Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-05-01
Dinh, Tan (Department: 2651)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
C700S234000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226235
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to prerecorded media generally and particularly to a technique for determining or verifying media content.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Some prerecorded media, such as CD-ROMs and the various DVD formats, contain descriptive information (e.g., title, # of racks, length) about the program(s) recorded on the media. This descriptive information allows a user to more accurately control the playing or reproduction of programs recorded on the media. Unfortunately, some prerecorded media, such as audio CDs or LaserDisks, do not include such descriptive information.
If a user wishes to incorporate content-descriptive information from, e.g., audio CDs or LaserDisks, then the data may be manually entered. For example, computer programs are known which utilize a computer's CD-ROM reader to identify the number of tracks and length of each track of an audio CD and store this information on a hard disk. Disadvantageously, a user must then manually type in the title and song names of the audio CD. The title and song names are then stored.
Therefore, it is seen as desirable to derive descriptive information relating to media content without requiring user intervention. It is also desirable to provide such content-descriptive data in a form which may be readily displayed on-screen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in part based on the recognition that the physical or logical arrangement of data stored on a medium may be used to identify the stored data and retrieve descriptive information relating to the stored data.
In one embodiment of the invention a controller and media-reader are used to identify various physical or logical characteristics of data stored on a pre-recorded medium. These characteristics may include, e.g., the kind of medium, the kind of data, the way the data is segmented or separated, the size of any data segments, the total amount of data or physical size of the medium carrying the data. A controller then compares the identified set of characteristics to stored sets of characteristics which are associated with respective content-identifiers (i.e., information content indicia). A successful comparison yields content-identifiers applicable to the data stored on the pre-recorded medium. These content identifiers may be, e.g., information identifying the titles and length of audio or video programs included on the media.
In another embodiment of the invention a computer including a CD-ROM reader determines the number of tracks and play time for each track of an audio CD, compares this information to information stored in a database and identifies the audio CD. The identity of the audio CD is then used to retrieve content-descriptive information about the audio CD.
In still another embodiment of the invention content-descriptive information is derived and used to identify and catalog a plurality of, e.g., audio or video disks contained in an audio or video “jukebox” arrangement. The catalog data may then be incorporated into an on-screen selection guide.
Another embodiment of the invention comprises a method for reducing the impact of media inconsistencies upon the operation of the invention by weighting the various physical or logical characteristics of the media.
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Dinh Tan
Liao Frank Y.
Shedd Robert D.
Thomson Licensing S.A.
Tripoli Joseph S.
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