System and method of managing metadata data

Abstract

A system and method of the present invention allow users to access, manage, and edit information about content data, often referred to as metadata. Metadata is collected from various sources, added, and maintained in a metadata database. In addition, metadata is dynamically read from the metadata database and dynamically displayed in a graphical user interface in an organized manner, such as a hierarchical tree. In the graphical user interface, a user may add, delete, and/or modify the metadata. As the user changes the metadata, the metadata database is updated and the user's changes are propagated throughout the graphical user interface such that the hierarchical tree is displays the changed metadata.

1. In a user computer, a method comprising:
 generating a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to, audio/video content to be played by a media player application, each metadata entry stored locally at the user computer in the metadata database and characterized in accordance with a plurality of attributes that are associated with the audio/video content and shared between one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries;    receiving user input to manually modify one of the shared attributes;    recharacterizing in the metadata database, those of the plurality of metadata database entries characterized by the modified one of the shared attributes; and    dynamically updating the graphical representation of the one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries based upon the user input.    
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio/video content is played by the media player application in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user may manually perform at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP3 file. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata database is stored separate from the audio/video content. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a plurality of content grouping trees, each representing one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries and characterized in accordance with at least a first of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       7. The method of  6 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       8. The method of  7 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of the selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       9. The method of  6 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure. 
     
     
       10. The method of  9 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure wherein the hierarchical folder structure is selectively expandable based upon user input. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries characterized in accordance with at least a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the audio/video content. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata database is a hierarchically arranged database containing the plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to a plurality of audio/video content. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attributes associated with the audio/video content comprise a selected one of a title, artist, genre, and track name. 
     
     
       14. In a user computer, a method comprising:
 generating a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata entries characterizing audio/video content to be played by a media player application, wherein the metadata is stored locally at the user computer in a metadata database and characterized in accordance with one or more attributes associated with the audio/video content, the graphical representation including 
 a plurality of content grouping trees, with each content grouping tree representing one or more metadata entries characterized in accordance with a first of the one or more attributes; and  
 a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees;  
 receiving user input to manually modify at least one of the attributes associated with the audio/video content; and  
 dynamically updating the graphical representation of the metadata and the metadata database to reflect the user input.  
   
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein a user may recharacterize a metadata entry by graphically associating the metadata entry displayed in the table with a second content grouping tree corresponding to a second of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metadata entry inherits characteristics associated with the second content grouping tree. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the table comprises a plurality of attribute field names including at least one of track name, artist, album, genre and track length. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the audio/video content is played by the media player application in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the user may manually perform at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP3 file. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus comprising:
 a storage medium having a plurality of programming instructions stored therein, the programming instructions designed to 
 generate a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to, audio/video content to be played by a media player application, each metadata entry stored locally in the metadata database and characterized in accordance with a plurality of attributes that are associated with the audio/video content and shared between one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries,  
 receive user input to manually modify one of the shared attributes,  
 recharacterize in the metadata database, those of the plurality of metadata database entries characterized by the modified one of the shared attributes, and  
 dynamically update the graphical representation of the one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries based upon the user input; and  
   at least one processor coupled with the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.    
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to play the audio/video content in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to facilitate at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification by a user via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a plurality of content grouping trees, each representing one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries and characterized in accordance with at least a first of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  25 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  26 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of the selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  25 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  28 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure wherein the hierarchical folder structure is selectively expandable based upon user input. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries characterized in accordance with at least a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the audio/video content. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the metadata database is a hierarchically arranged database containing the plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to a plurality of audio/video content. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the attributes associated with the audio/video content comprise a selected one of a title, artist, genre, and track name. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus comprising:
 a storage medium having a plurality of programming instructions stored therein, the programming instructions designed to 
 generate a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata entries, characterizing audio/video content to be played, wherein the metadata is stored locally in a metadata database and characterized in accordance with one or more attributes associated with the audio/video content, the graphical representation including a plurality of content grouping trees, with each content grouping tree representing one or more metadata entries  
   characterized in accordance with a first of the one or more attributes, and a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees, 
 receive user input to manually modify at least one of the attributes associated with the content, and  
 dynamically update the graphical representation of the metadata and the metadata database to reflect the user input; and  
   at least one processor coupled with the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.    
     
     
       34. The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to facilitate a user in recharacterizing a metadata entry by graphically associating the metadata entry displayed in the table with a second content grouping tree corresponding to a second of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       35. The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the table comprises a plurality of attribute field names including at least one of track name, artist, album, genre and track length. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP3 file. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to play the audio/video content in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to facilitate at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification by a user via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       39. In a user computer, a method comprising:
   generating a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to audio/video content to be played by a media player application, each metadata entry stored locally at the user computer in the metadata database and characterized in accordance with a plurality of attributes that are associated with the audio/video content and shared between one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries;        receiving user input to manually modify one of the shared attributes;        recharacterizing in the metadata database, those of the plurality of metadata database entries characterized by the modified one of the shared attributes; and        dynamically updating the graphical representation of the one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries based upon the user input.     
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the audio/video content is played by the media player application in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the user may manually perform at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP 3  file. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the metadata database is stored separate from the audio/video content. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a plurality of content grouping trees, each representing one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries and characterized in accordance with at least a first of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       45. The method of  44 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       46. The method of  45 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of the selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       47. The method of  44 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure. 
     
     
       48. The method of  47 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure wherein the hierarchical folder structure is selectively expandable based upon user input. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries characterized in accordance with at least a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the audio/video content. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the metadata database is a hierarchically arranged database containing the plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to a plurality of audio/video content. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the attributes associated with the audio/video content comprise a selected one of a title, artist, genre, and track name. 
     
