U.S. patent application number 13/975176 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-26 for temporal and geographic presentation and navigation of linked cultural, artistic, and historic content.
The applicant listed for this patent is Gilbert Marquard ROSWELL. Invention is credited to Gilbert Marquard ROSWELL.
Application Number | 20130346862 13/975176 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43586531 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130346862 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ROSWELL; Gilbert Marquard |
December 26, 2013 |
TEMPORAL AND GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION AND NAVIGATION OF LINKED
CULTURAL, ARTISTIC, AND HISTORIC CONTENT
Abstract
Collections of music and other items, related by time, location,
genre, and artist, are registered in a data model to provide a
foundation for their curatorship, discovery, and procurement. A
series of choices, where a choice is a combination of time, place,
genre, and artist, represents a map through the history and culture
of music. Both expert and regular individual curators define the
maps. Animated murals depicting a fundamental combination of time,
place, genre, and artist provide a user interface for the
navigation of music, its history, and culture. Integration with
hand held GPS enabled devices provides users with knowledge of
music events and history relative to their present location.
Inventors: |
ROSWELL; Gilbert Marquard;
(Pacific Palisades, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ROSWELL; Gilbert Marquard |
Pacific Palisades |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
43586531 |
Appl. No.: |
13/975176 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12855612 |
Aug 12, 2010 |
8533175 |
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13975176 |
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61233639 |
Aug 13, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/716 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/958 20190101;
G06Q 30/0641 20130101; G06F 16/638 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/716 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A computer implemented method for temporal and geographic
presentation and navigation of linked cultural, artistic, and
historic content, comprising the steps of: providing a processor
that registers collections of music and music-related information
in a database and to make said collections of music and
music-related information available to users, wherein said
collections of music and music-related information are classified
in said database in networks that establish each item's context,
either directly or via its connections in the network, with respect
to one or more canonical categories comprising any of time,
location, genre, and artist; and said processor providing a
navigation facility for user selection of a combination of said
canonical categories in connection with said collections of music
and said music-related information, and for generating and
presenting to said user in response to said user selection a
corresponding map that includes images of music, its history, and
culture with regard to said collections of music and music-related
information; in response to said user selection, said processor
presenting said culture on said map that comprises results that
include images of any of fashion, film, literature, music, and
news.
2. A computer implemented method for temporal and geographic
presentation and navigation of linked cultural, artistic, and
historic content, comprising the steps of: providing a processor
that registers collections of music and music-related information
in a database and to make said collections of music and
music-related information available to users, wherein said
collections of music and music-related information are classified
in said database in networks that establish each item's context,
either directly or via its connections in the network, with respect
to one or more canonical categories comprising any of time,
location, genre, and artist; said processor providing a navigation
facility for user selection of a combination of said canonical
categories in connection with said collections of music, one or
more songs within said collections or music, and said music-related
information; and said processor generating and presenting to said
user at least one animated mural comprising said images and that
depicts a fundamental combination of time, place, genre, artist,
and culture in connection with said music-related information;
wherein said animated mural comprises a dynamically animated
selection of said images derived from the user's current
selection.
3. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, wherein said images
further comprise any of regions, cities, artists, news items,
fashion trends, movies, books, television shows, memorabilia,
merchandise, culture archives, and genres of art.
4. The method of any of claim 1, further comprising: said map
incorporating links to external Web sites.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said map is defined by both
expert and regular individual curators and is subject to sharing
and group evaluation and ranking.
6. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor providing a facility for storing to, and retrieving
from, said database community ranked curator and community
commentary and recommendations, cultural events and elements, and
media content in connection with said music-related
information.
7. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor providing a commerce facility for user procurement
of materials related to said music-related information.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein said mural further comprises a
user interface for navigation of music, its history, and
culture.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said mural comprises any of film,
fashion, art, literature, books, news, and comedy.
10. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor interacting with a GPS-enabled device.
11. The method of any of claims 1 and 2, further comprising: said
processor providing a user of a GPS-enabled device with a facility
to query said database in connection with music and current and
historical events relative to said user's present location to
enable discovery of music history points of interest in both a
virtual world of media content displayed by a said device and in a
physical world by guiding said user to actual places of
interest.
12. The method of claim 5, further comprising: said processor
transforming a vocabulary used by curators into a predicate
namespace of semantic music ontology for indexing of external
resources.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said predicate namespace
describes content available to said user; and further comprising:
said processor using said predicate namespace to filter a result
set and customize an overall context on top of a core context of
time, location, genre, and artist.
14. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor interacting with an electronics device.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
providing a navigable relationship network view of users, curators,
communities, and elements of a map database.
16. The method of any of claims 1 and 2, further comprising: said
processor presenting clusters of icon images to a user to depict
said user's current selection.
17. The method of any of claims 1 and 2, further comprising: said
processor providing an iconic filter constructer for dynamically
grouping related results into a plurality of categories.
18. The method of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
presenting maps of the world in a musical context.
19. The method of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
providing a location element for a fundamental relationship of
music within a map interface; said processor annotating said map
with music related items of interest according to a selection
category; and said processor displaying items subject to a user's
current filter settings.
20. The method of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
publishing said map to a social networking facility.
21. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor indexing said database to cross reference all of
producers, engineers, and musicians with regard to individual
recordings within said collections and relative to music, its
history, and culture.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
providing a game element for user interaction pursuant to a game
play application, wherein game play relates to a user media culture
map, and wherein said user gains any of points and rewards for
successful game play.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein said rewards comprise any of
attaining curator status and attaining community recognition.
24. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor taking as input any song presented by the user to
define the time, place, genre, artist, and context; and responsive
thereto, said processor presenting to said user at least one
animated mural comprising a dynamically animated selection of
images.
25. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, wherein a play list
of songs presented by the user animates cultural context.
26. The method of any of claim 1 and claim 2, further comprising:
said processor receiving an input that pivots an artist from said
collections of music and music-related information to an other
field; wherein said other field comprises any of film, art,
literature, news, photography, fashion, and comedy; and wherein
said artist comprises any of a director, painter, author,
photographer, designer, and comedian.
27. The method of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
receiving an input that pivots an artist from said collections of
music and music-related information to an other field; wherein map
context reflects said other field.
