Patent Application
20060230349
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of processing digital media content. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to managing status information for per-file synchronization of user-configurable device storage.
As digital media technology improves and the price of storage decreases, users increasingly host collections of digital media on their personal computers. But users often desire for their digital media collections to be portable. More and more, users seek to transfer (i.e., move or copy) all or some of their collections to portable client devices. Digital media includes, for example, music, images, videos, and the like.
Users transfer media content from personal computers to a variety of other devices including other personal computers and portable consumer electronic media devices. Examples of portable devices include Personal Media Players (e.g., MP3 players), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), cell phones, notebook or laptop computers, and other portable client devices. Transferring at least part of a digital media collection to a portable device allows a user to enjoy media away from his or her main personal computer.
With the advent of relatively high capacity storage on portable client devices, users can store large numbers of media files on their devices. But filling such a device with a meaningful subset of a user's digital media collection can be a laborious task.
Referring further to
In the example of
In the alternative, it is also known to merely display a general message such as, “Device is Synchronizing.” Although very simple, such a user interface provides very little, if any, useful information regarding the status of the transfer of many files from one device to another.
In light of the foregoing, improvements in reporting synchronization status are desired to provide a “rolled up” status for items as they are processed.
Embodiments of the invention overcome one or more deficiencies in the prior art by permitting coalesced per-file device synchronization status. According to aspects of the invention, a user interface groups status information for items as they are processed. In one embodiment, information for each file is placed under a common entry according to the status of the transfer. The user may view individual items for any particular “bucket” or group or node by expanding the contents of the bucket. These aspects of the present invention enable the user to manage and “bulk fix” content experiencing similar problems. Additionally, reporting of synchronization status information according to aspects of the invention allows providers of content, services, and the like to target services offered to the user. For example, when a user attempts to transfer content that is not licensed for transfer, the error message may include a link for buying additional copies or upgrading the user's service level for the entire group of items.
Briefly described a method embodying aspects of the invention reports status information in a user interface. The status information relates to a synchronization between a source device and a target device. The synchronization includes one or more operations performed on each of a plurality of selected digital files being synchronized. The method includes defining one or more categories of status information in connection with the synchronization operations performed on the digital files and, upon termination of a synchronization operation performed on one of the digital files, categorizing per-file status information for the terminated synchronization operation in one of the defined categories. The method also includes displaying the defined categories having per-file status information categorized therein with a summary of the per-file status information.
Another aspect of the invention involves a computer system having a display and a selection device. In such a computer system, a method reports status information in a user interface presented on the display. The status information relates to a synchronization between a source device and a target device. The synchronization includes one or more operations that are performed on each of a plurality of selected digital files being synchronized. The method includes defining one or more categories of status information in connection with the synchronization operations performed on the digital files. The method also includes, upon termination of a synchronization operation performed on one of the digital files, categorizing per-file status information for the terminated synchronization operation in one of the defined categories and displaying an expandable node corresponding to each of the defined categories of status information that have per-file status information categorized therein. The node is responsive to the selection device for displaying the summary of the per-file status information when the node is collapsed and for displaying the per-file status information when the node is expanded.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method manages a synchronization between a source device and a target device. The synchronization includes one or more operations performed on each of a plurality of selected digital files being synchronized. The method includes defining one or more categories of status information in connection with the synchronization operations performed on the digital files and, upon termination of a synchronization operation performed on one of the digital files, categorizing per-file status information for the terminated synchronization operation in one of the defined categories. The method also includes grouping the digital files according to the defined categories of status information and collectively managing the digital files based on the grouping.
Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of managing applications embody further aspects of the invention.
Alternatively, embodiments of the invention may comprise various other methods and apparatuses.
Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings,
Those skilled in the art are familiar with metadata, which is simply information about data. In the context of the present invention, metadata involves information related to specific content of digital media file 208 being played via MPA 206. Basic metadata includes, for example, one or more of album title, artist, performer, genre, description of content, and the like. Extended or premium metadata includes album art, performer biographies, reviews, related performers, where to buy similar items, upcoming concerts, ticket sales, uniform resource locators for other related experiences including purchase opportunities, and the like.
The MPA 206 accesses a memory 212 for storing digital media files 208, and includes a graphical user interface 214 for displaying media files 208 and/or organized metadata to the user on a display 216. The UI 214 may also be used to assist the user in transferring media files 208 and organized metadata to a remote device such as a portable media device 218 communicatively connected to the computer 204.
