Meta Data Management for Media Content Objects

Abstract

Meta data associated with multiple pieces of content (e.g., songs, movies, other audio/video clips, etc.) stored on multiple pieces of media (e.g., CDs, DVDs, etc.) is maintained in a meta data store. The meta data store also includes meta data associated with other pieces of content stored elsewhere, such as songs stored in files on a local hard drive that have been ripped from a CD or DVD. These other pieces of content are associated with the content on the pieces of media, such as being ripped versions of the same song tracks. This association is maintained in the meta data store, so that whenever a change is made to meta data for one piece of content (e.g., for a track on a CD), then the meta data for the associated piece(s) is also changed (e.g., the ripped version stored in a file on the hard drive).

1 . A method comprising: 
 maintaining meta data associated with a plurality of pieces of content stored on a plurality of pieces of media;    maintaining meta data associated with another plurality of pieces of content, wherein each of the other plurality of pieces of content is a ripped version of a respective one of the plurality of pieces of content in the corresponding one of the plurality of pieces of content; and    altering the meta data associated with one of the other plurality of pieces of content in response to the meta data associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of pieces of content being altered.    
   
   
       2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pieces of content is a track of a compact disc (CD).  
   
   
       3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the other plurality of pieces of content is stored on a local hard drive.  
   
   
       4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 maintaining a set of disc identifiers;    for each disc identifier, maintaining a set of children objects, wherein each of the children objects corresponds to one of the plurality of pieces of content; and    for each of one or more of the individual children objects, maintaining a set of additional objects, wherein each additional object corresponds to one of the other plurality of pieces of content.    
   
   
       5 . One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform acts of: 
 maintaining meta data associated with a plurality of pieces of content stored on a plurality of pieces of media;    maintaining meta data associated with another plurality of pieces of content, wherein each of the other plurality of pieces of content is a ripped version of a respective one of the plurality of pieces of content in the corresponding one of the plurality of pieces of content; and    altering the meta data associated with one of the other plurality of pieces of content in response to the meta data associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of pieces of content being altered.    
   
   
       6 . One or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the one or more processors to perform the following acts: 
 receiving an identification of a change to be made to meta data corresponding to a particular piece of content on a particular piece of media;    changing, based on the identification, meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content;    identifying one or more other pieces of content associated with the particular piece of content, wherein the other pieces of content are ripped versions of the particular piece of content; and    changing, based on the identification, meta data corresponding to the one or more other pieces of content.    
   
   
       7 . One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the particular piece of content on the particular piece of media comprises a particular song on a particular compact disc (CD).  
   
   
       8 . One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the identification includes new meta data and wherein changing the meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content comprises overwriting any previous meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content with the new meta data.  
   
   
       9 . One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the particular piece of content comprises an audio track and wherein the other pieces of content comprise different versions of the audio track.  
   
   
       10 . One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein original meta data associated with the particular piece of content comprises meta data received from a remote server, and wherein the change to be made to the meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content comprises new meta data received from a user.  
   
   
       11 . One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the one or more processors to perform the following acts: 
 maintaining an indication of a source of the change to the meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content;    maintaining an indication of a source of the change to the meta data corresponding to each of the one or more other pieces of content;    receiving an identification of another change to be made to meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content;    checking whether the source of the change to the meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content was a user;    changing, based on the identification of the other change, meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content if the source of the change to the meta data corresponding to the particular piece of content was the user;    checking whether the source of the change to the meta data corresponding to the one or more other pieces of contents was the user; and    changing, based on the identification of the other change, meta data corresponding to the one or more other pieces of content if the source of the change to the meta data corresponding to the one or more other pieces of contents was the user.