28. The method of claim 2, wherein said mural comprises any of an
album cover and other visual cultural images that associates an
artist with said album or with one or more songs.
29. The method of claim 2, wherein said mural comprises a 3D space
that includes layered elements of time, place, genre, artist, and
culture and that provides a user navigable composite 3D
environment.
30. An index for conceptual, navigational, and physical
organization of music-related materials, comprising: a processor
configured as a registry for maintaining relationships between a
plurality of data objects comprising descriptions of music, its
history, and culture, which establish each object's context with
respect to a set of canonical categories, either directly or via
its connections in a network; said canonical categories comprising
any of time, location, genre, and artist; each data object
comprising one or more parent objects through which an ancestry can
be traced that leads to one or more instances of said canonical
categories; wherein a data object becomes a source of a search by
tracing said ancestry to said canonical categories; wherein results
of said search are specified by a type of data object that is to be
returned; wherein results for said type are obtained by
ascertaining which data objects so classified share ancestry with
the data object that is the source of the search in said canonical
categories; and wherein ancestry of said index with respect to said
canonical categories provides a plurality of core filters for data
object search and retrieval; and said processor configured to
provide a navigation facility for user selection of a combination
of all of said canonical categories in connection with collections
of music and said music-related information, and for generating and
presenting to said user in response to said user selection a
corresponding map or animated mural that includes images of music,
its history, and culture with regard to said collections of music
and music-related information; said culture presented on said map
or mural in response to said user selection comprising results that
include images of fashion, film, literature, music, and news.
31. An extensible framework for classification, curatorship, and
navigation of music and its supporting media, history, and culture,
comprising: a processor configured to implement a data model
namespace of supporting element names which define predicates in a
semantic music ontology; said processor configured to provide a map
or animated mural which exposes said semantic music ontology with
regard to collections of music and music-related information; said
processor configured to provide a user operable filter by which
said user navigates said semantic music ontology; and said
processor configured to generate for display said map or mural in
response to user navigation of said semantic music ontology with
said user operable filter, said map or mural comprising any of
images of music, its history, and culture with regard to said
collections of music and music-related information; wherein culture
presented on said map or mural in response to said user selection
comprises results that include images of any of fashion, film,
literature, music, and news; and said images further comprising any
of regions, cities, artists, news items, fashion trends, movies,
books, and genres of art.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/855,612, filed Aug. 12, 2010, which
application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application
Ser. No. 61/233,639, filed Aug. 13, 2009, each of which application
is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference
thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The invention relates to information search and retrieval
using the World Wide Web. More specifically, the invention relates
to the preservation, digital curatorship, and navigation of music
and its history, culture, and community.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] Developments in technology over the last twenty years have
had a profound impact on music, particularly popular music, and how
it is produced, marketed, distributed, and consumed. The trend is
towards Web-based digital formats, such as MPEG-3 acquired from
such Web sites as Apple iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, etc, and away
from traditional brick and mortar record stores. In the process,
the human element of the music store staff, knowledgeable guides to
help locate and recommend music, has been lost. A further effect of
the move to digital, Web-based downloads is that the packaging of a
work of music, with cover art, liner notes, lyric sheets, etc has
also been largely lost. The individual components (songs) of a
given collection might even be obscured.
[0006] Social networking Web sites, such as MySpace, FaceBook, and
Twitter and the phenomenon of Web logging (blogs) further set the
stage for network-based communities related by common interests.
However, no such site exists which brings together the elements of
music culture required to preserve and navigate its rich history
and diverse character effectively.
[0007] There is great value for learning and for growing
communities by connecting those individuals having specific
interests to experts in the field, as well as to each other. This
principle is evidenced by traditional museums and by social
networking sites for the expression of subjective tastes and
opinions and by group collaboration sites, such as Wikipedia,
producing significant bodies of objective knowledge. It has not
however been applied to the general navigation, discovery, and
sharing of music and music history and culture through communities
of common interests seeded and led by expert curatorship.
[0008] Rather than contribute to the dissipation and loss of music
culture, technology should be used to preserve and enrich it. A
large body of recorded music exists since the invention of the
phonograph. Collections of music recordings, photographs, videos,
personal accounts, artifacts, memorable, etc exist in private,
public, and commercial hands. While many music download sites
exist, and manufactures of portable music storage and playback
devices, such as the iPod, provide various services to describe,
search, recommend, and catalog music, there is no such service or
methodology that provides a comprehensive facility to capture,
preserve, and navigate the rich body of materials which exist. To
do so requires that the fundamental nature of music phenomenon be
understood and its essential underlying relationships be employed
to create an intuitive user interface for its navigation with
optimized data system architecture for its storage and
retrieval.
[0009] The commercial music industry has been adversely affected by
the World Wide Web. Challenges to conventional sales and marketing
of recorded music exist in the areas of copyright protection and
distribution that the industry is still coping with. An apparatus
to make the substantial catalogs of music and related materials,
such as interviews, artifacts, video clips, etc possessed by
various institutions available for general discovery and potential
sale by an integrated, guided musical navigation system which
address licensing concerns provides a much needed outlet for both
the music materials and the persons and institutions owning
them.
[0010] There is a fundamental relationship between works of music
and the artists that create them, and the time, location, genre,
and cultural climate in which they are conceived and produced.
These elements provide the best possible classification and search
criteria for creating a comprehensive apparatus for the cataloging,
search, and discovery of music, its history, and the culture that
inspired it. No such facility, service, or apparatus today exists
which applies this principle of organization.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The invention relates to the effective organization of music
by bringing together time, place, genre, and artist with curator
and community commentary and recommendations, cultural events and
elements, media content, and a facility for procurement of related
materials. The consistent focus of these fundamental elements of
music and principles of organization provides a unique user
experience that is a key aspect of the current invention.
[0012] Collections of music and music related items, such as
podcasts, photos, news articles clips, stories, memorabilia, etc
are registered and made available through the system by the persons
or institutions which own them. The materials are related
fundamentally by classification of time, location, genre, and
artist. A unique and novel data model based on this fundamental
relationship provides the foundation for the curatorship, discovery
and potential procurement of the music related materials registered
by the system. This enables not only the preservation of the
culture and histories inherent in these collections, but also a
long tail market for the sale of items that are available for
procurement.
