Group editing of media content stored on wireless portable devices
The invention provides for the communicating and editing of media files in wireless portable devices. The invention enables a user to manipulate displayed media content and other types of information stored in a personal media device. A master device may be coupled to a display device such as a television display and bonded to a slave device. A user may through use of either the slave device or the master device manipulate media content. The modified media content may be displayed substantially simultaneously on the television display, the master device, and the at least one slave device.
1. An apparatus of a first device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
receive selected media content and metadata about the selected media content from a second device, wherein the metadata describes a plurality of selected media items of the selected media content, and the selected media content is selected by the second device;
search for related media content previously stored in the first device that is associated with the selected media content based on the metadata, the related media content comprising at least one related media item not included in the plurality of selected media items;
access the related media content determined by searching;
direct display of items for the selected media content and the accessed related media content substantially simultaneously on a display;
receive an indication that identifies one of the displayed items; and
direct transfer of identified media content based on the indication.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to direct transfer of identified media by:
copying the identified media content from the related media to the selected media; and
directing transmission of the selected media content.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected media content comprises an album.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a mobile communication device.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the directing transfer of identified media comprises:
receiving the identified media content.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metadata includes information about an active time period and wherein the active time period specifies a range of time around a time moment.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
direct transmission of editing parameters that are indicative of omitting specified media files.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
direct transmission of sharing information about how media files will be shared.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
direct transmission of a specified time when to share media files.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
direct transmission of capability information of the apparatus, wherein the capability information defines one or more technical capabilities of the apparatus and is used to define in part how media files will be shared.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
receive information from a master device regarding an active time period of a time-line and selected media content associated with the active time period displayed on a display of the master device; and
direct display of items for the selected media content and the accessed related media content substantially simultaneously based at least in part on the received information regarding the active time period and selected media content associated with the active time period.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
direct display of items for the selected media content and the accessed related content in a plurality of sections, wherein the plurality of sections comprise at least a first section including one or more items for the selected media content associated with a time period and a second section including one or more items for the accessed related content associated with the time period.
14. An apparatus of a master device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus of the master device to at least:
direct transmission of selected media content and metadata about the selected media content to a slave device, wherein the metadata comprises an active time period and describes a plurality of selected media items of the selected media content, and the selected media content is selected by the master device;
receive related media content corresponding to the metadata from the slave device, the related media content comprising at least one related media item not included in the plurality of selected media items; and
direct display of display items for the selected media content and the related media content concurrent with a separate graphical indication of the active time period on the display,
wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus of the master device to direct display of the related media content in a time-line presentation and the graphical indication of an active time period defines an active time period from among a plurality of time periods in the time-line presentation.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the selected media content comprises an album.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the master device comprises a mobile communication device.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus of the master device to:
bond to a slave device through a wireless communication medium.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the related media content comprises an album.
20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the related media content comprises a collection of media files.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the related media content comprises a file folder.
22. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the metadata comprises time metadata.
23. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the metadata comprises topic metadata.
24. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the metadata comprises file type metadata.
25. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising an interface to an intermediary device configured to implement a media file management application.
26. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the time-line presentation comprises a plurality of sections corresponding to respective time periods, and wherein items of related media content are displayed in a section corresponding to a time period associated with the items of related media content.
27. A system comprising:
a slave device including:
a first processor;
a first display; and
a first memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the slave device to:
receive selected media content and metadata about the selected media content from a master device, wherein the metadata describes a plurality of selected media items of the selected media content, and the selected media content is selected by the master device;
search for related media content previously stored in the slave device that is associated with the selected media content based on the metadata, the related media content comprising at least one related media item not included in the plurality of selected media items;
access the related media content determined by searching;
display items for the selected media content and the accessed related media content substantially simultaneously on the first display;
receive an indication that identifies one of the display items; and
transmit identified media content based on the indication; and
a first communication interface for transmission of the identified media content stored in the first memory; and
the master device configured to monitor an environment for the at least one slave device, the master device further configured to bond to the slave device, the master device including:
a second processor;
a second display;
a second communication interface through which the selected media content are transmitted to the slave device via a wireless communication network; and
a second memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the master device to:
transmit the selected media content and the metadata about the selected media content to the slave device,
receive the identified media content from the slave device; and
display the identified media content on the second display in a time-line presentation concurrent with a separate graphical indication defining an active time period from among a plurality of time periods in the time-line presentation.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the identified media content is displayed substantially simultaneously on both the master device and the slave device.
