HK1137840A - A data container and set of metadata for association with a media item and composite media items - Google Patents

Description

Data container for associating with media items

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to various types of metadata and data containers associated with media items and media item portions. In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a data container associated with a media item, a rights-preserving metadata subset (a rights-preserving metadata) associated with a media item portion, and a set of metadata associated with a composite media item.

Background

The practice of mixing and remixing media is no longer limited to media professionals. Emerging technologies for remixing digital media enable end-users to combine media elements to obtain new media products.

In addition, new digital media data models, such as the MPEG-21 standard or enhanced ID3 tags, enable binding of detailed descriptions or metadata about an item of digital media. Such a data model makes it possible to determine which parts of a media item are contained in a given media item. Currently, this metadata is typically manually entered in a point-to-point (ad hoc) format into any available tag, such as the ID3 tag in an MP3 file. However, existing systems and software tools enable users to mix sequences of digital data representing audiovisual information, but do not anticipate or attempt to systematically or reliably integrate the corresponding metadata of the various media portions that together make up a new mixed or composite media item. Furthermore, while new media products may be mixed together, such mixing lacks sufficient reliability to be associated with the rights, business rules, authorship, or billing functions required to implement the marketplace for the composite media or its components. Thus, there is a lack of a method and tool for combining such metadata associated with media items when combining the media itself.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure addresses deficiencies in the prior art. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates generally to a type of data container or metadata subset or set that facilitates identifying rights, rules, terms, and various types of useful information about a media item or media item portion.

The present disclosure relates to various types of metadata and data containers associated with media items and media item portions. In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a data container associated with a media item, a rights-preserving metadata subset associated with a media item portion, and a metadata set associated with a composite media item.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure generally relates to tools for a set of metadata associated with a composite media item and for logically creating the composite media item with the associated set of metadata. In other embodiments, the combined metadata of the composite media item may then be used to fulfill the rights, authorship, search and discovery, and business requirements necessary to run the composite media marketplace.

In one embodiment, a data container for association with a media item, comprises: at least one metadata subset associated with a media item portion, the portion derived from a source media item, the metadata subset derived from source metadata associated with the media item; container related metadata; and at least one media item identifier associated with a media item that may or may not be the source media item.

In one embodiment, the metadata subset associated with a media item portion includes a set of commerce-enabling information. In one embodiment, the set of commerce enabling information includes usage rights. In one embodiment, the usage rights include rights to use the media item portions in a derivative work. The data container may include a commercial designation, a non-commercial designation, a publisher's affiliation, a price per copy of the media item portion, an identity of a rights holder, a set of licensing terms, a copyright message, a digital rights message, a pointer to a copyright message, a pointer to licensing information.

In one embodiment, the media item portion may comprise any one of: an uncapped track (A cappella track) of the source media item; a backing track of the source media item; a sample of the source media item; a graphical image of the source media item; an equalizer preset for the source media item; an accompaniment of the source media item; and/or a portion of the source media item.

In one embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is an audio or video file. In another embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is a podcast (podcast). In another embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is in mp3 format. In one embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is an aac recorded audio track. In one embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is a graphical image.

In one embodiment, the media item identifier may include a pointer, a uniform resource locator, an id unique to an online music service, an id unique to an online community.

In one embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is obtained from a server. In another embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is obtained from a local media library of the user accessed through a computer device of the user. In another embodiment, one or both of the media item portion and the media item is obtained from the Internet.

In one embodiment, the container related metadata includes a text string representing a name of the container. In another embodiment, the container related metadata comprises a title of the media item portion. In another embodiment, the container related metadata comprises a title of the source media item. In other embodiments, the container related metadata includes a date the container was created, a date the container was modified, a genre associated with the container, a size of the container, a length of the container, a type of content associated with the container, a file type associated with the container, an international standard record code associated with the container, software requirements for encoding the container, software requirements for decoding the container, user-defined textual information.

In one embodiment, the metadata subset includes a name of a performer, a name of a collection of songs, an identity of a composer, an identity of a tokenizer, a date the media item portion was recorded, a type of language associated with the media item portion, an original name of the media item portion, a year the media item portion was published, an identity of a presenter, a link to a web page of an artist associated with the media item portion, a link to a web page of a televised music service.

In one embodiment, a commerce enabling information metadata subset associated with a media item portion includes: a set of digitally-defined commerce-enabling information associated with the media item portion, the portion being derived from a source media item, the metadata subset being derived from commerce-enabling information-related metadata associated with the source media item such that the metadata subset remains associated with the media item portion so as to preserve a relationship between the digitally-defined commerce-enabling information and the metadata portion when the source media item and the media item portion exist independently.

In one embodiment, a set of metadata for association with a composite media item includes: a first metadata subset representing data associated with a first portion of media items, the first portion derived from a first source media item, the first metadata subset derived from first metadata associated with the first source media item; and a second metadata subset representing data associated with a second portion of a media item, the second portion derived from a second source media item, the second metadata subset derived from second metadata associated with the second source media item, the first portion and second portion combined to form a composite media item, the first subset and the second subset forming a new set of metadata associated with the composite media item, and the new set of metadata being based on the first metadata subset and the second metadata subset.

In one embodiment, for a set of metadata associated with a composite media item, the data associated with the first and second subsets of metadata includes commerce enabling information.

In one embodiment, the commerce enabling information includes a first set of rights associated with the first subset of metadata and a second set of rights associated with the second subset of metadata. In one embodiment, the first media item portion and the second media item portion are not combined if the first set of rights and the second set of rights conflict. In another embodiment, the first media item portion and the second media item portion are not finalized if the first set of rights and the second set of rights conflict. In another embodiment, the first media item portion and the second media item portion are not combined if one or both of the first set of rights and the second set of rights do not match a set of desired rights. In another embodiment, the first media item portion and the second media item portion are combined if the first set of rights and the second set of rights are similar. In one embodiment, a user is notified if the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions conflict.

In one embodiment, one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on a commercial designation or a non-commercial designation. In yet another embodiment, if both the first set of rights and the second set of rights are commercially specified, a price associated with the composite media item is calculated.

In one embodiment, one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on the identity of the attribution, based on the price of each copy of each of the first and second media item portions, based on the identity of the rights holder, based on the licensing terms.

In one embodiment, the logical combination is determined by a set of logical operators, a logical combination of permissions, and/or conditional logic.

In one embodiment, one or both of the first media item source and the second media item source is a media file. In one embodiment, one or both of the first media item source and the second media item source is a video file.

In one embodiment, the set of metadata associated with the composite media item identifies a rights holder associated with the composite media item, a price per copy associated with the composite media item, a attribution associated with the composite media item, a royalty amount associated with the composite media item, and/or licensing terms associated with the composite media item.

In one embodiment, one or both of the first media portion and the second media portion is a sample of a soundtrack without accompaniment, a soundtrack with accompaniment, and/or a media item.

In one embodiment, the metadata associated with the composite media item is appended to the composite media item.

In one embodiment, the metadata associated with the composite media item and the composite media item are provided as a digital container object.

In one embodiment, a set of metadata associated with a composite media item, the set of metadata comprising: name or descriptive terms; a pointer to the commerce enabling information; and a pointer to a location of the associated media item. In one embodiment, the set of metadata further includes at least one set of informational tags associated with the composite media item. In another embodiment, the set of metadata further includes a format type associated with the composite media item. The set of metadata also includes an ID unique to the community or online music service. In one embodiment, the name or descriptive terms are associated with the set of metadata. In another embodiment, the name or descriptive terms are associated with the composite media item.

In one embodiment, a data container associated with a media item, the container comprising: a pointer to the commerce enabling information; and a pointer to a location of the associated media item. In one embodiment, the data container further includes at least one set of informational tags associated with the media items, a format type associated with the composite media item, and/or an ID unique to a community or online music service. In one embodiment, the name or descriptive terms are associated with the data container or with the media item.

