The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 29, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 23, 2000
Eric L. Brechner, Woodinville, WA (US);
Dean A. Slawson, Redmond, WA (US);
David A. Vest, Kirkland, WA (US);
Krzysztof J. Cwalina, Redmond, WA (US);
Glen Iwasaki, Bellevue, WA (US);
John J. Thrall, Mountain View, CA (US);
Colin R. Anthony, East St. Louis, IL (US);
Eric L. Brechner, Woodinville, WA (US);
Dean A. Slawson, Redmond, WA (US);
David A. Vest, Kirkland, WA (US);
Krzysztof J. Cwalina, Redmond, WA (US);
Glen Iwasaki, Bellevue, WA (US);
John J. Thrall, Mountain View, CA (US);
Colin R. Anthony, East St. Louis, IL (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A style identifier is associated with each of a plurality of media clips stored in a database, based on a subjective evaluation of various characteristics of each media clip by an expert. The style represented by the style identifier corresponds to an impression on the expert regarding various qualities of the media clip and is not constrained by the subject of the media clip. Media clips with which style identifiers are associated can be any form of digital media, such as clip art files, sound files, photographs, animation files, fonts, etc. Also associated with each media clip in the database is an absolute ranking value for each of a plurality of different attributes based on a subjective evaluation of each media clip by an expert. A user can search the database for media clips associated with a specific style identifier and can sort the media clips that were identified by a search, based upon the absolute ranking value for a selected attribute. In one application of this invention, the database is maintained at a web site accessible over the Internet, and users can browse or search the database based upon a selected category, a keyword, or a style. The results of browsing or searching the database can be selectively sorted in regard to a selected attribute. Thus, with this invention, a user can more readily identify an appropriate media clip that is suitable for an intended use.