According to embodiments of the invention, an exemplary portable media device 218 may be a media transfer protocol (MTP) device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone device or cellular telephone, a mass storage device, a Moving Picture Experts Group audio layer-3 (MP3) player, an audio system in an automobile, a notebook, laptop, or tablet PC, or the like. Although the present invention is particularly well suited for transferring digital media files between a main device and a portable device, aspects of the invention may even be applied to transferring files between desktop personal computers. In general, such device 218 will have a suitable rendering filter or media player or device that is configured to render digital media so that the user can experience the content that is transferred to media device 218.
In the examples herein, the media content of digital media file 208 may be audio data, video data, still image data, and/or text data. Examples of digital items in a collection may also include static or automated playlists of files or any grouping of files or data. It is to be appreciated and understood that the media content can be embodied on any suitable media, including digital files downloaded to the client computer's memory, and that the specific examples described herein are given to further understanding of the inventive principles. For example, the media content can include, without limitation, specially encoded media content in the form of an encoded media file (e.g., media content encoded in Microsoft® Windows Media™ format using the Microsoft® Windows Media™ Player program by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.).
The exemplary target device storage sync manager provides a user-configurable model for facilitating automatic transfer of all or a subset of a user's digital collection to the target, portable device 218, from the source, computer 204. In
Generally, selected items are transferred from the source device, computer 204, to the target device, portable client 218, via the interface 220. Transferring files may occur item-by-item until the collection is exhausted or the storage capacity of the target device is consumed. The transfer from computer 204 to device 218 (and vice versa) may be called “synchronization” (or simply “sync”). As the collection on the source device changes (e.g., items removed, items added, and/or item priority changes), the subset of the collection which is stored on the target device changes with each synchronization. Indeed, if storage space on device 218 is limited, items may be removed from the target device during synchronization and replaced with new items from the collection which have higher priority.
Aspects of the present invention involve synchronization and transfer of data to portable media player device 218. Transferring files to a device (i.e., synchronization) has typically been a per-item process where a large batch of content is selected, and one-by-one each file is transferred. As described above, conventional UI displays involve showing the progress of each file individually and, if there is an error, showing the appropriate error or message alongside the files to indicate the status of the transfer. In one embodiment of the present invention, MPA 206 groups status information for items that have been or are waiting to be processed and provides the status information, on a per-group basis, to the user via UI 214. Each file is placed under a common entry according to the status of the transfer. The user may view individual items for any particular “bucket,” group, node, or category by expanding the contents of the bucket.
If the transfer of Track 2 fails for some reason, the invention at 308 adds a new bucket to the list (e.g., “Error: No Rights”) and moves the Track 2 status information into the new bucket. Whether subsequent transfers succeed or fail determines which bucket gets the status information. The end result is a summary at 310. For example, the summary is a root base list (e.g., an array of child lists) and items that have not been acted upon. The array of lists matches errors that have been encountered and those items that have not acted upon.
Moreover, the summary approach may be extended to categorize the unprocessed items in a bucket (e.g., “Ready to Transfer (6 Files)”). It is further contemplated to only list the errors and to not list the successful transfers.
Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention organize or categorize status information for files that were transferred to device 218 (or had a transfer attempted for them) into buckets representing what actually happened. One aspect of the invention provides roll-up counts as the items are processed and each status event occurs. This has the distinct advantage of cutting down on the noise that the user is presented with upon completion of a synchronization. Then, by expanding the contents of the bucket (i.e., drilling down on the status information) as shown at 314, the user can learn about the status of individual items. Because transferring thousands of files may yield only a handful of buckets, or groups, of status indicators, the user can get an overall sense of how the transfer went without becoming bogged down unnecessarily in detail. And if all of the files successfully transferred to device 218, the user would not have to scroll through all of the individual per-file status indicators to determine this.
The bucket aspect of the invention also enables the user to manage and “bulk fix” content having similar problems. For example, the user can, in a single action, delete all failed content that was not found, such as when content was previously deleted from source computer 204. In another example, the user can, in a single action, renew a series of licenses that failed for a larger group of tracks. Many of the typical failure cases of device transfer can be exposed as simple buckets that a user can act upon, rather than associating each error with each piece of content. As such, the user is no longer required to hunt and peck for the problem content and then attempt to repair the error individually for each media file. Grouping like errors in this manner enables correcting the errors collectively, which leads to a faster resolution.
Additionally, this type of reporting provides an opportunity for content and service providers to offer services. For example, when a user attempts to transfer content that is not licensed for transfer, the error message may include a link for buying additional copies or upgrading the user's service level.
Referring now to
At reference character 404 of
Aspects of the present invention lead to a vast improvement in the user experience when dealing with a large set of content to be operated on. As storage capacities of devices grown, and content becomes easier for consumers to purchase or locate, the level of detail that has traditionally been associated with reporting synchronization status will quickly become ineffective without the benefit of the invention.