In one embodiment, a metadata subset associated with a media item portion, the metadata subset comprising: name or descriptive terms; a pointer to the commerce enabling information; and a pointer to a location of the associated media item. In one embodiment, the metadata subset further includes at least one set of informational tags associated with the media item portion, a format type associated with the media item portion, and/or an ID unique to an online music service. In one embodiment, the name or descriptive term is associated with the metadata subset or with the media item portion.

Drawings

The following drawings, which form a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is to be determined based upon the claims appended hereto in any way.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary user interface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary user interface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3a is an exemplary illustration of combining metadata subsets according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3b is an exemplary illustration of combining metadata subsets according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary illustration of the logic or rules associated with a media item portion in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure;

fig. 5 is an exemplary flow diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary illustration of a combined media item portion according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary illustration of a data container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8a is an exemplary illustration of creating a new composite media item and its associated metadata; and

FIG. 8b is an exemplary illustration of creating a new composite media item and its associated metadata.

Detailed Description

In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a data container associated with a media item. In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a rights-preserving metadata subset associated with a portion of a media item. In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a set of metadata for association with a composite media item and a tool for creating such a composite media item utilizing the associated set of metadata, wherein the composite media item includes a plurality of portions of a plurality of media items and a plurality of metadata subsets.

In other embodiments, one of the data containers, the rights-preserving metadata subset, the metadata set associated with the composite media item, or the tools may be used to implement the rights, authorship, search and discovery, and business requirements necessary to run the composite media marketplace.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure will now be discussed with reference to the preceding figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like components. The drawings are intended to depict exemplary embodiments, not to be limiting. As used herein, the term "media" or "media items" is used broadly to include any type or category of experienceable, extractable, archived and/or stored media, individually or collectively, individual items of media or content generally referred to as items, songs, soundtracks, terms or files, although the use of any one term should not be considered limiting as the features and functions of the concepts described herein are generally intended to apply to any storable and/or extractable item that may be experienced by a user audibly, visually or in any manner now known or to be known. Furthermore, the term media includes all types of media, such as audio and video, text, photos or other forms of media.

In one embodiment, a data container is associated with a media item. In this embodiment, a container is a structure that allows items and/or other containers to be grouped. In another embodiment, a container may also include a collection of metadata that may or may not be physically located in the container. In one exemplary embodiment, a data container associated with a media item includes at least one metadata subset associated with a portion of the media item, wherein the portion is derived from a source media item, and wherein the metadata subset is derived from metadata associated with the source media item; container related metadata; and at least one media item identifier associated with a media item that may or may not be the source media item. Thus, in one embodiment, the data container includes any number and type of sets of metadata associated with the media item portions, any number and type of sets of metadata associated with the container itself, and any number and type of media item identifiers. For example, in one embodiment, a data container may include three sets of metadata, each associated with a different media item portion, five different types of container-related metadata, and six media item identifiers.

In one embodiment, the data container includes at least one metadata subset. In one embodiment, the metadata subset is a subset or identifiable group associated with the media item portion and derived from metadata associated with the source media item.

In one exemplary embodiment, the metadata subset includes information or data about a portion of the media item, such as, for example, the name of an artist or performer, the name of an album, the identity of a composer, the identity of a lead actor or solo, genre, tempo, rhythm pattern, date or time at which the media item was recorded, identification of the language associated with the media item, the original file name of the media item, the original release year of the media item, the format type of the media item, a URL or link to an official webpage of a radio station or internet radio station or to an official webpage of a producer, copyright owner, album, or artist associated with the media item.

For example, the source media item may be an audio media file that includes an accompanying soundtrack media item portion, a jpeg image media item portion, and an unaccompanied media item portion. Thus, the metadata subsets associated with the media item portions may include data or information related to: an accompaniment soundtrack media item portion, a jpeg image media item portion, and a no accompaniment media item portion, such as a date of creation of each media item portion, a size of each media item portion, or a price per copy of each media item portion.

In another embodiment, the media item portion may be an instrumental portion of the media item. Thus, a metadata subset is metadata associated with an instrumental part, such as the identity, tempo, timing, keys or other such information of the composer or lead actor of the instrumental part.

In yet another embodiment, a metadata subset associated with a portion of a media item (a media item portion) includes a set of commerce-enabling information. In one embodiment, the commerce enabling information governs the use of the media item or portion. Commerce enabling information refers by way of non-limiting example to information, data, or pointers thereto that may be used to facilitate e-commerce involving media items. Such commerce enabling information may include, for example, an attribution identity, an identity of a rights holder, a link or address of a website, a copyright message or pointer thereto, license information or pointer thereto, or a Digital Rights Management (DRM) -related license or authorization or pointer thereto. The commerce enabling information may also include the authorship of the media item portion, the royalty amount of each media item portion, the price per copy of the media item, whether the media item portion is available for combination, transaction terms, rules, and the rights governing the use of the media portion may include designations derived from the metadata subsets, e.g., whether the media item portion is designated as non-commercial or commercial only, designated as non-includable in any derivative work, or otherwise designated as includable in any derivative work and designated as shared, meaning that a new derivative work containing the media portion may only be used under the same licensing terms.

In one embodiment, the media item portion may be any type of identifiable portion or component of the media item. For example, a karaoke soundtrack, a sample or loop of a media item recording, a tempo of a media item, a chord of a media item, a graphical image, an equalizer preset, a band or symphony orchestra, an instrumental, a director or performer refinement, or a set part (part of a set).

In one embodiment, the data container includes a media item identifier. In one exemplary embodiment, a media item identifier is associated with a media item. In another exemplary embodiment, the media item identifier includes information identifying the media item and the content of the media item itself. In other embodiments, media items may be located, identified, and/or retrieved from several sources and by different means. For example, the media item portions may be obtained from a server, from a user's local media library, from an on-demand streaming music service, and/or from the Internet. In one embodiment, the media item identifier is associated with an item that may or may not be the source media item. In another embodiment, the media item identifier may be a pointer, a uniform resource locator, or an ID unique to an online music service or online community.

Further, in one embodiment, the data container includes metadata associated with the container itself. In one exemplary embodiment, the container related metadata includes a text string representing the name of the container, a text string representing the title of a portion of the media item, the date the container was created and/or last modified, the genre associated with all items within the container, the size of the container, the length of the container, the content type of the container, the file type, the international standard record code associated with the container, the software and/or hardware necessary for encoding and/or decoding the container and its items, and/or user defined textual information. The pointer points to a media item located anywhere, even within the container itself.

Several designs and methods for creating data containers are described below by way of example. For example, a container may be constructed such that a software program performing an action on or utilizing the container may expect a given field or portion of metadata or data to contain data representing useful information. The container may comprise a software object or the software object may comprise a container. Furthermore, such containers may be created using various methods, such as XML, using linear strings of data with internal header information or software objects such as those used in the Java or C + + programming languages, in which data is encapsulated within software objects according to the conventions of the language used. Any and all methods and procedures for creating such data containers, either currently known by those skilled in the art or equivalent in the future, are also contemplated.

FIG. 7 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a data container 721 associated with a media item. As seen in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the data container 721 includes a first metadata subset 718 associated with a media item portion, a second metadata subset 719 associated with the media item portion, a third metadata subset 720 associated with the media item portion, and container-related metadata 717. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 7, the first metadata subset 718 is a complete media item or a source media item, the second metadata subset 719 is a work of accompanying vocal, i.e., the same vocal work as included in the complete media item, but not including instrumental music, and the third metadata subset 720 is a graphical image, such as a jpeg.

In one embodiment, the container-related metadata 717 may include any type, combination, and number of information or data associated with the attributes of the container itself. In another embodiment, the container-related metadata may include any type, any combination, and any number of information or data associated with the media item source, media item portion, or media item. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the container related metadata 717 includes a name or descriptive term 700 associated with the container, an internal metadata subset reference 706, an ID 701 unique to a community or online music service, a format type 702 of the container, a set of informational tags 703, a pointer 704 to a set of permissions, and a pointer 705 to a physical file location of the associated media item. Similarly, assuming that the container represents the genome of the media item, the internal metadata is similar to DNA that can be combined to generate a new media "life form".

