Abstract:
In a system comprising media files resident on various devices, devices equipped with media servers can deliver files to devices with media clients for purposes of playback (rendering) and/or storage. Some media servers may be capable of delivering files in various formats and may offer clients delivery format options. Media clients are aware of preferential list of formats that can be supported on a device and can choose from delivery options provided by media servers. Media files are introduced on the devices either via means external to this system or by leveraging system&#39;s media servers and media clients to transfer content between devices. When media files are introduced on the devices by means external to this system, media scanners detect such media files and make it available to media servers and thus to the rest of the system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 61/874,929; filed Sep. 6, 2013; titled MULTI-DEVICE MEDIA CONTENT IDENTIFICATION AND SOURCING SYSTEMS AND METHODS; and naming inventor Milko BOIC. The above-cited application is hereby incorporated by reference, in its entirety, for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This disclosure is directed to the field of software, and more particularly to identifying and serving audio and/or video media files in a distributed-media-library system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various media systems allow different devices to share locally-hosted media files with other devices connected via a network. In some cases, two or more devices may each have copies of a given piece of media content, copies that may differ from one another in terms of media format, resolution, bitrate, or the like. However, existing systems may fail to identify multiple copies of the same piece of media content within the system and provide methods for automatically selecting which copy to use for playback in a given context. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a simplified multi-device distributed media library organization system in which distributed-media client/server device, distributed-media client/server device, distributed-media client/server device, and distributed-media client/server device are connected to network. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a media-introduction routine for introducing audio and/or video media files into a distributed-media-library system, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a metadata-based ID subroutine for generating a unique identifier for a given audio and/or video media file of a given media type, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a routine for serving media within a shared media system, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a routine for accessing and playing and/or storing media files, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates several components of an exemplary distributed-media client/server device in accordance with one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The phrases “in one embodiment”, “in various embodiments”, “in some embodiments”, and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising”, “having”, and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. 
     In a distributed-media-library system, a piece of content can enter a user&#39;s repository via various devices. When a piece of content is introduced to the system, the content file is given a unique identifier that is derived from metadata associated with the content file (e.g., based on the file name and a file size), as opposed to being based on the media content itself. All devices in the distributed-media-library system use the same process for generating a unique identifier, so a given piece of content will always get the same identifier, no matter where it first enters the distributed-media-library system. 
     For example, two video files recorded on two different mobile devices could easily have the same file name (e.g., “movie001.mp4”). However, it is unlikely that two video files recorded on two different devices will have the same file size, and it is extremely unlikely that two video files that have the same file name will also have the same file size. Therefore, an identifier that is sufficiently likely to be unique can be derived by combining the file name and file size of a given video file. 
     For media types whose file sizes may vary less than those of video files, an additional metadata element may be introduced. For example, for an lossy-compressed audio file, a sufficiently unique identifier could be derived from three metadata elements: file name, file size, and content duration. Similarly, for a lossy-compressed still image, a sufficiently unique identifier could be derived from three metadata elements: file name, file size, and creation date or similar timestamp metadata. 
     In many distributed-media-library systems, a given piece of content may be transcoded when that content is transferred to from one device to another. The transcoded derivative version of a given piece of content would very likely have a different set of metadata elements than the original file. However, most, if not all, media and/or container formats provide support for embedding arbitrary metadata (e.g., the unique identifier) into a given audio and/or video media file. Using such arbitrary-metadata support, when derivative versions of a given piece of content are made from an original, the unique identifier of the original file is embedded into the derivative version so that the derivative version can be identified as corresponding to the original when the derivative version is subsequently encountered and/or processed by the distributed-media-library system. Consequently, when the distributed-media-library system presents a list of available content to a user, each piece of content can be listed only once, regardless of how many derivative versions may exist on various devices in the distributed-media-library system. 