[0013] Individual tastes, preferences, and interests lead to
different choices in navigation. A series of choices, where a
choice is a combination of time, place, genre, and artist,
represents a map or guided tour through the history and culture of
music in a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. These
maps contribute to the body of related materials for a given
combination and are published as links on external Web sites. Both
expert and regular individual curators define them. They are the
subject of sharing and group evaluation and ranking as are the
curators themselves. These maps through music, its history, and
culture are a reflection of the curators who create them, and are a
distinct and novel feature of the invention.
[0014] Animated murals depicting a fundamental combination of time,
place, genre, and artist provides a unique visual experience and
user interface for the navigation of music, its history, and
culture. These murals are made available as embedded objects on
external sites such as MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, etc and provide
a distinctive expression of music to those external Web pages.
[0015] Integration with handheld GPS-enabled devices, such as
Apple's iPhone, provides users of the system with knowledge of
music events and history relative to their present location. This
enables a first hand discovery of music history points of interest
in not only the virtual world of media content displayed on a
computer, but also in the physical world where the user is guided
to the actual places of interest.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schema that lists the elements of the invention
in three categories, used consistently in the preferred
embodiments, shown as top level data model classifications;
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a map index defining the fundamental
relationship of music, its history, and culture according to the
invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates primary data model abstractions designed
to relate items of interest such as knowledge, media, articles for
purchase, or other music related materials to a map index according
to the invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a data model for physical access to the
items of interest associated with a map index and instantiating one
of the primary data model abstractions according to the
invention;
[0020] FIGS. 5a-5q illustrate a preferred embodiment of a key
filter mechanism and navigation device used to implement a user
interface according to the invention;
[0021] FIGS. 6a-6f illustrate a map mural depicting the fundamental
relationship of music in an interactive animated user interface
according to the invention;
[0022] FIGS. 7a-7l illustrate a network relationships view of the
primary representations of music, and its history, culture, and
related items in the unique and personal perspective of a user
according to the invention;
[0023] FIGS. 8a-8h illustrate a curator function according to the
invention;
[0024] FIG. 9a-9i illustrate a music view of the world, where
available interfaces for satellite images of the earth are
augmented with specific music related points of interest according
to the invention;
[0025] FIGS. 10a-10d illustrate the integration of a user interface
with a hand held Internet-enabled telecommunications computing
device with GPS according to the invention;
[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates the integration of a user interface with
a general purpose Internet-enabled gamming console computing device
according to the invention;
[0027] FIG. 12 illustrates integration of a user interface with a
general purpose Internet-based music service according to the
invention; and
[0028] FIG. 13 is a block schematic diagram of a machine in the
exemplary form of a computer system within which a set of
instructions for causing the machine to perform any one of the
herein disclosed methodologies may be executed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] An embodiment of the current invention, herein referred to
as a map, is the implementation of a set of user interface features
and abstractions and physical design organization principles
exposing the fundamental relationship of music as defined herein;
time, location, genre, and artist. The user interface abstractions
include an animated mural, filter bar, network relationships view,
music annotated maps, and a music GPS. In addition to this broad
and general definition, specific user interface elements will be
presented as a preferred embodiment whose representation is taken
to be representative but not limiting to the general
definition.
[0030] The fundamental relationship of music provides not only the
basis for navigation at the conceptual level but also the physical
design of the implementation for optimization of the delivery
apparatus. The delivery apparatus constitutes a transformation of
the input fundamental relationship values to a unique and novel
corresponding presentation of music, its history, and culture.
[0031] A unique and novel feature of the invention is that all
content is registered with the system though an act of curatorship.
The human element of story telling, and deliberate association of
music and music related materials and items, enables a high
standard of quality and consistency in the resulting experience.
The map curators have a rank and include professional expert
curators employed by the map organization, as well as ordinary
users. Groups of curators with common interests form
communities.
[0032] Elements
[0033] FIG. 1 is a schema that names the physical components of a
presently preferred embodiment of the invention, i.e. the core
elements 100, primary elements 101, and supporting elements 102, as
implemented by an Object/Relational Model Data Base Management
System (ORM/DBMS) under an application execution environment with
persistence and presentation layers. The named elements represent
not only physical design structures for the definition of a
relational database storage and retrieval system, but also the
user-facing business logic and Graphical User Interface (GUI)
components that implement the functionality described herein. The
general implementation of the underlying architecture upon which
the invention may be built is described in the prior art as a Model
View Controller (MVC) design. A realization of the physical design
structures and functionality required to implement the invention is
possible with standard Web application frameworks, such as Ruby on
Rails for example, with supporting standard SQL relational database
applications, such as Oracle for example, with embedded user
interface technologies, such as Adobe Flash for example. A number
of frameworks exist in the prior art which can provide the
foundation. Specific examples are provided only to clarify how one
reasonably skilled in the art can realize the invention and do not
limit the scope of the invention to any particular embodiment.
[0034] Core Element Relation
[0035] FIG. 2 shows the fundamental relationship of music as
defined in a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and
provides the basis for the conceptual, navigational, and physical
organization of music-related materials. This fundamental
relationship between the four core elements is referred to herein
as the Map Index 200. All descriptions of music, its history, and
culture are registered in the system, along with a time 201,
location 202, genre 203, and artist 204. Each of the core elements
has a unique numeric id, maintained by the underlying relational
database management system. The unique numeric id is used as the
foreign key in referencing the Map Index 200 and relating the
corresponding core elements. Hence, each combination of one numeric
id from each of the core elements 201-204 corresponds to a unique
map_id of the Map Index 200. The assignment of a single unique
numeric id to each combination of core elements optimizes the
mapping of higher level abstractions to the subject relationship
with reduction of four-to-one the number of required index
operations. At the same time, the partition of the Map Index into
the four core elements provides four core filters for data object
search and retrieval. For example, optimized responses to user
interactions include selecting all higher level abstractions with
the same map_id, or all map_id with the same time_id. In all, in
the presently preferred embodiment there are fifteen possible
filter options available from the four core elements of the Map
Index, excluding the empty set; all four, any one, any two, or any
three core elements specified with the remaining core elements of
the map_id allowed to take on any value. For example, select all
map_id with time_id=4.
