Method and system for archiving and retrieving items based on episodic memory of groups of people

A method of operating a terminal for use in the archiving and retrieval of digital media items for predefined distinct groups of people, the method comprising:

• receiving from an archiving user archiving input data identifying:
• a group to which the user belongs,
• a digital media item to be archived for the group,
• a selection of zero or more group event types from a predetermined plurality of group event types specific to the group,
• a selection of zero or more persons in the group, and
• a selection of a time period;
• transmitting the archiving input to a processing device for generating index information using the archiving input and for storing the index information in association with the identified item;
• receiving from a retrieving user retrieval input data identifying:
• a group to which the user belongs,
• a selection of default or zero or more group event types from the predetermined plurality of group event types for the group,
• a selection of default or zero or more persons in the group, and
• a selection of a time period;
• transmitting the retrieval input to the processing device to identify digital media items using the retrieval input;
• receiving any digital media items identified by the processing device;
• and
• displaying the received digital media items.

A user terminal for use in the archiving and retrieval of digital media items associated with predefined distinct groups of one or more people, the terminal comprising:

• user interface means for generating archiving input data identifying:
• a group to which the user belongs,
• a digital media item to be archived for the group,
• a user selection of zero or more group event types from a predetermined plurality of group event types specific to the group,
• a user selection of zero or more persons in the group, and
• a user selection of a time period;
• transmission means for transmitting the archiving input to a processing device for generating index information using the archiving input and for storing the index information in association with the identified item;
• wherein said user interface means further is for generating retrieval input data identifying:
• a group to which a retrieving user belongs,
• a retrieving user's selection of a default or zero or more group event types from the predetermined plurality of group event types for the group,
• a retrieving user's selection of a default or zero or more persons in the group,
• a retrieving user's selection of a time period;
• and
• said transmission means is adapted to transmit the retrieval input to the processing device to identify digital media items using the retrieval input;
• the user terminal further including
• receiving means for receiving any digital media items identified by the processing device;
• and
• a display for displaying the received digital media items.

Apparatus for archiving and retrieving digital media items for predefined distinct groups of one or more people, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving archiving input data identifying a group to which the user belongs, the archiving input data identifying:
• a digital media item to be archived for the group,
• a selection of zero or more group event types from a predetermined plurality of group event types specific to the group,
• a selection of zero or more persons in the group, and
• a selection of a time period;
• generating means for generating index information using the received user archiving input;
• storing means for storing the index information in association with the identified digital media item;
• wherein said receiving means is adapted to receive retrieval input data identifying a manual or automatic selection of zero or more group event types from the predetermined plurality of group event types for the group, a selection of zero or more persons in the group, and a selection of a time or time period;
• and
• the apparatus further includes retrieval means for using the selections and the identified group to retrieve and output digital media items that match the selections.

A media archival method, comprising, under control of an operator who is a member of a group:

• authenticating an operator as a member of a group of users,
• identifying candidate identification values based upon the group with whom the operator is authenticated,
• querying the operator for selection of identification data to be associated with a digital media item, the query identifying the candidate identification values and including valid selections of an event type and persons from the group and time,
• generating index information from a response of the operator, and
• storing the index information in association with the digital media item.

A multimedia retrieval method, comprising, under control of an operator who is a member of a group:

• authenticating an operator as a member of a group of users,
• identifying candidate identification values based upon the group with whom the operator is authenticated,
• querying the operator for selection of identification data, the query identifying the candidate identification values and including valid selections of an event type and persons from the group and time,
• generating index information from a response of the operator, and
• retrieving stored media items corresponding to the index information.

A method of archiving digital media items, comprising:

• receiving a user input identifying a social group to which an archiving user belongs;
• building a database that includes:
• digital media items to be archived for the social group, and
• index information for the digital media items, each instance of index information created from archiving input data identifying a user's response to a query that identifies a plurality of event types previously registered as associated with the social group, and persons previously registered as members of the social group.

A method of searching digital media items, comprising:

• receiving a user input identifying a social group for which a search is to be conducted;
• identifying candidate identification values based upon the social group,
• displaying a query that identifies the candidate identification values and including valid selections of an event type for the social group, persons from the social group and time,
• responsive to selection criteria made in response to the query, searching a database and retrieving digital media items that satisfy the selection criteria.