Methods and systems for processing media content

A server comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more storage devices;
• and
• software code resident on the one or more storage devices which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to:
• receive a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• map the physical ID to a logical ID;
• search a database that contains metadata associated with the specific media by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query;
• format the metadata in a XML schema;
• and
• return the formatted metadata to a client.

One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• receive a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• map the physical ID to a logical ID;
• search a database that contains metadata associated with the specific media by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query;
• format the metadata in a XML schema;
• and
• return the formatted metadata to a client.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• associating a physical ID with a logical ID, the physical ID corresponding to a specific media associated with content that can be experienced by a user;
• using the logical ID to query one or more databases that contain metadata associated with the specific media;
• and
• returning metadata associated with the specific media to a client.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• receiving a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media associated with content that can be experienced by a user;
• attempting to map the physical ID to a logical ID;
• if a logical ID is found that corresponds to the physical ID, searching a database that contains metadata associated with the specific media by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query;
• if no logical ID is found that corresponds to the physical ID, attempting to establish a logical ID for the physical ID.

A server computer comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more storage devices;
• and
• software code resident on the one or more storage devices which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to:
• receive a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• attempt to map the physical ID to a logical ID;
• if a logical ID is found that corresponds to the physical ID, search a database that contains metadata associated with the specific media by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query;
• and
• if no logical ID is found that corresponds to the physical ID, attempt to establish a logical ID for the physical ID.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• receiving a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• attempting to map the physical ID to a logical ID by searching a first table containing physical ID-to-logical ID mappings using a first search;
• if the first search is unsuccessful, searching a second table containing physical ID-to-logical ID mappings using a second search;
• and
• if a logical ID is found that corresponds to the physical ID, searching a database that contains metadata associated with the specific media by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query.

One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• receive a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• attempt to map the physical ID to a logical ID by searching a first table containing physical ID-to-logical ID mappings using a first search, the first search comprising a low cost search;
• if the first search is unsuccessful, search a second table containing physical ID-to-logical ID mappings using a second search;
• if the second search is unsuccessful, search the first table using a third search, the third search comprising a higher cost search than the first search;
• and
• if a logical ID is found that corresponds to the physical ID, search a database that contains metadata associated with the specific media by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• providing a canonical table containing physical ID to logical ID mappings, the physical IDs being associated with specific media containing content that can be experienced by a user, the logical IDs being configured for use in database queries to locate metadata associated with specific media;
• providing a table containing user-provided physical ID to logical ID mappings;
• receiving a physical ID associated with a specific media;
• conducing a first low cost search of the canonical table to determine whether there is a matching physical ID with a corresponding logical ID;
• if the first low cost search is unsuccessful, conducing a second low cost search of the table containing the user-provided physical ID to logical ID mappings to determine whether there is a matching physical ID with a corresponding logical ID;
• if the second low cost search is unsuccessful, conducing a third higher cost search of the canonical table to determine whether there is a matching physical ID with a corresponding logical ID;
• and
• if any of the searches are successful, using the corresponding logical ID to search a database containing metadata associated with the specific media.

A system for providing metadata to clients comprising:

• a server configured to receive physical IDs that correspond to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• one or more databases containing metadata associated with various media;
• and
• at least one table containing physical IDs and associated logical IDs to which the physical IDs are mapped, the logical IDs being configured for use by the server in searching the one or more databases for metadata associated with specific media.

A system for providing metadata to clients comprising:

• a canonical table comprising multiple physical IDs associated with specific media containing content that can be experienced by a user;
• multiple logical IDs associated with the multiple physical IDs;
• individual physical IDs being mapped to individual logical IDs;
• and
• the logical IDs being configured for use in database queries to locate metadata associated with specific media.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• receiving a physical ID that corresponds to a specific CD upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• mapping the physical ID to a logical ID;
• searching a database that contains metadata associated with the CD by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query;
• formatting the metadata in a XML schema;
• and
• returning the formatted metadata to a client.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• receiving a physical ID that corresponds to a specific DVD upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user;
• mapping the physical ID to a logical ID;
• searching a database that contains metadata associated with the DVD by using the logical ID as a basis for a search query;
• formatting the metadata in a XML schema;
• and
• returning the formatted metadata to a client.

An XML schema comprising:

• a name tag associated with a CD name;
• an author tag associated with a CD author;
• a track tag associated with a CD track;
• at least one URL tag referencing a link to additional information pertaining to the CD;
• and
• the schema being configured for use in sending metadata associated with a CD to client computer for display for a user.

A method of processing media content comprising:

• generating a physical ID that corresponds to a specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by a user on a client computer;
• sending the physical ID to a server configured to return metadata associated with the specific media;
• receiving, from the server, XML-formatted metadata;
• parsing, with the client computer, the XML-formatted metadata;
• and
• displaying the metadata for the user on the client computer.

A method of providing metadata to a client comprising:

• establishing a table that contains user-provided entries that map physical IDs to logical IDs, the physical IDs corresponding to specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by various users, the logical IDs being configured for use in querying one or more databases that contain metadata associated with the specific media, the metadata being returnable to a client;
• statistically evaluating the entries to determine, for each physical ID, a most likely logical ID match;
• and
• making the most likely logical ID match available so that it can be used to query the one or more databases.

A method of providing metadata to a client comprising:

• providing a table containing user-provided entries that map physical IDs to logical IDs, the physical IDs corresponding to specific media upon which content resides that can be experienced by various users, the logical IDs being configured for use in querying one or more databases that contain metadata associated with the specific media, the metadata being returnable to a client;
• computing, from the table, a list of physical IDs that are to be statistically evaluated;
• for each listed physical ID, ascertaining the logical IDs that have been associated with it by users;
• computing a distribution of logical IDs for a given physical ID, the distribution describing, for each logical ID, the number of times the physical ID has been mapped thereto;
• adding to the distribution, an entry that corresponds to a current trusted logical ID mapping;
• weighting the added entry;
• and
• computing, from the distribution, a most likely physical ID to logical ID match.