     
       52. In a user computer, a method comprising:
   generating a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata entries characterizing audio/video content to be played by a media player application, wherein the metadata is stored locally at the user computer in a metadata database and characterized in accordance with one or more attributes associated with the audio/video content, the graphical representation including        a plurality of content grouping trees, with each content grouping tree representing one or more metadata entries characterized in accordance with a first of the one or more attributes; and        a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees;        receiving user input to manually modify at least one of the attributes associated with the audio/video content; and        dynamically updating the graphical representation of the metadata and the metadata database to reflect the user input.     
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 52 , wherein a user may recharacterize a metadata entry by graphically associating the metadata entry displayed in the table with a second content grouping tree corresponding to a second of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 53 , wherein the metadata entry inherits characteristics associated with the second content grouping tree. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the table comprises a plurality of attribute field names including at least one of track name, artist, album, genre and track length. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the audio/video content is played by the media player application in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the user may manually perform at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP 3  file. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       60. An apparatus comprising:
   a storage medium having a plurality of programming instructions stored therein, the programming instructions designed to      generate a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to audio/video content to be played by a media player application, each metadata entry stored locally in the metadata database and characterized in accordance with a plurality of attributes that are associated with the audio/video content and shared between one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries,        receive user input to manually modify one of the shared attributes,        recharacterize in the metadata database, those of the plurality of metadata database entries characterized by the modified one of the shared attributes, and        dynamically update the graphical representation of the one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries based upon the user input; and        at least one processor coupled with the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.       
     
     
       61. The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to play the audio/video content in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       62. The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to facilitate at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification by a user via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       63. The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a plurality of content grouping trees, each representing one or more of the plurality of metadata database entries and characterized in accordance with at least a first of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       64. The apparatus of  63 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       65. The apparatus of  64 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of the selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       66. The apparatus of  63 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure. 
     
     
       67. The apparatus of  66 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure wherein the hierarchical folder structure is selectively expandable based upon user input. 
     
     
       68. The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries characterized in accordance with at least a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the audio/video content. 
     
     
       69. The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the metadata database is a hierarchically arranged database containing the plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to a plurality of audio/video content. 
     
     
       70. The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the attributes associated with the audio/video content comprise a selected one of a title, artist, genre, and track name. 
     
     
       71. An apparatus comprising:
   a storage medium having a plurality of programming instructions stored therein, the programming instructions designed to        generate a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata entries, characterizing audio/video content to be played, wherein the metadata is stored locally in a metadata database and characterized in accordance with one or more attributes associated with the audio/video content, the graphical representation including        a plurality of content grouping trees, with each content grouping tree representing one or more metadata entries characterized in accordance with a first of the one or more attributes, and        a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees,        receive user input to manually modify at least one of the attributes associated with the content, and        dynamically update the graphical representation of the metadata and the metadata database to reflect the user input; and        at least one processor coupled with the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.     
     
     
       72. The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to facilitate a user in recharacterizing a metadata entry by graphically associating the metadata entry displayed in the table with a second content grouping tree corresponding to a second of the one or more attributes. 
     
     
       73. The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the table comprises a plurality of attribute field names including at least one of track name, artist, album, genre and track length. 
     
     
       74. The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP 3  file. 
     
     
       75. The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to play the audio/video content in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       76. The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the programming instructions are further designed to facilitate at least one of a metadata addition, metadata deletion, and a metadata modification by a user via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       77. A system comprising:
   a graphics module that generates a graphical representation of a plurality of metadata entries and that characterizes audio/video content to be played, wherein the metadata is stored locally in a metadata database and characterized in accordance with one or more attributes associated with the audio/video content, the graphical representation comprising        a plurality of content grouping trees, with each content grouping tree representing one or more metadata entries characterized in accordance with at least a first of the one or more attributes, and        a table including metadata entries corresponding to nodes of a selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees,        an interface module that receives a user input to manually modify at least one of the attributes associated with the content, and        an update module that dynamically updates the graphical representation of the metadata and the metadata database and saves the updated metadata in the metadata database to reflect the user input; and        at least one processor that executes the modules.     
     
     
       78. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the audio/video content is played by a media player application in response to a metadata entry being selected by the user. 
     
     
       79. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the user may manually perform at least one of a metadata addition, a metadata deletion, and a metadata modification via the graphical representation. 
     
     
       80. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the audio/video content comprises an MP 3  file. 
     
     
       81. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the metadata database is stored separate from the audio/video content. 
     
     
       82. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the table includes metadata entries corresponding to leaf nodes of the selected one of the plurality of content grouping trees. 
     
     
       83. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the plurality of content grouping trees comprises a hierarchical folder structure. 
     
     
       84. The system of  claim 83 , wherein the hierarchical folder structure is selectively expandable based upon user input. 
     
     
       85. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises a table including metadata entries characterized in accordance with at least a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the audio/video content. 
     
     
       86. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the metadata database is a hierarchically arranged database containing the plurality of metadata database entries corresponding to a plurality of audio/video content. 
     
     
       87. The system of  claim 77 , wherein the attributes associated with the audio/video content comprise a selected one of a title, artist, genre, and track name. 
     
     
       88. The system of  claim 77 , wherein said update module saves the modified one of the shared attributes in response to the user input. 
     
     
       89. The method of  claim 77 , wherein said update module simultaneously updates the graphical representation of the one or more of the plurality of metadata-database entries and saves the modified one of the shared attributes based upon the user input.