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a metadata subset for a data container. As described above, a metadata subset is a subset or identifiable group derived from metadata associated with a media item portion. For example, the metadata subset may include information or data regarding any number and any combination of media item portions such as, for example, the name of an artist or performer, the name of a song collection, the identity of a composer, the identity of a worder, the identity of a lead actor or soloist, the date or time the media item was recorded, an identification of a language associated with the media item, the original file name of the media item, the original release year of the media item, the format type of the media item, a URL or link to an official web page of an on-demand music service or internet radio station, or a URL or link to an official web page of a producer, copyright owner, song collection, artist associated with the media item. As shown in fig. 7, each of the metadata subsets 718, 719, 720 includes an internal metadata subset reference 706, 713, 716; name or descriptive terms associated with the category of the subset 707, 727, 730; IDs 708, 728, 731 unique to a community or online music service; format type of subset 709, 729, 733; information tags 710, 724, 725; pointers 711, 714, 726 to permissions; and pointers 712, 715, 732 to the physical file locations of the associated media items.

In one embodiment, the container IDs 701, 728, 731 that are unique to a community or online music service may be associated with any type of entity that can assign a unique ID. Further, the unique ID may be maintained in a registry or collection of unique IDs. The registry may be maintained by any type of entity or combination of entities.

In one embodiment, the format type 702 of the container describes the nature of the media items referenced in the data container. For example, the format may be audio, podcasts, enhanced podcasts including visual material, MP3 or AAC audio tracks, digital video, e-Book or web pages, blogs, or other formats. Still media, such as JPEG still images, may also be included. In other embodiments, the format type may be a logical combination or concatenation of all of the different types of format types included in the data container. In this disclosure, the terms logic, logical, and rules are used interchangeably and generally refer broadly to any set of specific rules, instructions, or heuristics that may be implemented and followed to achieve a desired result. Thus, the format type of each of the metadata subsets 709, 729, 733 may be audio, podcasts, enhanced podcasts including visual material, MP3 or AAC audio soundtracks, digital video, e-Book, blog entries, static media such as JPEG still images, or other formats.

In one embodiment, the number or length of informational tags 703, 710, 724, 725 may vary. In the embodiment shown in fig. 7, the informational tag is associated with the container itself 703. In another embodiment, the informational tags 710, 724, 725 are associated with metadata subsets 718, 719, 720. Fig. 7 shows an exemplary excerpt of a container-related metadata information tag 703. As can be seen, the informational tags associated with the container related metadata 703 include the size of the container 721, the date the container was created 722, and the date the container was last modified 723. Other types of information tags included in the metadata subsets 718, 719, 720 and/or container-related metadata 730 include, but are not limited to, text strings representing container names, text strings representing partial titles of media items, pricing information, genres associated with all items within a container, length of a container, content type of a container, file type, software and/or hardware necessary to encode and decode a container and its items, and/or user-defined textual information.

In one embodiment, the pointers 704, 711, 714, 726 to permissions include, but are not limited to, pointers to: licensing information or related messages, DRM entitlements or messages, contact terms, or copyright information or messages. In one exemplary embodiment, the URL may reference a document containing machine-readable license information, such as a machine-readable creative public license (CreativeCommons license). In another embodiment, the licensing information may be embedded directly within the metadata subset and/or the data container itself. In one aspect, indirect references to sets of license terms or rights enable updates to individual terms, as only the destination document needs to be changed to propagate new license terms to all relevant metadata subsets and/or data containers.

In one embodiment, the pointers 705, 712, 715, 732 to the physical file locations of the associated media items include pointers to the physical file locations where the media item portions or media items may be found. In another embodiment, the media itself may be embedded directly within the metadata subset and/or the data container. In one embodiment, the URL may reference an AAC audio media item portion stored in the server. In addition, the media items or media item portions may be obtained from a server, the Internet, or a local media library of the user. Thus, in one aspect, by indirectly referencing media item portions or media items, sales and commerce transactions are simplified because data containers can be exchanged in a commerce implementation without the inconvenience or expense of exchanging files in each transaction. Thus, a user owning a data container may perform the streaming or transfer of media when he wishes to do so.

In one embodiment, a subset of commerce enabling metadata (commerce enabling metadata subset) associated with a media item portion is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the commerce enabling metadata subset may include a collection of commerce enabling information associated with a portion of the media item, wherein the portion is derived from the source media item and the source data subset is derived from commerce enabling related metadata associated with the source media item. As described above, the media item portion and the source media item may be of various types. Thus, the metadata subset remains associated with the media item portion to preserve the relationship between the commerce enabling information (commerce enabling information) and the metadata when the source media item and the media item portion exist independently.

In one embodiment, the commerce enabling information includes information that governs the use of the media item portion. For example, in one embodiment, such commerce enabling information includes an identity of ownership (identity of), an identity of the rights owner, a link or address of a website, a rights message or a pointer to the rights message, licensing information or a pointer to the licensing information or a Digital Rights Management (DRM) related message or a pointer to the message. Further, the commerce enabling information includes the authorship of the media item portion, the royalty amount of each media item portion, the price per copy of the media item, whether the media item portion is available for combination with the media item, transaction terms, rules, and the rights governing the use of the media portion may include designations derived from the metadata subsets, e.g., whether the media item portion is designated as non-commercial or commercial only, designated as not includable in any derivative work, or otherwise designated as includable in any derivative work and designated as shared, meaning that a new derivative work containing the media portion may only be used under the same licensing terms.

In other embodiments, the subset of commerce enabling metadata may be part of the data container described above. In another embodiment, the commerce enabling metadata subset may be associated with a media item portion used to create a composite media item, as will be discussed in more detail below.

In one embodiment, a set of metadata associated with a composite media item is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the set of metadata associated with the composite media item includes: a first metadata subset representing data associated with a first portion of media items, the first portion derived from a first source media item, the first metadata subset derived from first metadata associated with the first source media item; and representing a second metadata subset associated with a second portion of the media item, the second portion derived from a second source media item, the second metadata subset derived from second metadata associated with the second source media item, the first portion and the second portion being combined to form a composite media item, the first subset and the second subset forming a set of metadata associated with the composite media item that includes predetermined information based on the first metadata subset and the second metadata subset.

Metadata associated with a composite media item may be formed from any number of metadata subsets or any type of metadata subset. As described above, in one embodiment, the metadata subset may be a subset or identifiable group derived from metadata associated with the media item portion. Further, as described above, in one embodiment, the media item portion or source media item includes any type of identifiable portion or component of the media item.

FIG. 6 conceptually illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a composite media item created from two media item portions. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the composite media item 600 is a soundtrack entitled "Hollaback Inc. As shown in FIG. 6, the composite media item is created from two media item portions, "Hollaback" 602 and "Feel Good Inc." 604. In addition to the media item portions 602, 604 being combined to create the composite media item 600, the metadata subsets associated with the media item portions 602, 604 in combination create metadata associated with the composite media item that includes the permissions information 600 and the graphical image 606. In particular, the composite media item 600 has associated metadata that includes permissions 601 based on two metadata subsets; license digest information from both "Hollaback" 603 and "Feel Good Inc" 605. In addition, the metadata associated with the composite media item 600 (in this case, the graphical image 606 associated with the media item portion "Hollaback" 600) is created from a combination of two other metadata subsets; a graphical image 607 from "Hollaback" and a graphical image 608 from "Feel Good Inc".

In one embodiment, media item portions/metadata subsets are combined using a metadata processor capable of identifying relevant metadata, extracting the metadata, and combining the metadata into a new set of metadata. In one embodiment, the media item portions/metadata subsets may be combined by concatenating the metadata subsets. In another embodiment, the media item portions are combined using a set of logic and/or rules, discussed in detail below.

In one embodiment, the newly formed metadata set associated with the composite media item includes predetermined information based on the metadata subset. In one embodiment, the predetermined information includes any information derived from the metadata subset. In another embodiment, the predetermined information may be any type of metadata information, such as, for example, the name of the media item, the location of the media item, the nature of the media item, the size of the media item, the date the media item was created, the date the media item and/or metadata was last modified, the date the media item was last accessed, permissions associated with the media item (e.g., the identity of a person who may read, write, and/or run the media item), and any of the above metadata subset types.

