Abstract:
An apparatus and method are provided to create a unified catalog of media content that reflects media content available across a multitude of electronic devices. Each electronic device generates a catalog representative of all media content stored thereon and provides that catalog to a requesting server or other electronic device to be combined with at least one other catalog to form a combined or central catalog that accounts for duplicate entries.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to cataloging media content, and more specifically to managing multiple catalogs of media content. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Electronic devices, and in particular consumer electronic devices, are often capable of interoperating to provide media content to one another to allow a user of those devices to view content stored on one device at a second device, often through a network. With the proliferation of electronic devices incorporating the ability to connect to a network and to output media content stored on other electronic devices, consumers have an increased desire to access and view such media content stored on other devices. Additionally, due to the lower cost of storage space, consumers are storing more and more media content to amass large libraries of content that can be strewn across multiple electronic devices. 
         [0005]    Current solutions exist to provide consumers with access to media content stored across various electronic devices, but as the size of the library increases and the number of devices which the library is spread across increases, these solutions suffer inefficiencies and slow navigation times and are not viable on devices without high processing power (such as a PC rather than a mobile device). As such, there is a desire for an efficient form of cataloging libraries to provide a single navigable catalog that represents the content stored at these multiple electronic devices that is quickly and easily navigated by any device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Several embodiments of the invention advantageously address the needs above as well as other needs by providing a method and apparatus to perform the method comprising a server receiving a first catalog of media content from a first electronic device, the server combining the first catalog with a second catalog, identifying at least one duplicate item of media content cataloged in both the first and the second catalogs, and recording the location of the duplicate item of media content. Thereafter, the server can generate a central catalog of media content reflecting the media content stored in both the first and second catalogs by providing a single catalog entry in the central catalog for each duplicate item of media. The server can then receive a query for the central catalog from a requesting electronic device and responsively provide the central catalog to the requesting electronic device for use thereby. 
         [0007]    By another embodiment, an electronic device is configured to couple to at least one other electronic device. The first electronic device is configured to generate a first catalog of content stored at the first electronic device and can provide the first catalog to the other electronic device upon request. The first electronic device is also configured to query for and receive from the other electronic device a second catalog of content representing the content stored at the other electronic device. The first electronic device can then identify duplicate items of content cataloged in both the first and the second catalogs of content and generate a combined catalog of content by providing a single catalog entry in the combined catalog for each duplicate item of content. 
         [0008]    So configured, the server and/or the electronic device can provide a consumer with a unified navigable catalog of media content that reflects media content available across a multitude of electronic devices. Among other benefits, the unified catalog allows for quicker navigation and/or creation of the catalog as the creation of the central catalog is spread across multiple devices that first catalog their own content. This is especially useful with portable electronic devices that may lack the processing power to quickly catalog all the content available across the multiple devices. Additionally, repeat items of media content are virtually eliminated in a catalog so as to create a more streamlined consumer experience. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of several embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a system incorporating the apparatus to perform a method in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts a method performed by an apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of media content catalogs in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an altered system and apparatus as depicted in  FIG. 1  in accordance with another embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary embodiments. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
         [0016]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0017]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0018]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a system  100  incorporating an apparatus  102  to perform a method  200  in accordance with one embodiment is shown. The system  100  includes a server  102  (operating as the apparatus  102  in this embodiment), a first electronic device  104 , and a plurality of other electronic devices, including a second electronic device  106  up to an including an nth electronic device  108 . Additionally shown is an optional internet-based storage cloud  110  (“cloud”) as well as two additional optional remote electronic devices  112 ,  114 . The server  102  includes a central catalog  116  and, by one embodiment, media content  118 , and catalog  119  of media content stored at the server  102 . Each of the first, second, and nth electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  includes media content  120 ,  122 ,  124  and a catalog  126 ,  128 ,  130  of items of media corresponding to the media content  120 ,  122 ,  124  stored at each respective electronic device  104 ,  106 ,  108 . Optionally, the cloud  110  also includes a catalog  132  of items of media corresponding to media content stored therein. Additionally still, each of the remote electronic devices  112 ,  114  may also include media content  134 ,  136 . 
         [0019]    The media content or items of media may comprise various types of digital files that make up visual and/or audible media (though other sensory media is possible), such as movies, music, pictures, images, audiobooks, video feeds, animated flash, graphics, or any other known types of media content or items of media. 
