Taxonometric personal digital media organization
Network-based and client-based operating environments implement computerized systems and techniques for organizing and discovering digital media objects originating from personal digital media sources. The association between a user-selected computer-usable descriptor and a particular digital media object serves as a semantic medium for exchange of information about the digital media object via a network, independent of whether the digital media object is registered with an established digital content sharing service. A user-selected computer-usable descriptor is part of one or more collections of such descriptors that are organized into published data structures having data elements corresponding to particular real-world meanings. Leveraging the consistent associations of computer-usable descriptors with the subject matter of personal digital media content within digital media objects enables the widespread and efficient computerized discovery of relevant digital media objects.
1. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for semantically conveying information about personal digital media content, comprising:
identifying a plurality of predefined computer-usable descriptors published at a network-side processing location, the plurality of predefined computer-usable descriptors comprising a taxonomy relating to a body of knowledge, the plurality of computer-usable descriptors collaboratively edited by multiple end-users of personal digital media content, at least some of the end-users accessing the plurality of computer-usable descriptors via electronic devices operating within different networks, each computer-usable descriptor having an agreed-upon real-world meaning, the taxonomy moderated by an entity that accepts or rejects edits to the plurality of computer-readable descriptors;
presenting a user interface to an end-user of personal digital media content;
identifying a digital media object comprising personal digital media content originating from a personal digital media source, the digital media object not available for distribution via any commercial media content source;
via the user interface, receiving from the end-user edits of one or more of the plurality of computer-usable descriptors comprising the taxonomy;
receiving from the end-user a selection of a computer-usable descriptor having an agreed-upon real-world meaning related to the digital media object, the selected computer-usable descriptor being one of the one or more edited computer-usable descriptors; and
tagging the digital media object with the selected computer-usable descriptor, the tagging serving as a semantic medium for exchange of information about the digital media object via a network in such a manner that the tagged digital media object is able to be located by searching the network for the selected computer-usable descriptor, independent of whether the digital media object is registered with a personal digital media content sharing service.
2. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the digital media object is accessible via a personal digital media source selected from the group consisting of a computer, a digital media player, a personal digital assistant, and a mobile phone.
3. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-usable descriptor corresponds to a data element of a data structure having a plurality of data elements, each data element corresponding to a particular real-world meaning, the data structure accessible at a first processing location via a wide-area network.
4. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the first data structure comprises a hierarchically organized data structure.
5. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the digital media object is accessible at a second processing location via the wide-area network, and wherein the step of tagging the digital media object with the selected computer usable descriptor comprises arranging for establishment of a hyperlink between the first processing location and the second processing location.
6. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the step of tagging the digital media object with the selected computer usable descriptor comprises identifying a digital media object having a second computer-usable descriptor associated therewith, the second computer-usable descriptor semantically related to the selected computer-usable descriptor.
7. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 6 , wherein the second computer-usable descriptor corresponds to a data element within the same data structure as the selected computer-usable descriptor.
8. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 6 , wherein the second computer-usable descriptor corresponds to a data element within a different data structure than the selected computer-usable descriptor.
9. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are executable by a client-side processor.
10. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are executable by a network-side processor.