In another embodiment, the predetermined information includes an identity of a rights holder associated with the media component. Such as a recording mark or producer that has the right to distribute and reproduce portions of the media item.

In another embodiment, the predetermined information includes commerce-enabling information that governs the use of the media item portion. As described above, such commerce-enabling information may include an attribution identity, an identity of a rights holder, a link or address of a website, a rights message or a pointer to the rights message, license information and a pointer to the license information, or a Digital Rights Management (DRM) -related license or authorization or a pointer thereto. The commerce enabling information also preferably, but not necessarily, includes the authorship of the media item portion, the royalty amount of the media item portion, the price per copy of the media item, whether the media item portion is available for combination, transaction terms, rules, and the rights governing the use of the media portion may include designations derived from metadata subsets, e.g., metadata item portions designated as non-commercial or commercial only, or designated as not includable in any derivative work, or otherwise designated as includable in any derivative work and designated as shared, meaning that a new derivative work containing the media portion can only be used under the same licensing terms.

In an alternative embodiment, the newly formed set of metadata associated with the composite media item includes not only the predetermined information, but also a logical combination of the predetermined information. For example, the price per copy of one media item portion may be.50 points, and the price per copy of another media item portion may be.80 points. Thus, through the logical operator, these prices are added to get the total minimum price of the copy of the composite media item based on the two media item portions to be $ 1.30. Alternatively, the price may be partially dependent so that discounts or alternative pricing models may be applied, for example.

In yet another embodiment, the logic is conditional logic. For example, one metadata subset may be designated as commercial-only, meaning that it may only be combined with other media item portions having metadata subsets designated as commercial-only. Thus, in one embodiment, these media item portions cannot be combined if the designations derived from the metadata subsets conflict, as determined by applying logical operators or a set of rules.

In one embodiment, a tool for creating a composite media item utilizing an associated element data set is disclosed. It is important to note that the metadata, data containers, and rights-preserving metadata sets described above in connection with a composite media item are not limited to being created using only the disclosed tools, as other types of programs and methods are contemplated.

In one embodiment, the tool may be part of a software application. In another embodiment, the tool may be part of a software application incorporated in a music management application, such as under the trade names MusicMatch Jukebox and/or Yahoo! Media applications sold by Music Engine. In yet another embodiment, the tool may include a metadata processor for identifying, extracting, and combining metadata. In yet another embodiment, the metadata processor may further include a metadata language interpreter or translator for interpreting and/or translating metadata for different media items into the same metadata language so that the metadata may be more easily combined or subsequently interpreted depending on the application.

In one embodiment, the tools may be stored locally in the end user's computing device. In another embodiment, the tools may be accessed from a remote computing device or a remote server. In another embodiment, the tool may be machine readable code in a storage medium or embedded in a signal. In one embodiment, the computing device may be a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a portable media player, and/or any device now known or that will become known that is capable of housing the tools described herein.

In one embodiment, the tool includes a component for extracting a portion of a first media item having first metadata and for extracting a portion of a second media item having second metadata, a component for combining the first portion and the second portion to form a composite media item, and preferably a component for analyzing the first and second metadata to extract predetermined portions of the first and second metadata to form a new set of metadata associated with the composite media item.

In one embodiment, a portion of a media item may be extracted by: the container is examined to find out which parts are available, then the parts are followed to the physical media and downloaded or otherwise obtained from the location where they appear in the container, whether that location is local and in fact bound to metadata in the file being examined or located on a remote computer accessible via the internet or other network,

in one embodiment, the metadata is analyzed. In one embodiment, analyzing the metadata includes traversing the metadata and examining the information to find known items of information, and then associating those items of information with known schemes so that they can be subjected to a logical or rule-based process to determine whether media portions can be combined, and which business terms may govern such combinations. In one embodiment, the related information is copied from the metadata portion in the container object and inserted into a data structure used by the program during manipulation of the media item portion. Program logic, for example, object oriented programming methods capable of performing actions on data, can then be applied to accomplish tasks related to analyzing or combining media components. The program also creates a currently working data container that will hold the combined information and the relevant information is inserted into the data container. Thus, in one embodiment, when the completed work is complete, the data container of the currently-in-progress work is saved in a manner that enables it to be transferred between users or machines, either locally or across a network.

In one embodiment, the first portion and the second portion are combined according to a set of logic and/or rules discussed in detail herein or developed according to the teachings herein.

In an alternative embodiment, a tool for creating a composite media item with an associated set of metadata includes: means for identifying a first metadata subset that represents data associated with a first portion of media items, the first portion derived from a first source media item, and the first metadata subset derived from first metadata associated with the first source media item; identifying a second metadata subset representing data associated with a second portion of the media item, the second portion derived from a second source media item, and the second metadata subset derived from second metadata associated with the second source media item; means for combining the first portion and the second portion to form a composite media item; and means for combining the first subset and the second subset to form a metadata set associated with the composite media item, the metadata set including predetermined information based on the first metadata subset and the second metadata subset. The term module as used herein is broadly defined or described in a non-limiting manner as any single or multiple components of software, hardware, firmware, signals, or combinations thereof, capable of performing a task, function, or operation. These modules may be formed by other modules or by components of other modules or may be the result of functions distributed over a network or portions thereof.

In one embodiment, the metadata subset is identified by a user-based search utilizing input criteria associated with the metadata subset, such as artist, album, song title, genre, tempo, timing, rhythm, type or category of metadata, price, rights holder, transaction or licensing terms or rules, or any of the above types of information associated with the metadata subset. In another embodiment, the metadata subset is identified by a browsing tool operable on the end user's computer or available via a network. In another embodiment, the metadata is identified via a metadata processor. In another embodiment, the metadata subset is identified using a metadata language translator or interpreter. In another embodiment, the metadata subsets are identified by examining the container related metadata to find pointers to the metadata subsets. In other words, in one embodiment, the known header information contains pointers to linked lists of metadata subsets. When the program finds the start of the linked list by examining the container metadata, the first metadata subset can then be found, and in the metadata, a pointer or data location to the next metadata subset is found, and so on. There are many ways to traverse and examine a relevant set of data or a subset of such data. For example, other embodiments include the use of tables, XML tags, arrays of pointers, and the like. Any of these methods and others are methods by which a subset of the metadata may be identified. Once such subsets have been identified, similar techniques may enable the program to extract individual pieces of information that include the metadata subsets.

In one embodiment, the metadata subsets are derived from the metadata by querying a data dictionary, an API that constructs to derive the metadata subsets using SQL statements, or any of the methods described above.

In one embodiment, the metadata subsets may be combined into a metadata set associated with the composite metadata item using a metadata processor. In one embodiment, the metadata processor is a software program capable of examining and identifying metadata associated with each media item and media item portion.

FIG. 3c illustrates one exemplary embodiment for combining metadata. Fig. 3c shows two sets of metadata 300, 301, each associated with one media item or source media item (not shown) and comprising at least one subset of metadata. In addition, some or all of these metadata subsets are combined to form new metadata 303 associated with the composite media item (not shown). As shown in fig. 3c, the metadata 300, 301 associated with a media item or source media item (not shown) includes metadata subsets 304, 306, 307, 308, 305, 309, 310. In one embodiment, each of the metadata subsets 304, 306, 307, 308, 305, 309, 310 is associated with a media item portion, wherein the media item portion (not shown) is derived from a media item or source media item (not shown). For example, in FIG. 3c, the metadata subset 307 associated with the portion of the unaccompanied media item is derived from metadata 300 associated with a media item or a source media item (not shown) "Hollaback Girl".