[0036] Primary Element Relation
[0037] While the fundamental relationship of music is implemented
by the core elements, 201-204 of the Map index 200, a set of
primary elements 302-306 shown in FIG. 3 establish the next higher
level of abstraction for the classification and organization of
music, its history and culture. In this embodiment, each data
object is related to one of the five primary category types, i.e.
curator 302, community 303, culture 304, content 35, and shopping
306. The combination of a primary type id 307 with a map_id 301
establishes a primary element 300. The primary element defines a
collection of music related data objects as associated with a
specific time, location, genre, and artist by way of the map_id.
The primary element enables selection of all the primary types
available for a given map_id, or all the map_id available for a
given primary type. It further enables the selection of all the
map_id for a specific instance of any one of the primary
categories. For example, the cultural events for a given year, are
selected from the primary elements with a map_id with the given
year and primary type_id for culture, all data objects with
community relationships are selected from the set of map_id which
belong to an element_id having a primary type_id for community, and
all data objects with relationships to a specific curator are
selected from map_id which belong to an element_id with a
primary_id for the specific curator. The type_id of the primary
categories 302-306 is an enumerated constant of the implementing
class. It behaves as a foreign key for the category type in the
primary element id 300, however it is used as a software switch or
polymorphic selector, not as a join key in the supporting
relational database; there is no stored value in the corresponding
category model. This design provides a natural partition for load
distribution of both the data storage and data processing required
to implement the invention.
[0038] Supporting Element Relation
[0039] FIG. 4 shows the physical storage of data objects 402
representing music, its history, and culture. The data object
representations are implemented by supporting elements 401 related
to primary elements 400 many-to-one. Each primary element, relates
any number of supporting elements to the fundamental relationship
of music 200 through association with a primary element 400. For
example, all of the supporting elements for a specific curator with
respect to a given time, location, genre, and artist are selected
by the element_id with the indicated primary_id and map_id
combination in the element_id.
[0040] Filter Bar Abstraction
[0041] As discussed above, the preferred embodiment incorporates
the collective knowledge inherent in thousands of expert and
community recommendations, major museum resources, and several
lifetimes' worth of music collecting and appreciation. The map
provides a filter bar abstraction that presents the same knowledge,
unfolded in ways that encourage users to discover new connections
to the music they love. The core element relationship is exposed to
the user through a filter bar abstraction 500, an embodiment of
which is shown in FIGS. 5a-5q as the results of a user's search for
"1968 san francisco rock."
[0042] The filter bar presents a view with an interface to time
501, place 502, genre 503, and artist 504. These are respectively
the input devices for the model elements 201-204 of FIG. 2. The
user selects any or each of these items to focus their navigation
accordingly. Any items that are not selected by the user are the
subject of random selection by the system. The Map icon at the top
of the filter bar 500 issues a re-randomization when selected.
Works of music matching the core element relationship 505 are
selectable by artist 506 and song 507. The curatorship interface
508 allows both individual 509 and community curatorship 510. The
Culture 511, Content 512, and Shopping 513 interfaces relate the
selected music to curator and/or community defined items of
interest for their respective primary categories. These user
interfaces abstractions 509-513 expose the primary element relation
categories 302-306 of the data model shown in FIG. 3. Use cases of
the filter abstraction are depicted in FIGS. 5b-5q.
[0043] The Map has six search categories:
[0044] Time, Location, Genre, Artist, Album, and Song.
[0045] Whenever the user performs a search, their search terms are
analyzed and used to populate as many of the search categories as
possible. Those categories then persist throughout the site at the
top of the filter bar interface, and their contents can be modified
by the user at any time, either through subsequent searches or
through individual controls, for example, a timeline slider to
select the year.
[0046] The search categories act as filters which determine search
results in a variety of results categories, organized into groups
shown underneath the search categories in the filter bar:
[0047] Music--This group converts any unused search categories into
results categories. In this example, the user has not specified an
album or song in their search, so recommended albums and songs are
shown here.
[0048] Curators/Community--Recommended music experts from the Map
and the user base at large.
[0049] Culture--Related results in Fashion, Film, Literature,
Music, and News.
[0050] Content--Related results from third-party information
resources such as the All Music Guide, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
and YouTube.
[0051] Shopping--Recommended products from brands including Amazon,
EBay, iTunes and Netflix.
[0052] Whenever the user accesses search results in one of the
results categories, the results are determined by the locked in
search categories. The Curators group gets special prominence
because of the overall importance of curator recommendations to the
site, and top-rated community experts are also featured.
[0053] Unlike traditional discrete searches, however, the Map
search is affected not only by explicit criteria input by the user,
but also by the user's path through the site. In effect, the user's
initial search is smeared with their browse path to provide fresh
results on each new page the user visits, while still maintaining
some continuity with their original search.
[0054] How does this work?
[0055] Let's say the user searches for "1968 rock san francisco
quicksilver messenger service." The Map search engine parses those
search terms and locks in the following as search categories:
[0056] Time: 1968 Location: San Francisco Genre: Rock Artist:
Quicksilver Messenger Service
[0057] Clicking on the icons for any of the results categories
returns items filtered by the search categories. For example, if
the user clicks the Curators icon, they see a list of Map curators
who are experts in San Francisco rock from 1968. If they click on
the News icon, they see a list of key news items related to the San
Francisco rock scene in 1968.
[0058] The Map's content management system allows curators and
editors to tag certain results as more broadly relevant than their
default categorization might imply. For example, the assassination
of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 would clearly be associated with
both 1968 and Memphis in the Map database. However, because the
assassination was such a significant event, it could be manually
flagged in the Map database to appear in all searches for 1968,
regardless of whether the specific city the user searched for was
Memphis or not.
[0059] Note that the specific culture icon that appears in the
filter bar changes randomly until the user makes a specific
category selection in this widget. Each icon presents the user with
results specific to their search (see, for example, FIG. 5m).
[0060] Note that also the specific content icon that appears in the
filter bar changes randomly until the user makes a specific
category selection in this widget. Each icon presents the user with
results specific to their search (see, for example, FIG. 5o).
[0061] Further note that the specific store icon that appears in
the filter bar changes randomly until the user makes a specific
store selection in this widget. Each store icon presents the user
with results specific to their search in a cover flow carousel
(see, for example, FIG. 5q).
[0062] Mural Abstraction
[0063] A unique feature of the invention, depicted in FIGS. 6a-6f,
is the visual assembly and animation of a mural 600.
