(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2006/0221190 A1
`Limberis et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Oct. 5, 2006
`
`US 20060221 190A1
`
`(54) TECHNIQUES FORTRANSMITTING
`PERSONAL DATA AND METADATA AMONG
`COMPUTING DEVICES
`
`(75) Inventors: Alexander John Limberis, San Jose,
`CA (US): Fenglei Du, Fremont, CA
`(US); David Nathan Blado, Santa
`Clara, CA (US); Hans Robert
`Guntren, San Mateo, CA (US)
`Correspondence Address:
`WOODCOCKWASHIBURN LLP
`ONE LIBERTY PLACE, 46TH FLOOR
`16SO MARKET STREET
`PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 (US)
`(73) Assignee: Lifebits, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
`(21) Appl. No.:
`11/386,163
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Mar. 22, 2006
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/665,336, filed on Mar.
`24, 2005. Provisional application No. 60/670,969,
`filed on Apr. 11, 2005.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`H04N 5/225
`
`(2006.01)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl. .......................................................... 348/2O7.1
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Personal data services, such as a set of Web services, are
`enabled that allow a user to enter personal metadata infor
`mation, e.g., about likely people and/or events to be targets
`of a camera capture event. Then, when a user's computing
`device acquires such metadata, e.g., via embedded Web
`services software, an intelligent user interface allows the
`user to enter whether any of Such personal metadata infor
`mation pertains to any personal data, such as a video, an
`audio file or an image, which is captured by the user's
`computing device. The personal data including the metadata
`information can be automatically uploaded via one or more
`wired and/or wireless networks to a device that hosts a
`personal data service, which stores the personal data and
`associated metadata, providing for effective means to access
`and manage a user's personal data store. The services of the
`invention also enable a system for identifying unknown or
`new metadata where existing metadata is not sufficient to
`describe a video, audio or image capture event. In addition,
`a gateway is provided that enables transfer of content from
`the Web services to other media service providers, such as
`a cable or television over Internet Protocol (“TVoIP) video
`or other video on demand (“VOD) service.
`
`
`
`
`
`Personal
`Data
`
`
`
`Enterprise
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 01 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 1 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`Portable
`Device PD
`
`s
`N
`V
`
`Unknown Event or Unknown Subject identified via
`Camera User Interface 100
`
`Event Sent to Server on Next Camera Connection 105
`
`Server Generates an E-Mail. or Web site Notice Alerts
`User of New Event - Metadata Unknown 110
`
`I
`I
`
`
`
`computing
`Device CD
`
`Email contains Link to Web site to Tag Event 115
`
`m
`
`User identifies Event 120
`
`New Event Becomes Part of User's Metadata Base 125
`
`Updated Database Sent to Camera on Next Connection
`130
`
`Portable
`Device PD
`
`FIG. 1
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 02 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 2 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`Content Sources
`
`Content Consumption
`
`
`
`
`
`Camera
`Client
`Source
`CC1
`
`
`
`Intermediate
`Computing .
`Device CD
`
`
`
`.
`
`
`
`Personal
`Data
`Content
`Server
`PDCS
`
`B N
`
`Camera
`Client
`Source
`CC3
`
`FIG. 2A
`
`
`
`Viewing
`Client WC
`
`es
`
`:
`:
`
`
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 03 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 3 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`Personal
`Data
`Content
`
`Camera
`Client
`Source CC
`
`
`
`Personal Data + Metadata
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 04 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 4 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`e Tuesday, December 20, 20gs
`
`User
`
`Camera
`Client
`Source 300
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 05 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 5 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`e Monday, January O2, 2005
`
`X
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Media Destination
`Lifebits Setings
`Transfer to Lifebits
`Lifebits Service status
`
`
`
`FIG. 3B une
`
`31 Ob
`
`€ 11:39 Gl
`(MediaDestinat R
`Select a Lifebits Media Folder
`
`Media Folder Keywords
`
`User Interface
`31 Oc
`
`
`
`. Adéla (fishis MegaRalais? . .