As shown in FIG. 3c, the metadata processor 302 examines and determines the type and composition of each of the metadata 300, 301 associated with the media item or source media item (not shown) and the metadata subsets 304, 306, 307, 308, 305, 309, 310 associated with the media item portions (not shown). The metadata processor then converts some or all of the metadata subsets 304, 306, 307, 308, 305, 309, 310 into new metadata 303 associated with the newly created composite media item (not shown). In one embodiment, the new metadata 303 is formed by the metadata processor 302 by concatenating or otherwise combining subsets of metadata. In another embodiment, the new metadata 303 is formed by the metadata processor 302 by applying specialized logic and/or rules that may retain some, all, or none of the metadata subsets 304, 306, 307, 308, 305, 309, 310. For example, in FIG. 3c, the new metadata 303 includes data associated with the title of the composite media item associated with the new metadata 303, in this case "Hollaback Inc.". For this example, metadata processor 302 extracts "Hollaback" from a title from one metadata subset 304 and "Inc" from a title from metadata subset 305, forming a new title "Hollaback Inc" in new metadata 303.

Various different methods are contemplated for creating composite media. FIG. 8a illustrates an exemplary embodiment of creating new metadata associated with a composite media item. FIG. 8a illustrates media item portions 805, 806, a metadata subset 801 associated with the media item portions 805, 806, 804, a metadata processor 807, and new metadata 809 including pointers 810, 811. Pointers 810, 811 are associated with media item portions 805, 806, respectively. For example, pointer 810 can be associated with media item 805 and thus point to media item 805, and pointer 811 can be associated with media item portion 806 and thus point to media item portion 806. The term pointer generally refers to any form of location identifier or identifiers that point to a location in a global network or portion of the network, intranet, distributed storage environment, accessed in any form, where metadata items and portions thereof may be found. In one embodiment, a composite media item (not shown) can be created from the media item portions 805, 806, and new metadata 809 is associated with the new composite media item. In fig. 8a, metadata processor 807 interprets 804 metadata subsets 801 through a set of logic and/or rules and then processes them to create new metadata 809. As shown in FIG. 8a, the new metadata 809 includes pointers 810, 811 associated with the media item portions 805, 806. The pointers 810, 811 may be used by a media playback device or application to retrieve or otherwise access the media item portions 805, 806 in various ways. For example, the media item portions may be streamed from a server, the Internet, or a remote location, the media item portions may be downloaded, and/or retrieved from local storage. Thus, the media item portion is retrieved or otherwise accessed using the pointer contained in the new metadata 809. Thus, when the pointers are retrieved or otherwise accessed simultaneously or sequentially, the composite media file will be accessed or rendered. For example, if the pointers 810, 811 point to locations in the global network from which media may be streamed, the newly created composite media item is experienced by streaming the media item portions 805, 806 appropriately.

FIG. 8b illustrates another exemplary embodiment of creating new metadata associated with a composite media item. FIG. 8b illustrates media item portions 805, 806, metadata subsets 801 associated with the media item portions 805, 806, 804, a metadata processor 807, a newly created composite media item 808, and new metadata 809 associated with the new composite media item 808. As can be seen in FIG. 8b, metadata processor 807 interprets 804 metadata subsets 801 and then processes them through a set of logic and/or rules to create new metadata 809, and metadata processor 807 interprets media item portions 805, 806 and then processes them to create a new composite media item 808. Unlike FIG. 8a, the new metadata 809 does not contain pointers to the media item portions that created the composite media item 808. Rather, in FIG. 8b, a composite media item 808 is created by metadata processor 807 processing metadata subsets 801 and 804 according to predetermined rules or logic in the same or similar manner as described above. The metadata processor 807 then accesses or causes another process or program to access the media item portions 805, 806, the media item portions 805, 806 are then processed according to the illustrated rules or logic to form a new composite media item 808, which new composite media item 808 is then experienced or stored or shared in any manner known or to be known for experienceable media items.

In one embodiment, any number or combination of metadata subsets may be appended to or otherwise associated with the new metadata. In one embodiment, some or all of the metadata subsets 304, 306, 307, 308, 305, 309, 310 are appended to or otherwise associated with new metadata 303 associated with the newly created composite media item (311, 312, 313, 314). For example, in fig. 3a, some of the metadata subsets 307, 308, 309, 310 not only constitute new metadata 303, but are also appended to or otherwise associated with the new metadata (307 ', 308', 309 ', 310'). In another example, in fig. 3b, only the metadata subsets 307, 309 are appended to the new metadata 303 or otherwise associated with the new metadata 303 (307 ', 309'). In one embodiment, some metadata subsets may be incorporated into new metadata 303, although they may not be appended to the new metadata 303 or otherwise associated with the new metadata 303. For example, in fig. 3a, the metadata subsets 304, 306, 305 are not appended to the new metadata 303, but this does not mean that the metadata subsets 304, 306, 305 cannot partially form the new metadata 303.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3c, the metadata subsets 300, 301 are not appended to or otherwise associated with new metadata 303 associated with a newly created composite media item (not shown). In one embodiment, the metadata appended to or otherwise associated with the new metadata is dependent on the media item portions used to form the composite media item. For example, referring to FIG. 3b, if only the media item portions associated with the metadata subsets 307, 308 are combined to form a composite media item, the new metadata 303 associated with the composite media item includes the metadata subsets 307, 308. Further, metadata subsets 307, 308 are appended to new metadata 303 or otherwise associated with new metadata 303 (307 ', 308'). Thus, in the present exemplary embodiment, new metadata is created that includes all information related to its provenance, licensing requirements, terms of the transaction, and the source media items of the collected components. This packaging of all relevant information for the new composite media item enables the commerce system to obtain and utilize the necessary information to reliably effect the commercial delivery of such products.

For example, in one embodiment, a marketplace for composite media will be able to provide search and discovery capabilities that enable end users to search with any information tags (e.g., artist or genre). The search and discovery software will find a composite work that contains media portions that are relevant to the search terms used by the end user. In another embodiment, the end user may enter Gorillaz and not only find the artist's work, but may also find a conforming media item where one component is a accompaniment track of Gorillaz. If the user decides to purchase the sample music, pricing and licensing information in the metadata of the composite media item may be used to implement the transaction, informing the user of the price required, for example, in a credit card transaction. Various payment schemes known or to be known for performing network commerce may be used, and particular payment schemes may be flexibly applied using the teachings herein. For example, once money is collected for the item, the marketplace commerce system may examine the various items of the composite item that are sold and find that there are two rights holders that are to pay, for example, $0.50 and $0.80, respectively, for the content included in the composite media item. The payment may be paid to each rights holder using identification information about the rights holder again found in the metadata of the composite media item. It can be seen that such trade cannot be easily and reliably accomplished, or the benefits of composite metadata may not be realized at all, especially in recognition that a mixed composite media item may be constructed by an end user using the tools described above, and that no one can easily and certainly envision or categorize composite metadata for all possible combinations and descriptions of the various items that would result from such a product.

In one embodiment, the logic and/or rules used to combine metadata subsets and/or media item portions may be based on conditional logical operators. For example, Boolean operator (e.g., "and," or, "" xor, "and" not ") and conditional logic (e.g.," if the "and" if the "statements") statements may be used to determine whether and how to combine metadata subsets and/or media item portions. As shown in fig. 3a, new metadata 303 may be formed using logic and/or rules. In one embodiment, logic and/or rules are used to combine a set of transaction rules and licensing rules and terms and business terms associated with the metadata subset. Other methods for creating and utilizing metadata known to those skilled in the art are also contemplated. Thus, the metadata processor may be suitably programmed or designed to determine commerce-enabling information, such as licensing schemes, rights and/or transaction terms and commerce terms for metadata associated with the composite media item. Further, by the metadata processor, the metadata subsets may be combined based on specific business-enabled information including rights derived from the metadata subsets. In yet another embodiment, metadata for logical combinations associated with a composite media item will be appended to or otherwise associated with the composite media item such that business-enabled information associated with the composite media item is readily identified and used.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example set of logic or rules 407, 408 used to determine whether the business-enabled information of a metadata subset may be combined. For example, in one embodiment, the commerce enabling information may include a set of rights. As can be seen from FIG. 4, for each set 407 of logic and/or rules associated with a media item portion, there is a possible set 408 of logic and/or rules for the second media item portion, or indeed for any media item portions added later. As can be seen in FIG. 4, a set of icons 400 represents a set of permissions derived from a metadata subset associated with a media item portion. In one embodiment, these rights may include association attributes 409, whether a media item portion is designated as non-commercial 410, whether a media item portion is designated as preventing any derivative works 411, whether a media item portion is designated as share-like 412, whether a media item portion is designated as commercial only 413, and a price for a copy of a media item portion 414. Thus, a user creating a media item may introduce these icons through a user interface in a drag-and-drop fashion (e.g., FIG. 1) to create a new media item having a user-selected commercial characteristic. The metadata processor is suitably programmed or designed to follow the rules set forth in the metadata or rules governing certain types of metadata.

