Method and apparatus for referencing, filtering, and combining content

Abstract

A method and system for annotating playable media files in a social network having a plurality of members, for displaying information associated with the playable media files, and for marking a portion of interest in the playable media files is disclosed herein.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for marking a portion of interest in a playable media file, comprising:
 causing a recording device to begin capturing a recording of a live event as the playable media file;   while the recording device is capturing the recording, receiving a first user input wherein the recording device is configured to continue capturing the recording of the live event subsequent to the first user input;   determining from the first user input, a first temporal point of interest during the recording of the playable media file;   generating a first temporal place marker that indexes the first temporal point of interest; and   electronically storing the first temporal place marker in a memory of the recording device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second user input while the recording device is capturing the recording;   determining from the second user input, a second temporal point of interest during the recording of the playable media file; and   generating a second temporal place marker that indexes the second temporal point of interest;   wherein electronically storing the first temporal place marker comprises electronically storing a first virtual clip associated with the playable media file, the first virtual clip comprising the first temporal place marker and the second temporal place marker.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using a control device to create the first temporal place marker. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the control device communicates to the recording device via a connected data link. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the control device communicates to the recording device remotely. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recording device is selected from the group consisting of a mainframe computer, a mobile telephone, a smart telephone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a laptop, a set-top box, an MP3 player, an email enabled device, a tablet computer, a web enabled device, and other special purpose computer each having one or more processors. 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 causing a recording device to encode a playable media file, wherein the playable media file includes a recording of a live event and the recording includes at least one of a video content and an audio content;   receiving a first user input wherein the recording device is configured to continue capturing the recording subsequent to the first user input;   associating a first temporal point of interest with the first user input;   generating a first temporal place marker that indexes the first temporal point of interest; and   electronically storing the first temporal place marker in a memory of the recording device, wherein the first temporal place marker is associated with the playable media file.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving a second user input while the recording device is capturing the recording;   determining from the second user input, a second temporal point of interest during the recording of the playable media file; and   generating a second temporal place marker that indexes the second temporal point of interest;   wherein electronically storing the first temporal place marker comprises electronically storing a first virtual clip associated with the playable media file, the first virtual clip comprising the first temporal place marker and the second temporal place marker.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising using a control device to create the first temporal place marker. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the control device communicates to the recording device via a connected data link. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the control device communicates to the recording device remotely. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the recording device is selected from the group consisting of a mainframe computer, a mobile telephone, a smart telephone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a laptop, a set-top box, an MP3 player, an email enabled device, a tablet computer, a web enabled device, and other special purpose computer each having one or more processors. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a recording device;   a user interface;   a non-transitory memory storing a set of instructions; and   a processor coupled to the recording device, the user interface, and the non-transitory memory, the processor being configured to execute the instructions to perform the steps of:
 causing the recording device to begin capturing a recording of a live event as a playable media file, 
 while the recording device is capturing the recording, receiving a first user input from the user interface wherein the recording device is configured to continue capturing the recording of the live event subsequent to the first user input, 
 determining from the first user input, a first temporal point of interest during the recording of the playable media file, 
 generating a first temporal place marker that indexes the first temporal point of interest, and 
 electronically storing the first temporal place marker in the non-transitory memory. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to further perform the steps of:
 receiving a second user input from the user interface while the recording device is capturing the recording;   determining from the second user input, a second temporal point of interest during the recording of the playable media file; and   generating a second temporal place marker that indexes the second temporal point of interest;   wherein electronically storing the first temporal place marker comprises electronically storing a first virtual clip associated with the playable media file, the first virtual clip comprising the first temporal place marker and the second temporal place marker.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to further perform the step of using a control device to create the first temporal place marker. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control device communicates to the recording device via a connected data link. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control device communicates to the recording device remotely. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the recording device is selected from the group consisting of a mainframe computer, a mobile telephone, a smart telephone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a laptop, a set-top box, an MP3 player, an email enabled device, a tablet computer, a web enabled device, and other special purpose computer each having one or more processors.