PROCESSES AND SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING EXTERNALLY STORED METADATA ASSOCIATED WITH A MEDIA ASSET USING A UNIQUE IDENTIFIER INCORPORATED INTO THE ASSET ITSELF
An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system.
1 . A process for integrating source node information and usage information into a media asset, comprising the steps of:
providing a media asset at a first node of a plurality of nodes;
integrating source node information within the media asset at each of the nodes, the source information for each node corresponding to information regarding each of the respective nodes; and
integrating usage information within the media asset corresponding to usage at any of the nodes.
2 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
extracting the source node information and the usage information at any of the nodes.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the source node information comprises a source identifier.
4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the source information comprises a source type.
5 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the source type comprises a person.
6 . The process of claim 5 , further comprising a source identifier corresponding to the person comprises any of a name, an email address, and a screenname.
7 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the source type comprises a device.
8 . The process of claim 7 , further comprising a source identifier corresponding to the device comprises any of a device manufacturer, a device model, and a unique device identifier.
9 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the source type comprises a web site.
10 . The process of claim 9 , further comprising a source identifier corresponding to the web site comprises any of a source URL, a containing URL, and an author.
11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the source information comprises a source creator.
12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the source information comprises an IP address.
13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the source information and the usage information are encoded within the media asset.
14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the source information and the usage information are selectably accessible at any of the terminals.
15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the terminals comprise a computer.
16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the media asset is provided by a source device.
17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the source device comprises any of a computer, a digital camera, a digital video camera, and a digital scanner.
18 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
Adding transfer information to the metadata corresponding to the transfer of the media asset between any of the nodes.
19 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the transfer information comprises any of a transfer date, an transfer time, and a transfer type.
20 . An enhanced media asset distributable from a first node to at least one other node, comprising:
a media asset located at the first node;
node information integrated within the media asset regarding the first node and each of the other nodes; and
usage information integrated within the media asset associated with usage of the media asset at any of the nodes.
21 .- 38 . (canceled)