, the contents with all of the meta data Gao Xiu-min in home media centers are associated with a new meta data, i.e. "Gao Xiu-min died of cardiac accident on August 18, 2005". Thus, the contents with the meta data Gao Xiu-min in the home media centers are easier to be identified by the user.

Fig. 2 shows that the home media center uses the present invention to present a user interface based on Table 3.

As shown in Fig. 2, since film 1 and film 2 have been stored in the user's home media center, according to the invention, the location information of the two films are already associated to updated standard data table. Thus, the user can play Film 1 and Film 3 immediately by clicking the corresponding playing keys of Film 1 and Film 3. In the meanwhile, the user's home media center does not store another versions of

Film 2 and Film 3, according to the invention, the auxiliary information of these two films, such as the purchasing information of Film 2 and the advertisement information of another version of Film 3 are presented to the user. Thus, the user can immediately go to corresponding websites to purchase or view by clicking the purchasing key of Film 2 or the viewing key of the advertisement of another version of Film 3.

Fig. 3 schematically shows the most significant part of the content management apparatus according to the invention. The content management apparatus 300 comprises a receiving unit 310, a matching unit 320 and an associating unit 330. The content management apparatus 300 can selectively include an acquiring unit 340 and a presentation unit 350.

The receiving unit 310 is used for receiving a standard data table that has one topic and includes at least one meta data related to the topic. An example is the receiving unit 310 receives a standard data table (Table 4) with the topic "Awarded Films of the 76th

Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004", this standard data table includes the names of the ten awarded films.

The matched unit 320 is used for matching the name of each film with the metal data of the local content in the standard data table with the topic "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004".

The local contents can be all the contents controlled by various information devices which a home media center is able to control through a home network, the local contents can also be the images or photo/music/films or similar media files. The meta data of content can be located in a part of the file, or in a separate database. The matching unit 320 looks up in the central database the meta data that each of the films in the standard data table with the topic "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004" has the same name.

The associating unit 330 is used for associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data if the meta data and the meta data of the local content have matching items. If the standard data table further includes a sub-topic of the content related to the topic, the associating unit is also used for associating the sub-topic wit the matched local content in the form of meta data.

Table 4 shows a standard data table with the topic "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004".

Table 4:

Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004 Best Film Award Oscar, Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar: "A Beautiful Mind"

Best Foreign Language Film Oscar: "No Man Land"

Best Original Screenplay Oscar: "Gosford Park"

Best Original Song Oscar: "Monsters Inc."

Best Animated Short Film Award Oscar: "For the Birds"

Best Art Direction Award Oscar: "Moulin Rouge"

Best Mark-up, Best Cinematography Award, Best Visual Effect, and Best Original Music

Oscar: "The Lord of Rings"

Best Film Editing Oscar: "Black Hawk Down"

Best Costume Design Oscar: "Moulin Rouge"

Best Documentary Feature Oscar: "Murder on a Sunday Morning"

Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar: "Thoth"

Best Animated Feature Film Oscar: "Shrek"

Best Sound Award Oscar: "Black Hawk Down"

Best Sound Editing Oscar: "Pearl Harbor"

Best Short Film (live action) Oscar: "The accountant"

In Table 4, the topic of the standard data table is "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004", the meta data is the name of each film.

If the local content stores the following three films: "A Beautiful Mind", "The Lord of Rings" and "Shrek", the associating unit 330 will associate a new meta data "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004" with each film.

Every film listed in Table 4 further comprises sub-topics related to this film. For example, the sub-topics related to the film "A Beautiful Mind" are Best Film Award Oscar and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, and the sub-topics related to "the Lord of Rings" are Best Mark-up, Best Cinematography Award, Best Visual Effect and Best Original Music Oscar, the sub-topic related to "Shrek" is Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. The associating unit 330 is also used for associating the sub-topics with the matched local content in the form of meta data.

According to the invention, the associating unit 330 can associate the following meta data with the film "A Beautiful Mind": "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004", "Best Film Award Oscar" and "Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar". Likewise, the associating unit 330 can associate the following meta data with the film "the Lord of Rings": "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004", "Best Mark-up", "Best Cinematography Award", "Best Visual Effect", and "Best Original Music Oscar". The associating unit 330 can associate the following meta data with the film

"Shrek": "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004", and "Best Animated Feature Film Oscar".

If the standard data table is stored locally, the method of managing contents according to the invention can selectively comprise an acquiring unit 340 and presentation unit 350 to facilitate the user's use of the related content according to the standard data table.

The acquiring unit 340 is used for acquiring the location information of the contents that match with the meta data of the standard data table among local contents. For example, the acquiring unit 340 acquires the local location information of films "A Beautiful Mind", "The Lord of Rings" and "Shrek": URL: file:///films/2003/moviel ,rm, file:///films/2003/movie2.rm and file:///films/2003/movie3.rm.

The location information of these matched contents are associated by the associating unit 330 with the standard data table with the topic "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004". The local location information file:///films/2003/movie 1 ,rm, file :///films/2003/movie2.rm and file:///films/2003/movie3.rm of films "A Beautiful Mind", "The Lord of Rings" and "Shrek" are associated to the standard data table respectively.

The presentation unit 350 is used for presenting the auxiliary information of the content having no matching items locally if the standard data table and the meta data of the local content have no matching items. The auxiliary information can be the purchasing website information and advertisement information regarding the content having no matching items locally, also the sub-topic of the content having no matching items locally.

The presentation unit 350 can be further used for presenting the location information of the content that has matching items with the standard data table with the topic "Awarded Films of the 76th Oscar Annual Academy Awards of 2004".

In this embodiment, the meta data included in the standard data table can be the ISBN of the film. Although the invention is described in detail in combination with specific embodiments, various replacements, modifications and changes made by those skilled in the art according to the context will be obvious. Therefore, such replacements, modifications and changes shall be included in this invention when they come within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMES:

1. A method of managing contents, comprising the steps of: receiving a standard data table, the standard data table has a topic and includes at least a meta data related to the topic; matching the meta data related to the topic with the meta data of local contents; and associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data if the meta data related to the topic match the meta data of a local content .

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: acquiring location information of the matched local content; and associating the location information with the standard data table.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standard data table further comprises auxiliary information of a content related to the topic, if the meta data related to the topic has no matching item with the meta data of local contents, presenting the auxiliary information.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the meta data related to the topic is an identification number of a content related to the topic.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standard data table further comprises a subtopic related to the topic, the associating step further comprising the step of associating the sub-topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data.

6. An apparatus for managing contents, comprising: a receiver for receiving a standard data table, the standard data table has a topic and includes at least a meta data related to the topic; a matcher for matching the meta data related to the topic with the meta data of local contents; and associating means for associating the topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data if the meta data related to the topic match the meta data of a local content .

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: a acquirer for acquiring location information of the matched local content; and the associating means is also arranged for associating the location information with the standard data table.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the standard data table further comprises auxiliary information of a content related to the topic, further comprises a presenter for presenting the auxiliary information if the meta data related to the topic has no matching item with the meta data of local contents.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, the meta data related to the topic is an identification number of a content related to the topic.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the standard data table further includes a subtopic related to the topic, the associating means is also arranged for associating the sub- topic with the matched local content in the form of meta data.