The computer 130 typically has at least some form of computer readable media. Computer readable media, which include both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media, may be any available medium that may be accessed by computer 130. By way of example and not limitation, computer readable media comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. For example, computer storage media include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store the desired information and that may be accessed by computer 130. Communication media typically embody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and include any information delivery media. Those skilled in the art are familiar with the modulated data signal, which has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. Wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media, such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media, are examples of communication media. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media.
The system memory 134 includes computer storage media in the form of removable and/or non-removable, volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. In the illustrated embodiment, system memory 134 includes read only memory (ROM) 138 and random access memory (RAM) 140. A basic input/output system 142 (BIOS), including the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 130, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM 138. RAM 140 typically includes data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit 132. By way of example, and not limitation,
The computer 130 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. For example,
The drives or other mass storage devices and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in
A user may enter commands and information into computer 130 through input devices or user interface selection devices such as a keyboard 180 and a pointing device 182 (e.g., a mouse, trackball, pen, or touch pad). Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are connected to processing unit 132 through a user input interface 184 that is coupled to system bus 136, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB). A monitor 188 or other type of display device is also connected to system bus 136 via an interface, such as a video interface 190. In addition to the monitor 188, computers often include other peripheral output devices (not shown) such as a printer and speakers, which may be connected through an output peripheral interface (not shown).
The computer 130 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 194. The remote computer 194 may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to computer 130. The logical connections depicted in
When used in a local area networking environment, computer 130 is connected to the LAN 196 through a network interface or adapter 186. When used in a wide area networking environment, computer 130 typically includes a modem 178 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 198, such as the Internet. The modem 178, which may be internal or external, is connected to system bus 136 via the user input interface 184, or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to computer 130, or portions thereof, may be stored in a remote memory storage device (not shown). By way of example, and not limitation,
Generally, the data processors of computer 130 are programmed by means of instructions stored at different times in the various computer-readable storage media of the computer. Programs and operating systems are typically distributed, for example, on floppy disks or CD-ROMs. From there, they are installed or loaded into the secondary memory of a computer. At execution, they are loaded at least partially into the computer's primary electronic memory. Embodiments of the invention described herein include these and other various types of computer-readable storage media when such media include instructions or programs for implementing the steps described below in conjunction with a microprocessor or other data processor. One embodiment of the invention also includes the computer itself when programmed according to the methods and techniques described herein.
For purposes of illustration, programs and other executable program components, such as the operating system, are illustrated herein as discrete blocks. It is recognized, however, that such programs and components reside at various times in different storage components of the computer, and are executed by the data processor(s) of the computer.
Although described in connection with an exemplary computing system environment, including computer 130, one embodiment of the invention is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. The computing system environment is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the invention. Moreover, the computing system environment should not be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, mobile telephones, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
Embodiments of the invention may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Embodiments of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located on both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
An interface in the context of a software architecture includes a software module, component, code portion, or other sequence of computer-executable instructions. The interface includes, for example, a first module accessing a second module to perform computing tasks on behalf of the first module. The first and second modules include, in one example, application programming interfaces (APIs) such as provided by operating systems, component object model (COM) interfaces (e.g., for peer-to-peer application communication), and extensible markup language metadata interchange format (XMI) interfaces (e.g., for communication between web services).
The interface may be a tightly coupled, synchronous implementation such as in Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), COM, or distributed COM (DCOM) examples. Alternatively or in addition, the interface may be a loosely coupled, asynchronous implementation such as in a web service (e.g., using the simple object access protocol). In general, the interface includes any combination of the following characteristics: tightly coupled, loosely coupled, synchronous, and asynchronous. Further, the interface may conform to a standard protocol, a proprietary protocol, or any combination of standard and proprietary protocols.
The interfaces described herein may all be part of a single interface or may be implemented as separate interfaces or any combination therein. The interfaces may execute locally or remotely to provide functionality. Further, the interfaces may include additional or less functionality than illustrated or described herein.
In
In
Herein, “digital items” of a digital collection is any type of independently addressable unit of digital data which is typically stored within a computer memory or storage system. Examples of such a “digital item” include (but are not limited to): music, image, video, text documents, hypertext document, documents of any format, applications, spreadsheets, graphics, playlists, and data. A digital item may include a collection of other items.
The order of execution or performance of the methods illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, it is contemplated by the inventors that elements of the methods may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and that the methods may include more or less elements than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular element before, contemporaneously with, or after another element is within the scope of the invention.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
