MEDIA DATA SERVICE FOR AN INTELLIGENT TELEVISION
An media data service for an Intelligent TV can search a network to identify media sources and determine a number of media items associated with the media sources. The media items can be media of any type, such as videos, music files, photos, text files, social networking postings, and the like. The media data service can scan the media items to identify metadata associated with them. The media data service may record personalized metadata associated with users such as a list of media items viewed or a list of media items tagged as a favorite. The metadata may be processed, organized into one or more data models, and stored in memory. The metadata stored in memory may be used by a user interface presented to a user.
1 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a processor to execute a method for accessing media on a television, the method comprising the steps of:
searching a network connected to the television to identify a plurality of media sources;
determining a number of media items associated with the plurality of media sources;
identifying metadata associated with the determined number of media items;
storing the metadata in a memory;
receiving a request from a user to display one or more of the media items; and
displaying on the television display the one or more media items based on the stored metadata.
2 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a search request from the user for an individual media item;
identifying multiple media sources in the plurality of media sources that have the individual media item;
presenting a list of offers from the multiple media sources to the user for the individual item;
receiving a selection by the user of an individual offer from the list of offers; and
providing access to the individual item.
3 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the list of offers comprises at least one of:
an offer to play the individual media item, an offer to view the individual media item, a pay per view offer to view the individual media item, an offer to rent the individual media item, an offer to purchase a ticket to a movie theater showing the individual media item, an offer to purchase the individual media item, a trial access offer to the individual media item, an offer to check out the individual media item, and an offer to access the individual media item on a social media site.
4 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of media sources comprises at least one of:
a video server, an audio server, a digital video recorder, a set-top box, a social media site, a voice mail server, a source marked by the user, a content provider, a compact disk player, a digital video device player, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a notebook, an audio player, a document server, a personal computer, a really simple syndication feed, a social media site, a universal serial bus device, an internet site, and a tablet device.
5 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the media sources is a device that can be temporarily connected to the network.
6 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein one of the at least one temporarily connected devices is not connected to the network.
7 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more media items displayed includes at least one recommended media item based on the stored metadata.
8 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising after receiving the request, identifying the user associated with the request, wherein the one or more media items displayed are based on stored metadata related to the identified user.
9 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein identifying metadata comprises:
performing a first scan of the determined number of media items;
retrieving basic metadata associated with the determined number of media items;
identifying media items that need a second scan; and
performing the second scan after the first scan is completed.
10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein storing the metadata in memory comprises:
assigning a unique media source identifier to each of the plurality of media sources;
assigning a unique media item identifier to each of the determined number of media items;
creating a personal metadata table to record media items viewed and media items tagged as a favorite;
creating a media source table to record metadata for all connected and disconnected media sources; and
creating a media data table to record all other identified metadata.
11 . A television system, comprising:
a display;
a memory;
a processor in communication with the memory and the display, the processor operable to:
search a network connected to the television to identify a plurality of media sources;
determine a number of media items associated with the plurality of media sources;
identify metadata associated with the determined number of media items;
store the metadata in the memory;
receive a request from a user to display one or more of the media items; and
display on the display the one or more media items based on the stored metadata.
12 . The television system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
receive a search request from the user for an individual media item;
identify multiple media sources in the plurality of media sources that have the individual media item;
present a list of offers from the multiple media sources to the user for the individual item;
receive a selection by the user of an individual offer from the list of offers; and
provide access to the individual item.
13 . The television system of claim 12 , wherein the list of offers comprises at least one of:
an offer to play the individual media item, an offer to view the individual media item, a pay per view offer to view the individual media item, an offer to rent the individual media item, an offer to purchase a ticket to a movie theater showing the individual media item, an offer to purchase the individual media item, a trial access offer to the individual media item, an offer to check out the individual media item, and an offer to access the individual media item on a social media site.
14 . The television system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of media sources comprises at least two of:
a video server, an audio server, a digital video recorder, a set-top box, a social media site, a voice mail server, a source marked by the user, a content provider, a compact disk player, a digital video device player, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a notebook, an audio player, a document server, a personal computer, a really simple syndication feed, a social media site, a universal serial bus device, an internet site, and a tablet device.
15 . The television system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the media sources is a device that can be temporarily connected to the network.
16 . The television system of claim 15 , wherein one of the at least one temporarily connected devices is not connected to the network.
17 . A method for accessing media on a television, the method comprising:
searching a network connected to the television to identify a plurality of media sources, the plurality of media sources comprising at least one of: a video server, an audio server, a digital video recorder, a set-top box, a social media site, a voice mail server, a source marked by the user, a content provider, a compact disk player, a digital video device player, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a notebook, an audio player, a document server, a personal computer, a really simple syndication feed, a social media site, a universal serial bus device, an internet site, and a tablet device;
determining a number of media items associated with the plurality of media sources;
identifying metadata associated with the determined number of media items;
storing the metadata in a memory;
receiving a request from a user to display one or more of the media items; and
displaying on the television display the one or more media items based on the stored metadata.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
receiving a search request from the user for an individual media item;
identifying multiple media sources in the plurality of media sources that have the individual media item;
presenting a list of offers from the multiple media sources to the user for the individual item;
receiving a selection by the user of an individual offer from the list of offers; and
providing access to the individual item.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein identifying metadata comprises:
performing a first scan of the determined number of media items;
retrieving basic metadata associated with the determined number of media items;
identifying media items that need a second scan; and
performing the second scan after the first scan is completed.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein storing the metadata in memory comprises:
assigning a unique media source identifier to each of the plurality of media sources;
assigning a unique media item identifier to each of the determined number of media items;
creating a personal metadata table to record media items viewed and media items tagged as a favorite;
creating a media source table to record metadata for all connected and disconnected media sources; and
creating a media data table to record all other identified metadata.