[0064] The mural displays the results of the user's current filter
selection 601. Displayed are iconic representations of data items
of interest such as albums, videos, books, interviews, news events,
etc, with a back ground image representing the current location and
presentation satisfying the current filters 601. The mural icons
are hot links to corresponding representations and display
descriptive text of the represented items on mouse over events. A
set of selectors 602 enable/disable each of the four fundamental
relationships filters 201-204 of FIG. 2 independently. Qualified
representations of music, its history, and culture 605 are
presented in the mural with the current time 604 indicated and
selectable from a time line 603. The location of the current search
is viewed either geophysically (Earth, shown) 607 or conceptually
(Network) by a map selector 606. The Network view and Earth maps
are described in greater detail below.
[0065] The Map home page as it appears after the user has done a
search is shown in FIG. 6b, and presents to the user the
following:
[0066] 1. Mural.
[0067] A dynamically animated selection of images derived from the
user's current search. Images may represent regions, cities,
artists, news items, fashion trends, movies, books, and genres of
art. When rolled over, each image displays a pop-up that provides
more information and options.
[0068] 2. Interactive timeline. An interactive timeline allows the
user to change the current year at will. Any changes are
immediately reflected in the imagery and the Time icon.
[0069] 3. Search status. This element, which appears throughout the
site associated with various interactive modules, shows which of
the four search components are being used to generate the content
shown (here, the Mural imagery). Clicking on a given icon toggles
it on and off, making the related results either broader or more
refined.
[0070] 4. Media selector. Plays a selection of tracks driven by the
user's search. Clicking "Expand player" reveals transport controls
and additional details about the current track; clicking "Top
tracks . . . " opens a menu with additional playlist options,
including a video playlist.
[0071] 5. Mapping module--Earth mode. Displays the user's current
location in the history of music, based on their most recent
search, either as a point on a globe, or as a node in a diagram of
pop culture referents. As the contents of the Location icon in the
filter bar change, the globe rotates to center on the new
location.
[0072] 6. Welcome messaging. Introduces the user to the Map, and
the major activities users perform on the site, e.g. exploring
curator-recommended music and, optionally, building their own
Map.
[0073] 7. Full screen option. Toggles full-screen display of the
Mural on and off.
[0074] 8. Latest updates. This area displays the latest items of
the Map music news. Clicking the "x" button closes the updates
box.
[0075] FIG. 6c depicts the following functionality:
[0076] 1. Expanded media player. The expanded media player provides
transport controls and additional details about the currently
playing track.
[0077] 2. Track purchase dialog box. Clicking the "Buy" button
triggers the appearance of this dialog box which provides options
to purchase the song from iTunes, Amazon.com, or Rhapsody. The user
can also listen to the song or expand the dialog further to reveal
other types of related products that can be browsed in a cover flow
style carousel.
[0078] 3. Playlist menu. Allows the user to select other playlists
relevant to their search, including a video playlist that replaces
the Mural with a video player.
[0079] FIG. 6d depicts the following functionality:
[0080] 1. Curator promotion. Whenever a user search returns a Map
curator that has not been previously promoted, a pop-up promotion
appears which introduces the user to the curator. Clicking on the
curator photo or icon replaces the promotion with the full Curator
widget and its results.
[0081] FIG. 6e depicts the following functionality:
[0082] 1. Mural rollover. When the user rolls over an image in the
Mural, a pop-up box appears offering further details, a link to the
dedicated page for the item, and the opportunity to add the item to
the user's Map.
[0083] FIG. 6f depicts the following functionality:
[0084] 1. Mapping module--Network mode. When this module is togged
into Network mode, it shows the user's current search in icon form,
with a multilayered ticker of related elements, including Map
curators, arrayed to the right. Clicking a specific element takes
the user to its dedicated page, clicking elsewhere in the module
takes the user to the Network View page.
[0085] Network View Abstraction
[0086] The invention presents two kinds of maps to the user. The
Earth map 605 is shown in the Mural 600 of FIGS. 9a-9i described
below. The Network map is presented in FIGS. 7a-7l. This novel
abstraction functions as an iconic filter construction device. The
Network map user interface presents a pallet of available
supporting elements 708 and curatorship facilities 709. The user
adds elements to the map by drag and drop of icon items from the
pallets 708 and 709 onto the mapping area 707. The map has a
representation of the user's current filter selections and primary
category data items with counts of the number of items satisfying
each criterion. Selecting an icon, for example the icon
representing the user 708, graphs the relationships 705 between the
selected icon and other icons in the network map. A double click on
an icon expands it. For example, the songs icon 706 has not been
expanded while the Garth Trinidad icon 710 is the result of two
expansions; the curator icon 711 was expanded from the Current
search, and the Garth Trinidad icon 710 was expanded from the
curator expansion 711. The current network map is saved by user
selection 701. The map is made available to external Web sites,
such as MySpace, FaceBook, and Twitter, etc through an embedded
object tag, for example, a JavaScript object or integrated plug-in
module, the semantics of which are provided to the user by
selecting 702.
[0087] The Network View page presents the user with an interactive
diagram of connections between elements in the Map database (see
FIG. 7c).
[0088] 1. Central focus. The diagram is always centered on a
specific item; in this case, a cluster of icons representing the
user's current search. The large circle behind the central item
indicates relationships between the items it touches and the
central focus. Double-clicking any item in the diagram makes that
item the new central focus.
[0089] 2. Category cluster. Because even links to a single element
within the Map database quickly become too complex to be displayed
all at once, category clusters are used to simplify the diagram by
grouping related results. For example, this "Albums" cluster
indicates that there are nine albums related to the user's current
search. The more results a cluster contains, the larger it
gets.
[0090] 3. People cluster. Because Map curators and community
members can create their own networks of linked items, their
results appear as a special category of cluster with a different
look.
[0091] 4. Previous search. Users can step back through their search
history by clicking here; doing so causes that search to move to
the center and the category results to update accordingly.
[0092] 5. Map categories. This tab is a repository of all the
default Map categories which can be dragged into the Network View.
Most of these correspond to icons in the filter bar.
[0093] 6. Your categories. This tab contains custom categories
specific to a particular user. With this feature, a user can
organize their Map however they wish, by creating a category like
"Stuff I need to listen to," dragging it to the browser, and adding
specific items into it.