`
`FIG. 3C
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 06 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 6 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`;
`:
`T. ..., x3 ...
`E.Lifebits status R R
`< 11:39
`Lifebits Service Status
`Last Time Tags Synchronized
`9.17 2005 5:0:00 PM
`Media Files in Transfer Queue
`
`
`
`User Interface
`31 Od
`
`FIG. 3D
`
`
`
`.. Keywords
`
`User interface
`31 Oe
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 07 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 7 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`arrericaravit"...I.M.M:t.
`
`rival:MM"...ww.m. mex' &amway's
`
`pocket p
`file z
`amera
`
`User interface
`31 Of
`
`w
`
`PrincCSS
`.
`Dropdown
`320a
`
`Wedding
`office
`family Time
`
`Dropdown
`32Ob
`
`MPEG-4
`3224
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 08 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 8 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`User Interfac
`
`
`
`Y w ordin
`
`FG. 4A
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 09 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 9 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`Dropdown 411 b
`
`
`
`Frequency 411
`Transferl
`Download 412
`
`FIG. 4B
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 10 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 10 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`Username guest
`Password
`kikakkakakattack-k-k-k
`
`User Interface
`410C
`-"
`..."- Tag each transfer individually
`Media Folders
`414 - s --- Add description to each media files
`-
`m Keep media files after transfer.
`Tag Individually .
`416
`f
`
`Tag All 415
`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`Username input UN
`
`- Password Input PWI
`Frequency 411
`Transfer
`Download 412
`
`.
`
`. .
`
`. .
`
`. . .
`
`.
`
`.
`
`Keep or
`Discard 417
`
`FIG. 4C
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 11 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 11 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`User Interface
`510
`
`
`
`Soccer, Sports, Sun
`Coach, David,
`
`
`
`
`
`Keyword
`portion 510b
`
`dropdown 510a
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 12 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 12 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`600
`
`Tagged Personal Data (e.g.,
`videos or images) Available or
`Job Pending?
`
`610
`ew Service
`Descriptor?
`
`
`
`61 5 --
`
`
`
`Formulate Upload
`Fragments
`
`620
`Partially
`Uploaded?
`
`630
`Formulate Remaining.
`Upload Fragments
`
`
`
`Upload a Fragment
`
`Success
`or Done?
`
`Done
`
`640
`
`Success
`
`645
`
`
`
`Failed
`
`Al Done?
`
`650
`
`Yes
`
`
`
`5 65
`
`Complete Session
`
`FIG. 6
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 13 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 13 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`70 O
`
`Job Pending?
`
`70
`
`Y eS
`
`Formulate Local File
`and Fragments
`
`Yes
`
`750
`
`Complete Session
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 14 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 14 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`Personal
`Data
`Services 800
`
`Internet 805
`
`Core 810
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Ready to be
`Shared Video
`Clips 860
`
`interface 845
`
`
`
`New Video Clip
`Detection 850
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Service Status
`Display 835
`
`Device
`Descriptor 840
`
`Local Video
`Clips 855 N.
`
`New Video
`Clip(s) 865
`
`FIG. 8
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 15 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 15 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Network Service
`Available? 900
`
`Personal Data
`Services Live? 910
`
`Ping (Authentication Token)
`
`New Service
`Descriptor 920
`
`New Uset
`Descriptor? 930
`
`
`
`
`
`Authentication
`
`Personal Data
`Services 960
`
`Smart
`Transfer
`
`
`
`f
`
`Tac Updater 940
`g Up
`
`Uploader 965
`
`Tag Database 935
`
`Tagging 945
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Media Monitor 950
`
`
`
`
`
`Local Media
`Storage 970
`
`FIG. 9
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 16 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 16 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`Individual(s)
`
`
`
`Camera
`Client
`Source
`CC10
`
`Enterprise
`
`
`
`
`
`Personal
`Data
`Content
`Server
`PDCS1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Content
`Server
`PDCS2
`
`m
`
`Personal
`Data
`Content
`Server
`
`PDCS3
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Client
`Source
`CC2
`
`Client
`Source
`CC3
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 17 of 32
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 5, 2006 Sheet 17 of 17
`
`US 2006/0221190 A1
`
`Base Transceiver
`Station (BTS) 204
`
`Base Station
`Subsystem
`(BSS) 200
`
`Base Station
`Controller
`(BSC) 202
`
`
`
`
`
`internal Frame
`Relay Network 210
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`GGSN
`222
`
`:
`
`Internal Packet
`NetWork 220
`
`
`
`Support Node
`(GGSN) 226
`
`Fixed-End
`System (FES) or
`internet 230
`
`
`
`Boarder Gateway
`Router 234
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`act
`
`
`
`Qafirewall 232
`
`w
`
`Corporate
`NetWork 240
`
`Remote
`O Authentication Dial-
`S-4 in User Service
`(RADIUS) Server
`242
`
`Public Land
`Mobile Network
`(PLMN) 250
`
`Fig. 10B
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 18 of 32
`
`

`

`US 2006/0221 190 A1
`
`Oct. 5, 2006
`
`TECHNIQUES FORTRANSMITTING PERSONAL
`DATA AND METADATA AMONG COMPUTING
`DEVICES
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`0001. The present application claims priority to U.S.
`Provisional Applin. No. 60/665,336, filed Mar. 24, 2005, and
`entitled “System for Personal Video and Still Image Meta
`data Capture' and to U.S. Provisional Applin. No. 60/670,
`969, filed Apr. 11, 2005, and entitled “Notification System
`for Capturing New or Unknown Metadata for Personal
`Image/Video Metadata Capture System and Alerts.”
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`0002 The present invention is directed to techniques for
`communicating personal data among a plurality of comput
`ing devices. More particularly, the present invention is
`directed to user interfaces, devices, systems, methods and
`protocols for automatically communicating personal data,
`Such as images, videos, audio, etc., and associated metadata
`among computing devices.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`0003 Computing devices of all kinds have made people's
`lives faster, easier and more inexpensive in Some fashion,
`whether directly or indirectly, for many, many tasks in which
`people engage in their daily lives. For instance, advance
`ments in Software flexibility, processing power and digital
`storage have made digital cameras commonplace today for
`their clear benefits over their analog counterparts. While
`analog cameras still have some advantages to high end
`photographers, digital cameras have evolved to provide
`Substantially indistinguishable quality for the vast majority
`of photographs while simultaneously providing many ben
`efits in flexibility.
`0004 Digital cameras, for example, enable the recording
`of a large number of photographs compared to analog
`cameras. With analog cameras, a user has to buy expensive
`film limited to a small number of photographs, e.g., 36
`photographs, before the film has no more room whereas with
`digital cameras, in contrast, many photos, e.g., several
`hundred, may be recorded at a single time. Additionally, the
`memory of a digital camera is reusable, whereas the user of
`an analog camera must purchase new film. Other advantages
`of digital cameras, such as the ability to manipulate images
`directly in Software, also exist over traditional analog cam
`eras. Still further, portable devices of all kinds, including but
`limited to portable media players, cell phones, PDAs, now
`include cameras and associated memory, such that the
`availability of media content recorded by users has mush
`roomed in recent times.
`0005. However, the scalability of tasks that technology
`advantageously brings sometimes leads to additional prob
`lems due to the very scale that the technology itself enabled.
`Taking the case of digital cameras, instead of taking a few
`hundred pictures a year which were dutifully placed in
`physical albums that take up physical space, now thousands,
`if not tens of thousands, of photos can easily be taken by an
`avid user of various devices having digital camera capabili
`ties in a single year. A user cannot expect to develop each
`one of these photos into a physical copy because the amount
`
`of time that would be taken and eventually the amount of
`3-D space taken up by the albums would be limiting.
`0006 To address this issue, currently, each time a user
`runs out of room in memory of a digital camera for addi
`tional digital photographs, or at any time, the user can
`transfer the contents of the memory of the digital camera to
`another computing device. Such as a personal computer
`(PC), gaming system, laptop, handheld device, etc., where
`the photos can be stored according to the file system of the
`device (e.g., in folders, in a database, etc.), further manipu
`lated, displayed as a slideshow, or otherwise acted upon by
`the device. The user may also upload the photos from this
`other computing device, to the extent it is connected to a
`wide area network, Such as the Internet, to a server hosting
`a media storage and display service that is communicatively
`coupled to Such wide area network, at which point the user
`may share such folders to any friends, family, or other third
`parties who have access to the wide area network.
`0007. However, this process is not a good solution to the
`problem of scale that digital cameras have introduced for
`several reasons. For one, the process is more complex from
`a technological standpoint than many users are equipped to
`handle. This is true for both offloading media from a portable
`device. Such as a camera, to a transferee computing device
`and for uploading the content from the transferee computing
`device to a server. For instance, the offloading task may
`involve understanding the mode in which the camera needs
`to be, possessing an appropriate cable and corresponding
`understanding of where the interfaces of the cable are
`received by the transferor portable device and transferee
`computing device in order to achieve a proper download,
`and finally an understanding of Software on the transferee
`computing device, which may require a pre-configuration to
`be able to connect to the particular transferor portable
`device, that is not always entirely intuitive to a computer
`novice in order to initiate the offload. The uploading task can
`also be challenging to achieve for an infrequent user of a
`computer. For instance, it requires navigation and log-in to
`a web site, sometimes requires a download of extra Software
`to work, and requires the user, at a minimum, to have an
`understanding of how to find the data on the computer.
`0008 Additionally, these steps take significant time away
`from the user when the user could be performing more
`important tasks. An offload of a hundred still images from a
`camera, for instance, may require five to ten minutes, or
`more, to complete. Depending on the connection to the
`Internet, an upload to a server of a hundred still images may
`take even longer. In short, once a user has completed the task
`of creating media content, the user should be freed from the
`current pain caused by administration and overhead Sur
`rounding access to such media content.
`0009 Moreover, due to the sheer number of photos,
`Videos, audio clips, Songs, and the like that a user may store
`on a computer in different locations and folders, personal
`data management and search has grown out of control. Due
`to the scale of the problem, much like finding a needle in a
`haystack, it may be very difficult for a user to find a
`particular media item in his or her personal data store. While
`Some file systems and services allow a user to manually
`enter and attach metadata to a media item, again due to scale,
`adding metadata per media item is more trouble to the user
`than it is worth.
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 19 of 32
`
`

`

`US 2006/0221 190 A1
`
`Oct. 5, 2006
`
`0010. Accordingly, for these and other reasons, improved
`methods for transmitting personal data, Such as media con
`tent including video, images and audio files, among com
`puting devices, and for automatically assigning metadata to
`the personal data are desired.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`0011. In various embodiments, the invention enables a
`service, such as a set of Web. services, that allows a user to
`enter personal metadata information, e.g., about likely
`people and/or events to be targets of a camera operation of
`any of the user's computing devices. Then, when a user's
`computing device acquires such metadata, e.g., via embed
`ded Web services software, an intelligent user interface
`allows the user to enter whether any of such personal
`metadata information pertains to any personal data, Such as
`a video, an audio file, or an image, which is captured by the
`user's computing device. The personal data including per
`Sonal metadata information can be automatically uploaded
`via one or more wired and/or wireless networks to a device
`that hosts a personal data service, which stores the personal
`data and associated metadata, providing for effective means
`to access and manage a user's personal data store. The
`services of the invention also enable a system for identifying
`unknown or new metadata where existing metadata is not
`Sufficient to describe a video, audio or image capture event.
`In addition, a gateway is provided that enables transfer of
`content from the Web services to other media service
`providers, such as a cable or television over Internet Proto
`col (“TVoIP) video or other video on demand (“VOD)
`service.
`0012. Additional features of the invention are described
`in more detail below.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`0013 The system and methods for transmitting personal
`data and metadata among computing devices in accordance
`with the invention are further described with reference to the
`accompanying drawings in which:
`0014 FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram for
`generating new metadata for an unknown capture event in
`accordance with personal data services in accordance with
`the invention;
`0015 FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate exemplary aspects of
`the operation of the personal data services enabled by the
`invention;
`0016 FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E and 3F illustrate exem
`plary, non-limiting embodiments of user interfaces in accor
`dance with user interaction with a client device in accor
`dance with the invention;
`0017 FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate exemplary, non
`limiting embodiments of user interfaces in accordance with
`user authentication processes that may take place in con
`nection with the personal data services enabled by the
`invention;
`0018 FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary user interface for
`designating a media destination for media files to upload
`according to the techniques of the invention;
`0.019
`FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate exemplary, non-limiting
`flow diagrams for client upload and client download pro
`cesses, respectively, in accordance with the invention;
`
`0020 FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary, non-limiting interac
`tion among client Software components provided in accor
`dance with the invention;
`0021
`FIG. 9 illustrates exemplary, non-limiting interac
`tion among client software and server side components for
`implementing the personal data services in accordance with
`the invention;
`0022 FIG. 10A illustrates an exemplary non-limiting
`network architecture for uploading and downloading data
`between clients and servers in accordance with the inven
`tion; and
`0023 FIG. 10B illustrates an overview of a network
`environment suitable for service by embodiments of the
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE
`EMBODIMENTS
`0024. As described in the background, the state of
`today's interaction with camera devices of various sorts is
`painful due to the complexity and time consumption neces
`sary to achieve transfer and upload of media files, such as
`photos, videos, audio files, etc., to a common location.
`Additionally, organization and the ability to search personal
`data effectively, and to access and render Such data at will,
`can not easily be achieved today due to the time consump
`tion that is necessary to categorize Such media files by hand,
`and the lack of a common generalized architecture for
`rendering Such personal data to the user.
`0025. In consideration of such shortcomings, the inven
`tion enables a service that allows a user to enter personal
`metadata information, e.g., about likely people and/or events
`to be targets of a camera operation of any of the user's
`computing devices. Then, when a user's computing device
`having camera capabilities acquires Such metadata, e.g., via
`embedded Web services software, when personal data, such
`as a video, an audio file or an image, is captured, an
`intelligent user interface allows the user to enter whether any
`personal metadata information pertains to the capture, which
`is automatically stored with the capture.
`0026.
`In addition, if during the capture and tagging
`process, a new unknown event such as a new Subject, new
`location or new event is captured that is not satisfied by
`existing personal metadata information for the user, the user
`can tag the event directly as unknown. Then, after the device
`connects, e.g., via Web services, the unknown event is
`distributed to the user's account, or e-mail, allowing the user
`to easily tag the unknown event. This new unknown event is
`then known and added to the user's metadata database and,
`in turn, can be downloaded to the user's camera for use in
`the future.
`0027. The personal data including personal metadata
`information can then be automatically uploaded via one or
`more wired and/or wireless networks to a service, which
`stores the personal data and associated metadata, providing
`for effective means to manage a user's personal data store
`on-line. For instance, after capture, a video (or image stills,
`and/or audio) and collected metadata about the video can be
`trickle uploaded to a server via Web services whenever the
`digital camera device acquires an IP address (for some
`non-limiting examples, wherever there is a WiFi connection,
`a USB connection or other connection to a networked
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 20 of 32
`
`

`

`US 2006/0221 190 A1
`
`Oct. 5, 2006
`
`computer), to free the user from the pain of local memory
`exhaustion of the digital camera, or otherwise transfer the
`capture data via a direct and/or indirect networked connec
`tion. As a result, all of the user's content can be automati
`cally stored, catalogued and sharable from the server, e.g.,
`from a set top box, from a PC, from a cell phone, or any
`computing device Supporting the services (e.g., Web Ser
`vices) provided by the invention.
`0028. It is important to note that the services of the
`invention may be hosted by any number of computing
`devices having Sufficient processing and storage capabilities
`to host the personal data services described herein and to
`achieve the aggregation of personal data in accordance with
`the invention. In this respect, any “server” described herein
`may include multiple server computers, and a server is
`defined herein as “any computing device(s) that operate to
`host the personal data services' described herein. For
`instance, distributed computing provides sharing of com
`puter resources and services by exchange between comput
`ing devices and systems. These resources and services
`include the exchange of information, cache Storage and disk
`storage for objects, such as files. Distributed computing
`takes advantage of network connectivity, allowing clients to
`leverage their collective power to benefit an entire enter
`prise. In this regard, the services of the invention may thus
`be implemented in a distributed system, in a peer to peer
`architecture, and in hybrid architectures. The services of the
`invention may also be hosted in a home network, wherein a
`standalone PC acts as the server for a set of devices in the
`home. Accordingly, while the term server as utilized herein
`includes a traditional, or standalone networked "server'
`device, the term shall not be considered limited thereto.
`0029. In various embodiments described herein, the
`invention includes at least three main pieces or components
`to the system: a digital video (or still image) camera
`(“DVC), a video/still image Web service, and a gateway
`that enables transfer of content from the Web services to
`either a Cable or TVoIP video or other video on demand
`service.
`0030. In one embodiment of the invention, a portable
`device having image capture capabilities, such as a digital
`video camera (“DVC), includes an embedded client soft
`ware stack that interoperates with personal data services in
`accordance with the invention.
`0031. In one embodiment, prior to use, the DVC is
`preloaded with a set of preset metadata tags. These metadata
`categories include a broad set of default life events in
`connection with which the average consumer might use the
`camera enabled device to capture events as either digital
`stills or digital videos. For example, such metadata tags
`might include “First Child,”“Second Child,”“Birthday,
`'Anniversary.”“Christmas,” or other holidays popular in
`the locale of purchase, etc. The default metadata can be used
`even if the camera has never connected to the Web services.
`0032. When the camera enabled device connects to the
`personal data services of the invention, either tethered via a
`PC or un-tethered via a direct connection, the device oper
`ates as follows in one embodiment. First, when the user
`instantiates operation of a camera enabled device, after a
`period of time, e.g., a day, the camera prompts for the event
`that is being or was recorded, giving the user an opportunity
`to assign one or more event metadata tags to the event. Then,
`
`this event metadata tag is stored with the image data for use
`with the view services of the invention. Then, once a user's
`credentials are authenticated for use with a Web service
`provided by the invention, a customer can further download
`metadata entered at the Web service that is specific to, or
`tailored by, the customer, and the customer can upload any
`video data on the camera to the Web service, either auto
`matically when capable, or according to settings which
`determine when upload should occur.
`0033. In various embodiments of the Web services of the
`invention, when the user first signs up for the Web service,
`the service asks the user to identify key aspects in their lives,
`for example, the names of their children, their birthdays,
`parents names, anniversary dates, etc. This information is
`used for several purposes.
`0034) For instance, the Web services of the invention can
`download the metadata to any of the users camera enabled
`devices. A camera enabled device, as described above, is tied
`to the Web service via login credentials. Thus, when a
`camera enabled device first connects to the Web service, the
`camera enabled device can download the names and
`attributes of each of the metadata objects into the camera
`enabled device. This creates a richer, more customized,
`experience for the user. Instead of the user of the camera
`enabled device being presented only with the option for a
`birthday of their first child, the camera enabled device will
`know about the user's family, and thus the user will be able
`to select “Billy’s” or “Birthday,” or “Billy--Birthday.” Addi
`tionally, the camera enabled device includes intelligence to
`offer intelligent guesses as to what event is being recorded.
`For instance, where the camera enabled device knows the
`date and time, the camera enabled device will know that the
`event being recorded is around Billy's birthday and will
`therefore be able to suggest that the event is Billy's birthday,
`along with other probable events. The same will happen for
`other common events such as wedding anniversaries, and
`various events associated with brothers, sisters, parents, etc.
`0035) When the user records events of their lives, the user
`can select the metadata object(s) to be recorded with the
`Video, still image, or audio data. Thus, when the camera
`enabled device connects to the Web service, it uploads this
`information along with the video, still image and/or audio
`information.
`0036) The metadata can also be used for indexing and
`cataloging of recorded events. Thus, in another aspect of the
`invention, the Web service uses the metadata object(s)
`captured from the camera enabled device to index the video
`for later viewing ease. When a user logs into the Web
`services, for instance, the user is associated with the com
`munity according to setup as the owner of the Source data.
`They thus will see sorted recordings captured by them and
`be able to select them.
`0037. In addition to seeing the recordings sorted by
`events, the invention enables the user also to see them sorted
`by source user. One viewer may be members of multiple
`Source communities. For example, if the user is a grandpar
`ent, the grandparent is enabled by their Web service creden
`tials to see content posted by more than one of their children
`who have posted events for their children, and enabled
`grandparent access to the data.
`0038. It also should be noted that what is outlined above
`regarding a Web service providing the information to camera
`
`Exhibit 1024
`Page 21 of 32
`
`

`

`US 2006/0221 190 A1
`
`Oct. 5, 2006
`
`enabled device could just as easily be done directly on a
`local PC. Thus, for example, rather than a user entering the
`information on the Web service and having that information
`downloaded to the camera enabled device, a local PC
`application can gather and send this information to the
`camera enabled device directly, e.g., via USB or Bluetooth
`connection. Instead of the camera enabled device being
`required to connect to the Internet to download and upload
`the information, the camera enabled device achieves the
`same information exchange when connected locally to the
`PC via USB, FireWire (1394), WIFI, or any other network
`ing interface known to those of skill in the art.
`0039. In addition, the Web services of the invention
`enable a system for identifying unknown or new metadata
`where existing metadata is not sufficient to describe a video,
`audio or image capture event. In this regard, the invention
`includes a system for easy generation of previously
`unknown events, subjects or places.
`0040. In this regard, when the user of the camera enabled
`device captures a new event, Subject or place that is not
`already catalogued, he or she is presented with a menu
`system for tagging the content, as described above. For
`example, if the user were to capture a new subject, e.g.,
`Uncle Tom, and Uncle Tom had never been entered into the
`user's metadata database, one of the options on the camera
`enabled device's menu would be to select “new subject,” or
`a similar designation. Then, when the camera enabled device
`connects to the Web service, or if already connected, the
`camera enabled device can upload the video, audio or image
`along with any existing metadata and along with any “new
`subject' or “new event designations by the user.
`0041 As a result, the service can also generate an event
`to the user via e-mail, or as a notification on the user's home
`account via a Web site, that an unknown event was recorded.
`This will include information about the event such as the
`date and time, the unknown event number and a pointer to
`the uploaded video, audio or image, and/or some or all of the
`image data to remind the user that the event is untagged. The
`user is then presented with a Web form that enables them to
`add the metadata for the unknown event, Subject or place.
`This new information is then included in the user's metadata
`database, i.e., the store that records all of the metadata
`associated with that user, and can be downloaded to any of
`the user's camera enabled devices just as in the case that any
`other metadata is added.
`0042. As described above, default events that are stored
`in the camera enabled device may also generate notifications
`for metadata generation. For example, if the user first
`purchased the camera enabled device, and first child was
`never identified the first time first child is used as a tag, the
`system can generate an event so that the user will then
`update the metadata fields associated with the first child. In
`this fashion, the metadata associated with a user becomes
`richer and more personal to the user over time, and thus
`more helpful to the user.
`0043. As described herein, certain exemplary embodi
`ments or methods may describe the processing of images, or
`audio files (the user's own Voice, or a song, for instance), or
`a video (temporally related image data, optionally including
`audio), or a combination of any of the foregoing; however,
`for the avoidance of doubt, the invention is considered to
`apply to any permutation or combination of image data,
`
`audio data, and/or video data. Accordingly,