In one embodiment, the commerce enabling information may indicate that the media item portion may be included based on commerce only 413 and that a minimum of $0.40 must be paid 414 to the rights holder when a new composite media item is sold. Thus, if a third media item portion is included but use of the component is limited to non-commercial 402 distribution, then a composite media item utilizing the third media item portion is not available because the rights, rules, or terms conflict.

In another example, if the metadata subset requires specific commerce-enabling information, e.g., sharing-like rights 413 that require that media item portions be transmitted only under exactly the same terms under which those portions were obtained, only media item portions of the metadata subset having the same sharing-like designation 404 are combined.

In yet another embodiment, if a license for a media item portion provides a non-commercial 402 designation, but attribution 401 is attributed to a derivative work, and a license for another media item portion specifies only commercial 405, including, for example, a minimum of $0.40 for item 414, then the composite media item cannot be reused because the rights conflict.

In another embodiment, the commerce enabling information may include permissions to obtain and use samples of the media item. Further, logic and/or rules may implement the licensing terms. For example, the permissions may allow a user or system to use a sample of the media item for any purpose other than advertising. In another embodiment, the license may prohibit copying and distribution of the composite media item comprising the sample unless appropriate attributes are included. In another embodiment, the license may allow only non-commercial copying and use of the sample in the composite media item.

In one embodiment, if the permissions of the media item portions conflict, the metadata processor or a tool incorporating the metadata processor, or the metadata processor, and other software, hardware, or signals cause the media item portions to be filtered out or otherwise prevented from being combined or included in the composite media item portion. In one embodiment, permissions may conflict when the designations of the various permissions do not match, when one designation explicitly excludes the other, or when the associated permissions cannot be logically combined. For example, if a media item portion is designated as non-commercial 410, then the metadata subsets of other media item portions must also have non-commercial 402 designations. In another example, if a media item portion is designated as commercial only 413, then the other media item portion(s) should not be designated as non-commercial 410 at all. In one embodiment, the absence of a non-commercial 410 description means that the rights holder permits commercial or non-commercial use of his or her work. Therefore, if a media item portion is designated as commercial-only 413, then any other media item portion(s) should at least not be designated as non-commercial 413. In yet another embodiment, an optional price per copy of the media item 414 may be followed when a commercial-only designation 413 is used, but there may be no requirement for such a price per copy 406 for other media item portions. Alternatively, all of the designations required are 410 designations without noncommercity.

In some embodiments, the rights may not impose requirements on any other media item portion. For example, media item portions may require attribution 409, but not all other media item portions for combination are required to have attribution 401. Thus, in one embodiment, attribution is simplified and can be reliably used, as the attribution itself can be ensured by the metadata processor embedding the attribution directly in the new composite media item.

In other embodiments, the rights may completely prevent a media item portion from being combined with any other media item portion. For example, if the media item portion contains a disallow derivative works 411 designation, then a composite media item may not be available.

In another embodiment, the conflicting media item portions are filtered out so that they can be considered or even used for the composite media item, but the user cannot finalize and/or save the composite media item due to the conflicting media item portions. In another embodiment, the tool may be set to work without any filtering portion of the tool, but will inform the user which distribution models (if any) may be used to follow the rights associated with all of the media item portions.

In yet another embodiment, the metadata processor or tool may include a rights interpreter or translator for interpreting/translating between metadata languages in different media item formats, metadata languages and multimedia resources across a wide range of networks and devices used by different communities, independent of structure and platform, to achieve semantic consistency. It is important to note that with the advent of different types of metadata and the development of standards, metadata translator/interpreter functionality performed by the metadata processor or by an auxiliary processor or component is capable of interpreting/translating these different types of metadata languages. For example, in FIG. 5, a rights interpreter or translator 515 is applied to interpret/translate metadata content and associated rights and rules associated with the metadata of the different media items and media portions 505, 510 into the same metadata language 520 so that the metadata can be easily combined. Thus, in one embodiment, rights interpreter/translator 515 can facilitate the transformation of metadata from the terminology of one operational domain or business system 505, 510 to the terminology of another operational domain or business system 520 in an automatic or partially automatic manner with minimal semantic ambiguity and loss of semantic integrity.

In one embodiment, once a composite media item is determined to be viable by a metadata processor or similar element and considered complete by a user or system, the composite media item is saved and associated or appended to newly generated metadata associated with the composite media item. For example, the metadata may be embedded in a field of the digital media file itself provided as the data container, encapsulated data structure described above, or in some other form according to the method used for the metadata employed. The final composite media item is then made available to third parties and when it is incorporated into another media item its commerce-enabling information, such as rights, permissions, commerce and transaction rule requirements, is made available.

In one embodiment, a commerce system for facilitating the transfer and exchange of payment for composite media items is disclosed. For example, a commerce system affecting the transfer of newly created composite media items may determine which composite media items are commercial and require payment. The merchant system can determine the amount of payment required for each copy sold and by examining other metadata, can determine who the rights holder is. The rights-holder metadata may contain sufficient information to enable the issuance of funds, or to inform the funds that they are available to the rights-holder. In one embodiment, a commerce engine (commerce engine) may determine payment requirements for each media item portion of a set of media item portions comprising a composite media item and process payment payments for each media item portion. In yet another embodiment, pricing for the composite media item may also be confirmed. In one embodiment, the price of the composite media item must be equal to or greater than the sum of the individual separate payments because of the total payment for the multiple media item portions.

In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface for creating a composite media item with an associated set of metadata (e.g., fig. 1 and 2). In one embodiment, the tool allows a user to identify a media item, metadata associated with the media item, a media item portion, and a metadata subset associated with the media item portion. In one embodiment, the user interface allows a user to browse and/or search through a collection of media items. In yet another embodiment, the user interface allows a user to browse and/or search through a collection of media item portions. In one embodiment, the user interface allows a user to browse and/or search through a collection of metadata associated with a media item. In another embodiment, the user interface allows a user to browse and/or search through a collection of metadata subsets associated with media item portions.

In another embodiment, a user may search for media items and media item portions using input criteria. The input criteria allow the user to perform a search by attributes associated with the media item including, but not limited to, album, artist, genre, type or category, price, identity of the rights holder, or by specific licensing, business or transaction rules or terms. In yet another embodiment, the input criteria allow the user to perform a search using predetermined information associated with the metadata subset. In yet another embodiment, the input criteria allow a user to perform a search using a metadata subset associated with a media item portion. In one embodiment, the user interface facilitates searching through a drop down menu that allows the user to select search criteria from the drop down menu and a text box that allows the user to enter input into the text box.

In yet another embodiment, once a user or system has identified a media item, the user interface displays the media item and media item portions that are available for combining the media item. For example, a media item and its media item portions may be displayed in the following manner: in a hierarchical manner, in a drop down menu, in a right click menu, in a single area of the user interface, or in multiple areas. In another embodiment, once the user has identified a media item, the user interface displays the media item, its media item portion, and the metadata subset associated with the media item portion.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a user interface. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the graphical user interface window 100 includes an area 104 for displaying graphical representations of media item portions 112 and 113 of the media item 102, an area 103 for displaying a hierarchical menu associated with the media item portions, an area 109 that allows a user to play the media item 102 or the media item portions 112 and 113, an area 105 for displaying and/or previewing the structure of the particular media item portions 112 and 113, an area 105 for displaying metadata subsets 106 and 107 and 108 associated with the particular media item portions, and an area 114 for searching and/or browsing media items and/or media item portions.