         [0020]    By one approach, the server  102  is a local server and is coupled to each of the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 . This coupling may comprise a local network  138 , such as an intranet, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN, a Storage Area Network, a System Area Network, a home network, or a Mesh network, though any known local network type may be possible. Further, by other embodiments, the local network  138  may comprise a non-local network such as the internet  140 . The local network  138  may implement an Ethernet protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, or any other known wired or wireless communication protocol as are commonly used in local networks. Additionally, by another embodiment, various ones of the first through nth electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  may be coupled one to another, directly or indirectly, and may communicate on the local network  138 . The inter-coupling of the various electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  may be implemented on the local network  138  or via another local network implementing a different or same protocol, all of such local networking being understood in the art. Such a local network  138  may be implemented with a simple internet switch and/or wired or wireless router (not shown), which can simultaneously create the local network  138  as well as offer multiple electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  access to the internet  140 . 
         [0021]    By another approach, the server  102  is also connected to the cloud  110 , perhaps through an internet connection  140  (and possibly though a switch or router utilized to create the local network  138 ), as is commonly understood. Additionally, the remote electronic devices  112 ,  114  may also be coupled to the cloud  110  through an internet connection  140 . 
         [0022]    The server  102  may comprise a dedicated server device or simply an electronic device, such as electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 , that implements a server feature in addition to other electronic device functionality. In such a situation, the server  102  may be an electronic device with ample processing power and storage space to efficiently perform the method  200  as outlined herein, and may be automatically identified or may be specifically selected as the server  102  for the local network  138 . The server  102  may operate on an Android® operating system by one embodiment, but other operating systems may be suitable, such as Apple®, Microsoft®, and Linux operating systems. The server  102  communicates with various ones of the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  over the local network  138  to receive and provide data regarding, at least, catalogs  119 ,  126 ,  128 ,  130  of media content included on each respective electronic device  104 ,  106 ,  108  or the server  102 . Additionally, by another approach, the server  102  can also receive and provide actual media content  118  to and from the various electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  or the cloud  110  to be output or stored at the server  102 , the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 , or the cloud  110 . So configured, the server  102  can operate as at least one conduit to transfer data regarding catalogs  119 ,  126 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132  of media content (and actual media content  118 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 , by one embodiment). 
         [0023]    By one embodiment, the server  102  may also store media content  118  that may be or may not be stored at any other electronic device  104 ,  106 ,  108  on the local network  138  or the cloud  110 . The server  102  may also be configured to create a catalog  119  of the plurality of items of media stored on the server  102 . The server  102  may include the ability to view media content  118 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124  directly at the server  102  (i.e., in the instance the server  102  may comprise a PC, a laptop, or any other electronic device having media outputs such as a display and/or audio output, as well as ample processing power and storage space to implement the method  200 ). Additionally, the server  102  includes a central catalog  116  (i.e., combined catalog), as is described in greater detail herein. 
         [0024]    Electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  each may comprise a PC, laptop, smart phone, tablet, PDA, television (possibly implementing smart television applications such as Google television or the like), DVD or Bluray player, set-top box, audio receiver, DVR, or any other electronic device capable of outputting or storing media content and interacting with a local network  138 . Additionally, by some embodiments, various ones of the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  are capable of communicating over the internet  140 , possibly to surf, procure additional media content, or interact with the cloud  110  to store or access media content on the cloud  110 . 
         [0025]    Electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  include media content  120 ,  122 ,  124 , including a plurality of items of media, stored possibly on hard drives or memory included as part of the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  or accessible by the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 . Each electronic device  104 ,  106 ,  108  is configured to create a catalog  126 ,  128 ,  130  of the plurality of items of media stored thereat. By some embodiments, if an electronic device, such as the first electronic device  104 , is configured and authorized to store or access media content on the cloud  110 , the electronic device  104  may indicate the identification of at least one item of media that is stored at the electronic device  104  that is also stored at the cloud  110 . The identifications may be stored as part of or in addition to the catalog  126  of media content  120  at the electronic device  104 , and may be used to help avoid multiple entries of the same items of media into a central catalog  116 . These identified items of media may have been stored on the cloud  110  by the electronic device  104  or may represent a local copy downloaded to the electronic device from the cloud  110 . 
