Unified Media Library Access Across Local and External Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current electronic devices require separate and cumbersome processes to access local and external storage, leading to inefficient access and management of multi-terminal media content.

Innovation Solution

A content management method that utilizes a unified service to obtain and manage metadata and media content across multiple devices, enabling direct access and synchronization through a single interface, reducing the need for multiple applications and simplifying the access process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a specific application is used to access external storage device content, then the content can be accessed, but the access process becomes cumbersome and complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess processVSAvoidaccess process
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the access interfaces of local storage and external storage into a single unified interface. The media library service aggregates content from both local and external storage devices, allowing applications to access all media content through one standardized interface rather than requiring separate applications for each storage type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The media library service provides universal access functionality that works with both local and external storage devices. It implements a standardized API that applications can use to access media content from any storage source, making the access mechanism multi-functional and eliminating the need for storage-specific applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Quantity of substance

If content is stored in external storage device, then storage space is saved, but access efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidaccess efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The media library service acts as an intermediary between applications and external storage devices. It provides a caching mechanism that stores metadata and frequently accessed content locally, reducing the need for repeated access to external storage and thereby improving access efficiency while maintaining the benefits of external storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading metadata and maintaining content indexes in local memory. This allows applications to quickly search and access media content without having to repeatedly query external storage, thus improving access efficiency while content remains stored externally to save space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If separate applications are used for local and external storage access, then storage functionality is maintained, but operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage functionalityVSAvoidoperational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the storage system into two independent components: the media library service that manages content aggregation and the applications that consume content. This segmentation allows the service layer to handle the complexity of multi-storage management while presenting a simple interface to applications, maintaining reliability through clear separation of concerns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4447415B1Content management method, and electronic device and system
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4447415B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4447415B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4447415B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a content management method, an electronic device, and a system. The method is applied to a first electronic device. The first electronic device includes a first service and a first application. In this method, the first service obtains first information and second information, and stores the first information and the second information. The first information identifies first media content stored in the first electronic device, and the second information identifies second media content stored in a second electronic device, so that the first service can obtain and store identification information of media content stored in multi-terminal electronic devices. The first application can obtain the first information and/or the second information from the first service, and display the first information and/or the second information. Therefore, based on the first service and identification information of multi-terminal media content, the first electronic device can conveniently and quickly access the stored multi-terminal media content in a unified manner. Therefore, the method can improve efficiency of accessing stored multi-terminal media content by an application in the electronic device.