     More specifically, as discussed herein, in various embodiments, a processor and/or processing device may be configured (e.g., via non-transitory computer-readable storage media) to perform a first method for introducing audio and/or video media files into a distributed-media-library system, the first method including steps similar to some or all of the following:
         obtaining an audio and/or video media file of a given media type for import into the distributed-media-library system;   determining that the audio and/or video media file has not previously been processed by any device of the distributed-media-library system;   obtaining a predetermined set of media-type-specific, fingerprint instructions for generating unique identifiers based on metadata associated with audio and/or video media files of various media types;   selecting a fingerprint instruction from the set of media-type-specific fingerprint instructions based at least in part on the given media type;   determining a first set of at least two metadata elements associated with the audio and/or video media file;   combining the first set of at least two metadata elements according to the selected fingerprint instruction to generate a deterministic, system-wide, metadata-derived unique identifier;   embedding the metadata-derived unique identifier in the audio and/or video media file;   determining that no version of the audio and/or video media file already exists in the distributed-media-library system;   recording the metadata-derived unique identifier in a distributed media-metadata database;   generating a derivative version of the audio and/or video media file, the derivative version being associated with a second set of at least two metadata elements, the second set of at least two metadata elements differing from the first set of at least two metadata elements; and/or   embedding the metadata-derived unique identifier in the derivative version to associate the derivative version with the audio and/or video media file when the derivative version is subsequently encountered in the distributed-media-library system.       

     In some cases, determining that the audio and/or video media file has not previously been processed by any device of the distributed-media-library system may include attempting, but failing to locate an embedded deterministic, system-wide, metadata-derived unique identifier within the audio and/or video media file, or the like. 
     In some cases, determining that no version of the audio and/or video media file already exists in the distributed-media-library system may include querying the distributed media-metadata database to determine that the metadata-derived unique identifier has not been previously recorded in the distributed media-metadata database, or the like. 
     In some cases, when the audio and/or video media file is of a video media type, the first set of at least two metadata elements consists of a file-name metadata element and a file-size metadata element. 
     In some cases, when the audio and/or video media file is of an image media type, the first set of at least two metadata elements consists of a file-name metadata element, a file-size metadata element, and a creation or modification timestamp metadata element. 
     In some cases, when the audio and/or video media file is of an audio media type, the first set of at least two metadata elements consists of a file-name metadata element, a file-size metadata element, and a duration metadata element. 
     Described more fully below are many additional details, variations, and embodiments that may or may not include some or all of the steps, features, and/or functionality described above. 
     Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a simplified multi-device distributed media library organization system in which distributed-media client/server device  600 A, distributed-media client/server device  600 B, distributed-media client/server device  600 C, and distributed-media client/server device  600 D are connected to network  150 . 
     In various embodiments, network  150  may include the Internet, a local area network (“LAN”), a wide area network (“WAN”), and/or other data network. 
     In various embodiments, additional infrastructure (e.g., cell sites, routers, gateways, firewalls, and the like), as well as additional devices may be present. However, it is not necessary to show such infrastructure and implementation details in  FIG. 1  in order to describe an illustrative embodiment. 
     In an exemplary scenario, media files may be resident on various interconnected devices that share media library content. At least some of the devices may include media scanners, media clients, and/or media servers. The devices themselves can interconnect via media servers and media clients resident thereon. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a media-introduction routine  200  for introducing audio and/or video media files into a distributed-media-library system, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device  600  in accordance with one embodiment. 
     In block  205 , media-introduction routine  200  detects and/or obtains an audio and/or video media file of a given media type for import into the distributed-media-library system. 
     In decision block  210 , media-introduction routine  200  determines whether the audio and/or video media file includes an embedded unique identifier. The presence of an embedded deterministic, system-wide, metadata-derived unique identifier would indicate that the audio and/or video media file has previously been processed by some device of the distributed-media-library system. If so, media-introduction routine  200  proceeds to decision block  225 ; otherwise, media-introduction routine  200  proceeds to metadata-based ID subroutine  300 . 
     In subroutine block  300 , media-introduction routine  200  calls subroutine  300  (see  FIG. 3 , discussed below) to generate a metadata-derived unique identifier corresponding to the audio and/or video media file obtained in block  205 . 
     In block  220 , media-introduction routine  200  uses a metadata-embedding facility provided by the media and/or container format to embed a deterministic, system-wide, metadata-derived unique identifier into the audio and/or video media file. 
     In decision block  225 , media-introduction routine  200  determines whether a version of the audio and/or video media file already exists in the distributed-media-library system. In some embodiments, media-introduction routine  200  may query a distributed media-metadata database (e.g., distributed media-metadata database) to determine whether the metadata-derived unique identifier has been previously recorded. If so, media-introduction routine  200  proceeds to block  230 ; otherwise, media-introduction routine  200  proceeds to block  235 . 