         [0026]    The internet-based storage cloud  110  (“cloud”) is an online repository of data (media content or items of media in this context) that is accessible generally through the internet  140  by various or multiple electronic devices, including electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  and possibly remote electronic devices  112 ,  114 , as is commonly understood in the art. The cloud  110  may also include certain aspects of cloud computing or other services provided over the internet  140 , but the primary purpose in this context involves data storage as a service. Such storage service may be free services or fee-based service. Electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  or remote electronic devices  112 ,  114  with authority to access the cloud  110  can store data such as media content and items of media to the cloud  110  as backup storage to their local storage, or as a primary storage without maintaining a local copy. Additionally, electronic devices with proper authority can download the media content stored at the cloud  110  to their local storage. By one embodiment, the cloud  110  also includes a catalog  132  of media content or items of media stored there that are accessible at least to the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 . 
         [0027]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a method  200  performed by the apparatus in the system depicted in  FIG. 1  is illustrated in accordance with various embodiments. Optionally, by one embodiment, the server  102  (i.e., local server) queries  202  the first electronic device  104  via the local network  138  for a first catalog  126  of the plurality of items of media stored at the first electronic device  104 . The first electronic device  104  may then send the catalog  126  via the local network  138 , whereupon the server  102  receives  204  the first catalog  126 . The first electronic device  104  may also send rich metadata along with the first catalog  126  or as part of the first catalog  126  that may be stored at the server  102  for access by various electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  during navigation of a central catalog  116 . Such rich metadata may comprise information about the items of media (such as dates, names, people involved, artist, albums, movie information, links, etc.) or thumbnails of the items of media (such as small low resolution versions of pictures, movie or song samples, or the like). 
         [0028]    Upon receiving  204  the first catalog  126 , the server  102  may combine  208  the first catalog  126  with a second catalog of a plurality of items of media stored on at least a second electronic device. It is noted that by one embodiment, this second electronic device may be the second electronic device  106  of  FIG. 1  and the second catalog may be the catalog  128  of items of media stored on the second electronic device  106  of  FIG. 1 , catalog  128  having been created by the second electronic device  106  of  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the second electronic device may be the server  102  itself and the second catalog may be the catalog  119  of items of media stored on the server  102 . Additionally, and by another embodiment, this second device may actually comprise a plurality of electronic devices possibly including any of the server  102  and the second to nth electronic devices  106 ,  108  of  FIG. 1 . In such an instance, this second catalog comprises a plurality of catalogs of items of media, wherein each catalog of the plurality of catalogs correspond to sets of items of media stored at each ones of the plurality of electronic devices (i.e., catalog  128  created by the second electronic device  106 , catalog  130  created by the nth electronic device  108 , and/or catalog  119  created by the server  102 ), though reference hereafter is made to the second electronic device  106  and the second catalog  128  for simplicity sake. By most embodiments, this second electronic device or plurality of electronic devices are each configured to communicate on the local network  138 , though they are not all required to do so at all times. 
         [0029]    In combining  208  the first and second catalogs  126 ,  128 , the server  102  may identify  212  at least one item of media (i.e., item of content) having at least one duplicate copy, where the item and its duplicate are cataloged in both the first and second catalogs  126 ,  128 . If there are more than two catalogs, as described in the embodiment above wherein the second catalog comprises a plurality of catalogs, then the server  102  may identify  212  duplicate items cataloged in at least two catalogs of this collection of catalogs (including the first catalog  126  and the plurality of second catalogs). Upon identifying  212  the duplicate items of media, the server  102  can record  214  the locations of the duplicate items of media. This recording  214  can be incorporated into the creation of a new central catalog  116  (or combined catalog), or can be recorded  214  separately. 
         [0030]    The server  102  then generates  216  the central catalog  116  of items of media (i.e., a combined catalog of media content) available at the first and second electronic devices  104 ,  106 . As part of this generation  216 , the server  102  will provide  218  a single catalog entry in the central catalog  116  for each item of media having at least one duplicate copy. To provide this single catalog entry, the server  102  may eliminate one or more duplicate catalog entries so that only one catalog entry exists for each item of media that has duplicate copies. Alternatively, the server  102  may create a new catalog entry for each item of media having a duplicate copy. 