29. The system of claim 27 , further comprising an interface to a television display in communication with the master device, wherein the instructions in the second memory cause the television display to display media content corresponding to an active time period of a media file management application.
30. The system of claim 27 , wherein the selected media content comprises an album.
31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the slave device comprises a mobile communication device.
32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone.
33. The system of claim 27 , wherein the master device and the slave device are configured to bond by a wireless communication medium that is compatible with at least one of BLUETOOTH, a wireless local area network (WLAN), radio frequency identification (RFID), and a wireless telecom network.
34. The system of claim 27 , wherein the related media content comprises a collection of media files.
35. The system of claim 27 , wherein the related media content comprises a file folder.
36. The system of claim 27 , wherein the metadata comprises time metadata.
37. The system of claim 27 , wherein the metadata comprises topic metadata.
38. The system of claim 27 , wherein the metadata comprises file type metadata.
39. The system of claim 27 , wherein the metadata comprises a combination of metadata.
40. The system of claim 27 , wherein the master device is configured to monitor the environment for the slave device by control of a master handset.
41. The system of claim 27 , wherein the master device is configured to monitor the environment for at least one slave personal mobile server.
42. The system of claim 27 , wherein the slave device is registered to communicate with the master device.
43. A non-transitory memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a first device perform a method comprising:
bonding the first device to a second device according to predetermined media file transfer parameters;
receiving selected media content and metadata about the selected media content from the second device, wherein the metadata describes a plurality of selected media items of the selected media content, and the selected media content is selected by the second device;
searching for related media content from previously stored content based on the metadata, the related media content comprising at least one related media item not included in the plurality of selected media items;
accessing the related media content determined by searching;
directing display of display items for the selected media content and the accessed related media content substantially simultaneously on the display;
receiving an indication that identifies one of the display items; and
directing transfer of identified media content based on the indication.
44. The memory of claim 43 , said method further comprising:
moving select media content from the related media content to the selected media.
45. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the selected media content comprises an album.
46. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the slave device comprises a mobile communication device.
47. The memory of claim 46 , wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone.
48. The memory of claim 43 , wherein bonding the slave device to the master device includes bonding by a wireless communication medium that is compatible with at least one of BLUETOOTH, a wireless local area network (WLAN), radio frequency identification (RFID), and a wireless telecom network.
49. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the related media content comprises a collection of media files.
50. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the related media content comprises a file folder.
51. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the metadata comprises time metadata.
52. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the metadata comprises topic metadata.
53. The memory of claim 43 , wherein the metadata comprises file type metadata.
54. A method comprising:
bonding a slave device to a master device according to predetermined media file transfer parameters;
receiving, at the slave device, selected media content and metadata about the selected media content from the master device, wherein the metadata describes a plurality of selected media items of the selected media content, and the selected media content is selected by the master device;
directing display of an indication of the metadata on a first display of the slave device;
directing display of the selected media content on the slave device;
searching for related media content previously stored in the slave device that is associated with the selected media content based on the metadata, the related media content comprising at least one related media item not included in the plurality of selected media items;
accessing the related media content determined by searching;
directing display of display items for the selected media content and the accessed related media content substantially simultaneously on the first display;
receiving an indication that identifies one of the display items; and
directing transfer of identified media content based on the indication.
55. The method of claim 54 , wherein the master device comprises a second display to display the selected media content.
56. The method of claim 55 , further comprising: interfacing to a television display in communication with the master device.
57. The method of claim 56 , wherein directing display of the selected media content comprises directing display of the selected media content on the television display.
58. The method of claim 57 , wherein the identified media content is substantially simultaneously displayed on the first display, the second display, and the television display.
59. The method of claim 55 , wherein the identified media content is substantially simultaneously displayed on both the first display and the second display.
60. The method of claim 54 , wherein the selected media content comprises an album.
61. The method of claim 54 , wherein the slave device comprises a mobile communication device.
62. The method of claim 61 , wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone.
63. The method of claim 54 , wherein the selected media content comprises a thumbnail image.