     In block  230 , media-introduction routine  200  updates the distributed media-metadata database to indicate that a new derivative version (namely, the audio and/or video media file obtained in block  205 ) of the identified media content has been encountered. 
     In block  235 , media-introduction routine  200  creates a record for the metadata-derived unique identifier (representing the media content of the audio and/or video media file) in the distributed media-metadata database. 
     In decision block  240 , media-introduction routine  200  determines whether generate a derivative version of the audio and/or video media file. In some cases when a new piece of content is encountered, the distributed-media-library system may automatically create one or more derivative versions that will be suitable for transfer to the user&#39;s other media devices. In other cases, the user may provide a subsequent indication to transcode the audio and/or video media file or otherwise create a derivative version. 
     If media-introduction routine  200  determines to automatically generate a derivative version or otherwise receives an indication to do so, then at that point, media-introduction routine  200  proceeds to block  245 ; otherwise, media-introduction routine  200  proceeds to block  255 . 
     In block  245 , media-introduction routine  200  generates a derivative version of the audio and/or video media file. Generally, a derivative version is associated with a set of at least two metadata elements that differ from those of the original file. In other words, the derivative version will generally have a different file name, file size, creation/modification date, and/or other similar metadata compared to the original file from which is was generated. 
     In block  250 , media-introduction routine  200  embeds into the derivative version the metadata-derived unique identifier that was derived in subroutine block  300  based on metadata elements associated with the audio and/or video media file obtained in block  205 . Embedding the metadata-derived unique identifier in this manner enables the distributed-media-library system to associate the derivative version with the original audio and/or video media file when the derivative version is subsequently encountered in the distributed-media-library system. 
     In block  255 , media-introduction routine  200  makes the audio and/or video media file and its associated unique identifier available to serve to the rest of the system. When the media file is subsequently transferred within the system, it is accompanied by its unique identifier. Thus, while media files may be changed in format by media servers to be adapted to the capabilities of a device, the media file&#39;s original identity is preserved, allowing the system to understand on which media servers a media file is resident regardless of its format. 
     Media-introduction routine  200  ends in ending block  299 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a metadata-based ID subroutine  300  for generating a unique identifier for a given audio and/or video media file of a given media type, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device  600  in accordance with one embodiment. 
     In block  305 , metadata-based ID subroutine  300  obtains a predetermined set of media-type-specific, fingerprint instructions for generating unique identifiers based on metadata associated with audio and/or video media files of various media types. In various embodiments, a fingerprint instruction may identify a set of at least two metadata elements and provide instructions for combining those metadata elements into a unique identifier. 
     In block  310 , metadata-based ID subroutine  300  selects a fingerprint instruction from the set of media-type-specific fingerprint instructions based at least in part on the given media type. 
     In block  315 , metadata-based ID subroutine  300  determines the set of at least two metadata elements associated with the given audio and/or video media file according to the selected fingerprint instruction selected in block  310 . 
     For example, in some embodiments, when the given audio and/or video media file is of a video media type, the set of at least two metadata elements may consist of a file-name metadata element and a file-size metadata element. In some embodiments, when the given audio and/or video media file is of an image media type, the set of at least two metadata elements consists of a file-name metadata element, a file-size metadata element, and a creation or modification timestamp metadata element. In some embodiments, when the given audio and/or video media file is of an audio media type, the set of at least two metadata elements consists of a file-name metadata element, a file-size metadata element, and a duration metadata element. 
     In block  320 , metadata-based ID subroutine  300  combines the set of at least two metadata elements according to the selected fingerprint instruction to generate a deterministic, system-wide, metadata-derived unique identifier. For example, in some embodiments, the selected fingerprint instruction may specify that the set of at least two metadata elements are to be concatenated or joined in a particular order to generate a unique identifier such as “movie004.mp4-3294196” (which consists of the file name string joined to an integer byte count of the file with a hyphen character). In other embodiments, different methods of combining the set of at least two metadata elements may be employed. 