[0094] 7. Map room. This tab contains map views which the user has
stored using the "Save this" command above.
[0095] 8. Curators and community. This tab contains recommended
curators and community members relevant to the user's current
search. Each can be dragged into the Network View. Note the first
community member is "You"--this enables the user to add items in
the view to their own Map.
[0096] 9. Save this. Allows the user to save the current map view
to their Map Room for later retrieval.
[0097] 10. Share this. Allows the user to send the map to a
friend.
[0098] FIG. 7d depicts the following functionality:
[0099] 1. Save this. Allows the user to save the current map view
to their Map Room for later retrieval.
[0100] 2. Share this. Allows the user to send the map to a friend.
The friend does not have to be a Map user.
[0101] 3. Map me. Shows the contents of the current view plotted on
a map.
[0102] 4. Build tour. Allows the user to construct a linear
sequence of nodes as a tour which other users can play.
[0103] 5. Key. Superimposes text labels that identify all icons in
the diagram.
[0104] In FIG. 7e, the user is curious about Amazon.com products
related to a current search, and so has dragged the Amazon.com icon
out of the Map Categories tab and released it in the Network View,
creating a new category cluster displaying results from the
search.
[0105] As shown in FIG. 7f, by clicking on the Amazon.com category
cluster, the user has expanded it to reveal its contents: a set of
related products available from the retailer. Note how the large
background circles are connected to indicate that the items they
contain are all related to the central focus (the user's current
search). If the user wishes to see the complete set of results, he
can click on the "+17" bubble to see the items arranged as a
list.
[0106] Similarly, the user has clicked on the People cluster to
expand it and show curators and community members related to the
current search (see FIG. 7g).
[0107] Curious about the preferences of a particular curator, the
user clicks on his icon to show any of the curator's links that are
relevant to the current search. Lines appear connecting the curator
to related category clusters (see FIG. 7h).
[0108] In FIG. 7i, the user has clicked on the Film and TV icon to
expand it and reveal which of the three movies the curator has a
special affinity for.
[0109] Now, the user is ready to make some additions to their own
Map. To get started, he drags the "You" icon out from the Curators
and Community tab and drops it in the Network View. Because the
user has not yet created any links to any of the visible elements,
no connecting lines are drawn (see FIG. 7j).
[0110] Making use of the pop-up options that appear when he rolls
over an item, the user selects the "Link" option, clicking and
dragging from the item back to the "You" icon to establish a
link--and adding that item to his Map. The user thinks that Garth
has good taste, so he adds him to his map, as well as one of his
favorite films (see FIG. 7k).
[0111] The user wants to explore Garth's map further, so he
double-clicks on Garth's icon to make him the central focus.
Because the Network View is now no longer being filtered by the
current search, the number of results shown expands greatly. From
here, the user can expand specific categories at will, or return to
the current search as the central focus by clicking the "Your
current search" item on the left.
[0112] In this way, the user can explore the Maps of others while
also constructing is own (see FIG. 71).
[0113] Curator Abstraction
[0114] FIG. 8a depicts the following functionality:
[0115] 1. Mini Mural. This compact version of the collage seen on
the home page continues to update with images inspired by the
user's current search. The search status and music player elements
appear here as well.
[0116] 2. Curator info. This comprises top-line information about
the curator, including links to bio, manifesto, and an FAQ.
[0117] 3. Curator's recommendations--Playlist carousel. Features a
selection of curator-selected playlists related to the user's
current search. A question mark icon toggles the display of help
content for this module, and search status icons show which
elements of the user's search have been used to generate the
content shown. By clicking on the pull-down menu in the upper
right, the user can change the content displayed to various music
and video playlists, blog, podcast, and other curator-recommended
content.
[0118] The list is initially displayed in a carousel that shows
items receding in space, but can be toggled to display as a
standard text list as well. Most lists can be played in the Mural
music player, added to the user's own Map, or shared using social
networking services.
[0119] 4. Curator's world--Network View. This interactive diagram
shows content from Nigel's Map, i.e. songs, albums, bands, genres,
news, art, literature, fashion, movies, etc,) which is relevant to
the user's current search. Specific elements can be explored, saved
to the user's own Map, or shared with friends. By clicking on the
pull-down menu in the upper right, the user can access other facets
of the curator's world, including blog posts, podcasts, and a
schedule of events.
[0120] 5. Shopping. Similar in format to the Playlist module, this
area shows products related to the user's current search. It can be
viewed as a standard list and sorted by various criteria. Clicking
the pull-down menu in the upper right allows access to the various
vendors offering products through the system. Rolling over an item
shows its details as well as an off-site link to purchase.
[0121] Additional options for the Curator recommendations module
(#3 on the Curator page) are shown in FIG. 8b as follows:
[0122] 1. Track rollover. Rolling over a track entry displays this
box, with which the user can listen to a sample of the song, add it
to his own Map, buy it, or visit the page for the album.
[0123] 2. Share this. Clicking on this link brings up a pop-up
collection of social networking services through which the user can
publish a link to the current curator playlist.
[0124] 3. Playlist selection. This pull-down menu contains a
selection of curator playlists relevant to the user's current
search. Note that the Search status icons currently show only Time
and Location being used to generate these results; this is adjusted
dynamically based upon the number of available matches.
[0125] Additional options for the Curator recommendations module
(#3 on the Curator page) are shown on FIG. 8c as follows:
[0126] 1. Video playlist. Here, the module layout is altered to
accommodate a video player. Clicking "Play this" here causes the
entire playlist to run in its entirety. Additional options for the
Curator's world module (#4 on the Curator page)are shown on FIG. 8d
as follows:
[0127] 1. Content selection. This pull-down menu contains a
selection of Curator-originated content the user can explore at
will. Content is filtered according to the current state of the
Search status icons.
[0128] 2. Full screen option. Toggles full-screen display of the
Network View on and off.
[0129] 3. Filter bar categories. Because the contents of this view
are filtered by the user's current search, as indicated by the
icons for Year, Location, Genre, and Artist in the upper-left
corner, these dotted-line categories are shown to give the user a
sense of the larger scope of the curator's interests.
[0130] The user is currently searching on 1968-San
Francisco-Rock-Quicksilver Messenger Service, but if he were to
remove Quicksilver from that search, he would find that Nigel has a
total of 153 artists to recommend that are relevant to 1968-San
Francisco-Rock. That is why the number 153 appears within the
artist category--to indicate that if the user clicks on that
category, the Artist filter is "muted" and those results become
available.
[0131] 4. Blog updates. Shows the most recent blog posts by this
curator.
[0132] Additional options for the Curator's world module (#4 on the
Curator page) are shown on FIG. 8e as follows:
[0133] 1. Podcast. Shows the complete catalog of podcasts by this
curator, including links to listen and subscribe.
[0134] 2. Best Of. Shows featured and/or popular blog posts by this
curator.
[0135] Additional options for the Curator's world module (#4 on the
Curator page) are shown on FIG. 8f as follows:
[0136] 1. Schedule. Shows the curator's upcoming events.
[0137] On FIG. 8g, we see a Curator page for the Future Sounds
collective of music bloggers, focused on the rising stars of
2009.
[0138] On FIG. 8h, we see a Curator page for KCRW DJ Garth
Trinidad, featuring top albums from artists appearing at an
upcoming Hollywood Bowl event as well as a Network View that has
been expanded to reveal Garth's top genres.
[0139] Earth Map Music Overlay
[0140] The location element 202 of the fundamental relationship of
music 200 from
[0141] FIG. 2 has a natural representation through standard mapping
facilities 802, such as Google Earth, an embodiment of which is
depicted in FIGS. 9a-9i. The standard map interface is annotated
with music related items of interest 801 according to a selection
category 800. The items displayed are subject to the users current
filter settings. Selecting an item presents a corresponding
representation.
[0142] FIG. 9b shows a page that is dedicated to geographical music
searches:
[0143] 1. Interactive globe. Displays geographic content based upon
the user's search on a navigable 3D globe, including a variety of
map layers and tours.
[0144] 2. Search and timeline controls. Allows the user to quickly
search for a location. The selected result is shown both on the
globe and in the Location icon in the filter bar. The user can also
update the current year search criterion and updates are reflected
in the globe pull-down menu content in the upper-right and in the
Time icon in the filter bar.
[0145] 3. Geographical media browser. Delivers media by type that
matches the specified Location in the user's current search. Note
that the Search status icons show that Location is the only element
being used to determine the content that appears in the
browser.
[0146] 4. Location browser. Three hierarchically filtered lists of
Regions, Cities, and Landmarks. Each item in each of the lists has
its own dedicated page on the site that the user can visit.
[0147] Additional options for the Interactive globe module (#1 on
the Musical Earth page) are shown on FIG. 9c as follows:
[0148] 1. Location pop-up. Provides links to the dedicated page for
the location and to add the location to the user's Map.
[0149] 2. User ratings. Displays the average rating for the
currently displayed content among all users, as well as a control
for the user to add their own rating.
[0150] Additional options for the Interactive globe module (#1 on
the Musical Earth page) are shown on FIG. 9d as follows:
[0151] 1. Content selection. Enables the user to select from a
variety of search-filtered maps and tours that can be overlaid on
the 3D globe.
[0152] FIG. 9e depicts a version of the module that shows a
close-up view of the west coast.
[0153] In FIG. 9f, the user is browsing a set of music maps of the
United States. Each map highlights geographic locations in the US
along a particular musical theme:
[0154] music in general, hip-hop, songwriters, radio stations, etc.
Clicking on a city brings up a pop-up with related links the user
can explore. Clicking on a link takes the user to the related page,
while also updating their current search to reflect the relevant
artist, genre, location, and year.
[0155] FIG. 9g depicts a dedicated page for a single city as
follows:
[0156] 1. Map. An interactive map shows a satellite view of
Memphis.
[0157] 2. Markers. Markers call attention to important
music-related locations in the city.
[0158] 3. Marker pop-up. Clicking on a marker brings up the related
info window, with options to visit the landmark's dedicated page or
add the landmark to the user's Map.
[0159] 4. Map content. Using the pull-down menu in the upper right,
the user can select from a variety of search-filtered geographic
content for the city, details of which are shown here.
[0160] 5. Search and timeline controls. Allows the user to quickly
search for a location. The selected result is shown both on the
globe and in the Location icon in the filter bar. The user can also
update the current year search criterion and updates are reflected
in the globe pull-down menu content in the upper-right and in the
Time icon in the filter bar.
[0161] 6. City content browser. This area allows the user to browse
content related to the city. Here, the user is browsing
curator-recommended Memphis albums.
[0162] Additional options for the City content browser module (#6
on the City page) are shown on FIG. 9h as follows:
[0163] 1. Content selection. Enables the user to select from a
variety of Memphis-related content carousels, plus a Network View
centered on the city.
[0164] FIG. 9i depicts the following:
[0165] 1. Location content browser--Map. An interactive map/street
view image of the location is shown. By clicking the pull-down menu
in the upper right corner, the user can access other Stax-related
content, including photos, video, and user-created content.
[0166] 2. Recommendations browser--Artists. This module contains a
selection of curator-recommended and dynamically chosen content
relating both to the user's search and to this location. The
various content types (artists, tracks, albums, etc.) are
accessible via the pull-down menu.
[0167] Mobile Device Integration with GPS
[0168] A mobile device enabled with a Global Positioning System
(GPS) 900, such as the Apple iPhone for example, is shown in FIGS.
10a-10d. Illustrated for example is the Network map interface 901
displaying the user current search 903, the fundamental
relationship of music filters 900 and search button 901. A unique
and novel service of the current invention is to inform the user of
music related items of interest near their current physical
location 904.
[0169] In FIG. 10a, the Search mode of the Map iPhone application
allows the user to perform searches and retrieve the same results
that would appear in the filter bar on the main website.
[0170] 1. Search field. Allows the user to perform searches and
retrieve the same results that would appear in the filter bar on
the main website
[0171] 2. Search components. These icons are populated with
elements derived from the user's text searches, just as on the Map
website. Clicking on an icon displays a pop-up widget for changing
its contents similar to those found on the site, i.e. timeline,
location search, genre pull-down, artist search.
[0172] Note that the location search pop-up widget has a current
location option that makes use of GPS to identify the user's
position and add it to the search.
[0173] 3. Search results. Results of the most recent search are
shown here in a scrollable list. Entries correspond to the various
results categories in the Web site filter bar. Touching a category
causes the list to scroll to the left, displaying related
results.
[0174] 4. Tab bar. Allows the user to switch between application
modes.
[0175] The Local mode of the Map iPhone application shows
geographic results derived from the user's search (see FIG.
10b).
[0176] 5. GPS locator. Uses GPS to center the map on the user's
current location, updating the Location search component to
match.
[0177] 6. Map layer selector. This selection of map layers can be
scrolled left and right by touching and dragging, and individual
layers can be turned on and off by tapping.
[0178] 7. Tour selector. By choosing a tour and clicking "Start
tour," the user can browse through a curator-authored step-by-step
guide to a particular location from a musical perspective.
[0179] 8. Interactive map. Shows results matching the user's search
criteria in the chosen location. Users can toggle the display of
specific map layers on and off.
[0180] The Network mode of the Map mobile device application (see
FIG. 10c) allows the user to browse an interactive diagram of the
Map database, including links created by curators, community, and
the user.
[0181] 1. Network View. Interactive diagram of items in the Map
database. Touch gestures including "pinch in" and "pinch out" allow
the user to scale the map up and down and navigate from node to
node.
[0182] 2. Key. Tapping this button superimposes text labels that
identify all icons in the diagram.
[0183] 3. Preferences option. Allows the user to customize the
display of the diagram.
[0184] 4. Categories tab. Here, the user has opened the Categories
tab, which includes a toggle between the standard Map categories
and user-created categories, and is about to drag the Amazon.com
icon into the Network view to display related results.
[0185] Having dragged the Amazon.com category in to the Network
view, related results are now shown.
[0186] Amazon.com results. Tapping on the Amazon.com bubble has
centered and expanded it to display its results. The original
search is still available by tapping the up arrow at the top of the
view.
[0187] Result pop-up. Tapping on a result brings up a pop-up that
provides a brief description of the item, and relevant links.
Because this is an Amazon product, the user is shown a purchase
button that opens Amazon.com in the Safari browser when
clicked.
[0188] Below the product information is a panel of Network View
options that allow the user to manipulate how the item appears in
the Network View.
[0189] The Musical Earth mode of the Map mobile device application
allows the user to browse an interactive 3D globe dotted with
geographic markers relevant to the current search (see FIG.
10d).
[0190] Game Console Integration
[0191] Access through other popular web enabled graphic interfaces,
such as Sony Xbox 300 for example, is shown in FIG. 11. Illustrated
are user interface abstractions and facilities of the invention
including a filter bar 1003, media player 1007, time line interface
1004, media selection 1005, and the Mural 1006.
[0192] Game console application. This implementation of the Map on
a game console such as the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 shows the
interface reformatted for an HD television screen, including tabs
at the top for accessing the primary page and content types
[0193] External Application Integration
[0194] Integration of the invention with a popular procurement
service, such as Apple iTunes is shown in FIG. 12. The unique
experience provided by the presently preferred embodiment of the
invention proposes to inspire and motivate the user though the
synergistic effect of combining artist, time, location, and genre
in the presentation of related items of culture, many of which are
or can be made available for purchase. To encourage this inspired
and motivated behavior on the part of the user the procurement
service user interface is extended with the Map interface 1101. The
fundamental relationship of music 1102 provides a search filter,
with items of interest available under their respective primary
categories and supporting elements 1103.
[0195] A profound result of this synergy is to increase the
probability of procurement of music and music related items
available through both the external and internal services, such as
the external service shown in FIG. 12, as well as the primary
category internal shopping element 306 of FIG. 3 that provides
access to additional external procurement services.
[0196] Computer Implementation
[0197] FIG. 13 is a block schematic diagram of a machine in the
exemplary form of a computer system 1600 within which a set of
instructions for causing the machine to perform any one of the
foregoing methodologies may be executed. In alternative
embodiments, the machine may comprise or include a network router,
a network switch, a network bridge, personal digital assistant
(PDA), a cellular telephone, a Web appliance or any machine capable
of executing or transmitting a sequence of instructions that
specify actions to be taken.
[0198] The computer system 1600 includes a processor 1602, a main
memory 1604 and a static memory 1606, which communicate with each
other via a bus 1608. The computer system 1600 may further include
a display unit 1610, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or
a cathode ray tube (CRT). The computer system 1600 also includes an
alphanumeric input device 1612, for example, a keyboard;
[0199] a cursor control device 1614, for example, a mouse; a disk
drive unit 1616, a signal generation device 1618, for example, a
speaker, and a network interface device 1628.
[0200] The disk drive unit 1616 includes a machine-readable medium
1624 on which is stored a set of executable instructions, i.e.
software, 1626 embodying any one, or all, of the methodologies
described herein below. The software 1626 is also shown to reside,
completely or at least partially, within the main memory 1604
and/or within the processor 1602. The software 1626 may further be
transmitted or received over a network 1630 by means of a network
interface device 1628.
[0201] In contrast to the system 1600 discussed above, a different
embodiment uses logic circuitry instead of computer-executed
instructions to implement processing entities. Depending upon the
particular requirements of the application in the areas of speed,
expense, tooling costs, and the like, this logic may be implemented
by constructing an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)
having thousands of tiny integrated transistors. Such an ASIC may
be implemented with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS),
transistor-transistor logic (TTL), very large systems integration
(VLSI), or another suitable construction. Other alternatives
include a digital signal processing chip (DSP), discrete circuitry
(such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors, and
transistors), field programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable
logic array (PLA), programmable logic device (PLD), and the
like.
[0202] It is to be understood that embodiments may be used as or to
support software programs or software modules executed upon some
form of processing core (such as the CPU of a computer) or
otherwise implemented or realized upon or within a machine or
computer readable medium. A machine-readable medium includes any
mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form
readable by a machine, e.g. a computer. For example, a machine
readable medium includes read-only memory (ROM); random access
memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media;
flash memory devices; electrical, optical, acoustical or other form
of propagated signals, for example, carrier waves, infrared
signals, digital signals, etc.; or any other type of media suitable
for storing or transmitting information.
[0203] Although the invention is described herein with reference to
the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set
forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. Accordingly, the invention should only be
limited by the Claims included below.
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