         [0031]    In an alternate embodiment, the server  102  also receives  206  a third catalog  132  of items of media stored at the cloud  110 . As described above, the at least a portion of the items of media cataloged in the third catalog  132  where stored to the cloud  110  by the first and/or second electronic devices  104 ,  106 . In this embodiment, the server  102  then combines the first catalog  126  from the first electronic device  104  with the second catalog  128  from the second electronic device  106  and the third catalog  132  from the cloud  110 . In so combining, the server  102  may identify  212  at least one item of media having at least one duplicate copy, wherein the identified item of media and its duplicate(s) are cataloged in at least two of the first  126 , second  128 , and third catalogs  132  (i.e., there is at least one duplicate). 
         [0032]    Referring briefly to  FIG. 3 , a contextual example of media content catalogs is provided.  FIG. 3  shows the first catalog  126 , the second catalog  128 , and the optional third catalog  132 . The first catalog  126  includes items of media labeled Item A, Item 2, and Item B through Item Z. The second catalog  128  includes items of media labeled Item  1  through Item  100 . The third catalog  132  includes Item A, Item 2, and Item α (alpha) through Item Ω (omega). The third catalog  132  contains items of media not included in first and second catalogs  126 ,  128  (i.e., Item α (alpha) through Item Ω (omega)), which may have been stored to the cloud  110  by either of remote electronic devices  112  or  114 . According to one embodiment described above, the first catalog  126  and second catalog  128  each contain an indicator  302  that identifies whether an item of media exists on the cloud  110  as well (as is shown by the “C” in the indicator  302  for the items of media labeled Item A, and Item 2, both of which are also stored at the cloud  110 ). This indicator  302  is not present on the optional third catalog  132 , however, as the third catalog  132  is the catalog of items stored on the cloud  110 . 
         [0033]    The catalogs  126 ,  128 ,  132  are then combined  208  to the central catalog  116  (i.e., combined catalog) listing all the items of media or media content available at the first and second electronic devices  104 ,  106  and the cloud  110 . As is shown, despite Item  2  being listed separately in both the first catalog  126  and the second catalog  128  (as well as the third catalog  132 ), only a single catalog entry  304  is created for Item 2 in the central catalog  116 . Additionally, despite Item A being listed separately in both catalog  1  and  3 , only a single catalog entry  306  is created for Item A in the central catalog  116 . Additionally, the central catalog  116  also contains a recordation  308  of the location of each item of media, including the locations of the items of media having duplicate copies (such as the single entry for Item A  306  and Item 2  304 ). 
         [0034]    Returning now to the method  200  of  FIG. 2 , the server  102  can then receive  220  a query for at least a portion of the central catalog  116  of items of media from an electronic device, such as the first electronic device  104  by one embodiment. The first electronic device  104  could request the entire central catalog  116  from the server  102  or simply portions of the central catalog  116  as a consumer navigates through various portions of the central catalog  116  on the first electronic device  104 . The server  102  can then responsively provide  226  the requested portion or entirety of the central catalog  116  to the first electronic device  104  (or any other requesting electronic device). Alternatively, the server  102  can push the central catalog  116  to various electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  at regular or irregular intervals, when the central catalog  116  is completed, when an electronic device joins or leaves the local network  138 , when the cloud  110  is updated, or whenever the server  102  deems it necessary. 
         [0035]    By another embodiment, the server  102  determines  222  whether various ones of the electronic devices, such as the second electronic device  106 , are present on the local network  138 . This can be achieved using, by one example, XMPP to detect the presence of the other electronic devices  106 ,  108 , though other possibilities exist. Upon determining  222  that, for example, the second electronic device  106  is not present on the local network  138 , the server  102  can alter  224  the providing of the central catalog  116  to the first electronic device  104 . For example, the server  102  can alter  224  the providing so as to exclude items of media cataloged in the central catalog  116  as being stored only at the second electronic device  106 . The server  102  can also provide at least a notification of which items of media cataloged in the central are not currently available (i.e., the items cataloged as being stored only at the second electronic device  106 ). 
         [0036]    So configured, a server  102  can provide an efficient method to create a central combined catalog  116  of items of media or media content available from a plurality of electronic devices  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108  and possibly a cloud  110 . This allows for consolidation of individual catalogs of items of media available from the plurality of electronic devices  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108  to allow for quicker and more accurate content searching, sorting, and filtering. 