     Metadata-based ID subroutine  300  ends in ending block  399 , returning the unique identifier generated in block  320  to the caller. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a routine  400  for serving media within a shared media system, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device  600  in accordance with one embodiment. 
     In block  405 , routine  400  receives a request, typically from a remote media client, for a media file indicated via a unique identifier. 
     In block  410 , routine  400  identifies the indicated media file using the unique identifier. 
     In block  415 , routine  400  provides the identified media file, with its associated unique identifier, to the requesting device for playback (rendering) and/or storage. 
     Routine  400  ends in ending block  499 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a routine  500  for accessing and playing and/or storing media files, such as may be performed by a distributed-media client/server device  600  in accordance with one embodiment. 
     In block  505 , routine  500  obtains a list of media files, identified according to unique identifiers, that are available locally and/or from media-servers within a distributed-media-library system. 
     In block  510 , using unique identifiers embedded in and/or otherwise associated with the media files, routine  500  identifies one or more derivative versions of the same content, such that a given piece of content is presented only once regardless of how many copies and/or derivative versions exist in the distributed-media-library system. 
     In block  515 , routine  500  obtains an indication, such as from a user, to obtain one of the remotely-served and/or local media files. 
     In block  520 , routine  500  obtains one or more delivery-preference factors according to which an appropriate source for the indicated remotely-served and/or local media file may be selected. For example, in one embodiment, a delivery-preference factor may include a list of one or more preferential formats that can be supported on a device. In other embodiments, a delivery-preference factor may include network connection characteristics between a media server and a media client, device media capability, and the like. 
     In block  525 , routine  500  selects a source for the indicated remotely-served and/or local media file based at least in part on the delivery-preference factors obtained in block  520  and the unique identifier of the indicated remotely-served and/or local media file. 
     In block  530 , routine  500  sends to the source selected in block  525  a request for the indicated remotely-served and/or local media file. Once obtained, the file may be made available for playback (rendering), local storage, or for other like purposes. 
     Routine  500  ends in ending block  599 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates several components of an exemplary distributed-media client/server device in accordance with one embodiment. In various embodiments, distributed-media client/server device  600  may include a desktop PC, server, workstation, mobile phone, laptop, tablet, set-top box, appliance, or other computing device that is capable of performing operations such as those described herein. In some embodiments, distributed-media client/server device  600  may include many more components than those shown in  FIG. 6 . However, it is not necessary that all of these generally conventional components be shown in order to disclose an illustrative embodiment. 
     In various embodiments, distributed-media client/server device  600  may comprise one or more physical and/or logical devices that collectively provide the functionalities described herein. In some embodiments, distributed-media client/server device  600  may comprise one or more replicated and/or distributed physical or logical devices. 
     In some embodiments, distributed-media client/server device  600  may comprise one or more computing resources provisioned from a “cloud computing” provider, for example, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (“Amazon EC2”), provided by Amazon.com, Inc. of Seattle, Wash.; Sun Cloud Compute Utility, provided by Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.; Windows Azure, provided by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and the like. 
     Distributed-media client/server device  600  includes a bus  605  interconnecting several components including a network interface  610 , a display  615 , a central processing unit  620 , and a memory  625 . 
     Memory  625  generally comprises a random access memory (“RAM”) and permanent non-transitory mass storage device, such as a hard disk drive or solid-state drive. Memory  625  stores program code for a media-introduction routine  200  for introducing audio and/or video media files into a distributed-media-library system (see  FIG. 2 , discussed above); a routine  400  for serving media within a shared media system (see  FIG. 4 , discussed above); and a routine  500  for accessing and playing and/or storing media files (see  FIG. 5 , discussed above). In addition, the memory  625  also stores an operating system  635 . 
     These and other software components may be loaded into memory  625  of distributed-media client/server device  600  using a drive mechanism (not shown) associated with a non-transitory computer-readable medium  630 , such as a floppy disc, tape, DVD/CD-ROM drive, memory card, or the like. 
     Memory  625  also includes distributed media-metadata database  640 . 
     Memory  625  also includes local media datastore  645 . In some embodiments, distributed-media client/server device  600  may communicate with local media datastore  645  via network interface  610 , a storage area network (“SAN”), a high-speed serial bus, and/or via the other suitable communication technology. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein.