Media Catalog System Using Time-Based Metadata for Video Clip Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital asset management systems lack efficient methods for managing time-based metadata in video content, which is crucial for effectively cataloging and retrieving video clips, leading to challenges in search and storage efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A media catalog system and method that captures time-based metadata within videos, allowing users to create virtual clips without modifying the original source media, and stores these clips as metadata assets, enabling efficient storage and retrieval while supporting multiple renditions and business metadata.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If video clips are stored as separate physical files, then retrieval and management is straightforward, but storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of video clips through metadata records that reference the source media file. Instead of storing physical copies of video segments, the system creates lightweight metadata assets containing time-based information (start time, end time, segment identifier) that point to the original source file. This allows multiple virtual clips to be created from a single source file without duplicating the actual video data, dramatically reducing storage requirements while enabling efficient retrieval through metadata queries.
2Productivity
If time-based metadata is captured and stored, then video clip retrieval and cataloging efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments video metadata into distinct, manageable components: source media identifier, time-based metadata (start time, end time), segment identifier, and business metadata. This segmentation allows the system to handle and process specific metadata elements independently, simplifying the overall system architecture. The segmented metadata structure enables efficient querying and retrieval operations without requiring complex full-text search capabilities, thereby improving cataloging efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple virtual clips are created from the same source media, then storage requirements are reduced, but management and organization becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary metadata layer that sits between the source media file and the user interface. This metadata asset acts as a mediator, containing all necessary information (time-based metadata, segment identifiers, business metadata) to describe and manage virtual clips without requiring direct manipulation of the source media file. The intermediary metadata structure simplifies management by providing a standardized format for organizing multiple virtual clips, enabling efficient querying and retrieval operations while maintaining low storage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a new way to catalog digital assets derived or otherwise created from an original source such as a video, clip, movie, film, or the like. In one embodiment, time-based metadata, along with technical metadata and business metadata can be captured within a video and collected locally at a client device running media catalog client software. The collected information can be communicated to a media catalog server at the back end. The media catalog server can create a new asset based on the collected information and store the asset in a database. Multiple assets may be created to describe and reference the same video. However, the video itself is not modified and no variation of the video is created in anyway.