As shown in FIG. 1, a user can browse, search, or otherwise identify media item portions to combine the media item portions to create a composite media item. In addition, the user is able to view the metadata subsets associated with each media item portion. For example, in FIG. 1, a user has identified a media item 102 entitled "Hollaback Girl". As can be seen, the user interface displays the media items 102 in a hierarchical menu 103 by category associated with the media item portions 112, 113. In particular, the categories associated with the media item portion of the "Hollaback Girl" media item include audio 110 and photos 111. In addition, the user interface displays graphical images representing the particular media item portions 112, 113 of the highlighted and/or selected media item 102 in the adjacent area 104. In other embodiments, other embodiments may display other information for the media item portion in place of the graphical representation. Thus, in one embodiment, the area 104 displaying the hierarchical menu associated with the media item portions 112, 113 corresponds to the same media item portion displayed in the area 104 for displaying the graphical representation of the media item portions 112, 113.

In FIG. 1, the media item portions are an A cappllea soundtrack 112 and a jpeg image 113 of the artist of the media item. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, when media item portion 112 is highlighted or otherwise selected, it is then previewed in area 105. In one embodiment, the structure of the selected media item is displayed for the user in this area 105. For example, the user may view a graphical representation of the waveform, length, and any other relevant components of the audio of the media item. In yet another embodiment, once a media item portion is selected, the media item portion is also played for the user in an area. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the user interface displays some of the metadata subsets associated with the media item portions. Specifically, in fig. 1, some metadata subsets associated with the accompaniment-free soundtrack 112 are displayed in region 115. In particular, some metadata subsets associated with the uncategorized soundtrack 112 include the identity 106 of the rights holder for the media item portion, licensing information 107 governing the use of the media portion, and transaction rules or terms 108 applicable to commercial use of the media portion. Thus, in one embodiment, a user may identify a media item through a user interface of the tool, the user may view a hierarchical menu of media item portions associated with the media item, and view a graphical representation of the media item portions associated with the media item. Further, once the user highlights or otherwise selects a media item portion, the structure of the media item portion and the metadata subset associated with the media item are displayed on the user interface. In addition, the user interface can play the media item portion for the user. Of course, many combinations and arrangements of regions and features of the user interface to the tool contemplated may be envisaged.

In yet another embodiment, the user interface of the tool allows a user to create, display and/or play a composite media item based on at least two media item portions. Further, the user interface displays metadata associated with the composite media item, wherein the metadata is based on a logical combination of metadata subsets of the media item portions of the composite media item. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a user interface for creating a composite media item. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a composite media item 200 has been created from two media item portions 204, 205 and displayed on a user interface. In particular, FIG. 2 shows a graphical user interface window 100, the graphical user interface window 100 including an area 104 for displaying graphical images representing media item portions 202 and 212 of a particular media item 210. FIG. 2 also includes a hierarchical menu for displaying the media item portions of the media items 210, 211. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the media item 210 that is selected or highlighted in the hierarchical menu is the media item listed by its artist name "Gorillaz". In one embodiment, once a media item is highlighted or otherwise selected in the menu area 103, the area 104 adjacent to the menu displays a graphical image representing the media item portion 212, 202 associated with the selected media item 210. As can be seen from region 104, the media item portions associated with "Gorillaz" are a jpeg formatted head shot 212 and an accompaniment track 202. Thus, by ranking the menu area 103 and the adjacent area 104, the user is able to view the media item portion of the media item.

Further, as can be seen in FIG. 2, the composite media item 200 is based on two media item portions: a capella soundtrack 204 from Gwen stepani and an accompaniment soundtrack 205 from Gorillaz. Thus, the user interface includes an area 105 for displaying and/or previewing the structure of the media item portions 204, 205 used to create the composite media item 200. In fig. 2, the structure of the unaccompanied soundtrack 204 from Gwen stepani and the structure of the accompaniment soundtrack from Gorillaz are shown in region 105. Thus, the user is able to view the media item portions selected for the composite media item. In addition, the user interface includes an area 109 that allows the user to play the composite media item 200 or each media item portion. In addition, the user interface includes an area 115 for displaying metadata subsets 207, 208, 209 associated with the composite media item. In one embodiment, the metadata associated with a composite media item is based on a subset of the metadata associated with the media item portion used to create the composite media item. In fig. 2, the displayed metadata subset includes an area 207 for displaying the identity of the rights holder associated with the composite media item, an area 208 for displaying licensing information governing the use of the composite media item, and an area 209 for displaying some business rules or terms applicable to the commercial use of the composite media item. As described above, in one embodiment, the metadata subsets are logically combined together to form a set of metadata associated with the composite media item. In another embodiment, the set of metadata associated with the media item is based on predetermined information derived from the metadata subset.

Thus, each of the data container, the commerce enabling metadata, the metadata associated with the media item, and its tools facilitate the management of a complex of terms of trade, attribution, and rights necessary to run a commercial marketplace for composite media items. For example, the present disclosure enables users to search and locate composite media items, browse through constituent elements (DNA) to discover, obtain, and use original material, provide a composite creation interface capable of creating new works containing information about origin, business-enabled information, associated rights, transaction rules, and general metadata for each component. In addition, these disclosures provide a way to "publish" new works into media catalogs or categories, so that author information (including authors' associations with business entities that may compensate their works) for the new works will be included by searching for the large number of appropriate media elements currently discoverable into libraries or remixed media, so that separate payments between rights owners for individual media item portions incorporated in a single remixed work can be calculated, enhancing the range of affinities associated with a given end user to include media item portions in his or her collection, so that a media collection can be created that supports convenient transfer of newly created mixed media between users, as such media is represented by packaged easily transferable digital objects.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the method and system of the present invention in the application may be implemented in any manner and is therefore not limited by the foregoing exemplary embodiments and examples. In other words, functional elements being performed by single or multiple components, in various combinations of hardware and software, as well as individual functions, may be distributed among software applications at the client or server level. In this regard, any number of the features of the different embodiments described herein may be combined into a single embodiment, and alternate embodiments having more or less than all of the features described herein are possible. The functionality may also be distributed, in whole or in part, among multiple components, in a known or to be known manner. Thus, myriad software/hardware/firmware combinations are possible in implementing the functions, features, interfaces and preferences described herein. Moreover, the scope of the present invention covers features of the prior art and those variations and modifications that would be understood by those skilled in the art through the system components described herein.

Claims (107)

1. A data container for association with a media item, the container comprising:

at least one metadata subset associated with a media item portion, the portion derived from a source media item, the metadata subset derived from source metadata associated with the source media item;

container related metadata; and

at least one media item identifier associated with a media item that may or may not be the source media item.

2. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset associated with a media item portion comprises a set of commerce-enabling information.

3. The data container of claim 2 wherein said set of commerce-enabling information includes usage rights.

4. The data container of claim 3 wherein said usage rights include rights to use said media item portions in derivative works.

5. The data container of claim 2 wherein said set of commerce-enabling information comprises a commerce designation.

6. The data container of claim 2 wherein said set of commerce-enabling information comprises a non-commercial designation.

7. The data container of claim 2 wherein the set of commerce-enabling information includes a home affiliation of a publisher.

8. The data container of claim 2 wherein said set of commerce enabling information includes a price per copy of said media item portion.

9. The data container of claim 2 wherein the set of commerce-enabling information includes an identity of a rights holder.

10. The data container of claim 2 wherein said set of commerce-enabling information comprises a set of licensing terms.

11. The data container of claim 2 wherein the set of commerce-enabling information comprises a copyright message.

12. The data container of claim 2 wherein said set of commerce-enabling information comprises a digital rights message.

13. The data container of claim 2 wherein the set of commerce-enabling information includes a pointer to a copyright message.

14. The data container of claim 2 wherein the set of commerce-enabling information includes a pointer to licensing information.

15. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises an uncategorized soundtrack of said source media item.

16. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises a accompaniment track for said source media item.

17. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises a sample of said source media item.

18. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises a graphical image of said source media item.

19. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises an equalizer preset for said source media item.

20. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises an accompaniment of said source media item.

21. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item portion comprises a portion of said source media item.

22. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of said media item portion and said media item is an audio file.

23. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of said media item portion and said media item is a video file.

24. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of the media item portion and the media item is a podcast.

25. The data container of claim 22 wherein one or both of said media item portion and said media item is in mp3 format.

26. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of the media item portion and the media item is an aac recorded audio soundtrack.

27. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of said media item portion and said media item is a graphical image.

28. The data container of claim 1 wherein the media item identifier is a pointer.

29. The data container of claim 1 wherein said media item identifier is a uniform resource locator.

30. The data container of claim 1 wherein the media item identifier is an id unique to an online music service.

31. The data container of claim 1 wherein the media item identifier is an id unique to an online community.

32. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of said media item portion and said media item is obtained from a server.

33. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of the media item portion and the media item is obtained from a user's local media library accessed through the user's computer device.

34. The data container of claim 1 wherein one or both of said media item portion and said media item is obtained from the internet.

35. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a text string representing a name of said container.

36. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a title of said media item portion.

37. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a title of said source media item.

38. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a date said container was created.

39. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a date said container was modified.

40. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a genre associated with said container.

41. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a size of said container.

42. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a length of said container.

43. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a type of content associated with said container.

44. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises a file type associated with said container.

45. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises an international standard record code associated with said container.

46. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises software requirements for encoding said container.

47. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises software requirements for decoding said container.

48. The data container of claim 1 wherein said container related metadata comprises user defined textual information.

49. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes a name of a performer.

50. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes a name of a collection of songs.

51. The data container of claim 1 wherein the metadata subset includes an identity of a composer.

52. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes an identity of a tokenizer.

53. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes a date on which said media item portion was recorded.

54. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes a type of language associated with said media item portion.

55. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes an original name of said media item portion.

56. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes a year that said media item portion was published.

57. The data container of claim 1 wherein the metadata subset includes an identity of a lead actor.

58. The data container of claim 1 wherein said metadata subset includes a link to a web page of an artist associated with said media item portion.

59. The data container of claim 1 wherein the metadata subset includes a link to a web page of a music on demand service.

60. A commerce enabling information metadata subset associated with a media item portion, comprising:

a set of digitally-defined commerce-enabling information associated with the media item portion, the portion being derived from a source media item, the metadata subset being derived from commerce-enabling information-related metadata associated with the source media item such that the metadata subset remains associated with the media item portion so as to preserve a relationship between the digitally-defined commerce-enabling information and the metadata portion when the source media item and the media item portion exist independently.

61. A set of metadata for association with a composite media item, comprising:

a first metadata subset representing data associated with a first portion of media items, the first portion derived from a first source media item, the first metadata subset derived from first metadata associated with the first source media item; and

a second metadata subset representing data associated with a second portion of a media item, the second portion derived from a second source media item, the second metadata subset derived from second metadata associated with the second source media item, the first portion and second portion combined to form a composite media item, the first subset and the second subset forming a new set of metadata associated with the composite media item, and the new set of metadata being based on the first metadata subset and the second metadata subset.

62. The metadata as recited in claim 61, wherein the data associated with the first and second subsets of metadata includes commerce-enabling information.

63. The metadata as recited in claim 62, wherein the commerce enabling information comprises a first set of rights associated with the first subset of metadata and a second set of rights associated with the second subset of metadata.

64. The metadata of claim 63, wherein the first media item portion and the second media item portion are not combined if the first set of rights and the second set of rights conflict.

65. The metadata of claim 63, wherein the first media item portion and the second media item portion are not finalized if the first set of rights and the second set of rights conflict.

66. The metadata as recited in claim 63, wherein the first media item portion and the second media item portion are not combined if one or both of the first set of rights and the second set of rights do not match a set of desired rights.

67. The metadata of claim 63, wherein the first media item portion and the second media item portion are combined if the first set of rights and the second set of rights are similar.

68. The metadata as recited in claim 63, wherein one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on a commercial designation or a non-commercial designation.

69. The metadata of claim 68, wherein if both the first set of rights and the second set of rights are specified as commercial, a price associated with the composite media item is calculated.

70. The metadata as recited in claim 63, wherein one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on an identity of a home.

71. The metadata of claim 63, wherein one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on a price per copy of each of the first and second media item portions.

72. The metadata as recited in claim 63, wherein one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on an identity of a rights holder.

73. The metadata as recited in claim 63, wherein one or both of the first and second sets of rights are based on licensing terms.

74. The metadata as recited in claim 63, wherein a user is notified if the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions conflict.

75. The metadata of claim 62, wherein said logical combination is determined by a set of logical operators.

76. The metadata as recited in claim 62, wherein the logical combination is determined by a logical combination of permissions.

77. The metadata of claim 62, wherein the logical combination is determined by conditional logic.

78. The metadata of claim 62, wherein one or both of the first media item source and the second media item source is a media file.

79. The metadata of claim 62, wherein one or both of the first media item source and the second media item source is a video file.

80. The metadata of claim 62 wherein the set of metadata associated with the composite media item identifies a rights holder associated with the composite media item.

81. The metadata of claim 62 wherein the set of metadata associated with the composite media item identifies a price per copy associated with the composite media item.

82. The metadata of claim 62 wherein the set of metadata associated with the composite media item identifies a home associated with the composite media item.

83. The metadata of claim 62, wherein the set of metadata associated with the composite media item identifies a royalty amount associated with the composite media item.

84. The metadata of claim 62 wherein the set of metadata associated with the composite media item identifies licensing terms associated with the composite media item.

85. The metadata of claim 62, wherein one or both of the first media portion and the second media portion is a soundtrack without accompaniment.

86. The metadata of claim 62, wherein one or both of the first media portion and the second media portion is a soundtrack for an accompaniment.

87. The metadata of claim 62, wherein one or both of the first media portion and the second media portion are samples of a media item.

88. The metadata of claim 62 wherein the metadata associated with the composite media item is appended to the composite media item.

89. The metadata of claim 62 wherein the metadata associated with the composite media item and the composite media item are provided as a digital container object.

90. A metadatum associated with a composite media item, the metadatum comprising:

name or descriptive terms;

a pointer to the commerce enabling information; and

a pointer to a location of the associated media item.

91. The metadatum of claim 90 further comprising at least one set of informational tags associated with the composite media item.

92. The metadatum of claim 91 further comprising a format type associated with the composite media item.

93. The set of metadata as recited in claim 92, further comprising an ID unique to a community or online music service.

94. The metadatum of claim 90 wherein the name or descriptive term is associated with the metadatum.

95. The metadatum of claim 90 wherein the name or descriptive term is associated with the composite media item.

96. A data container associated with a media item, the container comprising:

name or descriptive terms;

a pointer to the commerce enabling information; and

a pointer to a location of the associated media item.

97. The data container of claim 96 further comprising at least one set of informational tags associated with the media items.

98. The data container of claim 97 further comprising a format type associated with the composite media item.

99. The data container of claim 98, further comprising an ID unique to a community or online music service.

100. The data container of claim 96 wherein the name or descriptive term is associated with the data container.

101. The data container of claim 96 wherein the name or descriptive term is associated with the media item.

102. A metadata subset associated with a media item portion, the metadata subset comprising:

name or descriptive terms;

a pointer to the commerce enabling information; and

a pointer to a location of the associated media item.

103. The metadata subset of claim 102 further comprising at least one set of informational tags associated with said media item portion.

104. The metadata subset of claim 103 further comprising a format type associated with said media item portion.

105. The metadata subset of claim 104 further comprising an ID unique to an online music service.

106. The metadata subset of claim 102 wherein said name or descriptive term is associated with said metadata subset.

107. The metadata subset of claim 107 wherein said name or descriptive term is associated with said media item portion.