Methods and Systems for Managing Media Items

Abstract

The various embodiments described herein include methods and systems for managing media items. In one aspect, a method is performed at a server system. The method includes: (1) receiving a creation request to create a media item, the request including information identifying one or more audio files and one or more visual media files; (2) in response to receiving the request, adding an entry to a media item database for the media item, the entry including metadata identifying the audio files and the visual media files and synchronization information for synchronizing the one or more audio files with the one or more visual media files; (3) receiving at least one of the one or more visual media files; and (4) storing the at least one visual media file at a first location, where the information identifying the one or more visual media files includes information identifying the first location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing media items, the method comprising:
 at a server system with one or more processors and memory:
 receiving, from an electronic device, a creation request to create a media item, the creation request including information identifying one or more audio files and one or more visual media files; 
 in response to receiving the creation request, adding an entry to a media item database for the media item, the entry including metadata identifying the one or more audio files, information identifying the one or more visual media files, and synchronization information for synchronizing the one or more audio files with the one or more visual media files;
 receiving at least one of the one or more visual media files; and 
 storing the at least one visual media file at a first location, wherein the information identifying the one or more visual media files includes information identifying the first location. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after receiving the at least one visual media file, editing the at least one visual media file;
 wherein storing the at least one visual media file at the first location comprises storing the edited at least one visual media file at the first location.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein editing the at least one visual media file includes at least one of:
 changing the format;   changing the bit rate;   integrating one or more audio tracks; and   integrating one or more presentation effects.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one visual media file comprises a plurality of visual media files and editing the plurality of visual media files includes combining the plurality of visual media files into a single visual media file. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein editing the at least one visual media file comprises editing the at least one visual media file based on metadata for the media item. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the at least one visual media file at the first location comprises storing the at least one visual media file in a media database within the server system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata identifying the one or more audio files includes information identifying a licensed source for at least one of the one or more audio files, the licensed source distinct from the server system and the electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creation request further includes information identifying one or more presentation effects for the media item; and
 the method further comprises adding metadata identifying the one or more presentation effects to the entry for the media item.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the second electronic device, a request to publish the media item, the request including a publication location;   in response to receiving the request to publish the media item, obtaining metadata from the entry for the media item; and   sending the obtained metadata to the publication location for publication.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a second electronic device, a request to modify the media item; and   in response to receiving the request to modify the media item:
 adding an entry to the media item database for the modified media item; and 
 adding metadata indicating that the modified media item is related to the media item. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the request to modify the media item includes a request to add one or more visual media files and/or one or more audio tracks to the media item. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a second electronic device, a user request to play the media item;   in response to receiving the user request, obtaining metadata of the media item from the media item database;   obtaining, based on the metadata of the media item, at least a portion of the one or more audio files and at least a portion of the one or more visual media files;   based on the synchronization information, sending, for concurrent playback at the second electronic device, the obtained at least a portion of the one or more audio files and the obtained at least a portion of the one or more visual media files.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein obtaining, based on the metadata of the media item, the at least a portion of the one or more audio files includes obtaining at least the portion of the one or more audio files from the licensed source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the licensed source comprises a streaming audio service provider. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 prior to obtaining the at least a portion of the one or more audio files, determining whether the one or more audio files include licensed content; and   in accordance with a determination that the one or more audio files include licensed content, sending, to the second electronic device, information regarding an option to purchase the licensed content from a licensed source.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, in response to receiving the user request, updating metadata of the media item in the media item database. 
     
     
         17 . A server system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 receiving, from an electronic device, a creation request to create a media item, the creation request including information identifying one or more audio files and one or more visual media files; 
 in response to receiving the creation request, adding an entry to a media item database for the media item, the entry including metadata identifying the one or more audio files, information identifying the one or more visual media files, and synchronization information for synchronizing the one or more audio files with the one or more visual media files; 
 receiving at least one of the one or more visual media files; and 
 storing the at least one visual media file at a first location, wherein the information identifying the one or more visual media files includes information identifying the first location. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 receiving, from a second electronic device, a user request to play the media item;   in response to receiving the user request, obtaining metadata of the media item from the media item database;   obtaining, based on the metadata of the media item, at least a portion of the one or more audio files and at least a portion of the one or more visual media files;   based on the synchronization information, sending, for concurrent playback at the second electronic device, the obtained at least a portion of the one or more audio files and the obtained at least a portion of the one or more visual media files.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by a server system with one or more processors, cause the server system to:
 receive, from an electronic device, a creation request to create a media item, the creation request including information identifying one or more audio files and one or more visual media files;   in response to receiving the creation request, add an entry to a media item database for the media item, the entry including metadata identifying the one or more audio files, information identifying the one or more visual media files, and synchronization information for synchronizing the one or more audio files with the one or more visual media files;   receive at least one of the one or more visual media files; and   store the at least one visual media file at a first location, wherein the information identifying the one or more visual media files includes information identifying the first location.   
     
     
         20 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which, when executed by the server system, cause the server system to
 receive, from a second electronic device, a user request to play the media item;   in response to receiving the user request, obtain metadata of the media item from the media item database;   obtain, based on the metadata of the media item, at least a portion of the one or more audio files and at least a portion of the one or more visual media files;   based on the synchronization information, send, for concurrent playback at the second electronic device, the obtained at least a portion of the one or more audio files and the obtained at least a portion of the one or more visual media files.