System and method for enabling multimedia production collaboration over a network
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for sharing sequence data between a local sequencer station and at least one remote sequencer station over a network via a server, the sequence data representing audiovisual occurrences each having descriptive characteristics and time characteristics, the apparatus comprising:
- a first interface module receiving commands from a local sequencer station;
a data packaging module coupled to the first interface module, the data packaging module responding to the received commands by encapsulating sequence data from the local sequencer station into broadcast data units retaining the descriptive characteristics and time relationships of the sequence data, the data packaging module also extracting sequence data from broadcast data units received from the server for access by the local sequencer terminal;
a broadcast handler coupled to the first interface module and the data packaging module, the broadcast handler processing commands received via the first interface module;
a server communications module responding to commands processed by the broadcast handler by transmitting broadcast data units to the server for distribution to at least one remote sequencer station, the server communications module also receiving data available messages and broadcast data units from the server; and
a notification queue handler coupled to the server communications module and responsive to receipt of data available messages and broadcast data units from the server to transmit notifications to the first interface for access by the local sequencer terminal.
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Abstract
A system and method for collaborative multimedia production by users at different geographic locations. The users produce sequencer data at a plurality of sequencer stations connected via a network. The sequencer stations encapsulate sequencer data units into broadcast data units and upload and download broadcast data units to and from a server, in response to user commands received at the sequencer stations.
106 Citations
14 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sharing sequence data between a local sequencer station and at least one remote sequencer station over a network via a server, the sequence data representing audiovisual occurrences each having descriptive characteristics and time characteristics, the apparatus comprising:
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a first interface module receiving commands from a local sequencer station;
a data packaging module coupled to the first interface module, the data packaging module responding to the received commands by encapsulating sequence data from the local sequencer station into broadcast data units retaining the descriptive characteristics and time relationships of the sequence data, the data packaging module also extracting sequence data from broadcast data units received from the server for access by the local sequencer terminal;
a broadcast handler coupled to the first interface module and the data packaging module, the broadcast handler processing commands received via the first interface module;
a server communications module responding to commands processed by the broadcast handler by transmitting broadcast data units to the server for distribution to at least one remote sequencer station, the server communications module also receiving data available messages and broadcast data units from the server; and
a notification queue handler coupled to the server communications module and responsive to receipt of data available messages and broadcast data units from the server to transmit notifications to the first interface for access by the local sequencer terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for sharing sequence data between a local sequencer station and at least one remote sequencer station over a network via a server, the sequence data representing audiovisual occurrences each having descriptive characteristics and time characteristics and including multimedia data source data units, the apparatus comprising:
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a first interface module receiving commands from a local sequencer station;
a data packaging module coupled to the first interface module, the data packaging module responding to the received commands by encapsulating sequence data from the local sequencer station into broadcast data units retaining the descriptive characteristics and time relationships of the sequence data, the data packaging module encapsulating the multimedia source data units into at least one type of asset rendering broadcast unit, each rendering broadcast unit type specifying a version of multimedia data source data exhibiting a different degree of data compression, the data packaging module also extracting sequence data from broadcast data units received from the server;
a broadcast handler coupled to the first interface module and the data packaging module, the broadcast handler processing commands received via the first interface module; and
a server communications module responding to commands processed by the broadcast handler by transmitting broadcast data units to the server for distribution to at least one remote sequencer station, the server communications module also receiving broadcast data units via the server from the at least one remote sequencer station.
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13. Apparatus for sharing sequence data between a local sequencer station and at least one remote sequencer station over a network via a server, the sequence data representing audiovisual occurrences each having descriptive characteristics and time characteristics, the apparatus comprising:
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a first interface module receiving commands from a local sequencer station;
a data packaging module coupled to the first interface module, the data packaging module responding to the received commands by encapsulating sequence data from the local sequencer station into broadcast data units retaining the descriptive characteristics and time relationships of the sequence data, the broadcast data units including custom broadcast data units, standard broadcast data units expressing the hierarchy of sequence data, and specialized broadcast data units including all attributes of standard broadcast data units plus additional attributes, the data packaging module also extracting sequence data from broadcast data units received from the server;
a broadcast handler coupled to the first interface module and the data packaging module, the broadcast handler processing commands received via the first interface module; and
a server communications module responding to commands processed by the broadcast handler by transmitting broadcast data units to the server for distribution to at least one remote sequencer station, the server communications module also receiving broadcast data units via the server from the at least one remote sequencer station and passing the received broadcast data units to the data packaging module.
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14. A method for sharing sequence data between a local sequencer station and at least one remote sequencer station over a network via a server, the sequence data representing audiovisual occurrences each having descriptive characteristics and time characteristics, the method comprising:
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receiving commands via a client application component from a user at a local sequencer station;
responding to the received commands by encapsulating sequence data from the local sequencer station into broadcast data units retaining the descriptive characteristics and time relationships of the sequence data and transmitting broadcast data units to the server for distribution to at least one remote sequencer station;
receiving data available messages from the server;
responding to receipt of data available messages from the server to transmit notifications to the client application component;
responding to commands received from the client application component to request download of broadcast data units from the server; and
receiving broadcast data units from the server and extracting sequence data from the received broadcast data units for access by the client application component.
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Specification