         [0037]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , illustrating an alternative embodiment  400  of the apparatus and system illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In this alternative embodiment, a server  102  may not be provided or selected. Instead, each electronic device  104 ,  106 ,  108  operates as the apparatus and must perform at least a portion of the operations of the server  102  in the previous embodiment. Much like the previous embodiment, each electronic device, such as the first electronic device  104 , is configured to communicate on the local network  138  and couple to at least one other electronic device, such as the second electronic device  106 , via the local network  138 . Additionally, much like before, each electronic device is configured to generate a catalog of content stored at the electronic device (i.e., the first electronic device  104  generates the first catalog  126  of content  120  stored thereat, and so forth). 
         [0038]    However, various electronic devices are also configured to receive from at least one other electronic device a query for at least a portion of their respective catalog and to provide the requested portion of the catalog to the requesting electronic device. For example, the first electronic device  104  is configured to receive from the second electronic device  106  a query for at least a portion of the first catalog  126 , wherein the first electronic device  104  is also configured to provide the requested portion of the first catalog  126  to the second electronic device  106 . 
         [0039]    Conversely, the first electronic device  104  (and various other electronic devices) is configured to query the other electronic device (i.e., the second electronic device  106 ) for at least a portion of the second catalog  128  and responsively receive the portion of the second catalog  128  from the other electronic device  106 . 
         [0040]    Additionally, the first electronic device  104  is also configured to identify at least one item of content having at least one duplicate, wherein the at least one item and the at least one duplicate are cataloged in at least two of the first and second catalogs  126 ,  128 . Additionally, the first electronic device  104  is configured to generate a combined catalog  402  of content stored at the first and second electronic devices  104 ,  106 . This is done by the first electronic device  104  providing a single catalog entry in the combined catalog  402  of content for each item of content having at least one duplicate copy. Similarly, each of the second through nth electronic devices  106 ,  108  may also be configured to generate combined catalogs  404 ,  406  for use by each electronic device  106 ,  108  respectively. 
         [0041]    As before, by one embodiment, the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  are also configured to store at least a portion of the content stored thereon  120 ,  122 ,  124  at the cloud  110  and to identify in its respective catalog  126 ,  128 ,  130  the portion of the content  120 ,  122 ,  124  also stored at the cloud  110 . 
         [0042]    Along those lines, by another embodiment, the first electronic device  104  may also be configured to receive a third catalog  132  of content from the cloud  110 , wherein at least a portion of the content stored on the cloud  110  was from one of the electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 . The first electronic device  104  can then identify at least one item of content having at least one duplicate, where the identified item and its duplicated are cataloged as being stored in at least two of the first electronic device  104 , the other electronic device  106 , and the cloud  110 . In response, the first electronic device  104  can generate the combined catalog  402  of content stored at the first electronic device  104 , the other electronic device  106 , and the cloud  110  by providing a single catalog entry in the combined catalog  402  for each duplicate item of content. Each electronic device  106  and  108  may be capable of performing these operations to generate their own combined catalogs  404 ,  406 . 
         [0043]    By another embodiment, the first electronic device  104  is configured to determine whether the other electronic device  106  is present on the local network  138 . If not, the first electronic device  104  may alter its combined catalog  402  to exclude items of media cataloged as being stored only at the other electronic device  106 . 
         [0044]    As configured, in this alternative embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the system can still function to allow electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  to quickly access content on other electronic devices across the local network  138  by allowing electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  to query each other on demand to receive each others&#39; catalogs  126 ,  128 ,  130  of content. Upon receiving the other catalogs  126 ,  128 ,  130 , each device  104 ,  106 ,  108  can search across, sort, or filter the multiple catalogs to provide to the consumer a single local navigable combined catalog  402  of content available across the multiple electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 . 
         [0045]    The multiple embodiments described herein also can allow for content queuing or playing by a single electronic device (such as the first electronic device  104 ) of media content available across a plurality of electronic devices  104 ,  106 ,  108 . Additionally still, the apparatus as configured allows for media content to be thrown from one electronic device to another for output. For example, a consumer using the first electronic device  104 , a tablet in this example, selects an item of content available on the tablet  104  and elects to have the item of content played on their TV (i.e., a second electronic device  106 ). The consumer can then easily select the item from the central catalog  116  or local combined catalog  402  and “throw” it to the TV  106 . In another example, the consumer using the tablet  104  could select an item of media available at yet another electronic device (i.e., the nth electronic device  108 , possibly comprising a PC, the server  102 , or a phone) or the cloud  110  and elect to have it thrown to the TV  106  for output. 
         [0046]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, examples and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.